I need a bit of help...

[zERo]

This is gonna be a longer post. I have a QP his name is Tony, I rescued him from Craigslist, he was in a travel cage with only dowels, a swing he couldn't fit on and a fabric toy he couldn't destroy, eating 80-90% Roudybush pellets, sometimes he was given apple, almonds, cornflakes, and cashews. I got him when he was 2 and a half yrs. so I've had him 8 months now, I got him a bigger cage when I first got him but not as big as the one he's in now which is 32 x 21 x 63. He has 11 toys in all, a foraging wheel, drawers, and bowl, shredders like paper, seagrass and yucca. only natural perches like java, manzanita, chinese fir, rope, calcium, sand, and bottlebrush so 13 perches in all. He has a cuttlebone, stainless steel bowls and one ladder. His breakfast is chop about 1 tbsp. I put a new herb or spice on top like basil, oregano, sage, rolled oats (a few) or coconut flakes, then like an hour after he's done eating I hide on Sunny orchard nutriberry, a few safflower seeds, 2 or 3 sunflowers seeds some days in his toys. I usually train him about an hour after he's done foraging, then let him play outside of his cage. Then for dinner he gets 1/4 a tbsp. of Dr. harveys colossal cockatiel food, 1/4 a tbsp. of whatever grain or legume I cooked which could be quinoa, split peas, or lentils, then about 6 TOPs pellets, and also some birdie bread along with sprouted quinoa and lentils, some meals I give him a fresh veggie like bell pepper. After dinner I almost always bring him in the shower. I train him one more time then at 7:30 it's bedtime. Tony and my GCC get calendula tea about 3 or so times a week sometimes hibiscus tea. I don't pet him, and when I could it was only ever his head, hardly ever anymore because he almost always tries to 'mount' my hand. There's only paper in his tray, so no nesting materials, no happy hut, no dark corners, he's in a very well lit room, but for the past 2 days he's been holding his foot in his mouth and regurgitating over and over. I rearanged his whole cage yesterday but he picked a new spot to do it on a different perch so I removed that perch. I ordered some tea made for bird hormones with raspberry leaves but I'm kinda lost this just started about 2 days ago, I know how dangerous it can be for them to keep eating regurgitated food over and over. What do I need to change? I can post my current chop recipe if need be.

 

[Deleted member 42416]

You have made birdy heaven for Tony! Right now ‘tis the season for breeding and brooding. You are doing everything right. As long as his weight is stable and he is still eating his regular food he’ll be fine. Just a note: he will need to be covered 12 to 14 hours at bedtime to reduce hormonal behavior. Warm soft foods can also elicit this behavior, so perhaps altering this part of his diet might make a difference as well.

Hope this helps!

 

[zERo]

You have made birdy heaven for Tony! Right now ‘tis the season for breeding and brooding. You are doing everything right. As long as his weight is stable and he is still eating his regular food he’ll be fine. Just a note: he will need to be covered 12 to 14 hours at bedtime to reduce hormonal behavior. Warm soft foods can also elicit this behavior, so perhaps altering this part of his diet might make a difference as well.

Hope this helps!

Oh thank you! I read that QPs breeding season is from Oct to Jan? I assume this is altered in captivity. When I give him fresh grains or legumes, especially the rice and quinoa, I undercook them slightly so their more firm and their right out of the fridge. I wake them 8:00-8:25 roughly. Thanks for the advice though

 

[Laurasea]

I think quakers need hands on even if a little hormonal.
And he could be trying to meet this emotional need by substituting the foot..

They are allopreener species thst live in huge flocks, they make a 3 chamber nest, the innermost is for eggs abd babies, the middle is the older or last year chick's, the entryway is for close family can visit.

All I know is the 4 I've had need a lot of contact and preening . I'd say I spend at least an hour rubbing heads and beaks and preening any pins. Mine are stable, this attention hasn't made them hormonal, they don't regurgitate to me or try and mount me. Rarely ( once every couple of months)they regurgitate or share food with each other . During hormone spring seasons some years there are more hormones, and I've seen them find objects to self pleasure. My vet says let them as everything finds a way to self pleasure. As long as not obsession.

Anyway, I think you should go back to petting head. I really think they have an imotional need fir contact.

