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Post by midasbear on Feb 3, 2015 17:57:13 GMT -5
Hi there!
My name is Ben, and I live in Washington State. My wife and I have two budgies and are going to be adopting a Quaker this weekend. His name is Stanley, and we're going to be his third owners. I think he's about two years old, and his current owner has had him for about a year. She has said that he prefers men and she hasn't been able to bond with him over the last year and wants him to go somewhere where he'll be happy.
Reading between the lines of what she has said about him, he's territorial about his cage, not wanting anyone to reach into it, has a bit of a biting problem, and is stressed around women in general or her specifically. She has been handling him by opening his cage and letting him come to her, but they both seem unsatisfied with their relationship. She has also said that giving him sunflower seeds makes him aggressive.
Any advice? From what I've read online and what I've learned from our birds, my instinct is that he really needs discipline and structure to thrive. I think he needs someone who will not be afraid to tell him no and stick him back in the cage if he acts out.
Am I totally off base here? Is this common behavior for Quakers?
I want to be a good bird dad, so I hope you guys can help me.
Thanks,
Ben
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Post by aaron on Feb 3, 2015 20:13:00 GMT -5
Welcome Ben and Stanley!
What you're describing isn't unusual. All parrots can be cage aggressive, but Quakers, specifically, seem to have more cage aggressive tendencies -- this probably has to do with the fact that unlike most parrots, Quakers build large communal multi-room nests in the wild, with the inner-most room being very exclusive in terms of who is allowed back there. So by nature, they are very protective of their inner sanctum, if you will. That said, not all Quakers are cage aggressive (ours is not), but it is best to respect their wishes when it comes to their cages, within reason... obviously you need to clean it and change food dishes and such, even if they don't like it, but if the Quaker prefers to come out on their own, there's no need to, for example, try to force them to get on a hand that is inserted into the cage-- many Quakers will not accept that, and that's pretty normal. Letting the bird come out on his own is a good practice, particuarly when building a new relationship.
My impression is that when a bird favors a certain gender or appearance in the humans they relate to, it has a lot to do with their initial experiences with humans. Perhaps at a really young age, he had a good relationship with a man, and maybe not with a woman. That could form an impression that the bird applies to all humans he interacts with.
I find that sunflower seeds are like drugs for our Quaker. She gets crazy and obsessive when we feed them to her, and as a result we literally never do. Seeds should be special treats at best-- you want to try to get the bird on pellets if he isn't already (we use Harrison's brand), and vegetables and fruits are really important. Some birds can be really picky eaters, so it often takes some experimenting and persistence to get their diets where they need to be.
You are right that birds thrive on structure -- particularly in the form of a daily routine, and consistency in interaction. You want to be careful about using the cage as a punishment, however. The cage is their home, and while it can be used for brief time-outs (5 minutes or less), it is really best for the bird to not view going into their cage as a punishment. In general, the basic rule with birds is to always reinforce positive behavior ("good bird!"), and effectively ignore bad behavior (sometimes stern eye contact works as well).
Sounds like you are well on your way to being a good bird dad. Good luck and feel free to ask any questions you may have!
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Post by cnyguy on Feb 3, 2015 21:28:48 GMT -5
Welcome to the Forum!  Aaron has offered some good suggestions. Give Stanley all the time he needs to settle in and get used to you and his new surroundings. In the beginning, both you and your wife should just sit near Stanley's cage and talk softly to him to help him get accustomed to you, the sound of your voices and your body language. Once you discover some treats that Stanley likes, you and your wife can offer some while you're sitting near his cage. When you'd like Stanley to come out of his cage, just leave the cage door open and let him choose for himself when he's ready to venture out. Be patient and take everything at whatever pace Stanley sets. Sunflower seeds should be reserved as an occasional treat anyway; if they make Stanley behave aggressively, there's no reason not to avoid offering him any. There are plenty of other treats that are healthier and are less likely to cause any behavioral issues. |
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Post by biteybird on Feb 4, 2015 3:25:17 GMT -5
G'day Ben, Ben's wife & Stanley! Welcome. I can't add any more to the excellent advice you've received. Let us know how you go with Stanley.  |
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Post by easttex on Feb 4, 2015 10:20:52 GMT -5
Welcome Ben and family and family-to-be! I just want to add some words about discipline in birds. Structure, definitely yes, but discipline is a trickier thing. Your quaker will not relate to you the same way your dog probably does. He will want to be treated as a partner more than a subject, which is why, as Aaron says, positive reinforcement is key. Your job should be seen as less making him do what you want him to do, and more making him want to do what you want him to do. You can get a parrot to do something using negative consequences, at least in the short run, but it will come at the expense of your relationship. Sharyn posted a great article this morning under Quaker Parrot Talk, "good read for rescues". I recommend you take a look at it. I also recommend you take a look at some of Barbara Heidenreich's material for good information on training using positive methods. Her website is www.goodbirdinc.com, but she has numerous videos on YouTube, also. Good luck with Stanley! |
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Post by aaron on Feb 4, 2015 21:26:54 GMT -5
Welcome Ben and family and family-to-be! I just want to add some words about discipline in birds. Structure, definitely yes, but discipline is a trickier thing. Your quaker will not relate to you the same way your dog probably does. He will want to be treated as a partner more than a subject, which is why, as Aaron says, positive reinforcement is key. Your job should be seen as less making him do what you want him to do, and more making him want to do what you want him to do. You can get a parrot to do something using negative consequences, at least in the short run, but it will come at the expense of your relationship. This is really good advice. The more your bird feels like your teammate, with at least some sense of equality and shared purpose, the better they will behave, in my experience. If they feel like you treat them as a subordinate they will not take well to it for long. As easttex says, it is all about getting them to want to do what you want them to do. |
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Post by midasbear on Feb 8, 2015 1:41:39 GMT -5
Hi everybody. Thanks for the advice. That article was super helpful.
Quick update: Stanley is home with us and holy moley is he a sweetheart. He has been coming out of his cage for several minutes at a time at least ten times this evening. He is simply starved for attention. He's letting, nearly demanding that we scratch his head and stroke his neck, back and beak. He has let us know gently but firmly when he doesn't want to be touched, and we have yet to be bitten, just given the lightest taps from his beak. He's been making little "wark" noises that seem contented. He has totally blown away my expectations.
We'll continue to be cautious and let him set the pace, but I'm very happy so far.
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Post by easttex on Feb 8, 2015 6:11:39 GMT -5
Thanks for the update! Nice to read it's going well for everyone. That's great that he already gives you warnings rather than real bites. My experience has been more that they start out giving a painful bite, and then ease up over time as they figure you've learned your lesson . He doesn't sound overly fearful, so you're off to a very good start. |
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Post by aaron on Feb 8, 2015 18:15:27 GMT -5
Glad to hear things are going well with Stanley so far! Good stuff!
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