Thor came home yesterday.

[Mjhandy]

We re-homed a 2 year old Quaker that was for up for adoption at the local breeder's store. There were two, as they both came in together, but we only brought Thor home.

I expected lots of stress, for both us and the bird, but that didn't happen. The dogs and cats had us worried, but two of the dogs don't care (thought one is blind and deaf), but the third has been curious. Same for the cats, though we keep a very close eye on them.

So far, we've noticed that Thor likes being out of his cage more than is it, which is great. He steps up for everyone so far, my wife and I, her mom, and the niece and nephew.

And he's loud. It does hurt when he screeched when perched on your shoulder. But the best, he actually spoke a phrase my wife has been repeating.

So we're reading and learning, and doing more reading. I'm in the process of building some stand out of maple branches. Just started striping the bark.

We're hoping for lots of joy, knowing there will be days.

Cheers,
Mark.

 

[VeronicaJ]

So we're reading and learning, and doing more reading. I'm in the process of building some stand out of maple branches. Just started striping the bark.

We're hoping for lots of joy, knowing there will be days.

Welcome! I'm new here, too. Not new to birds though. There's a lot of satisfaction in DIY projects and seeing how much fun the birds have with them (not to mention the cost savings).

Sounds like you have a pretty advanced bird for your first bird. Joy and frustration on a roller-coaster level! It"s worth it though. Amazon's are so intelligent. I've not had one, but I do know how smart they can be by proxy listening to others.

Keep reading and asking questions...and keep sharing your successes!!

 

[Laurasea]

I have two quakers one is a rescue. They both are very vocal , pretty much most of the day. I hope you have read up on the household dangeres like Teflon a d non stick pans pots, baking sheets ect, they kill birds, we had someone just a week or so ago whiost all their birds to the toxic fumes. Quakers are usually great at eating their veggies so I hope you are offering them. I am always recommending hot chili peppers on the forum for their high vitamin A content, so hopefully you offer those to Thor seeds and all. Congratulations on your new guy! I know you will be careful with the cats , please be so diligent, we have members posting monthly about death if parrots to cats and dogs. I have dogs to abd have trained them to give space and respect , but I still never trust them completely. Birds are really unique creatures and your salavia as well as dig and cat salavia can be deadly to them. We have lots of great info and threads here, and I'm sure you have already been reading up You've gotten yourself a very smart like a four year old smart new fid!! Welcome to Parront hood and forgive my many typos! Ha dang phone to tired to fix or edit lol

 

[EllenD]

Welcome, and congrats!

Quakers are definitely loud, but in my own experience they love to be with you and are very interactive and a part of the family, as they live in actual "colonies" in the wild.

One note on the building a perch out of branches you gather from outside...Instead of "stripping the bark" off of the branches, what you need to do is to pre-heat your oven to 250 degrees F, place the branches right on the oven rack, and back them for 30 minutes. That's the only way that you're going to kill all of the bacteria, fungi, parasites, etc. throughout the branch, inside and out. The bark can actually be left on the branches after baking, sometimes the birds love to strip it off as an activity. Also, make sure it's a "bird-safe" wood/tree that you're using the branches from.

 

[Mjhandy]

I have two quakers one is a rescue. They both are very vocal , pretty much most of the day. I hope you have read up on the household dangeres like Teflon a d non stick pans pots, baking sheets ect, they kill birds, we had someone just a week or so ago whiost all their birds to the toxic fumes. Quakers are usually great at eating their veggies so I hope you are offering them. I am always recommending hot chili peppers on the forum for their high vitamin A content, so hopefully you offer those to Thor seeds and all. Congratulations on your new guy! I know you will be careful with the cats , please be so diligent, we have members posting monthly about death if parrots to cats and dogs. I have dogs to abd have trained them to give space and respect , but I still never trust them completely. Birds are really unique creatures and your salavia as well as dig and cat salavia can be deadly to them. We have lots of great info and threads here, and I'm sure you have already been reading up You've gotten yourself a very smart like a four year old smart new fid!! Welcome to Parront hood and forgive my many typos! Ha dang phone to tired to fix or edit lol

We don't use a lot of teflon, but like most household we do have it. I prefer using the cast irons pans myself.

