New parent owner to 6 month Quaker— advice!

kellycox033

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Hello! My husband and I just got a 6 month old Quaker from the pet store and originally came from a breeder. We brought him home 3 days ago he is in a very nice large cage with lots of space! Since the first day he has always been playful in his cage with his toys, a little playful talk here and there when I come around. He will eat his food out of my hand. But here are my questions-

I have been placing my hand in his cage and just leaving it there for a few minutes and he looks- doesn’t seem scared just looks at it. When I feed him off my hand he will eat for a minute or two and even put one foot on my hand but then he will definitely go after my fingers too. Mostly just soft nibbling and then he will try and get a little harder bite and sometimes with a hiss. (not very hard it hasn’t really hurt) but I don’t want this behavior to continue (as I’ve read) should I just be patient and not feed him from my hand?

I don’t know if he was hand tamed- I’m guessing not. I know I need to be patient but should I be doing my fingers as a perch in the cage for a few minutes per day and let him get used to it? Or wait longer?

Last question- he has no tail! I don’t know what happened to it. Pet store didn’t really say. Do their tails grow back?

Thanks!!




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Laurasea

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Hello welcome, congratulations on your Quaker!!
If you put perches on your door a d just outside the cage to let him come out, after you safety check the house in case be flutters off. With Quaker it's often much easier to work with them outside if the cage. Do lots of shirt interaction until get trust. Follow his lead. I'm going to link some good articles I hope you take the time to read.
http://go.skimresources.com/?id=162...tz=300&xuuid=4d320fa1682e3705b6dde34ef2b3e7e8
 
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kellycox033

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Hello welcome, congratulations on your Quaker!!
If you put perches on your door a d just outside the cage to let him come out, after you safety check the house in case be flutters off. With Quaker it's often much easier to work with them outside if the cage. Do lots of shirt interaction until get trust. Follow his lead. I'm going to link some good articles I hope you take the time to read.
http://go.skimresources.com/?id=162...tz=300&xuuid=4d320fa1682e3705b6dde34ef2b3e7e8



Okay will do! Thank you :)


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Laurasea

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It's hard to find good info on how to get started with a new bird, that is a little unsure.
I can tell you birds like rituals and routines. Morning is a very important time, birds want to know the flock ( you) survived the night, to reafirm bonds and freindship. They here you and are awake as soon as you are awake, if they are covered overnight, you want to uncover the cage as soon as you get up. Otherwise they are frustrated and feel excluded. Sharing breakfast is really great for them and you. Birds can eat eggs, oatmeal, a little toast, or set up a veggies plate for them and a place for them at your table or breakfast bar.
Getting to know a new bird? I bribe the heck out of them. I use safflower seeds as they are lived by most birds, are small , and convenient to give one at a time. I came over to the cage a bazillion times say hello ( name) give seed, and repeat.
I set up the top of the cage with rope perches toys and a plate I out fresh veggies on. I out hooks in the ceiling and use fishing line to hang rope hoops a few inches above the cage top, or rope latter's and other fun. Stuff. That's their main hang out area. Then I have three other stations around the house for them to hang out.
A set sleep time is also important. For me they are up with the sun, and back in their cages at sunset. Do what works for you but try for consistency. They need ten hours if sleep a night, mine get a little closer to 12.
It's been aong time since I had to teach step up. I just offer my hand a little higher than the perch and move it slowly ( not too slow) and confident to their chest, done birds will put their beak on you first and hang in as the step up. If they are a little shy of staying on my hand I move them to a perch or play station.
You will get there !
Quakers are so smart and social, he will want to part of everything!
 
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kellycox033

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So helpful thank you!! Do you have any advice with the biting? Every time I get my fingers close to him he bites [emoji31]


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Laurasea

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Well we alywas start with bites are your fault and work from there ;) I've been at fault before too.

You could have taught him to bite by being insecure. Buy bring your hand toward him then taking it back.

He could be territorial, he's a quaker, and from my understanding you are working with him in his cage? If your door swings out put a perch on the inside door,so when you open he swings out. Then work with him there. Or do that a d if he steps up take him an area a shirt distance from the cage and work with him there.

You may be pushing him to fast, pay attention to body language. Yours too, you want to be calm and confident.

He may be bored with what you have been doing and us ready for the next step.

Set yourself up for success. Have your treats ready in a cup or pocket. All of my Quakers I have to work with out of the cage, or at least swing the door open and they are in that perch. Mine are lovey birds always wanting cuddles. But not in the cage! Even mine will bite or scream if Invade their cage. You want to prevent bites before they happen, by paying attention, not by jerking your hand back. If he bites hold still, take the bite, say No Bite. When he stops biting move your hand to the side and away. You can squint your eyes and make a mad face and say No Bite again, firmly not loudly. Then take a minute and try and figure out why the bite happened, what clues he gave you before he bit.

Bites are a complex issue, so I need more info of when they happen. If all these bites are because your hand us in the cage, well that's not likely to be fixable. It's their cage, home base, territory, they will defend it! You need him on perches on the outside of the cage just at chest hight, if you can't move him away from the cage yet.
 

