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Post by glutes on Feb 11, 2016 14:56:46 GMT -5
Hi, I'm new to the forums and have a fascination with birds. I've never owned birds but I'm no newbie to exotic pets! I currently have 7 whites tree frogs, 2 African dwarf frogs, 1 ball python, 1 diamond python, 1 Saharan uromastyx, 1 veiled chameleon and two dogs. I also have some experience with sugar gliders as my sister owned a pair for a while and I had to take over care for a few months. I often go to places like petland and petsmart to look at the animals I can't have, like birds. Yesterday I had quite experience with a sexually maturing macaw. I took him out of the enclosure and couldn't get him back in afterwards. He started being mean; biting and screeching at me. A store employee came over and tried for about 15 minutes to get him back in but she couldn't do it. She said that you need to be above him to show that you are the dominant role. After a while she gave up and let him stay out. I watched him from a distance as he climbed to the very bottom of his cage, and with enough persuasive head scratches and consistently telling him no when he lunged at me, he stepped on my arm. I then put one arm over his body to be sure he wouldn't reach for anything and swiftly moved him back into the enclosure, where he screeched at my success. I'm new to parrots and I have no idea if this was the correct method, but it felt great to be challenged by such an incredible animal and to feel the success of getting him back in. At 16 years old, I'm in no position to buy a parrot right now. However, in a few years I think a parrot could really suit me and my lifestyle. I've held Quakers before and they are such adorable little characters. I have no expectations of any parrot I encounter and think they are amazing the way they are- stubborn, hilarious, highly intelligent, and social creatures. As wonderful as the bigger parrots are, they are also too much for me to handle. I've decided that if I want a bird in the next few years, I should start studying and researching now as I know how big of a commitment they are. I've looked at other small- medium parrots, but there is something about Quakers that I love. They always seem so cheerful and happy to do what Quakers do, and there sense of humor is adorable.
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Post by easttex on Feb 11, 2016 18:50:28 GMT -5
Hi glutes, and welcome to the forum! Smart, what you're doing - researching well ahead of time. I think everyone here is a big proponent of that. Everyone here is also very fond of their Quakers, and will understand the attraction for you. I hope you are able to learn what you need to know here. We'll be happy to answer questions, even if they are only theoretical at this point.
I know that "height means dominance" theory is still being passed off as common knowledge, but I think it is old school, and more modern behaviorists disagree with that. At least the ones I follow do. Height definitely means safety to a bird.
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Post by cnyguy on Feb 11, 2016 21:24:18 GMT -5
Welcome!  It is the best approach that you're taking-- doing lots of research and learning all you can about Quaker parrots before bringing one into your life. You should be well prepared by the time you're ready to have your life taken over by a QP.  In the meantime, you can enjoy visiting with the parrots at the pet stores. I like to do that too, even though I share my life with a parrot-- I can get to know other types of parrots, and even other QPs who are often so different from Ralph. Read through the Forum posts and you'll learn a lot-- and feel free to ask questions too. |
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Post by glutes on Feb 12, 2016 1:58:02 GMT -5
Thanks for the greetings:) I'm already loving reading through the forums, Quakers are so comical! I think what I struggle with most in regards to parrots in general is how to react to their behaviors. It's one of the many reasons I like smaller parrots, as they are more manageable than a big sassy macaw!
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Post by aaron on Feb 12, 2016 10:17:46 GMT -5
Welcome glutes! I commend you for doing research ahead of time! If everyone did that, parrots would be a much happier bunch. Quaker parrots are great because they pack a lot of the big personality of large parrots into the body of a small parrot. But of course this means they can be quite a handful as well  Anyhow, there's lots to learn here... read up, and let us know if you have any questions! |
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Post by julianna on Feb 12, 2016 14:28:43 GMT -5
Hi glutes. I do not know what half of those animals are that you currently have but they sound like they could eat a quaker for dessert. Be very careful on your decisions as these little guys need a lot of attention, are very messy, noisy, and can make you laugh your head off.
You sound like a very caring smart young man. (I hope the name Glutes is male?) Good for you!!
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Post by glutes on Feb 12, 2016 19:17:03 GMT -5
Hi glutes. I do not know what half of those animals are that you currently have but they sound like they could eat a quaker for dessert. Be very careful on your decisions as these little guys need a lot of attention, are very messy, noisy, and can make you laugh your head off. You sound like a very caring smart young man. (I hope the name Glutes is male?) Good for you!! Lol "Glutes" is a nickname I got because I am gluten intolerant; I am female:) Although the idea of a python sounds terrifying, snakes in general are very dumb animals. Both my snakes would be torn apart by any parrot in a matter of minutes. For all my animals' safety, they each have their own locking enclosures. The two lizards and the 9 frogs are no threat at all. My main concern would be the dogs. I consider parrots to be far more responsibility than a dog or even a horse, hence why I'm planning a year or more in advance! |
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Post by biteybird on Feb 12, 2016 21:21:00 GMT -5
G'day Glutes & welcome to the forum! I thought you might have been a bodybuilder with great glutes! Like the others I am very impressed that you're seeking information before committing to owning a parrot. I often think that if my hubby and I had known about all the challenging behavior(s) we might have reconsidered, but we have adjusted OK. I hope you enjoy being part of the forum and I love reptiles (even though I don't have any). Your profile picture is wonderful. |
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Post by glutes on Feb 12, 2016 23:36:39 GMT -5
G'day Glutes & welcome to the forum! I thought you might have been a bodybuilder with great glutes! Like the others I am very impressed that you're seeking information before committing to owning a parrot. I often think that if my hubby and I had known about all the challenging behavior(s) we might have reconsidered, but we have adjusted OK. I hope you enjoy being part of the forum and I love reptiles (even though I don't have any). Your profile picture is wonderful. Thanks so much! That's my sweet uro in my profile pic:) maybe I'll start a thread to show off all my critters! |
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Post by easttex on Feb 13, 2016 7:02:10 GMT -5
The other thing to worry about when you keep both birds and reptiles is disease. I've read that many, if not most, reptiles carry salmonella bacteria, with no symptoms. It's easily passed to birds. You probably know that. |
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Post by wsteinhoff on Feb 13, 2016 11:41:53 GMT -5
Welcome to the forums Glutes! I'm impressed that you have decided to do the research years in advance. Not many 16 year olds I have met would have done that. When I was 13 and got my quaker I did not do any research and hardly knew anything about owning (if you can even call it owning, it's more like they own you) a bird. I just knew that I had lost my lizard and thought it would be a "cool" pet to replace the lizard with. 6 years later I'm only just now learning much of the things about owning a bird that I should've learned a long time ago. So I applaud your decision, many people your age wouldn't be mature enough to do it.
