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Post by leebeth on Jul 2, 2021 18:44:55 GMT -5
Went to local pet store today, they had 2 young Blue Quaker Parrots for sale, I am going back to bring one home first of next week after cage is set up. His/her name will be Skye, I can't wait to get him home, I miss having a Quaker Parrot. It will be enjoyable to teach Skye to step up, talk, and socialize with us.
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Post by cnyguy on Jul 2, 2021 20:08:13 GMT -5
Good luck to you and Skye!  |
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Post by Caseysmom on Jul 2, 2021 21:55:09 GMT -5
That’s exciting, have fun getting everything set up!
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Post by leebeth on Jul 3, 2021 11:15:49 GMT -5
Thanx for replies, Cryguy & Caseysmom I am excited about bringing Skye home. How long have you had Casey? I love Quaker parrots, they are so active and love to chatter & play with new toys. Any tips on helping Skye get settled in & teaching him to step up & talk will be appreciated.
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Post by Caseysmom on Jul 3, 2021 21:59:48 GMT -5
Casey is 14 1/2, we got him at around 4 months old as a rescue with a broken leg as he was a Vet surrender by his first family. Years ago a lady on this forum told us to make sure we rotate the toys and perches in his cage when he was young to stop any chance of cage aggression. It worked Casey has always let us reach in his cage anytime except one very hot week last summer when his hormones really kicked in strong. We used to say step up as we moved him back and forth between our hands. He learned fast and eventually said it himself when he stepped. It all takes time. Some birds love to talk others don’t.
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Post by leebeth on Jul 4, 2021 19:15:50 GMT -5
So glad you gave Casey a good home, can he crawl up side of his cage using his beak & good foot? My 20 year old African Grey, Leah, had a break in her leg near the hip joint when she was around a week old. I met her breeder at the local Bird Fair. When I went to visit her aviary, I fell in love with little Leah, she sat leaned to one side. I brought Leah home, taught her to perch, to step up, and over time she has learned to climb her ladder, get around her cage but will never be able to hold food in her foot, I chop her food, she has learned to eat fresh fruit/veggies and pellets as well as seed. Leah isn't a big talker, but she mimics everything including our dog's bark and she loves to whistle.
We finally got Skye's cage ready and set up, toys/perches awaiting his arrival tomorrow. Thanx for tip to rotate toys/perches, I can watch over time & know what kind of toys Skye likes. Leah likes toys with bells, Chip liked foot toys and to poke things thru cage bars.
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Post by Caseysmom on Jul 4, 2021 22:48:25 GMT -5
Casey can stand fine on both feet now. He is just waving in that picture. The vet said he might get arthritis in that leg when he is older. He is right handed which is rarer for a parrot. That was his broken leg. So it probably feels better to stand on the left Casey loves to whistle too and can bark like the dogs. He can mimic sneezes too. CAsey likes toys with leather and wood. He likes to shred wood pieces. I had to take his rope perch out of his cage years ago as he injested the threads and projectile vomited it when his crop was full of thread. He fixed himself and i’ve never let him have rope perches again.
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Post by leebeth on Jul 6, 2021 9:24:59 GMT -5
I brought Skye home yesterday afternoon, he is quiet, but learning to navigate around his cage and knows where seed/water bowls are. Pet store says Skye is between 2 & 3 months old. I am going to get him a vet visit hopefully this week for wellness check and weight.
Skye doesn't eat much food mix of fruit/veggies, so I am showing him its good by holding some in my fingers, then he will nibble on it. He especially loves the chopped apple. His favorite seed is millet sprays
Can young Quaker parrots have sunflower seed & egg yolk? Its in his seed mix, but I limited feeding of fatty seed & egg yolks to the older parrots.
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Post by Caseysmom on Jul 6, 2021 15:50:16 GMT -5
Welcome home to Skye! I would have to research but I would think egg yolk is healthier than apple. Too much sugar from fruit isn’t good for them. I’ve never fed Casey sunflower seeds so I am not an expert about those. Casey loves raw pumpkin seeds and gets one each morning he also really loves the seeds inside a red pepper. I only offer them if they are nice and white whiteout mould. He loves broccoli and sweet potatoes
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Post by cnyguy on Jul 6, 2021 20:16:11 GMT -5
I know you must be happy to have Skye with you in his new home. Since you have plenty of experience with parrots, I'm sure you know all about introducing new foods to them, the necessity of time and patience, and being used to lots of wasted food.  Sunflower seeds are indeed high in fat and are best kept as an occasional treat. A little egg yolk is fine. You didn't say which seed mix you have, but it's likely the one Skye is used to, which is best in the beginning. Eventually, you might try the ones my parrots like, Higgins Safflower Gold and Higgins California Blend. Both are free of sunflower seeds but do include some dried fruit and vegetables, pumpkin seeds and some nuts as well as a few Higgins InTune pellets. Safflower seeds are lower in fat but still shouldn't be the main part of a parrot's diet. Ralph and Scooter get a little of the seed mix after they've eaten their pellets and vegetables. Try some fresh green peas with Skye; that's Ralph's favorite food. |
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Post by leebeth on Jul 7, 2021 9:34:45 GMT -5
Thanx, Cryguy The pet store said they feed the small parrots Kaytee seed mix, so I bought him a small bag of Cockatiel mix. I take out some of the sunflower seed, but I don't think Skye eats the larger seeds as sunflower & pumpkin seed.
