New 4 month old Quaker baby! All tips/tricks welcome!

[NovasMama]

Hi everyone!

New Quaker parent here

I've had my little Nova for about 2 weeks now and I absolutely ADORE the bones off her.

I have a few questions I'm hoping some of you can answer for me if that's okay.

1. Taming

I've got budgies that I managed to tame myself and I'm guessing the process is very similar in Quakers, however I've also been told it's good to wrap them in a towel and carry them around with you to get used to you, is that true? It seems a bit intense!

At the moment, she's calmed down a lot! She used to go crazy when anyone went near her, flapping around and 'growling', now she's a lot quieter and chirps more but is still very afraid when I change her food or water. She slow blinks at me and generally seems calm when I talk to her from a distance though.

So, is it a case of keep talking to her and be patient or should I be doing something specific at this stage?

2. Food

Nova came to me on a parrot mix of seeds and nuts and as far as I'm aware, pellets are better for her health along with mixed fruits and veggies. At the moment, I'm giving her the same parrot mix along with some organic dried fruit mixed in and offering pellets in a seperate dish. So far, she will throw the fruit out of her dish and not touch the pellets! It's hilarious but I'm wondering if there's any way I can help her adjust to the newer food?

3. Poorly foot!

When I went to pick her up, she got out of her cage at the breeders house and he had a bit of trouble getting her back in. On the way home I noticed she wasn't using her right foot at all. I told the breeder about it and he said that she's totally healthy, nothing wrong with her and she probably hurt it while he was getting her back in her cage and it should be better in a week or so. It's been over a week now and she still won't use it at all. She doesn't seem in pain and will stand on it while holding seed in her other foot but she wont grip a perch with it and I can see its causing her a bit of difficulty moving around. I'm aiming to take her to the vet when I can, but I wondered if anyone had any ideas in the mean time?

That's it! Thank you He's the only picture I have so far, hope everyone is having a great day!

 

[Laurasea]

Hello! Welcome! What a pretty blue Quaker!
Sorry about owie foot. I'm off for an appointment, I'll visit your thread again ! With some tips

 

[Anansi]

Good morning, and welcome to the Parrot Forums family!

Congratulations on the new arrival to your household! Hi, Nova!

As for taming, here is a great thread on building trust and such: http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html

The technique that you reference, where you wrap the bird in a towel, is called 'flooding'. The thought process is that you overwhelm them with their worst case scenario until they stop fighting, as they a) come to realize that they aren't actually being hurt, and b) resistance is futile.
Personally, I'm not a fan of that technique, as it seems more akin to 'breaking' the bird's will than building a bond of trust. Allowing the bird to gradually come to trust you at his/her own pace may take longer, but I think it yields a stronger bond in the long run.

Here is a link that covers Old School Techniques vs New School. A long thread, but very worthwhile reading if you'd like to read points made by both ends of the spectrum and everything in-between when it comes to parrot training and trust-building: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/43631-old-vs-modern-techniques.html

As for food, here is a link that covers how safely transition your bird to a healthier diet: http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...7-converting-parrots-healthier-diet-tips.html Always remember to go gradually. Parrots can be notoriously stubborn.

And as regards that foot, you definitely want to get Nova to a veterinarian as soon as possible. (Certified Avian Vet if at all possible.) If it's an old injury, they should be able to tell you so. But if it's a new one, time would be of the essence. You don't want it healing wrong and permanently compromising her foot's functionality.

And lastly, she is BEAUTIFUL!!! Please keep us updated about how things go.

 

[Laurasea]

Some li js as promised!
Also hand feeding treats, bribe! Quakers are often better out of the cage
https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/bird-behavior/

https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/stress-reduction-for-parrot-companions/

https://www.windycityparrot.com/blog/2010/04/13/flight-important-parrots/#ixzz62HloSvKV

https://www.parrots.org/ask-an-expert/wing-clipping-vs-flighted-companion-parrots
These are all worth reading!

https://www.beautyofbirds.com/quakerinfo.html

https://www.beautyofbirds.com/steppingup.html

 

[NovasMama]

Thank you both a lot

I have arranged her a consultation with an avian vet ASAP.

