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Post by jeannes on Jul 23, 2016 9:52:04 GMT -5
I joined because I was recently given a quaker parrot. My friends have had her for nearly 10 years. She is 11 and her name is Starry. When she was with my friends she was rarely let out and the food she was fed was so horrid, I am sure it caused some sort of issue. As soon as the money comes in I will be taking her to a vet. The cage they gave me with her is not large enough in my opinion. Which is fine for now as I am on summer break and she is out between 5-12 hours a day. She has lots of nipping issues but it isn't too drastic. We have been together a week and I already love her. My father and I are in the process of making her a MONSTER of a play stand and within the first 24 hours pf having her here I spent $80 on bird toys! Here are some photos:  Here she is enjoying her morning salad  Here she is sitting on my art desk  And here she is eating a piece of graham cracker that the baby dropped I am sure I will be asking way too many questions but I still have a lot to learn! - Camille |
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Post by julianna on Jul 23, 2016 14:17:57 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum and so nice of you to take Starry and help her. She looks not too bad but her feathers are definitely too ruffled probably due to the small cage... but I would most certainly offer her a bath. You can take any large container or use the bathroom sink... water should be just to the top of her legs and a little on the cool side. I think she will love it.
Be sure to get her to start eating pellets which are full of nutrients that she will need. A little bit of mixed seeds is okay as well but her main diet should be the pellets. I see you offered her fresh greens and that is great. My QP loves his greens especially fresh peas and boiled potatoe. They are also fond of fruits just be sure they are peeled and are not citrus.
I think Starry has finally found the home she needs. She will become more and more friendly over time and will soon be preening you and turning you into a slave... just like the rest of us... lol
I am glad to hear you will be taking her to the vet as she does seem to have a little discolor on her bill.... but the vet will know for sure if any thing is wrong.
Here is to hoping all is well... and be sure to ask any questions that you have. All the wonderful people on this forum are here to help.
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Post by duckysmom on Jul 23, 2016 15:09:17 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum! You will meet some of the nicest, most helful, non-judgmental and knowledgeable parrot people I've ever met. I just got a baby a month ago and, even though I have bird experience, these folks are so wonderful in teaching me about quakers. Read through the threads and you will learn so much. There will be plenty of info about the nipping problem. But I keep hearing about this slave manual. You will, too. Apparently, we're all slaves and the quakers won't give up the manual. They just let you know when you aren't following the by-laws. Welcome!
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Post by jeannes on Jul 23, 2016 16:18:50 GMT -5
Julianna,
I noticed her feather ruffle as well. She bathes in her water bowl a lot (they never let her have a bowl, just a bottle) so I am planning on offering her a true bath as soon as I trust her more.
Her pellets (Tropican) will be delivered Tuesday. I am hoping she will eat them... 10 years on disgusting seed is not easy to go back from. She did not eat her greens today. Not sure why.
I hope she gets to that point! She has been here a week as of today. Finally she is coming out of her shell and dance on her tree and sits with me while I draw. Her nipping is getting "worse" because she nips more often but it is softer than before.
Hmmm what is it that is discolored about it? I have been paranoid about her because of her bad diet and living quarters for the past several years.
Thank you for the helpful reply!
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Post by jeannes on Jul 23, 2016 16:20:37 GMT -5
Duckysmom, I am very excited about this forum because all other parrot forums do not focus at all on quakers. They seem to be the odd bird out :/ I am already her little slave and I wouldn't want it any other way  she is so goofy |
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Post by duckysmom on Jul 23, 2016 16:30:14 GMT -5
Me, either! Ducky prefers his seed over his pellets, so I mix them, and every other day I give just pellets that I have softened with a little unsweetened, organic apple juice and I hide bits (tiny bits) of apple in them so he has to forage a bit. It seems to be working. Maybe something similar will help Starry with the transition. Best of luck and letbus know how it goes!
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Post by jeannes on Jul 23, 2016 16:46:14 GMT -5
I think I may mix it in with her chop. I just made it yesterday and already is obsessed!
