Quaker Conundrum

NewBirdie

New member
Jun 10, 2013
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Hi there, all!

I recently found what I have come to find out is a lost Quaker at the local park. He/she is really a neat bird, but this responsibility really fell in to my lap so I need help. It is worth noting that I am scouring the appropriate places to find her owner, but in the event that it flew very far or was abandoned on purpose, I need to also consider that we may have a new little friend for good. My husband went and picked up an amazing and huge cage for a steal on Craigslist and I bought food, one of those surfboard shaped white things, a orange scented hangy-downy-seed thing, put in a water bowl, and a long tree stick to perch on as well as a swing. Here are my questions:

1. How the heck will I ever know how old it is or whether it is male or female?!

2. When I first brought it home it was docile but has quickly grown attached to me and screams if I leave the room while it is out of it's cage, and flies into the same room with me....usually from ceiling fan to ceiling fan and eventually finds it's way back to my shoulder.

3. It REALLLLLLYYYY loves to be with me but it also likes to nibble me pretty hard:confused:...how do I get that to stop? It never breaks skin, but still...no one wants to get bit.

4. Since it has attached to me, it dislikes my hubby. Is there any way to keep a bird friendly with everyone in the house?

5. I own a really docile cat. Is there a way to introduce them safely? The cat has seen the bird and not reacted, but I still keep it locked in another room when the bird is loose.

6. I read that they can talk a lot, if taught. This bird doesn't seem to have any vocabulary, but it does cat-call whistle at me sometimes.

Thoughts? Answers? Once again-- I AM looking for the owner, but these questions are because the bird doesn't go on pause until I find them so I want to be a good foster mom, or potentially permanent mom.

Thanks!!
 
Good luck with your little unexpected buddy :) Sounds like he/she is crazy about YOU.

~~Tonia & Annelise
 
Well congrats. The only way to sex a quaker parrot is dna sexing or if it lays an egg than you know it is a female:p. They can learn to talk quite well but it takes time. just keep talking to the bird while your doing whatever. If he is sreaming when your out of sight just answer back to him to let him know your there but don't go running in to see him. Everything at this point is new to the bird home, cage, people, sounds,routines and food. It will take time for the bird to settle in and get used to everything. Besides what you are using for your main diet they can have little bits of most of what you eat except chocolate, caffine, avacado, onion,not much salt. Good foods cooked pasta, veggies raw or cooked, whole grains cooked, fruits without the pits or seeds, plain nuts, bits of cooked meat, fish, little bits of hard cheese like cheddar. Look thru the recipie section in the forums .lots of good info on diets for parrots:)
 
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That is good advice : ) I got it a little stone that is supposed to be for scraping down it's beak on. I am hoping it makes it less nippy. Either it needs something to nibble on or it is grooming me...not sure. It seems to only want to eat sunflower seeds and a little fruit so far.
 
Congratulations on being found by a Quaker parrot! :) It's always a good idea to have a newly acquired parrot examined by a qualified avian veterinarian; the vet also could take care of the DNA test for you, if you want to have it done.

I suggest that you read a good book about Quaker parrots, like Mattie Sue Athan's Guide to the Quaker Parrot. It will answer a lot of your questions and help you better understand your new friend.


 
1. Unless the bird has a breeders band on & you are able to trace it, you will never know.

2. They are flock animals and get upset when they are out of sight of their flock members.

3. The nibbling will only stop if you take the time to train the bird…..think of any parrot specie as a pre-school child that needs to be taught right, wrong & the things it can do and the things it can’t do.

4. It’ trying to protect you and trying to drive away a perceived challenger to it’s position as your mate…..apparently you’ve been chosen…don’t be surprised if it nips you also, trying to move you out of harms way.

5. There are cats living with & around companion birds, but never forget that cats are predators and birds are prey.

6. Almost any parrot, including Quakers can learn to speak, but it is totally up to the bird if it wants to mimic human speech or not…..

Good luck…..oh, and welcome to the forums…..

 
Just a thought, it could have been a wild Quaker separated from the flock, or you accidentally took it away from the flock?

I don't know where you live, but a lot of Quakers (AKA Monk Parrots) are flying around wild and have established flocks.
 
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