Post by glacierwolf on Mar 1, 2020 20:38:48 GMT -5
Background: Wife and I are experienced bird moms and dads - we have raised orphan wild birds on and off for 30 years, had green cheeks and sun conures. Our birds are part of the family. Every morning my wife cuts up fresh grapes, black and red raspberries, blueberries, sugar snap peas, Fuji apple, sweet peppers, banana and pour all the fresh goodies over a bed of broccoli slaw for our two blue Quakers, Luna and Winter. Luna is a DNA tested male bonded to me since we got him in 2010. (he kept trying to share his millet with me through the glass at Petco. He did not do this for anyone else who walked by. Me? It was, 'Millet Time'. Luna is a gentleman - loves me, hates the wife - even though she gives him goodies and treats and is home all day with him. He is bonded to me and does not bite or yell. When I am in the back room he loves to get my wife in trouble by yelling, "She's got my tail!! She's got my tail!!". Put Luna on the floor he will run a little circle and yell, "I'm a squeaky toy!" He says about 40 other things that are time appropriate like 'Good Morning' and 'Night Night good Night only at bed time"
Winter is the problem We got him around 2016 and he too is a DNA tested male. He was originally highly interested in my wife - so we bought him for her - once he noticed Luna hated my wife, he bonded to me. Probably figured if she wasn't good enough for Luna she was not good enough for him. Winter chews. He is a chewing machine. Hold a wood coffee stirrer to him, he will chew it left to right like a typewriter, back and forth until gone. If let him perch on a finger - in 3-5 seconds he will nervously chew his left foot. He'd chewed to bleeding - I've had to apply silver nitrate to stop it. (I keep plenty around) He is happy being head scratched or under the chin but give it 5 seconds and he will begin to chew your shirt or fingers. Interrupt the behavior - he is fine for 5 seconds and then back to chewing. He is not a dumb bird - he has solved allot of puzzles much faster than the other Quaker. Winter is not a fussy eater - he LOVES all the fresh berries (Luna, not so much). Winter will eat banana until he reagitates it! They are on a pellet diet - no snacks or fats since fatty liver disease is an issue with Luna and Quakers in general. Winter talks allot. Both birds are on a strict sleeping schedule 5pm to 5am.
If I could just cure Winter of the constant chewing it would make the whole household better. He gets jealous watching me pet Luna...Luna will sit on my shoulder through a full movie and be a good boy (if you disregard being pooped on). Winter will demand to be picked up, I pick him up and 4-5 seconds later he's chewing my shirt of fingers. I tell him, "No Chewing" and put him back on his cage perch. Then makes unhappy noises when I pet Luna. He just doesn't 'get it' that if he did not chew on me or my shirts he could spend more time with me. Again, he is not dumb.
I have heard that injured birds in the wild chew on sticks and items like that to relive pain. He's been to the vet every year for a check up like clockwork and noting unusual has been noted. If anyone has successful cured this behavior I would love to have a discussion with you. Thank you in advance for your time!
Kevin
North Pole, Alaska
Winter is the problem We got him around 2016 and he too is a DNA tested male. He was originally highly interested in my wife - so we bought him for her - once he noticed Luna hated my wife, he bonded to me. Probably figured if she wasn't good enough for Luna she was not good enough for him. Winter chews. He is a chewing machine. Hold a wood coffee stirrer to him, he will chew it left to right like a typewriter, back and forth until gone. If let him perch on a finger - in 3-5 seconds he will nervously chew his left foot. He'd chewed to bleeding - I've had to apply silver nitrate to stop it. (I keep plenty around) He is happy being head scratched or under the chin but give it 5 seconds and he will begin to chew your shirt or fingers. Interrupt the behavior - he is fine for 5 seconds and then back to chewing. He is not a dumb bird - he has solved allot of puzzles much faster than the other Quaker. Winter is not a fussy eater - he LOVES all the fresh berries (Luna, not so much). Winter will eat banana until he reagitates it! They are on a pellet diet - no snacks or fats since fatty liver disease is an issue with Luna and Quakers in general. Winter talks allot. Both birds are on a strict sleeping schedule 5pm to 5am.
If I could just cure Winter of the constant chewing it would make the whole household better. He gets jealous watching me pet Luna...Luna will sit on my shoulder through a full movie and be a good boy (if you disregard being pooped on). Winter will demand to be picked up, I pick him up and 4-5 seconds later he's chewing my shirt of fingers. I tell him, "No Chewing" and put him back on his cage perch. Then makes unhappy noises when I pet Luna. He just doesn't 'get it' that if he did not chew on me or my shirts he could spend more time with me. Again, he is not dumb.
I have heard that injured birds in the wild chew on sticks and items like that to relive pain. He's been to the vet every year for a check up like clockwork and noting unusual has been noted. If anyone has successful cured this behavior I would love to have a discussion with you. Thank you in advance for your time!
Kevin
North Pole, Alaska
