Inherited Gradma's Neglected Quaker HELP!!!

My 90-year-old grandmother recently wound up in the hospital, and I've assumed care of her badly neglected quaker parrot. I've known that this poor bird has been mistreated for almost two decades (he's 17), but every recommendation has gone unheeded. But that's beside the point...


PLEASE HELP me help this poor bird. I've never had a bird before, and I'm trying to learn as much as I can to give this little guy a better life. He's been plucking his feathers this badly for at least 10 years. He has a few toys, but they were never rotated and they're the same toys we picked out the day she got him. She keeps him on a VERY strict schedule, singing him the same songs at the same time every day, waking him up at the same time, etc. He rarely leaves his cage and the immediate surrounding area. He's on a parakeet diet that seems very poor nutritionally and is full of artificial whatever. He also is extremely aggressive and unhandleable. My grandmother has been using a wooden dowel to get him in and out of his cage without getting bitten. She also insists on locking him in his cage when he "asks" to go to bed around 5pm, then covers her with a blanket. Also, he throws HORRENDOUS temper tantrums. He broke his food dish the other day viciously attacking it. He lunges at me and knocks stuff over, and bites the table beneath him. And he CONSTANTLY shrieks at the top of his lungs. It's all so sad to watch.



Here are some changes I've made going on my limited knowledge:


I've been working on getting him to step up without biting me. I've gotten him to the point where he'll step up off the dowel and onto my hand (usually) without biting. I reward him with praise, which he really seems to enjoy.


I've been walking him around the house as I water her plants. He's afraid of a lot of things, but I encourage him and praise him when he does well. He's freaked out a few times and fluttered onto the ground, but he doesn't seem to know how or be able to fly, even though his wings aren't clipped.



I found a bucket of plastic children's blocks and have been giving them those. He was terrified of it at first, but he seems to be coming around. I found him asleep by the bucket tonight. I also made a toy out of hemp for him, but he ignores it. The only thing he seems to enjoy playing with are the wooden dowels my grandmother gave him, which he weaves through the bars of his cage.



I don't force him into his cage or lock him in at night. He threw a MASSIVE temper tantrum when I tried to put him away the first night, and he seems content to sleep in or out of his cage without any intervention.


I've been feeding him a variety of fruits and nuts, which he loves. Before the only treats he ever got were crackers. It took him a bit, but now he seems to really enjoy cherries and apples.


Where should I go from here? Any advice or info would be awesome.



I really want to get him off the seed and onto a better staple diet. I also want to try to buy or make him toys he'll enjoy playing with. And I want to get him a play perch so he can hang out in another room besides the living room for part of the day, just for a change of scenery.



Thank you!!!

Time and patience are key. Since you said you never owned a bird before, you should read some of the sticky posts. It would be good to familiarize yourself with safe foods and toxic foods. For example, no avacodos, no seeds of the cherries, no seeds of the apples. Also you should not cook with Teflon pans. No scented candles, no scented oils.

I am sure your dedication to giving this bird a better life will pay off. Thank you for taking him in and keep us posted on his progress.

Wow, someone is off to a good start already!

I read you have been trying to improve his life before and had no succes (yup- grannies can be oh so stubborn) kudos for trying!!

You are doing great imho.: improving his diet, getting him out and about and even reforming his behaviour.
Maybe read up on clickertraining here?
(I am really bad at it, but most people -and parrots- find it helpfull)
I think you two are going to be great together - there is interaction and interest going on, just build on it.

No way you can undo 'damage' of the past, but that is what it is: the past.

Wow, poor little guy...Thank you so much for trying to better his life...

As already said, there's no way to undo what has been done, but improving his staple diet slowly to pellets with a healthy, varied, no sunflower seed-mix, and then added fresh veggies, with occasional fresh fruit (fruit as a ton of sugar, so should not be a part of the regular, daily diet, at least not more than just a small piece) will help tremendously.

The plucking may or may not stop (this is why he can't fly btw), but he really, really, really needs to see a Certified Avian Vet soon. I know this isn't your responsibility to pay for, but in 17 years I'm assuming he hasn't had blood-work done, or even an exam. Now I'm going to assume the reason he has plucked all this time is because of a combination of being locked inside a cage most of his life, being neglected, no mental stimulation, and the diet...But you never know, he may have some serious health issues as well.

Giving him as much personal attention as you can, letting him be out of the cage as much as possible, and seeing new things, giving him "jobs" to do, as they are extremely smart and need foraging-activities and things to think about, and finding a training-treat as only a reward to give him in-addition to giving him the verbal praise, these will all help him tremendously. Quakers can live well into their 30's, so this is a commitment you're making, at least in for the near future, but he could become a very, very good friend and partner...

BTW, I hope your grandmother is doing alright and will come home soon...but will she be resuming care of the bird at that point? I'd hate to see the bird just put back into the cage again...

how big is his cage and what are his perches like?

