Our Little Squiggy

Dyer1125

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Jan 29, 2020
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Squiggy, green Quaker
Good day to all,

We had the opportunity to visit with our Squiggy a couple days back, and wow, what a difference just a few day can make. They moved him from his plastic tub in the incubator room to the big-bird cages, re-uniting him with his clutch mates. They said they are starting the weaning process now, having the pellets in a dish for them to try, but still hand feeding. The owner said they are playing with the pellets in their mouths, but not really eating yet.

They had us try to guess which one he was, mom got it right, but I didn't, LOL. He was so active too, doing a few tentative step-ups when being passed between us, climbing up under my chin and rubbing the top of his head on my whiskers, and even climbing over our daughter's shoulder to try and get into the hood of her sweat shirt, all in all a great visit. Cannot wait until Sunday for the next visit.

Here are some updated pictures plus the cage we got and the stand I made. In the first pic, Squiggy is the one in the middle looking directly at the camera.

Just a warning though, my wife has just started to decorate the perch and I figure that it is going to look more like a Christmas then a stand, LOL.

We are so excited and can't wait to get him to his new home.
 
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Laurasea

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Oh how fantastic!!!!! What a great breeder!!!! I'm in love with Squiggy!!!!! Look at your great cage, great play stand way to go!!!!
A lot of staggered short perches are best for maximum use of cage, be sure and have a few that are an inch and a half bigger than you fingers when you make the ok hand shape. This is really comfortable for their feet, and most perches are sold to small. Use those long rope perche's on top of the cage, and consider useing a ceiling hook and fishing line to hang a rope hope it bungie do it's just a few inches above the top of the cage, maximize his hang out space.

When you get him home start offerings lots if different veggies, some cut up tiny done at the size they can pick up with their Feet, some larger, young birds are much more willing to explore new food, so give him a great start. Also be sure and get him used to you offerings good by hand. Consider setting up a place for him to share meals with you, it's great for flock bonding, and so many foods yiubeat you can share with him. I use a glass casserole dish to offer veggies, they can see them and try them better, and sturdy enough they can perch in the side or dive in.

As he grows up he will become cage agressive, allow him to own the inside of the cage, let him out to clean and feed. Outside of the cage he will still be a lovey. Babies usually aren't cage agressive, so I just want you earned ahead of time. All of mine freak the heck out if I stick my hand in the cage, but couldn't be more snuggles out if the cage.
 
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GaleriaGila

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What an exciting time!

I hope you have as wonderful a journey as I have had with my little guy.

I'm glad you're here, doing it right... reaching out, learning, celebrating, preparing...


9lhIlM0.jpg
 
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Dyer1125

Dyer1125

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Jan 29, 2020
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SW Ontario
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Squiggy, green Quaker
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Thanks for the words of encouragement.

Just thought I'd add this pic that I didn't realize my wife had on her phone from last week.

I guess they are never too young to know how to give someone the butt-feather treatment, LOL.
 
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Laurasea

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When is Squiggy coming home????
I can't wait! And he isnt even mine !
 
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Dyer1125

Dyer1125

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Squiggy, green Quaker
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I know, right. We can't wait either. He is so active and alert now.

The breeder will not let him come home until he is eating on his own for a full week, with no hand feedings. Right now he is down to 2 hand feedings a day, but actively trying the Zoopreem Fruitblend pellets that they use. So we are guessing maybe 4-5 more weeks. They gave us a hatch date of Dec. 24-25, Christmas Baby, so he is about 7 1/2 weeks old, and that will put him at about 11-12 weeks, does that sound about right for a Quaker to be weened properly?

I've added a pic from today's visit as well as what the cage and playstand look like now that we've added the toys and perches. Let me know if there is anything we might be missing, as we see that the bottom half of the cage is looking a little bare.
 
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Laurasea

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Looks so awesome! I would still out a couple of long rope perche's across the top outside of the cage, to hs g out there. I like to feed my veggies on the top of the cage in sturdy shallow glass dishes. Mine are more willing to try new food outside if their cage.

Sounds like a great breeder. Will give him a good groundings. All babies wean different even in the same clutch. I had my Neptune on hold, and wasn't expected him until about 10 weeks old. But he weaned at six weeks. The breeder had been sending me video and pictures since he was a baby. He was 3 1/2 hours away so I didn't visit. We were both suprised! So I went and got him, and he was fully weaned, still so tiny tho! I made her offer hand feeding infront of me and he refused, I bought some to have just incase. But he was fully weaned :) he jumped right on my hand, then jumped into his travel cage started eating, and play with the toys I brought, and was like see ya losers to his clutch mates, and never looked back! When we got home he was like yep I picked a good human! I love him like crazy!

It's ok to leave done room at the bottom. O hsvevdosce so I can out in a big shallow serving dish for him to take baths in. And he likes to walk around down there and toss his foot toys around.
 
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Dyer1125

Dyer1125

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Squiggy, green Quaker
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Im hoping that it will be sooner rather then later. We are just waiting for the final countdown to "Gotcha Day".

Is there anything else you think we should have ready for him? I have been working on making my own toys for him, I am even trying my hand at making a cargo net climber for the stand.

Putting anything on top of the cage right now is still a point of debate with us, so we will have to see how things go when he gets home.

Thanks again for all your advice
 

Laurasea

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You some more stuff that is easy to shred, chew, destroy,Ike those yucca chips.

Everything you have done just looks amazing!

Also those pretty shadow boxes, all objects within will be chomped on, just saying......they look made to draw a curious Quaker with compulsive chewing issues... ;)

Hide your remote controls too! I end up replacing 2 a year, keep access to blinds restricted, thisecate a favorite to. We post yearly destructed iteams thread, funny unless it's your stuff.
 
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Dyer1125

Dyer1125

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Jan 29, 2020
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Squiggy, green Quaker
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Quick question about training treats.

We eat quite healthy, always lots of fresh fruit and veg in the house, so plenty to choose from for special treats. I'm more interested in what you guys use as a treat for training purposes? As Squiggy will not have been introduced to most treat types, the door is wide open as to what to offer him. Secondly, where do you purchase these types of treats? And how long do they keep fresh before you need to replace them?
 

Laurasea

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I use safflower seeds. They are perfect, tiny do eaten fast, easy to have in hand, loved by most parrots.
 
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Dyer1125

Dyer1125

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Jan 29, 2020
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Squiggy, green Quaker
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Where do you purchase them? How often to you purchase to keep them fresh?
 

Laurasea

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O get them in my healthy seed mix, and just pick them out. Look at them and make sure they are White, if they are grey or have grey spots they are bad.
You can try plain popcorn to, mineije that pretty good.
 
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Dyer1125

Dyer1125

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Jan 29, 2020
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SW Ontario
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Squiggy, green Quaker
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Woo-Hoo!!!

Got great news today, Squiggy is coming home next weekend!! His 'Gotcha Home Day' is almost here!!

We are so excited and cannot wait!!!

We got the news when we went to visit today. The breeder told us he has been eating on his own, no more hand feedings, but they want to give him a full week of this before he comes home. So Saturday is the big day.

He was very active today, doing lots of stepping ups and giving kisses, he climbed up to my wife's shoulder and played with her hair for a bit, then decided he had been busy enough and promptly had a nap on her arm. What a momma's suck.

I am attaching a couple pics from today, including momma getting a kiss.
 
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Laurasea

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That is the sweetest bird face I've ever seen!
Just precious! Are sure if the name Squiggy, for that pretty pretty birdie?

So exciting too!
 

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