Inexperienced Quaker Owner Needs Help!

[Observer]

Hello Forum,

I have a quaker parrot that is approximately 9 weeks old.

I need help with its diet, the bird feels light to me... Anyway, I give Poli sprayed millets and pellets. Out of the two Poli only eats the millets! May someone help me with what I should feed my bird as well as how to introduce the new foods so it can eat it? In other words, what do you guys feed your quakers? What's the feeding schedule like?

(brands of the foods and name of the food)

Thanks in advance!

 

[MikeyTN]

Give us a little more information here! How did you obtain the bird? Was he weaned when you got him? What was he eating when you got him?

You should never just switch food to new food especially when they just newly weaned which at 9 weeks he is still very young. Most likely on a seed diet at the moment if he would eat Millet Spray and such. I would highly suggest in feeding some Cockatiel seeds with less sunflower seeds, leave maybe 3 sunflower seeds. I like to do a mixture between parakeet and cockatiel seeds as it thins out the amount of sunflower there is. IF you were weaning him off formula and started on pellets that's one thing but you can still feed pellets. A lot of people like to soak them but they don't last very long as they spoil easily when you soak them. So remove any excess he don't eat and replace as needed.

 

[Observer]

Thank you for your reply MikeyTN! I've never had a quaker before, I was a lovebird person only back then. Poli, my quaker, was handfed by me ever since it was 5 weeks old (Kay formula 3 time per day). I've been doing research on their diet and I came across that seeds contain fat so I disregarded giving my bird sunflower seeds overall. At the moment I have cockatiel mix. If it is acceptable to give him such, with the exception of the sunflower seeds, then tomorrow morning I shall fill his food bowl with the seeds and the millet sprays.

I have a few questions though:
1. At what age should I give my bird pellets? What age do they actually start eating pellets?
2. When I'm eating fruits I have my bird with me. Why? So it can bond with me as well as "lose the free of trying new things" and it also looks cute. My question here is, should I keep this method or fill a small bowl of fruits and veggies so it can eat on it's own?

Thanks I'm advance.

 

[MikeyTN]

If you go back to what I replied above, IF you were weaning him off formula, you can start giving pellets. I would not give millet as treats for now until he's familiar with pellets. You can start feeding fresh fruits and veggies now as well too.

The scenario I give about seeds is IF you got him weaned and already eating seeds.

Cracker the Quaker, RIP, he would not touch fruits or veggies unless I was eating them. I then offer him a piece of whatever I was eating. It has to be part of the piece I was eating, otherwise he wouldn't touch it. Over time he was used to the fresh stuffs and he started eating them on his own. But I have weaned babies where they would start eating them on their own cause they were curious.

Please do pay attention to his weight right now!!!! Try to have a open cage bottom where you can sprinkle some pellets on the bottom or have him out on a table where you place a small shallow dish of pellets and sprinkle some in front of him on the table. Pick up a piece acting like your eating it and go yummmmm....Then offer the same piece to him from your hand. Once he starts to nibble at it, then use your finger to point out the ones on the table and go from there. Of course you can use soaked pellets for this method too! Good Luck!

 

[Observer]

Thank you for your reply. I will try soaking up the pellets and hope he eats them.

 

[USMCQUAKERS]

mine loved cheerios. He still gets them as treats. I used cheerios for a few days then mixed it with pellets 50-50 for a few days then did 25% cheerios and 75% pellets for 3 days then switched 90% pellets and 10%seed and cheerios as a treat! hope this helps!

 

[ZoeyFredrik]

It has been a while since I had gone through the weaning process with my Quaker Sammy. When Sam was nearing the end of needing to be hand fed I took crushed pellets and mixed them with his formula. This got him used to the texture and taste. I also was able to find round pellets shaped like cheerios. The shape makes it easier for an inexperienced bird to hold and eat.

I know that some young birds do not like eating out of a bowl. So it is a good idea to sprinkle some pellets on a paper towel. Also you can try soaking the pellets in water. But you have to change them often so they do not go bad. It is also important to make sure the baby isn't just grinding the pellets, but actually eating them. Make sure you check his droppings often. Soft veggies and fruits can also help a young bird get used to feeding itself. Be careful with the fruit though, too much can give your baby runny droppings.

In my experience Quakers are very good eaters. Sam eats pellets (Harrisons), a small amount of seed (he loves safflower), veggies and fruits. He also likes grains, breads, and egg. Really anything I am eating (healthy of course!) Hope this helps some, good luck!

 

[mrgoogls]

congrats on your quaker, they are great. you can give pellets as soon as they are weaned. but, if you keep millet/seeds in with the pellets, he will probably choose the millet over pellets anyday. so, only give millet or seeds once in a while as treats or use seeds in foraging toys and just keep the pellets in the bowl.

also, quakers seem to be good eaters. cooper has eaten fruits and veggies since I got him. if you don't have one already, I would get a fruit skewer. most bird toy websites have them. it is a good way to feed fruits and veggies. good luck!

 

[RioJPMP]

Every Quaker is different. My mom had a Quaker for 8 years and she would steal food from our dinner plates lol, on the other hand the Quaker she has now freaks out if you put any food that is not seeds near her. It takes lots of patience to introduce foods to certain birds.