First of all, THANK YOU! The bird will take time, but I think if you stick with it you will be very glad you didn't give up.
1- Find a certified avian vet and get him checked (IF you can get him there)---some vets will make house-calls in a pinch, so that is something to consider. Plucking can be caused by discomfort due to medical issues.
2- Make sure you do everything slowly---new toys should sit nearby for a few days or they will be scary when placed in the cage
3- adjust your proximity so that you are doing quiet things like reading etc next to the bird---don't force the bird into interactions it isn't ready for. Work on trying to get it to take food from you etc and let it know you aren't a threat
4- Think back----what did your grandma do when he screamed? You will want to figure out the FUNCTION of the the screaming (why he is doing it). If she gave him any attention for screaming (even walking over to him, looking at him or yelling at him to stop) then the behavior could serve the function of attention seeking. If he did it all day, even when he was getting attention, then it is likely something else (like a sensory function). If you want more info on ABA (applied behavior analysis) then I have a ton, and I do recommend it.
5.You said you haven't had a bird. NO teflon (PTFE)<---THIS ONE IS HUGE, no candles, no cleaners other than vinegar +water or an avian safe formula like F10 sc, nothing with a smell really (including hairspray, nail polish remover, fabreeze)...Their respiratory systems are SO sensitive that things like air fresheners or burning food can kill them easily.
6. The plucking is likely due to anxiety, boredem, attention seeking (or even all of the above). Do not approach him when you see him plucking, as this could provide reinforcememnt via attention (if that is part of it). If you don't think it is attention seeking, then an alternative approach would be to find a toy he really likes and present that as a sensory replacement when you see him doing it...Again, nothing is certain until you know why he is plucking
7. Avoid peanuts, excess nuts, fruit pits, avocados, caffeine, alcohol, salt, soy, dairy, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, carbonated beverages, honey, fatty foods, etc.
8. There is something called "stick training" where you get the bird to hop onto a stick, but it sounds like he may associate that with mistreatment, so you will have to decide whether you want to take that route or not. If he bites you, do not react....If you think he is biting to get you to leave, do not leave when he bites or you will teach him that biting makes you go away. Again, ABA would state that you need to determine the function of the biting before you can fix it.

9. They sell vitamin supplements for birds-- a good one is Nekton-S but make sure you don't give too much, because vitamins can be toxic if too much is given
10. Consider lighting and sleep. Look up the hours of sleep a quaker needs per night and try to get it on that schedule. If there is a window with a screen on it that can be opened safely, that could be a good way to get some uv rays. Another temporary option is a bird light, but these aren't as good as the real thing and you do need to be careful with positioning to avoid burns etc. Light regulates mood and hormones and can contribute to feather problems when not enough is present.

11. Consider cage position---one side of the cage should be against a wall so that the bird doesn't feel like it constantly is vulnerable to attack from all sides. When its back is against a wall, it will know that nothing can attack it from that side because of the wall. Does that make sense?



Good luck...
That is all I can think of at the moment

Hopes and prayers to and for your grandmother.

Thanks for covering all that ground, members. Tour de force, Ellen!

You are an angel!
I am so grateful that you're sharing this beautiful rescue. It brings me tears to look into that little darling's eyes.
Veggies and healthy nuts (amonds, pecans, for example) are best, and many here like pellets. Here's my favorite. Hopefully, he'll take to them. If not, you can persuade the bird.
Harrison's Bird Foods
I feed Harrison's, supplemented by fresh healthy treats. My first, and later, my current avian vet recommended it. My bird loves the pellets now, but to get him converted, my avian vet suggested putting pellets out all day, and putting seeds (his old diet) out for two 15-minute periods a day. That would sustain him but leave him hungry enough to try new stuff. I presume the same technique could be used to get him to eat other healthy stuff, like fruits and vegetables! My guy was eating pellets in a couple of days, and now I can feed a good variety of other stuff, knowing he has the pellets as a basic. Pellets are out all day... fresh treats a few times a day. I also like Harrison's via mail because I never have to worry about out-of-date products.

We here rely on our Certified Avian Vets, as Ellen was saying.
Here's a link.
http://www.aav.org/search/custom.asp?id=1803
Regular vets often "wing it" with birds, although some are very dedicated and talented.

And in addition to the great advice you've already gotten above from our wonderful members.
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html
General Parrot Information - Parrot Forum - Parrot Owner's Community
http://goodbirdinc.blogspot.com/2012...n-parrots.html

What's our new friend's name?

Just a note... it sounds to me as if you're having phenomenal progress. My dear 34-year-old Rb is a tantrum-laden, mischievous, demanding, destructive stinker whp is flighted, fearless, and in general... an awful pet but a wonderful parrot. Your guy really sounds like a sweetheart ESPECIALLY in view of his history. Wow.

