|
|
Post by quakerparrot on Nov 22, 2015 19:26:50 GMT -5
I got a qp yesterday night
He is confusing because he loves to be Petted and doesn't bite when I wrap my hands around him but whenever I try to get him out of the cage he graps onto the wall and doesn't let go while hissing and biting
Also how bad does a QP bite hurt
|
|
|
|
Post by cnyguy on Nov 22, 2015 20:37:33 GMT -5
Welcome!  As most anyone here can tell you, a bite from a Quaker parrot can be very painful indeed. Despite their small size, QPs are very strong and those beaks are pretty powerful. After only one day, your new QP probably isn't comfortable enough to explore beyond the safety of his cage. He needs time to adjust to a new home and to learn about all the unfamiliar things around him. Be patient and let him set his own pace. I always suggest adding a hanging perch to the outside of the cage, just under the door. That will give the parrot a comfortable place to stand when he's ready to venture out of his cage. At first, the parrot may only want to perch there and watch what's happening around him. The best approach is to simply leave the cage door open any time you'd like to invite your QP out, and let him decide if he wants to or not. Once he's familiar with his new home and feels ready to explore it, he'll come out. It might take several days or weeks before he's ready. |
|
|
|
Post by wsteinhoff on Nov 22, 2015 22:00:43 GMT -5
As was said above he probably isn't comfortable leaving his cage. The cage is his safe place. You only just got him so he needs time to get used to things. Like cnyguy said leave the cage door open and let him venture out when he feels safe doing that. Quaker bites can be painful and this is coming from someone who has a high pain tolerance. My quaker Bishop doesn't bite hard very often but this morning he decided he didn't like the pimple that appeared overnight on my chin so he climbed up on me and pulled it off along with a chunk of skin and it bled for a bit.
|
|
|
|
Post by quakerparrot on Nov 23, 2015 13:37:01 GMT -5
I know I sounded like I know nothing of birds but I was just confused because he loved being petted
|
|
|
|
Post by aaron on Nov 23, 2015 14:58:04 GMT -5
Not at all, and no worries-- we aren't here to judge how you sound, and a lot of this stuff is not intuitive at all Please feel free to ask as many questions as you might have. We're happy to help. Quakers can be very protective of their cages and can get quite aggressive when hands are inserted into their space. Some are like this, some aren't, and over time this behavior can change... but in general, as the others noted, it's best to let them come out on their own, especially if they are resistant to your attempts to take them out of the cage. Our QP, Cupcake, is not a cage aggressive quaker in the slightest. However, we never pull her out of the cage unless she wants to come. We will give her a ride out of the cage if she is interested, but if she does not want that ride, we always simply let her come out when she is ready. Parrots in general do not like being forced to do things (does anyone?), so the more we can allow them to make their own choices, the better |
|
|
|
Post by wsteinhoff on Nov 23, 2015 18:56:32 GMT -5
I know I sounded like I know nothing of birds Don't worry we were all there at one point. |
|
|
|
Post by cnyguy on Nov 23, 2015 20:46:08 GMT -5
I know I sounded like I know nothing of birds Not at all. Any new bird is an entirely new experience, since no two are exactly alike in every way. Parrots are good at sending mixed signals too. A game many will play is to act like they want head scratches, then they'll chomp the nearest finger. In time, you and your new QP will get to know and understand each other better-- but Quakers do like to surprise their human companions with something new every now and then.  |
|
|
|
Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Nov 23, 2015 21:26:17 GMT -5
