Quakers living with GCCs?

[clark_conure]

Someone local had a quaker crossover, mostly white. blue near the back.
Private breeder. Not sexed yet but they are sexing him her currently, waiting on results.

Been doing research and a lot of the youtube videos have quakers living with GCCs and they seem to get along.

Is this usually the case?

I would prefer a different species from gcc this time for the experience and the not having to worry about raising a clutch.

Clark is doing great, growing out her new feathers, almost a brand new tail after molt.

The quaker is hand raised, will step up, sometimes gets bored and flys off to explore which would be an oddity me now since clark and zod (rip) are so clingy.

Not nippy she says, but I will have to change her diet over time to pellets from roudybush I suppose, or should quakers have that instead of pellets?

Also I see they are usually quiet but awesome talkers. I think clark might learn from him her more with repetition.

The one downside is clark is SO happy right now without any competition for attention, I think she resented zod but did tolerate her and preened her. and they slept together so I don't think it will be that bad.

Anyways any information I would be thankful for. I trust you all more than videos and articles.

VR,
Clark conure
(Justin)

 

[SailBoat]

With great hope -- a match made in heaven!!!

Zero background with that combination. Best of Luck!

Double check with the Breeder to see what s/he was weened to during the transition. That will be your starting point.

FYI: Assure you come home with some of the formula, just in case s/he regresses.

Joy, joy, joy, good friend.

 

[clark_conure]

right now it's all roudybush, I'd have to ween her onto pellets or keep him her on it. I'm still looking up diet info, behavior info etc. but basically it looks good on paper.....

 

[LaManuka]

If it's resources you're after Justin, you couldn't do better in my opinion than to read up on the writings of our very own Laurasea! She has three quakers and they live with a GCC as well. I don't have a great deal of experience with quakers myself but I do know they can be very loud indeed. Laurasea is your best bet for info here I reckon!

 

[clark_conure]

I'll do that now LaManuka

 

[clark_conure]

I sent her a PM to get her attention, I'm going to go though her posts now.

 

[LaManuka]

Good on you Justin. Laurasea does LOVE her some quakers!

 

[bug_n_flock]

Roudybush are not bad pellets imo. Quality control a decade or so ago wasn't where I would like, but seems that has mostly sorted out. Alex was weaned onto roudybush, and Freedom came to us eating roudybush. Main reason we switched Freedom to Mazuri was availability. Freedom's previous home had amazon send them a big bag every 6 wesks, but we have not looked into amazon delivering to a PO box.

 

[clark_conure]

I'd like to just have one primary food, but it's not a deal breaker. since I can amazon it it's no biggie, if clark goes for the roudy bush this is also fine.

 

[Laurasea]

Of course love me some quakers!! They are notorious for being loud, so whoever we r said they were quit .....uh no. Making noise is the first thing they turn to when bored, or just because.

You can feed whatever you feed your GCC . Plus lots of veggies they really love veggies. I do not like rowdy bush, it has lots of peanut and I've hD trouble with it going rancid. I will never use this brand. I really like oven baked bites, and my quakers do to its made to be picked up and eaten while holding with foot which they like to do.

My quakers are just as clingy as my GCC , though they do like to have projects.

Ok its middle of night , woke by my dogs, so bsck to bed fir me

 

[Laurasea]

Ok, I really want to to stress some stuff, since these smart social parrots end up getting rehomed so much, or end up in a garage or outside. Because they are prone to plucking and screaming.

Quaker parrots evolved to live in huge communal colonies. The only species of parrot to build a community nest larger than n automobile, with seperate 3 chamber apartments for each pair .

[I]Why is that info important? Because it shapes the whole quaker outlook. [/I]

They make noise because they are highly communications oriented, their brains developed that way. Because constant communications in their very large natural flock structure, living on top of each other surrounded on all sides by neighbors , communications are pretty important. Its not the decimal level but the duration of vocalization that can drive you batty. Breeding season in adults ~2 yr Olds can become extra vocal and extremely protective of their cage or home base.

Another important thing is their highly social nature. As they evolved for large complex flocks, that breed and raise young in large apart community nest with hundreds. Unlike green cheek conures who average flock size is 10 members, and us usually an extended family group. So quakers are highly socially driven. Personally im starting to think they shouldn't be the sole parrot in a household.
They are going to want a lot of attention ( always exceptions) more attention than my 2 GCC required. More preening by you of their feathers, and general hands on time.

They are also an active species. Like to be busy, lots if chewing, and manipulation of objects. As one would expect from a builder.

