New member looking for advice

[GMorris]

Hi everyone!!

First of all, thanks for letting me join your community , I'm looking forward to getting yo know you and your beautiful birds.

I am a first time parrot owner, I've had love birds and budgies when I was younger, and up until recently, chickens and ducks, but this is my first parrot and I chose a gorgeous baby blue quaker .

I was hoping you knowledgeable folk could advise me on my new journey with my baby.

Today is the beginning of the third day that I've had my boy, and I was hoping you guys could help me understand my boy a bit better. As I'm a bit of an anxious type and reading everything on the Internet has scared me a little due to his current behaviour, however, I'm sure it's due to the massive change he's had to endure these last few days.

So, we haven't put our hands in the cage other than changing his water, food, and to clean his droppings, and to obviously transfer him from his carrier to the cage (poor little bugger was quite distressed ).

His cage is placed in the living room, but we I'm moving him into another room during the night for now to ensure he has his 12 hours peace/sleep. We talk to him throughout the day, but trying to just let him observe us and not over power with him with attention. It's quite obvious that he's trying to suss us out . He's quite alert, you can see that he's keeping an eye on everything going on in the room.

However, he's not moving a great deal. He spend most of the day with his tail pressed up against the back of the cage. I'm assuming it's a defence stance, making sure he can keep an eye on us and noone can creep up on him?

He's not making much noise, but as I'm typing this he's making some sort of gravelly chirp, and grinding his beak..... That's a good sign right? He seems to like listening to music, this is when he makes most noise. He's made more noise today than he did in total yesterday.

He's not eaten in front of us yet, but I hang a piece of apple in his cage, and he is eating it once I've put the blanket over his cage ready for bed time. But that's all he's eaten since he arrived.

He's currently on his perch, tail up against the back, head down, both feet on perch. I think what's worrying me more than anything is that he looks tired. For the last 2 days, throughout the day, he looks very tired. Eyes closing as if he's about to fall asleep. Is this normal? According to what I've read that could be a sign of illness. However, nothing I've read suggests this happening when bringing a baby parrot home for the first time.

So guys, what I'm asking is, do you think my baby is ill, or is this just an adjustment period? Need some real advice from real people, experienced people.

Thanks in advance everyone

 

[Laurasea]

Hello,
Welcome,
How old is your baby? Is he fully weaned?
What food are you offering? Its recommended to feed them the same food tgey were getting and transition them slowly .

Tgeir us no reason to wait in making freinds. If the bird has been socialized, they usually want a freinds in yiur and comfort with scary stuff. I have usually interact right away.

I'm concerned with not eating big time, snd with holding still and sleeping....birds can be stressed in a new home, but by the second day should beneating !

 

[GMorris]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

I've been told he is 4-5 months old, but untamed and not socialised.

I was given food from the breeder, of which I've offered but he's not really exploring his cage.

He's eaten 2 slices of apple, one the night before last and one last night.

Since putting up this post he has become very vocal, exploring his cage a bit more, attempting to play with his toys, but mainly trying to get on his swing. Making a lot of noise in the process.

He has also started to preen his feathers and is moving along his perch more.

He's not sleeping with 2 feet, but he seems sleepy, well, he did before is posted this thread. Now it's like a switch has flipped and he's starting to relax more?

Yes, the lack of eating was concerning me too. His food is in his food tray, but he's not exploring the cage enough to go near it. But I was told that they may not eat much or at least not in front of us for at least a few days.
I don't want to push him and make him more scared, but would you suggest I put the food in my hand and offer it too him?
I was advised to not put my hand in the cage for at least 72 hours, but if you think this might help I will most definitely give it a try.

Thanks again, and honestly, I prefer the truth and I appreciate that ��

 

[Flboy]

Hi! And welcome! For your hand, let him dictate your actions! If you move to the cage and he seems OK, you can slowly proceed! If he’s obviously stressing, give him space! Remember, we have predator eyes so don’t stare at him! Talking and explaining everything you do is a great way to help him relax and realize you aren’t planning to eat him!

 

[Laurasea]

Great!! Definitely old enough to be fully weaned.

Set up the cage so he has a visual retreat area, usually an upper corner. Set up fiid snd water fir easy session if he is high stress. Check poop, and seed shell's to ensure eating.

