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Post by blaner on Nov 4, 2015 9:07:22 GMT -5
Hi guys, new to the forum. Im From East London, South Africa. My story goes a little like this...
Yesterday, after I got home from work, I heard a bang against the lounge window, followed immediately by a squawk. I thought it sounded a little odd, so I went to have a look, I got quite a shock to see a beautiful green parakeet sitting on the floor below the window. I approached slowly to try and get hold of him when he took off and landed in the banana tree. I managed to grab him out of the tree without too much hassle and took him inside.
I put the bird in a cardboard box and let him recover from his accident and phoned my uncle who knows his birds. After a bit of searching online, we discovered the little chap was a Quaker/Monk Parakeet. I got hold of a old hamster cage, put him inside and covered him up with a towel.
So now I sit with a lost Quaker. He has a ring around his ankle, but I havent been able to get hold of him to read the number.
He sat all night with his head in his wing, but today he was on a perch I put inside for him. He has eaten some sunflower seeds but discards everything else in the mix, I gave him some apple, but he hasnt touched it yet. He seems very disorientated and quiet. He doesnt respond to talking, sounds or anything. Even my two budgies chattering away dont seem to entice him to make a sound...or move...
The only activity I get from him is a puffing up of the feathers on his head accompanied by a growl and opening of his beak. I gather its a sign to get lost.
I am busy looking for his owner, but in the meantime I want to make sure this guy is ok and feels at home. I am making a cage this evening for him, at least something more secure than a hamster cage with more space!
What else can I do? Should I give him more time before trying to interact?
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Post by rickygonzalez on Nov 4, 2015 10:25:35 GMT -5
Hello, it sounds like you're doing OK with the little guy. He is very stressed at the moment so I would just give him his space. As far as feeding, I think as long as he's eating something for now I wouldn't fuss with it too much. If you end up with him long term we would want to get him on a pelleted diet. We can cross that bridge if/when we get there. Here's hoping you can locate his owner.....
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Post by julianna on Nov 4, 2015 15:15:00 GMT -5
That is so sad that a little Quaker got lost... and so lovely that you have taken him in. These little guys will take a long time to adjust to their surroundings and to you. For sure give him his space but talk softly to him and sit close to him if you can. I would not try to put your hand in the cage yet as for sure you will be given a nice bite.
Many of them only talk when they are very comfortable so that could take time as well. Be sure he has clean water to drink and he might even want to have a bath so you can put in a bowl of water... not too warm. These birds love the water... but if he is very scared it might be a few days before he attempts to bathe.
Puffing up and putting his head into his wing is normal. If he does not look like there is any obvious broken parts then just give him time to adjust... that could be up to two weeks. Once he starts making noises you will know he is getting more and more comfy.
They like fresh fruit like the apple you offered, pieces of bananas but read the section on this site for safe and dangerous foods. There are a few that could kill him instantly. Be sure all fruits and vegetables are peeled. Keep trying various foods and soon you will find which ones he likes the most.
Good luck and keep in touch to let us know how it goes. I hope the owner lives close by.
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Post by aaron on Nov 4, 2015 15:47:43 GMT -5
Welcome! It's very nice of you to take this little one in. Poor little guy is probably extremely stressed out right now. It doesn't sound like he is particularly terrified by you, however, so that's good. He's just telling you to keep your distance, probably not unlike what our QP, Cupcake, does when a stranger or delivery person comes to our front door.  A peaceful environment and rest is probably what he needs right now. Generally speaking these little guys will come to you to interact when they are finally comfortable enough to do it. So if you can get him a cage situation where you can leave the door open and let him come to you, that will tell you he is ready to interact with you. Otherwise, you can try sitting nearby and speaking softly to him, although watch out for intense fear responses-- if you're scaring him, it's best to back off and let him be. If you decide to try interacting with him, personally handing him a treat or a snack will help Chances are he is just tired, but if he gets really fluffy and lethargic and does not seem to be moving much, or having trouble perching, or refuses to eat anything at all, you probably want to get him to an avian vet... While it sounds like he has not sustained any injuries from the impact with the window, there's always the possibility that the effects will show up later, so just keep an eye out for that. The other thing that I would note is that you probably want to keep him quarantined from your budgies for 30 days if possible, as there is always the possibility that he picked something up from a wild bird while outside. I really hope you are able to find the owner! But if you find yourself with a new long-term friend, we would be more than happy to help with any issues you may encounter, so feel free to ask! Let us know how things go! |
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Post by biteybird on Nov 5, 2015 1:22:57 GMT -5
Welcome! The others have given you excellent advice, especially about letting him settle (not forcing physical contact) and about checking the safe/unsafe foods. Good luck with tracking down the owner. You might want to put up some signs/posters at the local shops and tell the local police station in case the owner contacts them.
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Post by easttex on Nov 5, 2015 4:27:11 GMT -5
Hi and welcome! Window strikes can easily result in concussion, which I would be very concerned about here. I've never recovered a lost Quaker myself, but it seems like they are almost invariably happy to be found. I would guess that this one is either not well socialized to begin with or is injured in some way. If you can, I recommend that you take him to an avian vet. Concussion can kill a bird weeks after a strike. Good luck finding his owner.
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Post by aaron on Nov 5, 2015 10:42:34 GMT -5
Yeah, in re-reading my post I think I probably downplayed the concussion risk more than I should have. Perhaps I was being too optimistic. This bird should probably be seen by an avian vet.
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Post by blaner on Nov 7, 2015 12:31:43 GMT -5
Hi guys, thanks for the advice and help! I built him a 500m x 500mm cage on Wednesday night, and my wife and I went to Cape Town on Thursday for a couple days. I got my folks to pop in and keep an eye on him while we were away. He has taken quite well to his cage and keenly investigated a mirror I hung up when we got home. He seems to be more active, climbing around the cage and preening himself. Doesnt seem to be keen on making too much noise yet, only the odd gentle rumbling when I get too close. He seems to pay attention to whistles, etc so he seems to be doing ok...
Il get some posters up at the shops tomorrow, but ive already grown quite fond of him!
Thanks again for the input! Il keep in touch
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Post by julianna on Nov 7, 2015 14:06:06 GMT -5
Good job blaner. I have a special whistle for my QP because when I leave the room he always wants to know that I am okay and he will call out. When I whistle back at him.. he will calm himself and wait for my return.
They sure are easy to love.
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