And plenty of smarts to go along with being so communicative , so social, and an engineer.

A quaker is not a species you can leave all day alone in a cage and go off go work. For all the above characteristics. You might get away with that while they are babies up until sexual maturity. But they are prone to self destruct and behavior problems like cockatoos if their needs aren't met. Screaming, plucking, and self mutilation .

They are so prone to its called Quaker Mutilation Syndrome
http://petcaretips.net/self-mutilat...ate themselves mainly on,any area of the body.

Do they make great pets, I think so. But only if your lifestyle, and idea of a parrot integrated into your life match. I love their social, vocal, busy nature.

Below from bird watching site
" CALLS
Monk Parakeets are very noisy animals with a vocabulary that consists of at least eleven types of calls. Their most characteristic sound is a chatter of short notes that they give while perched or at their nest. Birds in flight make a loud squawking, with many calling at once. Monk Parakeets kept in captivity can learn to mimic human speech.":

 

[clark_conure]

I just called and postponed meeting for a few days as I do more research.

I love the idea but I have to put clark first and I don't know if she wants another brother or sister. It's to big a decision to make in one day.

Attached is a picture of the Quaker on offer though.

 

[Laurasea]

Stunning!!!!!! I'm guessing boy, if your GCC is a girl higher chance of them being buddies

 

[clark_conure]

yeah I agree.

If they hit it off, would there be a chance clark could start laying eggs and a risk of getting egg bound?

I'm sure clark would love me to "make a move" on her, she tries to rub on me, so I only pet her face head chest and shoulders.

I'm sure around a male bird she'd make a move on him......

 

[SailBoat]

Stunning!!!!!! I'm guessing boy, if your GCC is a girl higher chance of them being buddies

If so, the girls are all talking as you are so right: What a Stunner!

You visit, you will becoming home with another member -- unless you are outright rejected...

I recall one of our members saying that she would leave a huge quality of building stuff and come home to a building in the cage...

 

[clark_conure]

I'm thinking if it is a male clark will accept, if female they will fight.

I've resolved myself to wait on the DNA results.

I don't think clark wants another female in the house....

 

[Scott]

Phenomenal, well written story of a quaker named Harry! Actually published as book by our dearest Allee! http://www.parrotforums.com/incredi...s-bird-lovers/65239-when-harry-met-allee.html

 

[Laurasea]

I dont know . Ta-dah and Neptune had sex...ugh...but she never laid eggs...my other bonded pair don't have sex but are a male female quaker pair, fo feed each other but no eggs from my female Penny...

I'm nit saying yours would try and mate.

With a healthy diet, usually no egg laying probably, if that was to randomly happen..I understand your worry. But even alone she could at some point lay a couple of eggs.

When I had my first GCC she lived alone with me fir ten years. When I added the second female Ta-dah. My Burt the Bird got so excited, she laid 4 eggs. No issues. Then She never did again for the next 7 years. Even tho they were highly bonded pair, lived together sbd slept on top of each other

Adding a newly weaned bird increases tge odds if them become friends ( not mates) in my opinion .

Ta-dah is tolerate of my other quakers. Not freinds, but I can have her on one shoulder and the other pair of quakers on my other shoulder, and my new boy/ girl on my chest and they are fine.

On introducing new flock members, its always neutral and a spread out group feed, I hold an envelope to place in front of anyone who wants to charge. If you prevent any fights the first few times they meet , and lots if postive reinforcement. Then you prevent grudges from being formed.

Ta-dah did have a big fight with Penny when they first met, took almost a year to get them over the hate. But I prevented that with all my other introductions , so never had issues

 

[Laurasea]

Phenomenal, well written story of a quaker named Harry! Actually published as book by our dearest Allee! http://www.parrotforums.com/incredi...s-bird-lovers/65239-when-harry-met-allee.html

OMG!!!
Its so much like Penny!! Penny first words to me FU, Penny shot poops at me! PENNY stopped bites and started headbutt smack to my face. Pennybplucks, and at first mutilation to her feet.. We had food battles, and also at first guarding her food and never leaving the bowl....wow so much the same, tho Penny wasn't as mean , actually very sweet.
http://www.parrotforums.com/quakers/76519-rescueing-penny.html

 

[clark_conure]

I just got a call back from the breeder she didn't get my message. We talked a bit and I let her know I'm waiting for the DNA results first before I meet. And she understood and respected that choice. Good breeder.

I know I will be insane when I meat a new little hand raised parrot for the first time and make a rash decision.... so I need to do all my thinking ahead of time.