Offering things by hand is great to try and make freinds. But tgr most importantly do not Chace him with hand or make him retreat from your hand by moving it to close to him. The goal is for him to move towards you. Sometimes its best to start with a treat dish by the door, and just say helllo put seed in abd back up or walk away. Then you work up to putting seed in treat dish when you say hello and he looks at you, then when he takes one step towards you and then we he comes close, this is called shaping behavior and it really works. Untill you can hand him the seed yourself. You move at their speed. But don't act nervous or hesitant when you enters the with him, gull on cheerful baby talk!! They read and take ques from our body language. Talk sbd explains things to him all the time.
And read up on target training it works!!!

This us a great article.
https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/stress-reduction-for-parrot-companions/

 

[GMorris]

Oh wow!! Thank you so much both!!

Great advice, I will get to work straight away and update you all on my progress!!

So glad I came to you guys ��

Thanks again, I'm going to get reading ��

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Welcome to you and your Quaker! He is in a new enviroment and everything is new and strange to him. It does sound like he is settling in though. I had adopted from a friend a Goffin 'too a few years back and it seemed like it took him a WEEK before he ate anything but after close inspection I found evidence that he was actually munching from time to time,he wasn't going to starve himself :05:
I'm not a Quaker guy but there are many people here who are that can give you plenty of great advice.
Thanks for joining and hope you stick around. BTW we love pictures (hint hint)



Jim

 

[noodles123]

They move in slow motion, so try your hardest to just build trust- don't try to force step-ups or touching. Don't chase your bird, towel it (unless a life-death situation), corner it, or get up in its face. Introduce toys slowly if your bird seems hesitant (place them at a distance, but where then can see them and then gradually move them closer over time). Move at your bird's pace and try to associate yourselves with only low-stress activities. If a bird doesn't immediately take something from your hand or if you see any hesitation, just let the bird see it came from you by setting it in the dish or on the cage-top. Don't try to make your bird eat from your hand right off the bat if there is any tension.


You should talk about your daily routine as you do it--e.g., I am sweeping, I am taking out the trash, I am going to the bathroom, I will be right back etc. This helps build the bird's ability to anticipate things.

Get your bird used to the sound of your voice and talk to your bird when you leave the room (as long as the bird is not screaming)--this can help prevent screaming. If screaming starts, you also don't want to come running back in to get the bird quiet, as that will just teach them that screaming =attention.

Try sitting nearby and reading (audibly) from a book. Avoid doing anything super loud/scary early on (for instance, I would try not to move furniture or vacuum right by the cage etc etc --until more trust is built).

 

[noodles123]

Here is my copy-and paste for potential/new owners- sorry it's so long:

One really important thing when keeping a pet bird in the house is that you cannot use scented products or chemicals/fumes in your home (even things that smell nice to us(---things like smoke, perfumes, air freshener, standard cleaners, vaping, burning food, incense, cigarettes, glue, paint, window sealing kits, polishes, aerosol sprays etc can harm your bird's sensitive respiratory system (which is not the same as mammals'). Using products that heat or are heated which contain Teflon/PTFE/PFCs = very very dangerous. These products off-gas and can kill a bird in under 5 minutes. Teflon/PTFE/PFOA/PFCs are most commonly found in the kitchen (pots, pans, cookie sheets, drip trays, air fryers, popcorn poppers, baking mats, crock pots, toasters, toaster ovens, popcorn poppers, waffle irons, electric skillets etc. They can also be found in space-heaters, curling irons, blow-dryers, straighteners, heat lamps, heat guns, irons, ironing board covers etc. These fumes have killed birds through closed doors and on separate floors of a home, so you should replace your cookware with stainless steel, cast iron or ceramic. You may be thinking-- well, I have used them before and my bird is fine, but they kill very inconsistently and it depends on what you are cooking, the age of the pot/pan, the specific bird etc. There was a member who lost many of her birds from a pan she had literally used for years...then one day, her husband cooked an egg (without burning or overheating) and many of them died, while the rest showed signs of respiratory distress.

