Getting a Quaker

[WillowQ]

A lot of germs are just carried on hands clothes and shoes.
If you’re quarantining service the old birds and then the new. You can wash hands or change shirt and shoes if you really like. Hand sanitizer will be your friend as well as learning not to touch things or touch and then wash.

 

[Alien J]

Yes. But get it done soon if he seems to have trouble perching!!

I sent in a new patient form to the exotic and Avian hospital incharleston. They said they would get back to me soon. If I haven't heard back by morning, I'll call them directly.

 

[Alien J]

Trust me it's worthwhile, wether or not Ac circulation. Because it very much still reduces risk. My filters say they are rated fir bacteria and virus particles...like I'm not 100% trusting thst but it's got to decrease the load

Besides the constant hand washing, I've also been running the air purifiers.

A lot of germs are just carried on hands clothes and shoes.
If you’re quarantining service the old birds and then the new. You can wash hands or change shirt and shoes if you really like. Hand sanitizer will be your friend as well as learning not to touch things or touch and then wash.

I figured I had more to worry about going from Oscar to TD, so I take care of TD's essentials first.

 

[Alien J]

He finally moved off the high perch! He seems very unsure of himself as far as climbing about the cage goes. I think the bar spacing may actually be too small for him (something I honestly hadn't considered). His long nails curl around the too thin vertical bars and he'll be stuck for a moment or two. The earliest I can get him in to the Avian vet (there's only one within 100 miles) is October 11. I can't take him then bcuz George will be heading to CA to retrieve our belongings from the storage unit so I won't have a car until he gets back 10-12 days later. I'm waiting to hear from the vet on an appointment time for the week of the 23rd.

 

[WillowQ]

My guess is that the nails are just too long.
im glad he’s doing better and using his cage more.
I wonder if you could cab to an animal groomer, or pay someone to come to you, and trim his nails. If he can’t get around because they’re so long, that’s pretty sad.

 

[Clueless]

I agree. I, too, think it may be the nails that are causing him grief. Secret just had a nail trim and I was so thankful. She was having issues walking on the bottom of the cage because they were so long. It took her a bit of time to lift a foot up because of the nails catching on the bars.

 

[Pixiebeak]

I do see a long nail.

But also they will get better at climbing around.

What a cutie!

 

[CeciliaZ]

Congrats on your new addition!

 

[Alien J]

I agree. I, too, think it may be the nails that are causing him grief. Secret just had a nail trim and I was so thankful. She was having issues walking on the bottom of the cage because they were so long. It took her a bit of time to lift a foot up because of the nails catching on the bars.

That's what Oscar does. He also doesn't seem to know or have confidence that he can fly. Of course, if it hurts to bcuz of your nails, I can see why he hesitates to even hop from one perch to another.

 

[Alien J]

My guess is that the nails are just too long.
im glad he’s doing better and using his cage more.
I wonder if you could cab to an animal? Avian groomer, or pay someone to come to you, and trim his nails. If he can’t get around because they’re so long, that’s pretty sad.

It is sad and I don't particularly want to wait until 0ctober 25th. The place we take our dogs has a vet that only comes in twice a week and, though he's not an avian vet, he does have bird experience, and will trim nails and beaks, but that's all he'll really do. I've already taken TD to him for a trim. I'm thinking I'll call and see if I can get Oscar in before George leaves with the car.

 

[Alien J]

BTW, can a Quaker have narcolepsy?

 

[Alien J]

The narcolepsy question is a serious inquiry. Oscar falls asleep mid step.

 

[April]

The narcolepsy question is a serious inquiry. Oscar falls asleep mid step.

Oh wow that's something I've never seen. You maybe better off posting this as a new question so more folks can see it. I'm glad you'll be taking him to the vet as soon as you can since that's definitely peculiar behavior.

 

[Alien J]

Okay, I will. Thanks.

 

[Clueless]

Oh wow that's something I've never seen. You maybe better off posting this as a new question so more folks can see it. I'm glad you'll be taking him to the vet as soon as you can since that's definitely peculiar behavior.