I'm also leary about the cats and dogs. Of three dog, only one has shown interest but we have, and will continue to do so, been keeping a very close eye on them. The cats, we'll they're freaked right now, but that will change. I'm more worried about them than the dogs, though at night, and during the day, the living room, where the bird is is locked up to keep all the animals out.

Today was the test as we're both back a work, but we had him out of his cage for a bit, while we had our coffee and cleaned his cage, changed water. He doesn't like the hair dryer, but doesn't mind the coffee grinder.

It is going to be an adventure.

 

[Mjhandy]

Welcome, and congrats!

Quakers are definitely loud, but in my own experience they love to be with you and are very interactive and a part of the family, as they live in actual "colonies" in the wild.

One note on the building a perch out of branches you gather from outside...Instead of "stripping the bark" off of the branches, what you need to do is to pre-heat your oven to 250 degrees F, place the branches right on the oven rack, and back them for 30 minutes. That's the only way that you're going to kill all of the bacteria, fungi, parasites, etc. throughout the branch, inside and out. The bark can actually be left on the branches after baking, sometimes the birds love to strip it off as an activity. Also, make sure it's a "bird-safe" wood/tree that you're using the branches from.

Thanks. I'm using maple, and it's currently drying before I sand it and start baking what we can. The bark was in rough shape so we've stripped all of it already.

Cheers!

 

[Laurasea]

I have two quakers one is a rescue. They both are very vocal , pretty much most of the day. I hope you have read up on the household dangeres like Teflon a d non stick pans pots, baking sheets ect, they kill birds, we had someone just a week or so ago whiost all their birds to the toxic fumes. Quakers are usually great at eating their veggies so I hope you are offering them. I am always recommending hot chili peppers on the forum for their high vitamin A content, so hopefully you offer those to Thor seeds and all. Congratulations on your new guy! I know you will be careful with the cats , please be so diligent, we have members posting monthly about death if parrots to cats and dogs. I have dogs to abd have trained them to give space and respect , but I still never trust them completely. Birds are really unique creatures and your salavia as well as dig and cat salavia can be deadly to them. We have lots of great info and threads here, and I'm sure you have already been reading up You've gotten yourself a very smart like a four year old smart new fid!! Welcome to Parront hood and forgive my many typos! Ha dang phone to tired to fix or edit lol

We don't use a lot of teflon, but like most household we do have it. I prefer using the cast irons pans myself.

I'm also leary about the cats and dogs. Of three dog, only one has shown interest but we have, and will continue to do so, been keeping a very close eye on them. The cats, we'll they're freaked right now, but that will change. I'm more worried about them than the dogs, though at night, and during the day, the living room, where the bird is is locked up to keep all the animals out.

Today was the test as we're both back a work, but we had him out of his cage for a bit, while we had our coffee and cleaned his cage, changed water. He doesn't like the hair dryer, but doesn't mind the coffee grinder.

It is going to be an adventure.

Pitch all Teflon im·me·di·ate·ly
/iˈmēdēətlē/Submit
adverb
1.
at once; instantly.
"I called immediately for an ambulance"
synonyms: straightaway, at once, right away, instantly, now, directly, promptly, forthwith, this/that (very) minute, this/that instant, there and then, then and there, on the spot, here and now, without delay, without further ado, posthaste; More
2.
without any intervening time or space.

Teflon kills it kill birds on the others I if the house behind a closed door! The off gass that happens at certain temps is deadly in seconds. Some members that knows how to do links can link so many sob stories. Please put all if it the trash so accident can happen.

 

[VeronicaJ]

Thanks. I'm using maple, and it's currently drying before I sand it and start baking what we can. The bark was in rough shape so we've stripped all of it already.

Cheers!