I guess each bird has different tastes, I need to give Skye some broccoli, and grated carrots, something he hasn't tried yet. Leah likes to shell out the green peas, I feed them thawed frozen ones. I mixed some pellets in Skye's seed mix as he didn't seem to try them by themselves. His favorite treat seed is millet sprays, I clip one to side of his cage.
I don't remember much about training Chip when he was young, it was 25 years ago, but I do remember it took lots of patience & time to train Leah to step up & eat anything other than seed mix, especially since she couldn't hold food in her foot because of her leg injury.
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Post by cnyguy on Jul 13, 2021 20:51:20 GMT -5
Something I recommend for parrots unused to eating pellets, or less than eager to eat them, is to soften a few in fresh water or unsweetened fruit juice. Many parrots will take to the softened pellets quicker than dry ones. Ralph and Scooter both eat dry pellets, but they enjoy getting some softened ones every day. I put a few pellets in a shot glass (any small glass will do), add just enough liquid to moisten the pellets, and let them sit for a few minutes until the pellets have absorbed the liquid. You can offer some on a small spoon if you have one, or just put some in Skye's food dish. Remove any uneaten ones after a few minutes so they won't dry out or spoil.
Scooter the CAG refuses to eat the fresh peas, but she loves to chew up empty peapods. Ralph expects some fresh peas every day and eats nearly all I give him. Experiment with different vegetables and don't give up easily. It can take a while before a parrot will even try something new.
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Post by leebeth on Jul 16, 2021 9:21:08 GMT -5
Skye loves corn, he has learned to shell out corn & peas. I put some soaked pellets in his dish with the veggies, he did try them, hopefully he will develop a taste for pellets. CAG Leah likes most fresh food as well as pellets & dry birdie bread bites. I have a skewer so will put out corn on the cob next week when I get some.
Skye seems to have quit fussing and checks out toys in his cage. CAG Leah started copying his fussing, which made our apartment sound like a bunch of angry birds, lol.
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Post by cnyguy on Jul 16, 2021 20:35:54 GMT -5
It sounds like Skye is settling in well and becoming more adventurous with new foods too. The corn on the cob will probably be a big hit with both parrots-- unlike mine, who both prefer their corn off the cob. Good that the softened pellets are working too. I think Ralph and Scooter prefer the softened ones to the dry pellets. Some parrots will soak their own, in their drinking water (which makes a nice mess), but Ralph and Scooter almost never do that since they get some softened ones every day.
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Post by leebeth on Jul 24, 2021 18:44:05 GMT -5
Skye started swinging on a swing I had cleaned from Chip's cage, one that Chip never got on, but would push it back & forth with his beak. He is playing with some of his hanging toys, he hasn't played with his foot toys on cage bottom lately. He likes me to open up the cage, but I have to watch him as he will jump to the floor. He is learning I will put him back in cage & close it up so hopefully in time I will be able to leave the cage doors open so he can come out like Chip used to.
Think I heard Skye try to say Hello, how old was Ralph when he learned to talk? Does Ralph have a large vocabulary?
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Sunflower seeds are indeed high in fat and are best kept as an occasional treat. A little egg yolk is fine. You didn't say which seed mix you have, but it's likely the one Skye is used to, which is best in the beginning. Eventually, you might try the ones my parrots like, Higgins Safflower Gold and Higgins California Blend. Both are free of sunflower seeds but do include some dried fruit and vegetables, pumpkin seeds and some nuts as well as a few Higgins InTune pellets. Safflower seeds are lower in fat but still shouldn't be the main part of a parrot's diet. Ralph and Scooter get a little of the seed mix after they've eaten their pellets and vegetables. Try some fresh green peas with Skye; that's Ralph's favorite food.