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Post by cnyguy on Jul 23, 2016 19:26:26 GMT -5
Welcome to you and Starry!  Softening the pellets as duckysmom suggested often helps when introducing pellets to parrots not used to eating them. While both my parrots eat dry pellets, they enjoy some softened pellets every day too (I use filtered water to soak them). A better diet and bigger cage will both benefit Starry, and I'm sure she'll love her new playstand too. |
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Post by aaron on Jul 23, 2016 20:20:12 GMT -5
Welcome to you and Starry! She looks like a very sweet girl. It's a really great thing you are doing for this little bird. Thank you for doing that. It's great that you are improving her diet as well-- getting her from seeds to pellets is important, but in my opinion, what is by far the most important is getting her to eat fresh vegetables on a daily basis. Seems like you are already doing well with that.
Please feel free to ask any questions you have! We are all happy to help.
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Post by easttex on Jul 24, 2016 5:38:04 GMT -5
She is very cute! She must be loving all the attention after so much neglect. She was probably inadvertently taught to bite in order to communicate. From what you say, I doubt if her previous people were sensitive to her less drastic efforts to get her desires across. Learning her body language and not forcing her should go a long way in reducing the biting. It sounds like she's already learning that you will be more responsive to her signals. I'm of the opinion that the most important thing you can do diet-wise is to get her on pellets. I think you would see a real improvement in her feather condition after her molt if you can get her to switch. The vegetables are important, too, but she needs the balance of proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, etc., that will come with pellets. I love reading about parrots rehomed into great environments! |
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Post by jeannes on Jul 24, 2016 5:48:50 GMT -5
Yup. Pellets are on the way!
I will try soaking them.
How much should she eat in a day? She gets greens in the morning, seed through out the day, and a teaspoon of chop in the evening. Is that good?
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Post by biteybird on Jul 24, 2016 6:02:29 GMT -5
Hi Camille & Starry and welcome to the forum. It's great you've finally found each other! It sounds as though you are already looking after Starry very well and that is wonderful. Like the others have said, pellets will help her a lot. Our QP, Bonnie, eats about 2 tablespoons of pellets per day and grazes on some veggies (cooked potato, peas, corn), cooked white rice, pumpkin seeds, cashew nuts/almonds and sultanas. She doesn't really eat fruit except for apple sometimes. |
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Post by easttex on Jul 24, 2016 9:20:13 GMT -5
I have a couple suggestions for you. When you get the pellets, make them available all day. As long as she's been on seed, it will probably be a challenge to get her to switch, so rather than mixing them in the pellets, I'd try letting her have the seeds only a couple times a day. And, try to fill her up with anything healthier before you offer the seed. You'll also want to start weighing her with a scale that goes down to grams. If she drops a little weight in the process, no big deal, but watch out for a steady decline. Maybe she'll surprise everybody and take right to the pellets. |
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Post by jeannes on Jul 24, 2016 10:25:40 GMT -5
Knowing her she will take right to them. She likes to try new food! I think it won't be as difficult as trying to get the parakeet to try them!
A few seconds ago, while I was cleaning the rat cage, she was sitting on her perch next to me and I went "hello Starry" and I swear she tried to say Hello 😂 she is so precious
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Post by julianna on Jul 24, 2016 13:46:35 GMT -5
That is great that she allowed you to clean her cage without attacking you. Very good sign of trust. Oscar has pellets available all day and not only on his cage but also on the coffee table. Usually around 3:00 he will come down the cage onto the coffee table and will bring me his pellets. I take a handful and hold them while he crunches away. I pretend that I am eating them too and make all the yummy sounds and repeat to him "good peanuts". (I call them peanuts cause that is where he used to get his peanuts from). He loves them now.
Throughout the day I will give him little bits of my food. His favorite is spaghetti or macaroni. Today we are having chili for supper and he will want the chick peas (peeled of course.. lol). Oscar is a little overweight but other than that he is healthy.
Just remember to keep away from the salts and sugars. A little is okay but not too much and not daily. They love salt and sugar...
Oscar also likes for a treat a very small piece of marshmallow or some granola.
Nice you have you on board.
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she is so goofy
Softening the pellets as duckysmom suggested often helps when introducing pellets to parrots not used to eating them. While both my parrots eat dry pellets, they enjoy some softened pellets every day too (I use filtered water to soak them). A better diet and bigger cage will both benefit Starry, and I'm sure she'll love her new playstand too.
