Does anyone have any experience with Quaker Parakeets. This new little guy is sweet, but boy does he bite. He is funny because he will follow me around,he ate from my soup bowl and will sit next to me or climb on my legs. However if I offer my hand for step up he lunges at it. I can open his cage door, change papers, fill food and water bowls and he just sits and watches me. I have just yesterday been able to use the dowel and in two minutes he was doing step up and step down like an old pro. Can anyone offer any advice about how to get him to be no longer afraid of my hand.

Audrey

Audrey, why don't you start a thread on the behaviour forum. That way everyone can learn from it.

First of all, you have to avoid those bites. Biting is reinforcing to the bird. He bites, you remove your hand, he thinks "that works, I'll have to try that again".

So build a positive history with him first. If he will step on the dowel, that's great. So does he have very favourite treats? If so, what are they? Any other things that he really, really likes. The goal is to make you very, very valuable in his eyes so that he will want your attention and will want to step up. That means every interaction must be and I mean MUST be positive.

Any questions, Audrey? And Audrey, the type of bird doesn't matter. Behaviour is behaviour.

Bev

No need - I just moved it here.

Audrey, Bev is right - behavior is behavior - regardless of species. We opened this behavior forum not too awfully long ago and moved some behavior articles and topics from other forums in. There is alot of good information on behavior and all of us are here to help you along the way.

Quakers are like little feathered pit bulls, they can bite hard and hold on tight! I had one Quaker for over 5 years and she never stopped biting me, she just didn't like hands, period.

Every bird is different and some will eventually come around and trust the hand that feeds them, some won't. All I can advise you is to be very patient and don't give up, but at the same time, respect his desire not to be handled by your hands, if he accepts the dowel, that's a good thing, it gives you a method to handle him and hopefully he will eventually trust you enough to allow you more contact.

Sorry guys, was thinking I should go to species for species specific info. Thanks for moving it to behaviours.


audrey

Don't apologize Audrey. If everyone posted exactly where they should everytime I'd forget how to move stuff - LOL! Seriously though, don't sweat the small stuff here. You're new and just learning your way around and sometimes, even for us long-timers, it's hard to decide what forum to start a thread in.

He does have favorite treats...sunflower kernals. A pinch goes in his treat bowl. I have tried to offer things from my hand but he attacks it, the broccoli was long enough I escaped damage but the cracker earned me grab. He hollars all the time and when I finally relent and go to him he bows his head and starts nattering at me, running through all the words he knows, pacing back and forth along his cage top. He definately wants my attention. He also grinds his beak and makes a clucking sound. The closer I get to him the more he clucks....what is that. He hates when I talk to the other birds and screeches like crazy until I return and talk to him and he goes back into his pacing, nattering, clucking routine. Today he was weaving like a horse does going from one foot to the other and back again. Wish I could understand what he wants. My pionus is a bit jealous and flung himself from his play gym at me today, I just barely caught him before he landed on his head. Course he's all tail wagging and nuzzling my ear.
Anyway, Jasper may just be one of those birds that does not like to be handled or petted...which is OK...I won't push him. I will keep trying but he needs to move at his own pace I think.

Audrey

How are things going Audrey???

Actually things are improving. He is quieter now and more content, having said that he talks non stop, but the screaming has stopped. I am still using the dowel as he still lunges at my hand, but he has allowed me to stroke his shoulders and tickle his neck...sometimes. He will bite if you offer your hand for step up and I know when I can touch him because he comes over to me and bows his head. This bird also talks in context and startles me sometimes with situation appropriate sentences. He talks to the other birds also and often it's situationally appropriate. When I was trying to get the Kak back to his cage Jasper kept saying step up and when Ky actually when in his cage Jasper said you're a good birdie. All in all things are going much better as I have not forced any issues with Jasper, but allowed him to come to me on his terms and it is paying off.

Audrey

Wonderful update Audrey!!!



Empowering with choices is the groundwork of success - GOOD work!

Smart little booger, speaking in context, doesn't surprise me one bit. He sounds like a little love, your patience is surely being rewarded.