How to Care for Your Quaker Parrots

The Quaker Parrot as a Pet

Quaker parrots are fun-loving and known for their silly antics, personalities, and ability to mimic. Proper care is necessary with this type of bird, and what you provide can keep him happy and healthy for many years. This article will give you tips for caring for your pet, along with things to avoid so that you can enjoy your pet for a long time.

Bringing Your Pet Home

So, you have decided to get a pet bird. While a Quaker parrot is a great bird, there are things you need to get ready if you want to bring one home.

• Transport Cage: A transport cage will be required to bring your pet home, and it's also handy for trips to the vet or other transportation needs. Mine is a cat transport container equipped with a perch.
• Cage: Quakers are active birds and need a relatively large cage—at least 18" x 18" x 18" in size. If the cage were any smaller, it would not allow your pet's movement and flapping motions.
• Safe Area for the Cage: Consider the placement of the cage. It should be free of drafts, have natural light, and be in an area safe from traffic or other animals.
• Toys: These pets are naturally curious and need a variety of toys. They will often take them apart; Levi, my pet, has demolished several toys. Various colorful toys with extras to rotate in and out of the cage will keep your pet intellectually stimulated.
• Food Containers: Preferably, you need three containers: one for fresh water, one for the primary food, and one for fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Food: Your breeder should be able to recommend healthy food. What I feed my Quaker is linked in this article.

Feeding Your Quaker

In the wild, a Quaker Parrot eats various foods: seeds, nuts, berries, and vegetation, such as leaf buds and blossoms. With that said, a parrot needs a well-balanced and varied diet, both for their health and their instinctive foraging. I feed my pet Tropimix Small Bird Food. It contains pellets, seeds, dried fruits, and vegetables. This type of food provides a varied diet and allows my Quaker, Levi, to have the foraging experience.

Seeds

Wild birds do forage for seeds as they are in season. However, commercially prepared seed packages contain high in fat seeds, such as peanuts and sunflower seeds. A pet bird will often pick a couple of favorite seeds, and these tend to be the ones that are exceptionally high in fat and low in needed nutrients—kind of like a child with candy. A Quaker should never be on a seed-only diet; this type of diet could lead to severe malnutrition.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are an essential part of your Quaker's diet. When picking fruits and vegetables, wash them thoroughly to remove chemicals, then cut them into small, manageable pieces. There is no need to peel them as the skins also contain nutrients.

When picking vegetables, note that pale vegetables—such as iceberg lettuce, head lettuce, or celery—have high water content and low nutrient level. Also, please be aware that avocado is potentially toxic to your Quaker.

Pellets

Pellets have been developed to meet all of your parrot's nutritional needs. Therefore, if your pet is on a seed-eating diet, it is crucial to work toward weaning them off of the seeds and onto a pellet diet. It is important to do this slowly so your bird does not just quit eating. You should never withdraw seeds entirely without introducing the pellets and making sure your pet is eating them. This can be a slow process; it can take several days to months.

People Food

My pet, Levi, enjoys eating with the family. We will set him in his play gym and have a bowl set aside just for this purpose. Just be careful of food temperature. Also, avoid sweet foods or caffeine-containing foods such as chocolate, as these can be toxic to your pet. It is common sense that alcoholic beverages are not given to your pet. Dairy products should be consumed in moderation. Levi enjoys small pieces of egg. A rule of thumb is that the food should be wholesome and high in nutrition—a good rule for both you and your pet.

Water

Fresh, clean water should be available at all times. Also, depending on your tap water source, you might want to consider using bottled water. Make sure your pet's dishes are cleaned thoroughly every day.

Healthy Treats for Your Quaker

Foods to Avoid

• Avocado: This plant contains persin, a fungicidal that can be cardiac-toxic to birds—primarily smaller birds, but it has been found in many birds.
• Chocolate: This can cause hyperactivity, increased heart rate, and potential seizures in your pet.
• Sunflower Seeds: These seeds should be eaten only in moderation as these are high-fat content for your pet and cause fatty disease—a common problem for Quakers.
• Apple Seeds and Fruit Pits: These contain cyanide. It is okay to feed your pet pieces of apple or other fruits—just do not give them the seeds or pits.

More Information About Harmful Foods

Please refer to the article linked below for a more comprehensive list of foods to avoid.

• Foods Toxic to Pet Birds | Pet Birds by Lafeber Co.
  Foods on your avian vet’s do not feed list include chocolate, avocado, onion, and high-fat and high-sugar foods.

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Items That Are Dangerous for Your Bird

Some items pose a serious risk to your bird's health. While this list is not conclusive, it does give some things to watch out for to keep your pets safe.

Window, Doors, and Mirrors: A bird will not recognize these as barriers and will fly right into them, causing severe injury or death. I had a friend lose a beloved pet because the bird flew into a small mirror, which then fell onto the bird, instantly killing him—a devastating accident. Open doors and windows are an obvious danger.

Sitting Water: Sinks, toilets, and pots of water pose a risk if your bird is allowed to be free. Make sure these are covered so your pet does not drown.