You will need an avian-safe cleaner to use within your home (both on the bird cage, but also, around the house). Again, chemical cleaners cannot be used in the home unless avian safe. F10 SC (the yellow/clear concentrate) is a great, avian-safe disinfectant. Other (less effective) options include products such as "poop-off", white vinegar + water, grapefruit seed extract + water, baking soda etc. Peroxide is also fairly safe for disinfecting places like your bathroom, but you do not want your bird to come into contact with it.

Some foods are toxic to them--avocado, coffee (even decaf), caffeine, rhubarb, alcohol, onions/garlic/leeks/chives, mushrooms etc. Salt is also very bad for them, as is most human food. They love it, but it's not healthy.

They should not just eat seed--you will want to feed lots of washed fresh vegetables. Fruit is fine in moderation, but too much can lead to obesity and behavioral issues due to sugar. I feed my bird a mix of high-quality seed (no sunflowers, no peanuts) and pellets (in addition to fruit/veg). ECCLECTUS PARROTS SHOULD NOT EAT PELLETS. Chop is another part of their diet. Fruit pits are toxic, as are apple seeds. Corn cob and certain nut shells (if swallowed in big pieces) can cause blockages, so you should be very cautious if you give your bird nuts in the shell. Peanuts can harbor aspergillosis, and should be avoided altogether (even they you often see them marketed towards parrots).

It is important to make sure that your bird's toys and cage are made of safe metals. Stainless steel is safest. They can get metal poisoning from playing with or mouthing objects made of unsafe metals.

They need a set amount of sleep each night (at least 10 hours) and the largest cage you can manage with lots of different perches. You want to avoid the totally smooth/round ones as they can lead to a condition called bumblefoot. Never place a cage near drafts and never allow cool air to blow on a bird. They are sensitive to drafts and any temperature shift greater than 10 degrees can cause a shock to their system.

They need lots of safe toys and safe wood to chew. Not all wood is safe, so don't just assume you can give them any kind you want. Pressure blasted or chemically treated wood (e.g., lumber and many other types of wood from the hardware contains toxic chemicals or are cut from trees that are naturally toxic.

They hide illness and so you have to watch them to make sure they are eating normally and pooping normally etc. You should try to find an avian vet (certified avian) if at all possible and take your bird AT LEAST 1 x yearly for an exam. An avian vet is NOT the same as an exotics vet who sees birds--- so if a certified avian vet is available within a few hours of where you live, you will want to set up care.

All parrots can easily confuse the relationship with their human for a sexual one. You don't want this to happen, even though it seems sweet at first. Stick to petting on the head and neck only (the rest is sexual) and do not allow your bird to play in shadowy places, like boxes or under furniture, as these spaces are similar nesting sites and are hormonal triggers. NO SNUGGLE HUTS/TENTS!

Food and water should be replaced daily--- wash the containers daily. Never leave wet food out for more than a few hours (as it can lead to bacterial growth). Never try to medicate a bird via drinking water and never add vitamins to water. Vitamins can be over-dosed easily and harm a bird. Plus, when you add things to water, it makes it impossible to know how much they have gotten and it also encourages bacterial growth. Sometimes it can prevent them from drinking adequately if they don't like the flavor of whatever it is you added. Citrus and fruits high in vitamin C should be given in extreme moderation because they can cause "Iron Storage Disease" (for a cockatoo, 1 small tangerine slice 1-2 times a week was okay, according to my vet).

These birds have the intelligence of 3-4-year-old human, but they are wild animals (not domesticated like dogs). This means that they see the world (and humans) in a very unique way and so you must learn about their behavior in order to prevent problems (screaming, plucking etc). They need lots of time out of their cage daily and a lot of interaction (at least a few hours). At the same time, you don't want to spend TOO much time with a bird of they will become overly dependent and not know what to do with themselves when you go to work etc.

Finally, baby birds are ALWAYS sweet compared to adult birds. When your bird hits puberty, expect that it will exhibit some annoying and problematic behaviors (much like a teen). A through knowledge of behavior and setting expectations at an early age will make your life easier when that time comes, but do prepare yourself and expect that things will not always be so smooth-sailing. Think about a baby human compared to a teen...

I am sure there is more...but that is a basic overview of caring for birds.

