New Quaker-the decibal machine!

[Manfred]

I adopted a 2 year old Quaker parrot last week, he needed a new home. He was with a few cats and toddlers chasing him around a house, the owners were desperate! He's quite tame, will step up. Not cage aggressive with me, but doesn't like anyone else yet. But the noise level is pretty intense, I end up having to cover him up a few times a day just to get some peace. I've had up to 6 amazons in a small house and this little guy beats them hands down as far as noise. He does talk a little and once he's on your shoulder he's a sweetheart. If he starts screaming, I talk to him softly and he will lower his voice for a few minutes, but it always ends up in a crescendo into chaos!

Maybe he's just getting used to his new home? He even started screaming at 1am last night. Just a few short bursts, I've never had a bird that was this vocal.

 

[Rio Mom]

Congratulations! and Thank you for taking him in.

 

[birdybabies]

Hi Thomas, congrats on the quaker -I think after reading your post. I recently took in a rehome quaker as well. I fully understand about the noise. OMG, is my guy loud. The lady I got him from said she had allergies and that he is starting to bite. Not sure I beleive the allergy bit cos she is going to get a cockatiel- huh??!!. I think the real reason for rehome is the SCREEEEEAMING! I have tried everything so far, talking, ignoring, singing, music etc and nothing is working. If I cover him, he screams more, if that is possible. But at the end of the day, I still love him.

 

[NatWatson]

Quakers are loud, loud, loud!!! My boy is 4 and I've had him since 12weeks. He is worst this time of year when he is feeling particularly hormonal. I invented our 'bird room' because his hormonal screeching and constant flock calling would drive me insane. Now that I can close the door and give him privacy, he has settled again- unless we are being noisy and he thinks he is missing out

Good luck, and welcome to the wonderful -testing- world of Quakers!

 

[Spiritbird]

I once took in a Quaker for fostering. Eventually I had complaints about the noise level which was so loud my ears shook. Sadly I had to return him because of my apt. neighbors. How can such a tiny bird make so much noise??

 

[Quilly]

I've had my adopted Quaker Quilly for around 4 years now (babysat him for several years before that) and he can at times still scream up a storm...but it is normally for a reason (not saying that is the case for all - some like the sound of their own voice! lol) for example he'll scream if:
- he can hear another bird he doesn't like or does like but can't get to - Quakers can get very jealous for your time...I am an animal carer and have a baby plover at the moment...when it called to me Quilly screamed...now he copies it's call and tricks me into thinking it is the baby!
- he doesn't like red, including my daughters red hair!
- he has an outdoor aviary with a 'cat door' into the house...he does not like it if you leave the door open to the bedroom that his door opens into - it's his room too!
- I must spend a certain amount of time with him...I can vary how I give the time but if it isn't enough he'll let me know - loudly
- he doesn't like yelling...try that and he'll show you who can yell the loudest
- he gets very jealous of my time with other people or creatures ie if my partner tries to kiss me in front of him he will charge (and make the trumpet charge sound at the same time!) and attack him
- a mouse tried to get into his cage (an impossibility but it tried) he didn't like it (a gecko got into one of my other bird cages and had a similar effect) although he mumbled very quietly when a very large snake tried the same thing!
- he doesn't like it when the seasons change and the sun starts coming up earlier (he solves that by finding me and using me to sleep on!).

Sorry about babbling on but I thought some of the things that upset him might give you some ideas...

It may take time for the new Quaker to settle and / or for you to work out what he likes and doesn't like. One of my other birds (not the Quaker) got night frights for a short period of time...it is almost like they have had a bad dream...that can also have an impact on other birds within hearing distance.

 

[Manfred]

Thanks for all the info, I'll just have to learn to live with the noise. I have to cover him up several times a day, just to get some peace and quiet. The jealousy factor is part of this, I'm sure. I have his cage in front of a window and he loves to watch the street "action". Let's us know when a cat gets to close to the house!

As long as he's sitting on my shoulder, he's fine and content. But, that doesn't work all day long, of course. When the warmer months come, he'll be able to be outside in his cage when we are working in the garden. But that's a few months away...

Thomas
Portland, Or.

 

[skatingdoc]

This is really not as bad, but maybe it will help: My Leela contact called for a long time (she's a p'let, so supposed to be quiet, but nothing is quiet in a small apartment). I also tried everything, including ignoring, covering, and singing and the only thing that would make her happy is carrying her cage from room to room. Sigh.

Finally, after moving, and months of her being in her new room (my office), she knows that she will be left alone for hours every day while I'm at work or school and she stays quiet as long as it hasn't been a long time since she's seen me and she knows I'm home and as long as her cage is specifically IN MY OFFICE and the door is CLOSED.

I still feel bad for my neighbors downstairs, though!

 

[Manfred]

I am at my wits end, my new quaker, we've named him Rico, was starting to quiet down a little, but the last 2 days have been non-stop screaming. Even with a cover on the cage and in a dark, quiet room he screams. There must be some other issue, hormones? He's going to the vet this week. When he's on my shoulder he's just fine, very sweet and no screaming. But when he's on his cage he just races around as if he's on caffeine or something, running in circles and screaming non-stop. He will occasionally fly over to me if I come close enough to his cage, his wings are clipped so I have to be pretty close to his cage for him to reach me.

He is a good talker as well and very funny! When he's on my shoulder he will start to pull on my hair, so I tell him to "STOP IT!" So now he likes to pull on my hair and then immediately says "STOP IT!" Before I say it. But the screaming has to stop. My wife will be on night shift real soon and a screaming bird is not going to work.