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I need a manual on Quaker behavior

Xoetix

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So Amanda (@HobanWash ) is on a business trip for a few days, and I’ve been hanging out with Pudge (he finally has a name!). He’s cute as all get out. I don’t really understand him though, lol.

He’s affectionate-ish. It needs to be on his terms, mostly, and it takes him at least 30-45min of hanging out to seem to want to be scritched or touched, but is beyond happy to just ride around on my shoulder while I’m doing anything - dishes, laundry, cooking, etc (and when I say cooking, don’t worry - he’s not able to get himself into a pot or anything). He talks a lot, but mostly just “pbrrrt? pbrrrt?” Like he’s asking me questions. It’s funny and adorable.

He mouths EVERYTHING. Like a puppy. Everything is examined with gentle bites/pinches.

But here’s my quandary - Per Google/videos/what people have said here, the head shake is a literal “no thank you.” But in these videos, he’s doing the head shake, but shoving his beak/face into my cheek or into my hair, where it almost comes across as a “please touch me” behavior. But he’s still shaking his head. So I’m well confused.

helps if I post the videos, huh?


 

Xoetix

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Side note - I have a sick toddler, I haven’t slept, and everything is a mess. Don’t judge me :roflmao:
 

Mizzely

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Don't look for a manual. Look to the bird. He seems content. Learning their language is less about looking for a word and more like a sentence. If you only want to know the meaning of an eye pin, for instance, it will be dependent on the rest of the body posture and attitude. "Eye pin" doesn't mean one thing, just as perhaps "head shake" doesn't.

My quaker would shake his head before coming in for a cuddle, too.
 

Xoetix

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Don't look for a manual. Look to the bird. He seems content. Learning their language is less about looking for a word and more like a sentence. If you only want to know the meaning of an eye pin, for instance, it will be dependent on the rest of the body posture and attitude. "Eye pin" doesn't mean one thing, just as perhaps "head shake" doesn't.

My quaker would shake his head before coming in for a cuddle, too.
I guess my thought process was because so many things stated that a headshake was definitely them saying no, and really leaving no room for interpretation
 

Mizzely

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I guess my thought process was because so many things stated that a headshake was definitely them saying no, and really leaving no room for interpretation
A head shake and then they back away, sure, that sounds like a no. Head shake and then bite? Also yes. But head shake and then lean in for more scritches? Doesn't seem like a no to me. ;) I think you need to trust your intuition more.
 

CrazyBirdChick

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Adorably sweet!! It looks to me like Pudge is cuddling/preening you as a return act of love and the little shake is a left over baby behavior called quaking. Sometimes it takes a while to grow out of that, if he ever does. I could be wrong but that's what it seems like to me. He seems very content :heart:

A no headshake look a little more violent, for lack of a better word
 

Parutti

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I love love love that you and @HobanWash have a little one at the same time as me - I was already following your posts because Pudge is adorable but it's been really helpful!

I *still* have trouble with my first parrot where I KNOW in my gut that he means xyz but The Internet and People With Similar Species say it means abc - and so far every single time, ive been wrong to not go with my gut!

If you have a sense of who he is - let that guide you first - like, look at his behavior as of the internet didn't exist - and then confirm or just share your wisdom :D

....I know I will not follow my own advice however so also take that with a grain of salt :roflmao:
 

Xoetix

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You’re definitely right! It’s really hard to use my own intuition, especially when it comes to a species I’m not familiar with. But it seems that every time I think I know what’s going on, but then read someone else’s interpretation and think that I’m wrong, it turns out that I’m really not that far off base.
 

Xoetix

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I guess my thought process was because so many things stated that a headshake was definitely them saying no, and really leaving no room for interpretation
Any idea why it is that his favorite place to poop is the water bowls? Every single time I get fresh water, he nearly poops in them. He’s just as bad as my snakes. Little turd :shifty::roflmao:
 

Mizzely

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Any idea why it is that his favorite place to poop is the water bowls? Every single time I get fresh water, he nearly poops in them. He’s just as bad as my snakes. Little turd :shifty::roflmao:
My quakers shared this trait :lol:
 

Xoetix

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Adorably sweet!! It looks to me like Pudge is cuddling/preening you as a return act of love and the little shake is a left over baby behavior called quaking. Sometimes it takes a while to grow out of that, if he ever does. I could be wrong but that's what it seems like to me. He seems very content :heart:

A no headshake look a little more violent, for lack of a better word
I’m starting to realize that the little quake is a signal of requiring a good scritch. If I don’t comply quickly enough, he sticks his entire beak inside of my ear and then does it. It is a very strange sensation :confused:
 

Shezbug

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Any idea why it is that his favorite place to poop is the water bowls? Every single time I get fresh water, he nearly poops in them. He’s just as bad as my snakes. Little turd :shifty::roflmao:
My best guess… it’s a bird :laugh:
 

Xoetix

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My quakers shared this trait :lol:
It’s ridiculous and nearly immediate :roflmao: between poop, and then throwing the pellets he doesn’t like in the water… he’s a toddler!
 

Shezbug

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Less than 10 minutes ago Burt was given fresh floor paper and clean water… A1FD47FC-66C5-43B6-B1D2-911F906F87AB.jpeg

Clean water supply for our birds keeps us crazy humans busy :laugh:
 
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