First time bird owner, Dos/Donts ???

ca1t71n
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First time bird owner, Dos/Donts ??? Dec 19, 2017 9:44:33 GMT -5

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Post by ca1t71n on Dec 19, 2017 9:44:33 GMT -5

Hello, I am a first time bird owner and recently got a quaker parrot. I got him from a pet store chain, where i found him and fell in love right away. After a week of visiting him daily, i decided to bring him home. He is four months old, and was at the pet store for about six weeks. He has a big personality and likes to be face-to-face with people. The staff were very friendly and helpful but let me know that he is wary of hands because of the store policy they had to weigh him every day for the first two weeks which involved trying to pick him up/ catching him with a net. They let me know that he doesnt like hands but he has no problem being around people. I even watched one of the employees kneel down and he walked up to her and put his beak in her hair, which he then did to me after. He seemed very happy and social at the store, walking around and making noises, so i am hopeful that once i earn his trust, he will be comfortable with me as well.

Since taking him home yesterday, he still likes to sit at the front of his enclosure and watch whats going on in the house (as ive read quakers do), and i have sat and talked to him. Once in a while he will make a noise back. His enclosure is on the bigger size, with a good balance of perches/ open space however he is a small bird so ive placed everything so that he can move around easily. I have seen him climbing the bars of the cage exploring a lot. I took home one of the hanging toys from his enclosure at the store, and tried to find similar ladders/perches/ etc. I know he is still very new and getting used to things, so i am being mindful not to invade his space too much or overwhelm him. Im trying to read his body language to see what he is comfortable with and what he isnt.

Since moving into in my home, he is not eating or drinking that ive noticed. He seems to like to sit up on the perches near the top of the enclosure and the food and water are lower down. Is there anything i can do to encourage this? Ive kept him on the same food he had been eating in the store, which he seemed to enjoy when i saw him there. His cage has sliding panels to refill the food and water, so i dont need to reach into the cage besides to put in a birdbath, which he also doesnt seem interested in.
He is currently molting, so he has been itching/ cleaning himself alot, but does not seem to be doing any stress- plucking. Is this normal?

Eventually i would like to be able to feed him treats/ fruit out of my hand, however i know this will probably take some time. I am also concerned about the right way to go about teaching him to "step up". I would like to know if anyone can give me advice about when the right time would be to start trying to touch him/play with him/ feed him/ect. I know the first step is to build trust with the bird, and i do not want to overwhelm him. I also want to be sure he isnt afraid of people when he gets older, and make sure he does not get bored or lonely. I am hoping in time he will be comfortable roaming around and hanging out with me around the house.

Any and all advice is appreciated. Thank you so much!

cnyguy
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First time bird owner, Dos/Donts ??? Dec 19, 2017 21:23:31 GMT -5 ca1t71n likes this

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Post by cnyguy on Dec 19, 2017 21:23:31 GMT -5

Welcome to you and your new QP!

It's normal if a parrot doesn't eat or drink when first arriving in a new home. Before long, your new friend should decide that it's time for a bite to eat and a little sip of water. For now, spend some time just sitting calmly near your QP's cage and talk softly to him. That will help him get more used to you and the sound of your voice. Step up training will go better when your parrot feels more at home. The companion site quakerparrots.com has lots of useful information, including this article on step up training. It sounds like your QP is preening normally, especially if he's molting. Good luck to you and your parrot, and feel free to ask any questions you may have.

easttex
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First time bird owner, Dos/Donts ??? Dec 20, 2017 4:48:48 GMT -5 ca1t71n likes this

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Post by easttex on Dec 20, 2017 4:48:48 GMT -5

It sounds like you've done your homework and are doing everything right.

Welcome to the forum!

I hate the sound of catching him with a net, and it's little wonder that he's afraid of hands. Just keep being patient, and let him see you putting good things in his dishes. When he seems a little more comfortable in his surroundings, you can start offering things by hand, but don't push him beyond his comfort level. I wouldn't start on training step up until he will take things from your hand. Bribery is essential.

Quaker Peppy (RIP my sweet pea), CAG Allie, dogs Wanda and Bonnie, feral kitties Cleo and Antoinette, mice Charlotte and Emily, née Jake and Elwood

biteybird
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First time bird owner, Dos/Donts ??? Dec 20, 2017 5:14:05 GMT -5 ca1t71n likes this

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Post by biteybird on Dec 20, 2017 5:14:05 GMT -5

Hi and welcome!

Our Bonnie didn't eat or drink for nearly 24 hours after we got her (she was only 8 weeks old, from a breeder), so I would say it is normal and that your QP will decide when he wants to.
Easttex is correct - you're doing very well!

