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Post by rosewarrior on May 20, 2017 10:10:08 GMT -5
I rescued a Blue Quaker Parrot in October. He lived in horder's home with 100 other birds. He is an older bird and is bald on top of his head from bigger birds pecking him there. He is skittish and anxious and also has respiratory issues. Bernie loves to eat. Lately, after giving him a piece of rice cake, he waits for me to give him a piece every morning before I go to work and in the evening when I come home. It doesn't seem to be causing any problems but I wondered if it is ok to give him plain rice cake. Bernie does not talk as he was with other birds all the time but he tweets at me loudly when he wants something. If I give him the wrong thing he throws it onto the floor of his cage. Bernie is tentative about coming out of his cage so I just open the door and let him decide. He comes out once in a while but stays close to the cage in case he get anxious he can get in quickly. He used to come out and sit on my shoulder and try to take my glasses off or my ear lobe off but got nervous when he heard a noise and does not come out and sit on my shoulder anymore. I talk to Bernie a lot and he tweets back.
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Post by easttex on May 20, 2017 14:34:43 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum to you and Bernie!  That is very kind of you to adopt special bird that so many people would steer clear of. I got my quaker, Peppy, who has since died, after his previous owner's long illness. Peppy wasn't abused, just neglected, but it took many months before he was comfortable outside his cage. You might put a perch on the outside of Bernie's cage, just below his door, to give him an intermediate stage. You're doing the right thing, letting him set his own pace. I don't think a little rice cake is a problem, though if you can find one without salt, that would be best. If you can't, just be stingy with the portions. |
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Post by cnyguy on May 20, 2017 19:49:38 GMT -5
Welcome to you and Bernie. In time, Bernie may be ready to come out of his cage and explore, and remove your glasses too (a favorite pastime of many QPs). A little extra time and patience will be needed since Bernie came from such a poor environment in his last home. Spend lots of time sitting near his cage and talking to him to help make him more comfortable being with you. The outside-cage perch that easttex suggested is a great idea. A little rice cake now and then shouldn't be a problem. |
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Post by biteybird on May 21, 2017 3:31:55 GMT -5
Welcome! We hope to hear more from you and Bernie! |
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Post by aaron on May 21, 2017 23:19:17 GMT -5
Welcome to you and Bernie! It's very nice of you to do this for him.  We give Cupcake bits of rice cake periodically... i try to avoid giving her much of the salty ones as Easttex said, but it's totally fine. |
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Post by julianna on May 23, 2017 13:08:00 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum. I am glad to hear you are helping a little quaker. They do eat quiet a variety of food. Many of them enjoy soft pasta, various vegetables and fruit. There is a section on this forum of bad foods and good foods so it would worth you while to read it. I love feeding my quaker... he is so funny how he sits there and holds a spaghetti in his little dinosaur foot... lol.
Please do not hesitate to ask any questions you might have... we are all here to help one another.
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Post by Caseysmom on May 24, 2017 8:53:05 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum to you and Bernie. Casey gets a small piece of rice cake everyday after her shower. I used to buy the Gerber baby ones that were perfect and tiny and easy to break up and store in a jar, but they aren't available here anymore. Now I buy the plain no salt Quaker ones with only rice as the ingredient and break those up for her. Another of her favourite treats is a plain raw pumpkin seed Like Julianna said there is a good list in the diet and health section
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Post by beccilouise on May 29, 2017 15:17:09 GMT -5
Hello rosewarrior! It takes a special kind of person to rescue a traumatised bird, so you are doing a truly wonderful thing. Thank you! It sounds like you're doing an amazing job of helping him to acclimatise. I've had my little Maya since she was 4 months old, she's now nearly two but she doesn't speak either. Sometimes they seem to choose not to learn. It doesn't bother me at all as she's such a personality that she finds all sorts of other effective ways to communicate! It sounds like you are doing absolutely the right thing in encouraging him to come out by himself, as this will help him develop trust for you. I second Caseysmom's suggestion to check out the list in the diet and health section as it's very comprehensive and should also give you a list of harmful foods too. I would also recommend getting no salt versions of any non-parrot foods as salt can be very bad for them. We hope to hear more from you. All the best!
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That is very kind of you to adopt special bird that so many people would steer clear of. I got my quaker, Peppy, who has since died, after his previous owner's long illness. Peppy wasn't abused, just neglected, but it took many months before he was comfortable outside his cage. You might put a perch on the outside of Bernie's cage, just below his door, to give him an intermediate stage. You're doing the right thing, letting him set his own pace. 
We give Cupcake bits of rice cake periodically... i try to avoid giving her much of the salty ones as Easttex said, but it's totally fine.