Right now, she doesn't want to come out of her cage at all, or she will but won't go back in unless I catch her and obviously that's really stressful for her. After I catch her in a towel she does calm and even lets me pet her, seems to close her eyes and relax.

Is it better to let her out to stretch her wings properly even with the stress or is it better to avoid it?

 

[Laurasea]

I would not catch and towel her. That kinda breaks the trust you are earning at this point.
Instead give plenty of time to allaw her to go back to the cage on her own. Set up treats and play things there, turn off all lights except over the cage, and close blinds and doors to other rooms. She should naturally want to go to the lighted cage. Then praise her bunches.
If you can work with her at the cage putting her in and taking her right back out that helps.
My rescue Or by at first was so thrilled with freedom she threw huge fits if she even thought I might out her back. So we dudits if in cage out if cage with treats and good girls. Once she learned she would have lots of time out if the cage she got over this. Took a few weeks.

Or once she has settled from her freedom flight, calmly walk up and have her step up to a hand held perch if she doesn't step to hands yet. And take her back. If she fkys off again before you return wait till she settles again and repeat. Try to never grab or towel her unless it's a big emergency. I have a link to a person's account with two fearful parrots illink too.
https://blogpamelaclarkonline.com/2018/06/19/teaching-a-fearful-parrot-to-step-up/

 

[Laurasea]

On getting Nova to try new foods.
I hand feed my parrots see eral times a day. At first I offer the seeds or pellets that they already eat. I say yum yum before I give them anything by hand. Next I offer something new but pretty sure they will like right away, like a bite of apple, or fresh corn sut from the cob, or pop corn, or a grape. When I know they will come quickly to try all things yummy, I start offering pellets , or new veggies. I might eat them in front of them and say yum yum. At first they would at least beak touch the new food even if they didn't eat it. I might offer several times in a row over a few minutes, sometimes they get bolder quick. Then offer them something I know they will eat. The next day or the end of the day I try the new food again.
Also I have a large casserole dish, and a plastic egg holder from the dollar store I put on top of the cage, all veggies new foods go there, I let them explore and find them on their own. So first offer by hand eat it in front of them then I plop it in the dish.
I use zip ties and hang veggies and leafy greens like toys in the cage too.
My recent re-home Pikachu wouldn't eat veggies, this method , plus watching the flock eat veggies had him eating them in two weeks!! I offer by hand and he touches it, but later will give it a try from the dish. Sometimes they have to see the food for a few days, or see you eat it. Before they will try. But once you have the break through moments they should become much better at trying new foods.

 

[Anansi]

Thank you both a lot

I have arranged her a consultation with an avian vet ASAP.

Right now, she doesn't want to come out of her cage at all, or she will but won't go back in unless I catch her and obviously that's really stressful for her. After I catch her in a towel she does calm and even lets me pet her, seems to close her eyes and relax.

Is it better to let her out to stretch her wings properly even with the stress or is it better to avoid it?

I've always kept fully flighted birds, and so I needed to work out a way around this problem for whenever I've gotten a new bird. My methodology has focused on feeding schedule. My birds have clearly defined meal times two times a day. Heavy meals that hold them quite well until the next. One in the morning, and one at night. And I never give them a full meal outside of the cage. This is important, as the cage should be seen as the only place where they get good and fully satisfying meals. (Treats during trick training and such can be given outside the cage, but not so much that they fill themselves up.)

Once this is established in their routine, they come to view the cage as their go to place for food and shelter. Then I wait until maybe an hour or so before their evening meal and let them out of the cage. (Best done in a room that can be closed off so you have some measure of control over things.)

When dinnertime rolls around, I simply put the food into the cage's food dish and let the food do all the wrangling for me. They know where to go when they're hungry, and at that point they'll be ready to eat. No catching necessary.

*Note, this is not anywhere near as effective for birds who are free-fed (food available all day long.) Because in a free-feeding scenario, they may already be full by the time you want them back in their cage. Which means you could have an hours-long wait on your hands... or, depending on if there is a time-constraint, you might be faced with having to put them through the stress of a capture. Defined meals are key. (Btw, some give smaller meals three times a day rather than two bigger ones. Whichever works for you, so long as you're consistent.)