Bonnie (quaker parrot), R.I.P. Pinky (Bourke's parrot), R.I.P. Cockatiel "Scruffy"

ca1t71n
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First time bird owner, Dos/Donts ??? Dec 20, 2017 9:49:58 GMT -5

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Post by ca1t71n on Dec 20, 2017 9:49:58 GMT -5

Thank you all so much! Its so reassuring to have support from people with experience!
He already seems much more at home and has finally started eating and drinking, but still does not seem to want to take a bath. I know it is important to bathe when they are molting, and i also have read that parrots need to be on a very good diet especially while molting. I have read about giving them extra vitamins in their food or water. Does anyone have experience with this and if so would you recommend a certain type over another?
Also, he seems to puff out his feathers a lot especially while resting, which i have read could mean various things some good and some bad. I have read it could mean he is relaxed and happy or sick/ stressed out.Is this something i should be keeping an eye on?

easttex
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First time bird owner, Dos/Donts ??? Dec 20, 2017 16:03:24 GMT -5 ca1t71n likes this

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Post by easttex on Dec 20, 2017 16:03:24 GMT -5

I think birds primarily on a good pelleted diet along with some veggies and a little fruit don't really need supplements, unless they are known to be deficient in something. You can offer some more protein-rich foods for the molt if you want, as that is what feathers mostly are.

Most Quakers seem to be pretty good about bathing regularly. Mine would demand one probably a couple times a week. Some bathe more frequently and some less. With his fear of hands, I wouldn't recommend spraying him with a misting bottle. Just make a bath available to him, and when he's ready, he'll dip in.

Quaker Peppy (RIP my sweet pea), CAG Allie, dogs Wanda and Bonnie, feral kitties Cleo and Antoinette, mice Charlotte and Emily, née Jake and Elwood

dinucci
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First time bird owner, Dos/Donts ??? Dec 21, 2017 12:06:34 GMT -5 via mobile biteybird likes this

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Post by dinucci on Dec 21, 2017 12:06:34 GMT -5

Hi and welcome ! I haven't posted here for quite some time but I read your intro. I too feel your doing everything right from the get go..giving him time and space..a good thing would be to have him in an area where you spend most of your time. This way,you can talk softly to him as ya go about your business. It's comforting to him to not only see you but hear you as well..they will chirp when your out of sight like mine is doing right now ! Like you, I am a relatively new QP owner,and he was 3 months when I got him..he was hand raised by a small hobbiest,now 9 months old..came pre spoiled ! And named buddy which I kept..as for the bath thing..like you, I was concerned that he wasn't taking a bath. For the first few months,I used a spray mist lightly over him while he was outside in his portable cage. He enjoyed it and even came closer vs hiding. Only recently he has started bathing on his own. Wait till your little guy does this..it's funny to see..buddy puffs out his feathers real big to where he looks twice the size and does these chicken like chirps while splashing around,then climbs up to dry off and talks and whistles. One thing I did,and this could help with molting, is I went out and got a warm mist humidifier.he loves it and I call it his spa treatment! I live near chicago so it gets cold here, but he has the sun coming in the windows to warm him afterwards too..since they like to chew, I covered the cord with plastic tubing. For his bath I use a glass 13x9 pan with a plastic tray underneath. Just put a couple little toys in the water with a rock for him to sit on slightly below the surface..put your fingers in the water,play with the toys a bit and he'll probably jump in for some fun. Hope this helps ! I was worried I'd have the only bird who doesn't bathe..

biteybird
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First time bird owner, Dos/Donts ??? Dec 21, 2017 23:34:53 GMT -5 julianna likes this

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Post by biteybird on Dec 21, 2017 23:34:53 GMT -5

Hi again!

Bonnie only has one bath per week. We'd love her to have more, but she has very definite ideas about what she does/doesn't want to do, so we don't try to force her. We just offer a small baking tray full of water (about 1 inch deep or so) each time she comes out of the cage. We put it on the kitchen sink. She doesn't like to be misted with a spray bottle.
Regarding fluffed up feathers, Bonnie fluffs up when she's comfortable (often she sits on one foot on the perch). When her feathers are slicked down flat it's usually a sign that she's on 'high alert' for some reason.

Last Edit: Dec 21, 2017 23:35:33 GMT -5 by biteybird

Bonnie (quaker parrot), R.I.P. Pinky (Bourke's parrot), R.I.P. Cockatiel "Scruffy"

julianna
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First time bird owner, Dos/Donts ??? Dec 26, 2017 17:14:17 GMT -5 biteybird likes this

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Post by julianna on Dec 26, 2017 17:14:17 GMT -5

Hello and welcome. Does your QP have a name? I do not think I noticed it in the previous postings. One thing that I do add to my QP's water is Raw unpasteurized apple cider. It works like a antibiotic. I add a few drops to a whole bottle of water about 3 times a week. My little Oscar does not mind this at all. Fruits and vegetables are a very important part of their diet and from what I have seen some pet stores do not give these to the birds. Oscar loves fresh green peas, romaine lettuce, carrots, potatoes (not mashed but cooked) ...he also likes bananas, green grapes (peeled for the king... lol) watermelon, and green apples to name a few.
His diet is mostly pellets with fruits and veggies and a little bit of mixed seeds. For treats he gets a little bread (with lots of seeds in it) a little cracker or anything pasta related.

This is a great site to come for information. Many of the folks on here have had quakers for years and have been through a lot with them so..... they know their stuff.

Once again welcome and keep us informed of how things work out.