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Robbin the Quaker

Dragooness

Sitting on the front steps
Joined
8/18/19
Messages
18
I have a rescued quaker. Here is my best guess at his story. I use male pronouns, but Robbin has yet to be DNA sexed

He was likely hand raised, and negelced and ingnored by his owner. My best guess is he was fed a seed diet. He got weak and got dumped on the next owner.

Second owner. A person that claims to rescue birds. They really resell birds given to them, if they are sick they are given away like the African grey female the next owner fostered. The grey in question has slayed legs her nutrition was so poor. They dumped Robbin with a bag of Walmart seed.

Third owner. A friend of mine that recues dogs. She has a good heart, and lives animals but little time with all she has. She had the bird less than a day before she called me. Her dogs where scaring Robbin so I came and got him.

And now his last owner. Me. I never wanted a quaker, I had been saving up for a hand fed love bird. A blue one. I took in Robbin and spent my savings on him, at first buying the wrong food. (Roudybush Cali blend medium).

Realizing my mistake I ordered from avian organics. I bought Harrison's Fine High Potency, Myan mash, and a soak seed mix for sprouting.

When I got him he was unable to bite hard enough to break skin. He also lacks the strength to fly. He has plucked his breast to the bare grey fluff. He is a sad looking bird.

His daily feed varies. In the morning he gets some mix of veggies, mash and pellets. This may or may not have pepper flakes, cyanne or cinnamon. I like to keep this feed varied so he dosent get bored. I will incorporate sprouts soon as I get them going.

Before I go to work I swap for straight pellets, when I get home he gets one or two nutriberries if he takes them from my hand.

His cage was nasty when I got it. A small 2x2x3.5 feet "parrot cage". It came with two perches; a round short dowl and the top perch is one of those rough pumice perches worn nearly smooth. The pumice perch I thought was brown, after I washed it it was red.

The toys in the cage where nasty and falling apart. J replaced it with one bright toy that he dismantled mostly, the wood is still mostly intact but he refuses to touch any of the other toys I got him. I bought him a boing he refuses to use. I also added a plastic chain he likes taking down. I had a happy hut in his cage but he decided to try and dismantled it so I took that out.

I don't know if I should start stick training or wait, I have had him about a month now. His bites are getting more painfully as he gets stronger. It seems wrong to be so happy about being bit!

Is there anyone you would do different?

IMG_20190909_133959.jpg
He is not photogenic
IMG_20190909_133848.jpg
Fork it over human!
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One cage pic
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Another
IMG_20190909_133843.jpg
Failed attempt at a frontal picture. Stink eye detected.
 

CrazyBirdChick

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Joined
12/10/15
Messages
7,162
Location
Chicago , Illinois
Real Name
Diane
Awww, the picture is a little dark but it looks like a beautiful quaker!

Do you ever let him or her come out on his or her own? I would just sit not too far from the cage and read a story or sing soflty and sweetly while not making too much direct eye contact. Maybe you're already doing that but just thought I'd suggest it as a way to let that sweetie get to know you in a non threatening way.
 

Hjarta5

Rollerblading along the road
Celebirdy of the Month
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Jennifer
Big :hug8: to Robbin! I am so happy that he found a home with you, and thank you very much for taking him in :heart:

Being passed on in so many homes must have been stressful to the lil' guy :( If you can, I would recommend taking him for a vet check-up and getting a scale to weigh him regularly. When I first found Wally, I didnt know she was underweight until I took her to a vet visit and, even then, I didnt think it was a big deal because my vet had only said "that makes sense since she's been outside" and no one told me any different from the generic pellets I bought in bulk from the local pet store :unsure1: Now, Im glad nothing bad happened but it did seem rather haphazard of me to assume that feeding her what I did was ok without any idea as to her nutritional needs or what she was actually eating. If Robbin was only fed seeds in the past, I would be concerned that hes not getting enough nutrients now because he doesnt recognize his pellets as food or such.

Also, another thing I didnt do that I wish I had when Wally first came home was to provide a little protection for her when she was in her cage. Now, I keep a small corner of her cage covered (with a folded flat sheet on the outside of the cage) where one of her perches is located, so she has somewhere to "hide" if she wanted to - whether its from having her backside exposed or from too much the overhead light :)
 

sunnysmom

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
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9/16/13
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28,806
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Pennsylvania
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Michelle
Thank you for helping him. I think Quakers are adorable.
 

Dragooness

Sitting on the front steps
Joined
8/18/19
Messages
18
The room he is in is not bird safe. From the ceiling fan to the dogs, books and cranys. We are remodeling and my room will be safe for all my pets, but it will likely be one more month before it is done.

He surprisingly eats pellets and veggies VERRY well. I did the controlled cold turkey switchover method. Only offer the new food in the morning and evening offer it mixed with old food. Seeds in his case. I had no way to weigh him so I monotered his droppings (pictures daily to compare).

I was told not to take him to the vet untill his first molt buy a friend that is a vet tech. From what he said, the 2 hour drive (one way!) Could kill him. He is too weak, my buddie was horrified.

Riddle me this, how do you weigh a non tame angry bird? If there is a way let me know!

His cage is on a wall, on good days we open the curtain for him. He seems facinated by chickens... But I offered him a hut and he tried to destroy it!
 

Hjarta5

Rollerblading along the road
Celebirdy of the Month
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Jennifer
If he is too stressed, it may not be a good idea but I have had my vet towel Wally and place her in a plastic container like they use for fish/amphibians. The plastic container is tared first on the scale.
 

Parrotl3t

Strolling the yard
Avenue Veteran
Joined
3/17/18
Messages
147
Location
North Carolina
Real Name
Ellen
What a sad beginning for Robbin. I am so happy that you now have him.

I would definitely sit by his cage & just talk or read to him.

You are the best thing he’s ever had in his little life. :dreamyeyes:
 

Dragooness

Sitting on the front steps
Joined
8/18/19
Messages
18
My mother's chair is right by him. I handed her a bag of nutriberries and told her "make him work for them" he now will do silly little tricks when a bag crinkles!

Also he's molting so hopefully soon he will look a little less... Ragged. I think I've stopped his plucking.
 

Beasley

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
9/9/18
Messages
1,446
Location
Phoenix AZ
Real Name
Maggie Beasley
Wow! Great update!! It sounds like Robbin is a very happy little bird in your care ❤
 
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