Thank you for being here!

Quakers are one of the few parrots that build nest, probably why your new friend enjoys weaving those dowels through the cage bars. I'm no quaker expert, but that could be a great activity for him and might help with the plucking. You can gather parrot safe twigs from outside, clean them, and let him have fun. Just be on the lookout for territorial behaviour. This site lists parrot safe wood and talks about how to clean it.

Like Sassi said, Quakers are inveterate nest builders. Give him a pile of a few hundred popsicle sticks and stand back, you will be lucky to be able to get into the cage. But they LOVE doing that.

And the CAV visit is crucial for your nw house mate, do not wait on this, or cheap out and go to a dog and cat vet. You want a Certified Avian Vet to give him a good working over and full tests for wellness.

You are wonderful to take on this challenge! My Quaker's love to be listed with a spray bottle, ( brand new never had any chemicals in it) and to take baths in a shallow sturdy bowl, they like to bathe almost daily. Red chilly peppers thourly washed (residual pesticides, or chemicals can be deadly) are very high in vitamin A, and birds love them, also Bell peppers are good, and they seem to love broccoli. Sometimes making a big deal of eating the new food in front of them will make them want to try it, it allowing them to steal it from you.. lol. Also parrots like to eat with their flock, we all have breakfast together I make them a plate if veggies some cooked some not and allow them to steal bites from my plate too a little scambled egg is fine, or I boil an egg and give them a but chopped up with the shell included. Parrot do like routines too, so maybe allow him to keep his night time routine, my birds go to bed early and don't like to be disturbed. My parrots all have a snuggy hut and all seem to prefer sleeping in one. The cardboard tube from tolliet papper and papper towels are big hit to chew up. It takes time and trust. And remember he is also grieving his person being gone from his life, this grieving can last several months...thank you for giving him a new lease on life.

Thank You for taking him in and doing your best to better his life!! You have already gotten wonderful advice and excellent links to read.

I just wanted to say, You're Awesome!!
I will follow your story as I know great things will begin to happen.
Best of luck to you both!! :heart:

Sorry for the delay on updates, but grandma is back home!!! She's too feeble to take care of her parrot now, so I've continued to care for him full time. It's been a very difficult adjustment for us all, especially grandma. My family was initially combative to the changes, since grandma is so easily confused by any change, but this week they've begun to notice some changes too! My mother commented that his feathers look much brighter and glossier, and he's definitely gotten some new feathers started! Here are a few changes I've made thanks to you guys:


Moved the cage up against a wall to make him more secure
Teaching grandma to ignore the squawking (she used to yell at him and squirt him with water, which I just learned. So water misting is out )


Lots more time spent in other places around the house, including the screened in porch which he LOVES.


Lots of new toys. He isn't scared of them, just apathetic. I assume they'll take some getting used to.


Re-established a nighttime routine. He now gets covered up at 8pm and is uncovered at 8am. Before he was locked in the cage and covered for about 15 hours a day.



Unfortunately I don't have money to take him to a vet myself, but I will try to get him to one soon. She did bring him to one a while ago when he started plucking (probably about 13 years ago) and his bloodwork was fine. They tried antibiotics and a few other medications, but nothing worked. By the end, my grandmother was convinced that all quakers plucked like that, and she convinced the family of that, too. Finally they are realizing that it was indeed a problem all along. I am enjoying a very satisfying I-told-you-so as his behavior and plumage improves.


My to do list for the near future:


Cut down on the fruits and replace them with veg. Offer veggies at breakfast and at dinnertime only.


Get him on the recommended pelleted diet (once money allows ugh)


Get him to an avian specialist (also as money allows)


Continue working hard to ignore the screaming


Luckily I did know about the teflon and scented stuff! Grandma definitely was adamant about that since the beginning. I'm one of those granola crunchy people who only cook with cast iron and clean with vinegar anyway.


I'll post you guys some more pictures once there's a bit more progress. Hopefully we'll have a more dramatic before and after!


Oh, and you guys wanted to know his name? It's.... (drumroll please)....


Quaker


:|

LOL, nothing wrong with "Quaker" - it's a great name! :07:
esp. since he is THE quaker in your lives.

Pitty he could not stay with you, but it's great the family (finally?) understand that you know what you are doing and the little bird is benefiting form it.

Grinn, since your gran is supposed to feed her bird, can't she help with the pellet-finances?
(dont tell me, none of my business, just dropping a hint here...)

How wonderful that you are a gardian angel to Quaker!!! Sorry misting was used as punishment, he might like the shower, s d bathing in bowls. Time on the porch must be so therapy!!! If you can get him talking and whistles that will help with screaming too, as well as all if his activities. Look forward to any pictures.

Any updates on your/ her bird?

Thanks for looking out for this quaker (I think I missed his name in your post). He deserves TLC from here on after all the poor care he's received through the years. Glad he has you!