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Post by aaron on Feb 13, 2016 12:25:25 GMT -5
I consider parrots to be far more responsibility than a dog or even a horse, hence why I'm planning a year or more in advance! You're definitely doing the right thing here. Good for you. Parrots are an incredible amount of work, and they basically change your lifestyle forever. We all love our birds, but nobody here would deny the fact that they take over your life, possibly more so than any other type of companion animal... and they can be very disruptive and challenging at times. They are loud, messy, and pick favorites, and all of this can be a challenge with families. So there is definitely a lot to consider for someone at your age (or anyone, for that matter). You want to make sure you've thought through how you will handle the future, as your life changes, which of course tends to happen quite a bit for young people Is your family on board? Will they be able to help out? What will you do when you/your family goes on vacation? Will you bring this bird with you if you go to college? Will it get the kind of attention it needs in that sort of situation? Do you have access to the necessary funds for food, toys, to take this bird to the vet (have you looked into avian vets nearby?) for necessary checkups and testing, or if there is an illness (you really can't hesitate when it comes to bird illness...) Given that you already take care of so many little creatures, I have a feeling you're probably on top of things and don't need me to say this stuff, but I just thought I'd give you a few things to think about. I'm certainly not trying to discourage you, but it's definitely a major decision! |
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Post by glutes on Feb 14, 2016 2:05:46 GMT -5
Welcome to the forums Glutes! I'm impressed that you have decided to do the research years in advance. Not many 16 year olds I have met would have done that. When I was 13 and got my quaker I did not do any research and hardly knew anything about owning (if you can even call it owning, it's more like they own you) a bird. I just knew that I had lost my lizard and thought it would be a "cool" pet to replace the lizard with. 6 years later I'm only just now learning much of the things about owning a bird that I should've learned a long time ago. So I applaud your decision, many people your age wouldn't be mature enough to do it. Thanks so much, I really appreciate your kindness! |
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Post by glutes on Feb 14, 2016 2:14:01 GMT -5
I consider parrots to be far more responsibility than a dog or even a horse, hence why I'm planning a year or more in advance! You're definitely doing the right thing here. Good for you. Parrots are an incredible amount of work, and they basically change your lifestyle forever. We all love our birds, but nobody here would deny the fact that they take over your life, possibly more so than any other type of companion animal... and they can be very disruptive and challenging at times. They are loud, messy, and pick favorites, and all of this can be a challenge with families. So there is definitely a lot to consider for someone at your age (or anyone, for that matter). You want to make sure you've thought through how you will handle the future, as your life changes, which of course tends to happen quite a bit for young people Is your family on board? Will they be able to help out? What will you do when you/your family goes on vacation? Will you bring this bird with you if you go to college? Will it get the kind of attention it needs in that sort of situation? Do you have access to the necessary funds for food, toys, to take this bird to the vet (have you looked into avian vets nearby?) for necessary checkups and testing, or if there is an illness (you really can't hesitate when it comes to bird illness...) Given that you already take care of so many little creatures, I have a feeling you're probably on top of things and don't need me to say this stuff, but I just thought I'd give you a few things to think about. I'm certainly not trying to discourage you, but it's definitely a major decision! The answer to many of your questions is honestly unknown right now, which is one of the reasons why I'm waiting at least a year before adopting my companion. At 16, I don't know what my future holds. I want to make sure that I will be able to accommodate my parrots needs in a year but also in 10 years. I also want to give myself time because as you said, parrots are a huge commitment. Right now I love everything about owning a bird, but this could change in a year and I don't want to regret such a huge commitment. I want to learn everything I can about these fascinating birds so I can plan a future for both me and a Quaker. |
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Post by easttex on Feb 14, 2016 5:55:07 GMT -5
You must be 16 going on 35. |
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It is the best approach that you're taking-- doing lots of research and learning all you can about Quaker parrots before bringing one into your life. You should be well prepared by the time you're ready to have your life taken over by a QP. 
In the meantime, you can enjoy visiting with the parrots at the pet stores. I like to do that too, even though I share my life with a parrot-- I can get to know other types of parrots, and even other QPs who are often so different from Ralph. Read through the Forum posts and you'll learn a lot-- and feel free to ask questions too.
