Companion

[Nat Cairns]

We recently inherited an 18 month old Quaker and he has lived with us for the last 3 months. We were told he was a male but I don’t really know. He is a lovely bird and spends quite a bit of time with me through the day as I have been on extended sick leave but will be returning to work soon. He is becoming increasingly noisy when caged and I’m worried about the noise for the neighbours. I’m also worried that he will be unhappy being alone for extended time when I’m at work. Would getting him a companion Quaker help with the constant screeching or will I just have two noisy birds lol?

 

[Mizzely]

I had a noisy quaker. So I brought home another quaker. I then had two noisy quakers

For mine, it was really about distraction. Lots of toys, especially foraging. Quakers tend to be food motivated.

Is he only noisy when caged? How large is the cage and what activities are available to him in there?

 

[Nat Cairns]

He has lots of toys of timber and straw etc but I’ve never seen him play with any of them. I regularly change fresh branches in his cages. He has an inside cage and an outside cage and both are a generous size. He won’t eat anything other than seed and some dried fruits, and corn on the cob. He really noisy when he goes into his bed, so I restrict his entry to them through the day which has helped a little. He pretty much screeches anytime he’s not on my shoulder or being handled. He loves being handled.

 

[Mizzely]

My quakers had 2 distinct play styles -

Jingo - Foraging toys. Balsa, Finger traps, leather laces

Bobber - Pine, wood, knots

Make him work for those seeds by using foraging toys. That will help keep him occupied and teach him a little independence.

 

[Nat Cairns]

Thankyou, I’ll give this a go.

 

[Mizzely]

I would also definitely work on his diet. It can be a hard road especially with a stubborn quaker! I just rescued a Jardine's that only ate seeds his whole life and he is a very sick bird that I am nursing back to health. Quakers are prone to fatty liver disease and a seed based diet contributes to that.