Agreed. Hope it's not a health issue

 

[MommyBird]

Do you think he's at the point where he's comfortable enough (mentally and physically) to sleep well now that he's in a new home, new cage, new noises?
Could he just be tired?
Is he eating well now? so he has enough energy. Are you able to track his weight or is he too scared yet?

 

[Alien J]

Agreed. Hope it's not a health issue

You and me, both!

Do you think he's at the point where he's comfortable enough (mentally and physically) to sleep well now that he's in a new home, new cage, new noises?
Could he just be tired?
Is he eating well now? so he has enough energy. Are you able to track his weight or is he too scared yet?

I'm not sure if he's sleeping well. Indications are that he is. I'm basing that on the fact that there's never been a peep out of him after I cover him and close the door. In the mornings, when he hears me getting TD up, he's starts squawking.

He's extremely cage aggressive. Maybe I bought him too big of a cage cause I wouldn't be able to reach in with two hands to get him. I have to wear gloves just to get food and water bowls in and out. I've been sitting with him with the doors to the cage open for several hours a day for the past few days. He doesn't seem to trust that it's not a trap of some sort. Idk why I say that, it's a feeling combined with the looks he gives to me, to the open door, back to me.

I've been doing a lot of reading and watching videos exclusively about Quakers. Several have said that during the first month don't use your hands at all. Sounds great, but I've yet to figure out how one can do that?!

 

[OrangIsld]

Poor quaker! Imho what a crap person! Euthanasia or killing it by letting go outside!

This quaker is likely experience some greif from going from it's home if 12 years to a new home, and likely rushed introduction to other birds after living as a solo bird and lacking some sociol skills. If anything at all is to be believed from this person about the birds history.

Very likely this bird is a screamer, so be prepared to work through that. It takes a lot of patience and dedication to through that.

Quakers are territorial, so working with it outside of cage will be best. They are very active and sociol.

My old lady quaker rescue took a year to learn how to be a basic bird with birds. Even tho it was benefiting her right away to have others around. She was terrified confused and acted out st first. Now has 2 buddies! So much more confidence and joy.

Talk to him explain stuff. Be happy and humour, respect body language.

I can't write more now, as I'm preparing for the hurricane. But I'm happy to offer lots of assistance going forward.

I hate that "releasing" was even an option. "I dont want this living being anymore - bye! time to pass slowly outside of exposure or starvation, have a nice life im sure im doing the right thing"
Aggressive I know, but I think a lot of us can relate with the frustration

 

[Alien J]

I hate that "releasing" was even an option. "I dont want this living being anymore - bye! time to pass slowly outside of exposure or starvation, have a nice life im sure im doing the right thing"
Aggressive I know, but I think a lot of us can relate with the frustration

Absolutely. I could say a lot harsher things about people like that and not feel bad about it. I just did an experiment with Oscar and I think he has an enormous fear of hands. I know cage aggression is well known in these birds and I understand that it's instinct because of how they live and nest in the wild. This is more than that, I think. He didn't like it and got nervous when I stood close enough to to his cage to be touching it with my body, hands hidden, but the second he saw my hands come out he began lunging and hissing and didn't take his eyes off of my hands for one second. The few minutes I saw him out of the cage at the previous owner's house, he was fine once out of the cage. Though I did notice they used a towel to pick him up again.

 

[Dartman]

Most Pionus parrots are like that, Pippen is like that, and Puff just hides in his happy hut when you get too close. With Lurch when I got him the bigger cage he stopped trying to get me, possibly because his and now Dobbys favorite roosting perch is in the back and kinda high. He was put off by starting over and I think he felt he was far enough away from my hands he felt safe, plus the new house thing.
Best thing about his house is all the feed doors can swing out for changing food and cleaning so no risk of attacks anyway.
I'm surprised the new cage doesn't have bowl doors like mine and many others do, but not all have them to this day and if I have a choice it's a must. Pippens huge flight cage has small rectangular slide up doors made for the plastic feed dishes we got none of when we got it, so we make it work and distract her when we have to reach in to change her big water bowl. Sometime
s she will just watch from her plateform, sometimes she tries ti rush to bite the hand or escape.