Other Pets in the Household: Dogs, cats, or other birds pose a risk. Even though they seem harmless, they could severely injure your bird. My pet has gone after our beloved Golden Retriever and tried to bite his nose.

Plants: There are many poisonous household plants, and your bird's natural curiosity and chewing can lead to accidental poisoning.

Ceiling Fans pose a risk to a flying bird. It is safer to keep your pet's wings clipped.

Loud Noise can lead to stress in a bird, causing reduced resistance to infections.

Fumes from everyday cooking, burning foods, household cleaners, candles, painting, or other gases can be dangerous.

Polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon): This species' respiratory system is susceptible due to the normal double breathing of a parrot. Teflon products, when inhaled, can cause serious health risks or even kill your pet; it makes me wonder what this product does to us. Several items can emit these fumes. A few examples are:

• Pots and pans coated with Teflon
• Heat lamps
• Sole plates on irons
• Griddles
• Coffee makers
• Many cooking utensils
• Hot-air popcorn makers
• Pizza pans
• Portable heaters
• Non-stick cookware (any type)

Warning Signs

If you think something is wrong with your bird, there probably is something wrong! Birds hide the symptoms of illness instinctively; it wards off predators in the wild. Learn to be a medical detective and examine your bird regularly. Any sudden change requires a thorough investigation and a trip to the avian vet. Below are some examples of symptoms to watch for:

• Cough
• Discharge from eyes
• Favoring a leg or wing
• Changes in droppings or blood in droppings
• Plucking feathers without natural molting
• Fluffing out
• Sitting on the bottom of the cage
• Stopping their normal activities (not singing, chattering, playing, eating, or pooping, for example)

If these are unusual changes for your bird, they can be symptoms of illness, and a trip to the vet is necessary.

History

The Monk Parrot (Myiopsitta monachus), also known as the Quaker Parrot, originated from the subtropical areas of Argentina and surrounding areas of South America. It can be found feral (wild) in many parts of the United States and Europe. They were brought to these areas by travelers as pets, then released.

These birds are incredibly hardy and can often survive if let loose. The quality of hardiness has caused them to be illegal to own in some states. They are naturally found in green color, but they can be found in blue, cinnamon, and a rare yellow color through breeding.

Interesting Facts About the Quaker

• They are considered small to medium-sized parrots, making them excellent for smaller homes or apartments, though the noise factor can be troublesome.
• The green Quaker grows roughly 12 inches long and weighs about 3 to 4 1/2 ounces. The blue Quakers tend to be a little smaller.
• If properly taken care of, they have a long lifespan and can live 30–35 years. So buying a companion parrot is a commitment.
• The Quaker is on the top ten list of talking parrots. Mine has a vocabulary of about twenty appropriate conversational words, along with several (what’d he say) funny words.
• According to scientists, birds can display emotion—a skill found only in the brain of higher vertebrates.

We Love Our Quaker, Levi, and We Hope You Will Love Yours

With proper care, attention, and intellectual stimulation, you will have a happy, healthy pet. My husband and I regularly laugh with our pet—and yes, he does laugh! Enjoy your Quaker.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.

Questions & Answers

Question: Are Quakers hard to breed in captivity? How many babies in a clutch?

Answer: Quaker parrots are one of the easiest parrots to breed in captivity. They generally lay from 5-12 eggs in a clutch and can take from 24-28 days to incubate them. The most difficult part is sexing the parrots to make sure you have a male and female. Once you know you have a pair it is making sure you have a suitable nest box. Then do some research on hand feeding the babies as this makes a gentle pet later. Good luck on your endeavor - it can be very fun and rewarding.

Question: I have a 1 year old male Quaker. Healthy, happy, chatty. We love him but he has become very hormonal. Without a mate, he's pretty frustrated. He bites hard for no apparent reason. We blocked the place he tried to nest in. We tried to distract him when he started acting sexual, but since that didn't work, we now walk away from him. What can we do to stop the sudden agression towards us? Do you know of any other sites on which I can ask for help?

Answer: Just wondering if this aggressiveness is only in his cage? If this is the case you might find he is a sweet fella as soon as you remove him from the cage. Quakers tend to be very possessive of "their territory" due to the complexity of their nests in the wild. This possessiveness turns to aggressive behavior with their cage in captivity. I remedied this by stick training them - I train them to step up on a stick making them easy to remove from the cage and my baby turns sweet again. As for the sexual behavior - I would just continue to ignore the behavior - it again is a natural thing for a quaker to do.

Question: I found a Nova Microdermabrasion 61" Large Bird Cage on Amazon, and I was wondering if that would be big enough for a Quaker Parrot?

Answer: Yes, this looks like a very good choice. It is large enough and with the play gym on top, your Quaker can play all around his cage. I open the top door when I am home and Levi enjoys the freedom to walk all around his cage, inside and out.

Question: What does it mean when a parrot twists their head all around and opens their mouth?

Answer: It can mean many things. If they squawk loudly while doing it, it can mean that they are territorial. It could also be an inquisitive look or an invitation to play a game by mimicking back. My parrot likes when I tilt my head back and forth with him, and will jibber in delight once we start our game.