The best piece of parrot relationship advice I have ever heard (and I can't remember who said it either) was "let the bird choose to participate" (unless it's an emergency of course). The best way to teach your parrot how to bite you is to ignore their NON-biting verbal behavior. Clinging to the side of his cage is a pretty clear sign that he doesnt want to come. I agree with what everyone else has said, open the door and let him come out when he is ready. Most quakers are pretty food oriented. If he will take treats from your hand, I would try to be on hand the first few times he comes out with a snack, showing him you are proud of his behavior. It won't take long for him to associate coming out with good things! Starting with food is ok, but eventually he'll want to come out cause "out" is more fun than in But let him decide to make the first move. Respect his feelings and try to listen to what he is telling you. Once he gets that you understand what he wants, he is less prone to bite to get his point across., Of course, he is a quaker so eventually he will bite you hard enough to draw blood. Yes, it hurts |
|
|
|
Post by quakerparrot on Nov 24, 2015 16:01:47 GMT -5
Thank you all
Now my qp Zoey comes out of the cage all day! And we never lock her up besides night time but whenever we try to teach step up she jumps off her cage and loves for us to chase her around while she performs on the floor! The only thing is when she needs to go in her cage she refuses to let us to put her back in the cage. Any tips for step up training her favorite treat is crackers but she doesn't like to come over near us to eat it but she is fine once we out it very close to here
|
|
|
|
Post by aaron on Nov 24, 2015 21:50:26 GMT -5
Glad to hear things are going well with Zoey! Our QP, Cupcake, had already been step-up trained when we got her, so I don't really have any advice there, but I would recommend providing a small treat whenever Zoey willingly goes into her cage. Once Cupcake realized she gets a treat whenever she goes in the cage, she basically never objects to being put back in the cage (except at bedtime on occasion).
Keep us posted on how things go!
|
|
|
|
Post by easttex on Nov 25, 2015 4:28:55 GMT -5
Any tips for step up training Don't wait until it's time to put him back in his cage, and set aside a few training minutes several times a day. Take him to a room that is unfamiliar to him. Put him on a perch, and break the step up into tiny increments. I suggest you look on YouTube for Barbara Heidenreich's training videos, to see examples of breaking a behavior down into little pieces, and how she uses positive reinforcement. Whatever treat you use should be very small, so you can keep up a pretty good pace. You basically reward every tiny bit of progress, until you are finally rewarding just the whole step up. After he learns it, I have found it useful to not go directly to the cage from a bird's play time. Do something that your bird enjoys between the time he steps up and the cage, and he'll look forward to the fun thing more than he dreads the cage. It doesn't have to anything major. I take mine for a brief walk through the house, or stand in front of a mirror and chat for a couple minutes. |
|
|
|
Post by cnyguy on Nov 25, 2015 21:28:24 GMT -5
Ralph started out by stepping onto a spare wooden perch. He would willingly step onto the perch before he was ready to climb onto an offered hand, and he loved having me carry him around the apartment on the perch. It only took a few days before Ralph would step directly onto my finger-- but he still liked being carried around on the perch-- like a great potentate being borne in a sedan chair by slaves.  |
|
|
|
Post by biteybird on Nov 26, 2015 5:11:07 GMT -5
It only took a few days before Ralph would step directly onto my finger-- but he still liked being carried around on the perch-- like a great potentate being borne in a sedan chair by slaves. And therein lies the essence of Ralph, the Gentleman Quaker...sorry Gary, to YET AGAIN refer to this, but you asked for it. |
|
|
|
Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Nov 26, 2015 7:04:56 GMT -5
Oh Gary, I picture you fanning him with a fig leaf and feeding him grapes!
|
|
|
|
Post by cnyguy on Nov 26, 2015 21:06:32 GMT -5
Well, Ralph does get grapes now and then-- but in his food dish, not hand-fed. Maybe I'd better buy a fig tree though, just to be prepared if he ever wants to be fanned.  He no longer expects to be carried around on the perch, but now would rather ride on my shoulder or hand. In his estimation, flying is for the birds. |
|
As most anyone here can tell you, a bite from a Quaker parrot can be very painful indeed. Despite their small size, QPs are very strong and those beaks are pretty powerful.
He no longer expects to be carried around on the perch, but now would rather ride on my shoulder or hand. In his estimation, flying is for the birds.