Some hormone season are just more intense. I don't make a big deal of it. Bored burds will focus more on hormone behavior. All behavior advice I've read is to provide more ways to burn off energy.

But you seem to be providing the ideal. So offer more contact and see if that helps . Ofcourse individuals and individual hormonal seasons vary. But this too will pass

When I rescued Penny quaker girl she was truly being treated awful and traumatized. She had a toy she obsessively regurgitate to, talked to and tended to. I discussed with vet what to do. She said let her keep her comfort substitute and self soothing toy, and to ignore it. She said as I meet her emotional needs she will quit on her own. And that's exactly what happened. After a couple of months she never did that kind of stuff again and never in the 4yrs since.

 

[zERo]

I think quakers need hands on even if a little hormonal.
And he could be trying to meet this emotional need by substituting the foot..

They are allopreener species thst live in huge flocks, they make a 3 chamber nest, the innermost is for eggs abd babies, the middle is the older or last year chick's, the entryway is for close family can visit.

All I know is the 4 I've had need a lot of contact and preening . I'd say I spend at least an hour rubbing heads and beaks and preening any pins. Mine are stable, this attention hasn't made them hormonal, they don't regurgitate to me or try and mount me. Rarely ( once every couple of months)they regurgitate or share food with each other . During hormone spring seasons some years there are more hormones, and I've seen them find objects to self pleasure. My vet says let them as everything finds a way to self pleasure. As long as not obsession.

Anyway, I think you should go back to petting head. I really think they have an imotional need fir contact.

Some hormone season are just more intense. I don't make a big deal of it. Bored burds will focus more on hormone behavior. All behavior advice I've read is to provide more ways to burn off energy.

But you seem to be providing the ideal. So offer more contact and see if that helps . Ofcourse individuals and individual hormonal seasons vary. But this too will pass

When I rescued Penny quaker girl she was truly being treated awful and traumatized. She had a toy she obsessively regurgitate to, talked to and tended to. I discussed with vet what to do. She said let her keep her comfort substitute and self soothing toy, and to ignore it. She said as I meet her emotional needs she will quit on her own. And that's exactly what happened. After a couple of months she never did that kind of stuff again and never in the 4yrs since.

Oh, I didn't realize I could cause him to want more contact. I guess I'll start petting him a bit more to see if that helps

 

[Laurasea]

Let us know.
As long as you aren't stroking back which is sexy turn on to them .
They preen to maintain social bonds and friendships. Not just to a mate as some species do.

 

[Emeral]

Deep respect for your heroic rescue and excellent care afterwards, wow, wow wow....He is one very very lucky boy. I am very happy for him.

Indeed, I totally admire what you do. I also thought you might find these pages below an interesting read, if you haven't already seen them.

Recognizing the Signs of Illness in Pet Birds | VCA Animal Hospitals

Learn about recognizing the signs of illness in pet birds. VCA offers professional guidance to help you ensure the health and happiness of your pet.

vcahospitals.com

Thread 'Tips for Bonding and Building Trust' https://www.parrotforums.com/threads/tips-for-bonding-and-building-trust.49144/

 

[zERo]

Deep respect for your heroic rescue and excellent care afterwards, wow, wow wow....He is one very very lucky boy. I am very happy for him.

Indeed, I totally admire what you do. I also thought you might find these pages below an interesting read, if you haven't already seen them.

Recognizing the Signs of Illness in Pet Birds | VCA Animal Hospitals

Learn about recognizing the signs of illness in pet birds. VCA offers professional guidance to help you ensure the health and happiness of your pet.

vcahospitals.com

Thread 'Tips for Bonding and Building Trust' https://www.parrotforums.com/threads/tips-for-bonding-and-building-trust.49144/

Thank you!

 

[zERo]

I know the solution to this problem will take awhile, even if I do find the source of it. Yesterday he was doing better I thought, I pet him on his head every 2-3 hours and just payed him more attention in general, he did the 'thing' only for a few minutes in the evening, but today he did it more, I treated him how I did the day before. I decided to change up my birds diet a bit, I'm going to decrease the cooked grains by half and sprout most if not all of their grains and legumes. I've been chopping up more fresh veggies to go with their chop as well. The avian tea from Origins Wild Diet got here, I gave Tony and my GCC the hormonal blend, the didn't like it as much as plain calendula tea but well see! I'll post if anything changes.