Cousin got a Quaker, is freaking out about head shaking

[Xoetix]

Hiya! My cousin Amanda has her membership pending, but I told her I’d post in the meantime because she’s about to have a freak out.

She’s just gotten her very first bird ever - a male blue Quaker, about 8 weeks old. He is, unfortunately, clipped, so he seems very unsteady and off balance. Apparently this breeder clips the wings on all babies before they leave for a new home.

In any case, she’s presently in my bathroom with him (wanting to allow him out of cage time in an enclosed room) and she’s sent me a message about him shaking his head. Not bobbing, she said it’s a very fast side to side shake, like a twitch, or like a cat that has an ear tickle?

Unfortunately, I know hoodly about Quakers, so I can’t answer. She says it isn’t constant, but it is frequent. Any ideas?

 

[Wardy]

@Pixiebeak has a couple of quakers

 

[Tazlima]

Rhythmic bobbing, where the motion brings his head closer into his shoulders, then back up away from his body, is normal.

Super fast shaking side to side (like he's saying "no"), is not normal. The only time my Quaker has done that was when he was ill and vomiting. It wasn't immediately obvious as vomiting, because he didn't have much food in his crop and was basically only bringing up a small amount of water, which got flung around in tiny mist-sized droplets. I don't know that I would have realized he was producing anything at all if he hadn't been sitting on my arm at the time (I felt the droplets more than saw them).

This sounds like something a vet needs to check out, especially with such a young baby.

 

[Xoetix]

Rhythmic bobbing, where the motion brings his head closer into his shoulders, then back up away from his body, is normal.

Super fast shaking side to side (like he's saying "no"), is not normal. The only time my Quaker has done that was when he was ill and vomiting. It wasn't immediately obvious as vomiting, because he didn't have much food in his crop and was basically only bringing up a small amount of water, which got flung around in tiny mist-sized droplets. I don't know that I would have realized he was producing anything at all if he hadn't been sitting on my arm at the time (I felt the droplets more than saw them).

This sounds like something a vet needs to check out, especially with such a young baby.

It doesn't appear anything is coming out - I went in to check and see, and it is like a fast "no" head shaking. I sat him on my arm and felt nothing when he did it, and when holding a mirror next to him, nothing spattered on the mirror.

I did do a Google search for "quaker parrot head shaking" and there were a couple videos during which the owners stated it really was a bit of a "no thank you" response - Could this be correct at all? He'll definitely be going to the vet regardless, I'm very big on check ups of any new animal to make sure everything is good to go.

 

[Icey]

My macaw does that when we're playing or he doesn't want something.
Unfortunately I have no idea about Quakers doing it.

 

[Xoetix]

My macaw does that when we're playing or he doesn't want something.
Unfortunately I have no idea about Quakers doing it.

It would be so much easier if birds were like dogs in that there were more behaviors that meant the same thing across the species (wagging, growling, snorting, etc).

 

[Xoetix]

I’ve got videos!!

How do I upload them?

 

[Sparkles99]

I think videos would help the more experienced members. I wonder if the baby's begging for food.

 

[Wardy]

I’ve got videos!!

How do I upload them?

Have to upload to insta or youtube and link here

 

[Shezbug]

I’ve got videos!!

How do I upload them?

Link them through youtube, instagram etc

 

[Wardy]

Just thought @Mizzely had a quaker

 

[Xoetix]

I had to make a YouTube

edit to add that I have a toddler, please excuse the tornado mess in the background.

Quaker 2

youtube.com

Quaker 3

youtube.com

 

[Xoetix]

Let me know if those worked. I’m not as tech savvy as a millennial should probably be.

 

[Xoetix]

I think videos would help the more experienced members. I wonder if the baby's begging for food.

The more I watch him do it, the more I think it’s baby begging. My only experience with a baby begging for food is when my cockatiel was doing it, and his sound was more often a baby dinosaur screaming at me.

 

[Icey]

It would be so much easier if birds were like dogs in that there were more behaviors that meant the same thing across the species (wagging, growling, snorting, etc).

I totally agree. Some people asking things about helping their wee budgie or lovebird I don't want to say anything because macaws and cockatoos are so different in behaviours and personalities.

 

[Xoetix]

Here’s another

 

[Shezbug]

This is a youtube of how they look while begging. I am not sure what it is your baby is doing but I am not familiar with quakers either.

 

[Tazlima]

It looks different from the vomiting (hard to describe it in words, just ... less flingy - the difference between, say, hand-flap stimming vs. shaking water off your hands, very similar motions, but different intensity and start-stop patterns), so that's good!

I'd still run it past the vet, though, just to be on the safe side, since it IS unusual.

 

[Xoetix]

@Shezbug here’s another - the wing flutters made me think begging? I don’t know what she’s going to name him, but I might end up calling him Bawkbawk

Quaker baby

youtube.com

 

[Mizzely]

This is a very mild quaker shake. It's a baby behavior that he is growing out of which is why it's not so pronounced. Could be begging, or just looking to be comforted or needing a little confidence boost.