What's a good treat for quakers?

[depedean]

A week ago I brought home 2 quakers. They are both 8 months old and have been housed together since birth. Dobby is semi-friendly, he will step up most times and once out of the cage is pretty nice. Luna is pretty fearful and nippy.



I know being housed together isn't ideal; however, I don't have the heart (or the ears) to completely separate them even if it means they won't accept me as much as I would like.



I want to be as patient as possible and get them to trust me, rather than make them come out. Right now I have been offering a treat in my hand, which Dobby takes pretty readily (Luna only once). The problem is that "treat" is a sunflower seed which I know Quakers shouldn't have too many of.


Is there a good alternative "treat" for rewarding behavior? They really aren't interested in veggies or fruits (probably because they are just still new) and they throw nutri-berries down.


I appreciate any help you can offer.

 

[Laurasea]

Congratulations! What a beautiful pair of quakers! So you decided to get both!!! I hope you all will be really happy! I feel confident they will both become your freind , truely!! In European countries they insist on having two birds , feeling it is cruel to them otherwise. It just takes working with them, patience, rituals.
I use safflower seeds. I think sunflower seeds are fine for training too. You can also hold an interesting object , toy, piece of paper. And play with it infront if them while ignoring them. Irresistible to them once they have more confidence.
If your are like mine , they will soon do stuff for the joy of it, and to make you happy. I usually only have to bribe them to go back to the cage sometimes. I never had to bribe them to leave the cage or to step up.
Neptune I got pretty darn young and once he learned step up met leaving the cage and being with me, or the other birds or at the play area I never had to do any training.

I had to do some with my rescue Quaker Penny. She liked sunflower seeds, and safflower. But most of her training was trust building, and bite negotiation. Thankfully she took pity on me as a slow learner and just pushes me away with her beak now. She knows a real bite means she goes back to the cage, and she prefers to be out and with me.

I'll go ahead and link my two favorite articles incase you haven't been active and seen them a million times already. They are both full if good info.
https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/bird-behavior/

This one talks about stress reduction but it really just great on how to interact with your bird
https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/stress-reduction-for-parrot-companions/

 

[Laurasea]

You can also take the freindly one a very short distance out if the cage to a play area with food. Just s couple feet from the cage.

Then use a hand held perch and see if that works to move the second one to join her freind. Sort of letting him model the behavior for her, and useing her motivation to be with him. But take her right to him. You want her to trust you. If that works you can keep repeating until she is willing to step up to your hand.

 

[Noahs_Birds]

Use sunflower seeds, its only a treat, not a part of their regular diet, and they love them
Give them only around 3 sunflower seeds, per bird, per day
Thanks
Noah Till

 

[cnyguy]

My QP Ralph's favorite treat is popcorn--plain air-popped popcorn with no butter, salt or oil.