Here is an excerpt from another post (which you may want to reference when shopping/ calling about Teflon:
The most insidious is the Teflon/ptfe/pfoa/pfcs because you have to call the company to verify that anything that heats or is intended to be heated does not contain these substances ("PTFE free" doesn't mean PFC free and so there are a lot of marketing gimmicks out there to make people buy what seems like healthier cook-ware, even though it still contains a version of the same chemicals). Also-- these chemicals can be woven into fabric, mixed into metal during the moulding process, applied as a powder, applied as a clear-coat, or mixed with a colored coating. You cannot assume that you will be able to identify them visually, so, when you call, you must provide all abbreviations and full names + spellings of each chemical compound (and then they usually give you "the run around" for a week or so IF they ever answer your questions at all---because sometimes it's a "trade secret"). It's all very sketchy and DuPont (manufacturer of Teflon) claims that off-gassing only occurs at really high temperatures, but there have been numerous documented/scientific and anecdotal reports of birds passing away at temperatures in the 300 F range (and again, it kills through closed doors and on different floors).
FYI- Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
A perfluorinated compound (PFC)
Teflon (a common brand-name of non-stick cookware containing these chemicals)

10- 12 hours nightly for sleep, so if you get up at 6 and make a bunch of noise, you will wake the bird up (even if they are still covered). If they wake up at 6, bed should be between 6-8. You want to keep it around the same time if possible (because that's how it is in nature).

OH-- something I didn't mention in my last post-- stainless steel is really one of the only safe metals for them. Research the heck out of your cage and make sure that if it uses a powder-coating it is truly non-toxic. Birds can get metal poisoning from playing with sketchy toys (many made in China do not adhere to best practices) and just mouthing things like money, bolts, locks etc can cause toxic impacts...A man I know allowed his bird to play with un-used toothbrushes and (unbeknownst to him) there were small copper bits that held the bristles in place-- this nearly killed his bird even though the bird didn't actually swallow the pieces. Copper, zinc, nickel, some iron, lead etc are all toxic. Chicken wire and most screens= bad news.

 

[Laurasea]

Set up the outside and sides of his cage as play stand, with lots of perches, a food and wster fish and a treat dish for training.

Set yourself up for letting him come out of the cage and explore, and sometimes this is much easier to train and bond with thrm out of the cage. Make sure furst all doors are closed and all exits locked , puts are put up. Curtains or blinds over either first so won't fly into thrm. Ceiling fan off. Plan for him to have time to explore, and when you aren't rushed.

Loud sudden noises or movement can spook. If he fkys off in panic. Just wait until he lands. Only once he lands start talking soothingly, and walk over and offer hand. Most spooked birds even if not hand tame will step up off the floor. Then take him straight back to top of cage and praise. Sometimes you can't get them the first time because they spook again, wait till they land again sbd repeat the above, they will tire very quickly. If they land high. Then after a few minutes make a big show of putting out yummy treats . Then wait, do not be between tgrm and the cafe tho, you want to bird to be on tge dude closer yo cage. Give them time to decide to go back to the cage ...an hour or so. If you need to get behind the bird about 5 feet away point to the cage and say time to go back, then raise your arms and start walk toward them, as soon as they move towards the cage wait, then point to the cage again and tell them time to go bsck again, abd start towards them herding them towards the cage. Always wait and stay far enough bsck nit to terrified them. When they finallyland on the cage praise them. Wait and see if tgey will go inside on their own. I trained my budgies to return to the cage that way, and tgey are not hand tame. They figure it out pretty quick. Just give yourself lots of time and remain calm. Try to make house as safe as possible until they haven't it all figured out. Maybe blankets or cushion on floor. Or yiu can take the cage into a bedroom and work with them there.

You tube Bird Tricks has lots of great informational videos on lots of topics.
Progress can be very slow with burds, so plan on weeks with just slow progress

 

[Laurasea]

oh never too soon to offer fresh vegetables!!@ i find offering in a casserole fish spread out works best for my birds. Offering wide variety, in many different ways, whole, chopped, cubed, minced, cooked raw ect... Quakers really like vegetables usually take to tgrm quick, leafy greens, are great to. Most parrots live red chili peppers. They can't taste tge " heat" so hit chili don't bother them, and peppers have lots of vitamin A.

 

[Scott]

Welcome to you and your new Quaker! You're in great company with many members having extensive experience with these gorgeous parrots!