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Post by pyxis on Aug 22, 2016 20:58:39 GMT -5
Hello everyone! I am a brand new quaker owner. I don't have my baby yet, but it will be arriving to me on Friday shipping from a breeder in Florida. The breeder had lots to choose from with different hatch dates close together so she said she will send me her sweetest baby since I didn't have a hatch day preference. They all hatched in the beginning of July so the hatch date will be around the 2nd/4th/6th of July. The baby is still taking one hand feeding a day so I will be hand feeding it once a day or twice if it wants a second feeding for a couple weeks.
I am ridiculously excited. I haven't had a parrot since my sun conure passed away a couple years ago and I am very ready to be owned by a parrot again. Any tips anyone has would be appreciated since this will be my first time with a quaker.
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Post by easttex on Aug 23, 2016 11:41:57 GMT -5
Welcome pyxis! I've never had a baby parrot, but someone who has will probably have some good Quaker tips for you. If you have time to browse around the different boards on the forum, you'll see a number of posts that will at least partially answer your questions. I envy you!  p.s. We love pictures of baby Quakers. And adult Quakers, too. |
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Post by cnyguy on Aug 23, 2016 20:13:23 GMT -5
Happy that you've joined us on the Forum! I have no experience with baby parrots either, but will suggest that you read all you can about Quakers-- the posts on the Forum are a good place to start. There's lots of information on the companion site quakerparrots.com and there are some good books about QPs too, like Shelly Lane's book available at quakerparrots.com and Mattie Sue Athan's Guide to the Quaker Parrot. You're always welcome to ask questions here too. |
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Post by pyxis on Aug 24, 2016 0:24:07 GMT -5
Thank you both! I will be sure to post pictures when he (I'm going with he for now) arrives. I just ordered that book from Amazon and should have it Thursday to read through. I also ended up placing two separate other orders for things for him on the same day and one again today, lol. And I plan to head on over to the pet store to pick up some more toys on Thursday. I'm apparently spoiling him before he even gets here.
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Post by easttex on Aug 24, 2016 2:13:17 GMT -5
You already understand the most important thing about Quaker "ownership", so that's a good start. |
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Post by aaron on Aug 26, 2016 12:41:00 GMT -5
Welcome! You must be very excited. Look forward to seeing photos of your little one when they arrive! Feel free to ask any questions you might have!
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Post by julianna on Aug 26, 2016 14:11:00 GMT -5
Welcome... today is Friday so it is the day you get your little one. I wouldn't spend too much money on toys as you can use household items that will keep them just as interested. My quaker barely touches his toys and I have a huge box full of them. He would just prefer to hold a pen or rip a piece of paper apart or chew my glasses or the keys on the keyboard.. lol.
Your new baby will need time to adjust to the new surroundings. Keep calm and talk softly or sing softly to him/her. Don't worry if it doesn't eat a whole lot at first... they need time. Patience is your virtue.
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Post by quakermom on Aug 28, 2016 8:00:54 GMT -5
I'm happy to answer any questions you may have. After 10 years and four Quaker Parrots, I finally got a successful breeding pair. They have laid clutches for three years now. I've learned what to do along the way. The first clutch was three birds one blue and two green split to blues. Second year one blue. This year two clutches, fist two greens and second one blue and one green. Will be pulling them from the nest box next week to hand-feed. Willing to help anyone who needs advice on breeding.
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Post by pyxis on Sept 10, 2016 0:30:45 GMT -5
Hi all! Sorry for not replying back. For some reason I couldn't get on here. Anyway, Fizz is here! His journey from Florida was uneventful and he has settled in. He went to the vet last Friday and received a clean bill of health. I also had some feathers pulled to send away for DNA testing so I will know his real gender soon.
We started clicker and target training as a way to bond and he took to it very well. He also stepped up for the first time today! I know a lot of info out there says to force them to do it by shoving a finger into them but I train using only positive reinforcement so I waited for him to come to me and it has paid off.
So we are doing well and he is settled in nicely. Now we just need to work on teaching him to explore more gently with his beak - I've already got some chew marks on my fingers.
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Post by easttex on Sept 10, 2016 3:24:43 GMT -5
Yes, we had domain name issues, but our wonderful administrators have solved them. It's great that things are going so well! I am all for positive reinforcement. Non-coercion is the best way to get lasting results with a parrot. It works better on me, too. |
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Post by biteybird on Sept 10, 2016 5:09:05 GMT -5
Welcome to you and Fizz. I guess you'll soon know whether "he" or "she" (at least Fizz is a non-gender-specific name). It seems as though you and your baby are doing very well together at this early stage. |
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Post by julianna on Sept 16, 2016 13:49:29 GMT -5
Rest assured... the biting will get a lot less often as time goes on... and once you learn what you can and cannot do while holding a Quaker. Sounds funny... but it is true.
To discourage biting (with my Oscar) when he would be on my finger I would shake my finger slightly and say "that's mine". After a while he understood that biting is not going to work and they do not like the shaky finger. Now when he opens his bill in disagreement I just say "that's mine"... and he will relax.
Mind you... every now and then I still get a nasty bite but it usually due to hormones.
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