What you can't bake (which my time frame has always been at least 2 hours @ 200F), you can place in the tub of water with a capful of bleach for 1 hour. Then here is where the patience comes in. Allow it to dry outside in direct sunlight for 1 week.

The reason - bleach kills everything except mold. UVB kills mold. Windows are made to block out UVB which is what keeps our furniture and carpets from fading. (Ever wonder why stuff fades so fast hanging from the rearview mirror, but not hanging in your living room window? Some vehicles are made with lower UVB protective glass.)

I'm so glad this was brought up! I was so tired when I posted last night this subject hadn't even crossed my mind!


Sent from my LGL64VL using Tapatalk

 

[EllenD]

You cannot use ANY Teflon pots, pans, bakeware, or cookware at all. Ever!!!

As Laura already stated above, you just can't. It's instantly fatal to birds, meaning that if they are anywhere inside of your house and cook with a pot or pan that has either a Teflon non-stick coating or a non-stick coating that contains any of the Fluorinated Compounds such as PFOA PTFE, etc. (usually the pots and pans that have a black-colored coating on the inside/bottom), and they reach the temperature at which they "off-gas" or release fumes from the coating, if you bird breathes in literally one little whiff of them he will die within minutes. And there is nothing at all you can do once it happens, he will be gone in minutes. There have been many people who have thought it was okay to place their birds behind a closed-door or on a different floor of the house from where they were cooking, and they have found their birds dead. We just had a long-time member lose all 3 of her birds at once within 5 minutes of her husband cooking a single egg in a Teflon frying pan.

I know it doesn't seem like it would be that big a deal, but it absolutely is and even though, like you said, "most households have some Teflon", unfortunately households who have a pet bird cannot have ANY at all. So please dispose of any and all pots/pans and any other cookware or bakeware that contain Teflon or have a black-colored coating on them. Ceramic non-stick is usually the most common that people replace them with, along with cast-iron and stainless.

 

[Mjhandy]

The teflon is gone, thanks everyone. Just means I can get more cast iron

 

[TiredOldMan]

The teflon is gone, thanks everyone. Just means I can get more cast iron

Cast iron cooks more evenly anyway

 

[Mjhandy]

The teflon is gone, thanks everyone. Just means I can get more cast iron

Cast iron cooks more evenly anyway

It does. I only have a 12" lodge skillet and wok, but now I need more

 

[Laurasea]

I like cast iron as well, glad you are taking safety first! Never feed Avacado or onion. But lots of veggies are healthy , both my quakers took to leafy greens and veggies easy. I hope to hear more about Thor tge marvelous quaker!

 

[Mjhandy]

I like cast iron as well, glad you are taking safety first! Never feed Avacado or onion. But lots of veggies are healthy , both my quakers took to leafy greens and veggies easy. I hope to hear more about Thor tge marvelous quaker!

My wife made up a mash, lots of veggies. I like it!

 

[Laurasea]

How did you decide on a parrot? And how did you get so lucky right of the gate and be chosen by a quaker? I love em like mad though my Neptune Blue is loud talker and squaker for most of the day. How's Thor settled in? I saw him on YouTube just beautiful!

 

[Mjhandy]

How did you decide on a parrot? And how did you get so lucky right of the gate and be chosen by a quaker? I love em like mad though my Neptune Blue is loud talker and squaker for most of the day. How's Thor settled in? I saw him on YouTube just beautiful!

We've been thinking about a parrot for years. We'd see a Cockatoo, go YES, then YouTube, and go No.

I'm in Kitchener, Ontario, and there is a breeder about 20 min to sells and re-homes. They had a post on two Quakers, my wife saw the post can called. We spent about a couple of hours in the store, asking lots of questions and came home with Thor. We were going to get both, as we were worried about separation anxiety, but were told no, that's not a concern, and not to get a pet for a pet.

As it turns out Thor didn't say anything in the store, and I feel the other Quaker was dominant. Well, Thor is speaking, just a few things, but for the first week, it's been a welcome surprise.