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Post by echotheparrot on Mar 16, 2016 15:38:02 GMT -5
Hi, I'm a new Quaker owner and I need some help. My dad and I bought a Quaker parrot 8 months ago(don't know sex so I'll say "it"), and it was a baby when we bought it, and hes nine months old. We had to hand feed it, and he was quite and NEVER BIT. Since January of this month the parrot changed. Now when we take him out, he hangs out with us, then randomly will bite me(usually) or my dad. Just a few minutes ago, I had given him a bath, then after letting him dry off, it bit me on my ear then my arm. I have no idea why he does this. Sometimes when he is on my dads shoulder, and I try to take him off, he tries to bite me, happens when hes on my shoulder and my dad tries to get him off as well. He randomly gets in a bad mood trying to bite us. He gets 10-12 hours of sleep everyday, and we give him attention until he bites. Not sure if it is hormones or what. He has tried to mate with me before, not sure if that has anything to do with it. Need help ASAP, the bites get worse and worse.
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Post by easttex on Mar 16, 2016 18:54:38 GMT -5
For one thing, I think your baby is growing up. If he's showing mating behavior, then it's hormones, too. For starters, I would not let him on my shoulder for now. And it might help to work on hand control. If you don't already do some training with him regularly, I'd recommend it. It doesn't have to be very formal. Just start rewarding him when he is behaving, and ignoring him when he's not. You can work on the step up, even if he knows it perfectly well. Reward him when he does it when you ask. In fact, reward him any time he is behaving well, even if it is just verbal praise. It's positive reinforcement, and it works well, but if he is hormonal, you may not be able to make too much progress for now. This is a good link for starting to understand biting behavior: www.stfrancisanimalandbird.com/index.php/pet-resources/library/9-avian-care/84-my-parrot-bites-what-can-i-do
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Post by echotheparrot on Mar 17, 2016 16:47:10 GMT -5
Ok, will do. One question, every year of having him, will he always have these bad hormones or will he mellow down and it won't be as serious? And should I decrease his protein level in his food, if so by how much? Appreciate it so much thank you!
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Post by easttex on Mar 17, 2016 18:18:40 GMT -5
I'm afraid the hormones do ramp up every year, but you'll learn to read the signs and can adjust a little bit, at least. It's all very natural, and you're not going to eliminate it. Do you cover him at night? The biggest clue to them that it's breeding season is lengthening daylight hours. If you can really block the light well enough to keep him on a 12/12 schedule, that will help. Also try not to touch him anywhere but on the head, neck, or feet when the hormones are up. Reduce or eliminate the warm and/or soft foods, especially from your hand. You can cut back a little on overall calories, and protein in particular. Nothing drastic. The example I was given was that if you feed him a higher protein version of his pellets, give him the lower. For me, that is going from something like 18% protein to 15%. Parrots that are really unmanageable during the breeding season are sometimes given an annual injection of Lupron, but that isn't cheap, and it's not the first resort. Check back, because you'll probably get some good advice from other forum members.
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Post by echotheparrot on Mar 17, 2016 19:12:39 GMT -5
I have switched his room light with a red light, so I can see and he can sleep. It helps me give him a 12/12 schedule. And yes, I will wait for other forum members. We appreciate your help!
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Post by aaron on Mar 17, 2016 19:44:30 GMT -5
Easttex has given you excellent advice here. It definitely sounds like your little one is growing up-- I'm sure there's a component of hormones, but also just testing boundaries. One thing you want to be careful not to do (as much as possible) is not react when you get bitten. Parrots have been known to bite simply because they find the reaction entertaining. They don't necessarily realize they are hurting you, nor that your response is a negative one-- they just know that you make a noise and move real quick when they bite you, and that's exciting. So, you need to clearly show them that this isn't going to lead to anything fun... but not by reacting and picking them up and caging them immediately, because that's another reaction, and you've given them your attention, albeit in a negative way, but that's still enough to reinforce the behavior. So... Like Easttex said, when they aren't behaving, you ignore them. That is enough to send a message. It can take quite a while for this to sink in for these little ones, so be prepared to have to be patient. Another thing I do is use stern eye contact-- In my experience, particularly once the bird is familiar with your eyes, stern eye contact can definitely send a message in a way that words cannot. I think this really only works if you are making pleasant eye contact with your bird on a regular basis, which, if you aren't, you should be At any rate, this is a supplemental measure... the main rule is-- reward good behavior, ignore bad behavior. As far as how hormones develop over time, I think in a lot of cases they start out at their worst and get better over time. That might be the most typical way it goes... but hormones can fluctuate in birds just like in humans, and some will get more mellow over time, and others won't, and a few might get worse. It depends. It's simply a fact of life when it comes to having a bird. Personally, our QP, Cupcake (~5 yrs old), has thus far mellowed when it comes to hormones. She's never been a major biter, but she certainly used to bite more. Now, she rarely bites, and her springtime hormones seem less intense every year. Here's to hoping that trend continues My parents, however, have a cockatiel whose hormones were bad at first, but became completely out of control around the age of 9 or so... it was a huge problem for years... but now he is 25 and has mellowed out a lot. Anyhow, most of the time, if handled properly, hormones are pretty manageable in the long run... but it takes time and patience to modify behavior-- so again, just be prepared for that. You'll get there. Feel free to ask any questions you have along the way. Good luck!
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Post by julianna on Mar 18, 2016 14:03:04 GMT -5
Ohhhh just have to love those hormones.. I have never heard about using red light to substitute darkness so I cannot comment on that.
They will definitely get more bossy (or try to be) when their hormone levels are up. I am also wondering if your QP has a favorite person yet? If it is you then he will not want anyone removing him from your shoulder.
Good luck and stay in touch.
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Post by sierran on Mar 20, 2016 8:00:33 GMT -5
Hi, I'm a new Quaker owner and I need some help. My dad and I bought a Quaker parrot 8 months ago(don't know sex so I'll say "it"), and it was a baby when we bought it, and hes nine months old. We had to hand feed it, and he was quite and NEVER BIT. Since January of this month the parrot changed. Now when we take him out, he hangs out with us, then randomly will bite me(usually) or my dad. Just a few minutes ago, I had given him a bath, then after letting him dry off, it bit me on my ear then my arm. I have no idea why he does this. Sometimes when he is on my dads shoulder, and I try to take him off, he tries to bite me, happens when hes on my shoulder and my dad tries to get him off as well. He randomly gets in a bad mood trying to bite us. He gets 10-12 hours of sleep everyday, and we give him attention until he bites. Not sure if it is hormones or what. He has tried to mate with me before, not sure if that has anything to do with it. Need help ASAP, the bites get worse and worse. If you pull your hand away while he attempts to bite your hands, it's becoming a fun game :rolleyes: next time he tries to bite, ball up your hand (so that the fingers are protected) and present him with the back side of that hand. No loose skin to bite and you're standing your ground :thumbup: hope this helps a bit
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