Laurasea

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If you aren't letting him out because hi might fly away or get spooked. Yes that can happen.so have ceiling fans off, curtains and doors closed. Have a habd held perch and treats ready. If he giits spooked of fkys around. Wait till he settles. Then calmly tell him it's ok I'm coming to get you. Usually a bird that's found its self in a scary new place is thrilled to be rescued by you! Usually will step right up to your hand, but you have your hand held shirt piece if wood, or perch for him to step up to. Then if he is not to scared you can give him a treat. Then walk calmly back to the cage and hold your hand slight lower than the perch you want him to go back to. Tell him how good he is is a d everything's is ok, give another treat. If he calmed down quick then keep working with like nothing happened. If he is stressedea e him alone, while you do something a few feet away till he calms down.
Never chase a free bird. Wait till they land. Give em a miniut then go rescue. If you go to rescue and they fly off again, keep talking calmly and wait a little longer to go rescue. A bird that hasn't been flying regularly will tire pretty quickly.
 
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kellycox033

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Okay and do you think 3 days is enough time before taking him out of his cage? Everything I’ve read say wait 2 week until the get used to environment. I only took him out once on the perch because I got him a new cage and we walked like 5 feet. He didn’t fly away. I think I’m more scared that I’m going to scare him and he won’t like me. I don’t want to push too hard. But he has been happy and playing and coming to the front of cage to see me. We do the head bobbing in the morning and at night. It’s just the biting that makes me feel like he’s not ready yet. But like what your saying he may just be being territorial.


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Laurasea

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Absolutely!!! I take mine out the first day!! Two weeks crazy! ( Too me anyway) no magic takes place in the cage, it takes place out of it, especially with a quaker. You can sit sideways close the cage, talk to him for a bit, then open the door and wait for him to come out on his own, then give him a treat.
Really sounds like you guys are ready! Good start.
Probably biting now because he had been in the cage long enough to "own" it
Read other threads, the one I'm struggling with my young love bird has lots of great tips to
 
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kellycox033

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You have been so helpful! I will update you when we get to the next step! Thank you!


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Laurasea

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You have been so helpful! I will update you when we get to the next step! Thank you!


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You're welcome! I love Quakers !! I have three! I want you guys to hit it off. And post a picture of your new one! Explore the forum there is so much good stuff here! I pick up new tips all the time
 
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kellycox033

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Good morning! So after breakfast I put a perch into pacos cage and he stepped on it immediately I got him out of the cage and he was pretty loud for a minute and then I just walked to the couch and tried to have him step to my finger but he’s still biting my finger! I could tell he was happy yet uncertain being that it’s the first time out of the cage. So should I do this everyday and will he eventually stop biting me? I have to go get treats today I’m thinking millet.


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Laurasea

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Something they are fearful to be to far from the cage at first.
Soubfsije a good start though, despite the bite. Going to have to keep working on trust, and hand feeding treats. A single seed works best in my opinion. You can even use sun flower seeds for just training.
I'd stop trying to have him step up to your hand right now. Instead keep using the hand held perch. Get him used to steppingstone up on that, and stepping down to his outside cage perches. Then back to your hand held perch. Go ahead and tell him step up each time and give treat tell him good. If he is comfortable on the hand held give him a tour of the main rooms he is allowed in. I take my new birds around show them the windows and tap in them, show them the walls and tap on them, and show them the different perch areas I have, and let them step to them and then back to your hand held
If you have set up the top of the cage for him to hang out there. Then put him up there and let him explore while you do something near by. Then use your treats to get back on the hand held and put in the cage. Take him back out again a few minutes half hour later and repeat.

Over the next few days, or weeks. You will slowly move your hand closer to him and the other end of the perch he steps up on. Progress at the rate that doesn't cause him to react negatively. He will get used to stepping up on the stick and understanding what you want. Then over time there is only an inch at the end for him to step up on, and then you move to him just stepping up on your hand.
But since this is early days, you just want to be a ke to move him around, havebbe a part of life,. Just practice stepping up to the stick several times a day, or do short ten minutes session a few times a day.
Your getting there!!!
After a lot of hand feeding treats you can see if he will let you stroke his beak or cheek as you hand the seed to him. But wait a few days on that. We wa t lots of success without him trying to bite you at all first.
Hope that was helpfully.
Many birds and birds that have been in pet stores and gravv f develop a fear of hands. So those hands need to feed avlit if treats to help get him past that. I find a link on fearful parrots and share too. I hope you take the time to read all the other links I gave you too. Good stuff in them
https://blogpamelaclarkonline.com/2018/06/19/teaching-a-fearful-parrot-to-step-up/
 
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kellycox033

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Update on paco! He’s is completely comfortable with me we step up all the time and are doing flying lessons! So 2 questions... he will fly right to my finger from the ground and that’s my lessons with him but then he will take off and fly all around and run into walls and windows.. is this ok? I’m guessing he will just learn to find where he wants to go and land there eventually. Also he’s been eating seed mix. I e been reading a lot that they shouldn’t be fed that and should eat pellets and a few seeds. He eats alottttt I’m guessing because he’s only 6 months old. He’s liking broccoli but he picks the buds off the top and then throws them. Tried some other fruits and veggies but he doesn’t like anything else yet. Thanks!


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Laurasea

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You need to give him a tour of the house, show him each window and wall. Hold him next to the window and tap on the glass. See if he will tsp on it with his beak. And show him the walls and tap on them. I think I meant that earlier. It really helps them. Are his wings clipped? That makes flying and turning harder.
Congratulations!!!! Step ups!!! Flying to you!! So great I'm happy! Yippie!;
 

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