My quaker has gone totally psyco

[primrose04]

I have no idea why this bird has flipped. it was the sweetest bird that I ever knew. But now he has gone totally psyco. He won't come out of his cage and bites me all the time. he spins around on the bottom of the cage chattering. I swear if I understood quaker talk he is cussing me out. He has just gone nuts.I can't even handle him anymore. I guess I should have waited for the babies to be ready and left the 3 year old for someone else. I really do love him but I guess he hates me now. I have only had him a little over a month and he has totally changed personalities. He was so sweet when I brought him home. I thought that he really loved me or I wouldn't have bought him.
If anyone has any sugestions on what to do please I would love to hear them.
I realize that he is territorial and since this is the 3rd cage he has been in it might be the trouble. He was taken from an elderly lady's house and put in a cage at the pet shop. Then when I bought him he was put in a new cage.
I just want him to be loving like he was when I brought him home. His cage is open always when I am home but he won't even come out on his own.
PLEASE HELP!!!!!!Rose :(

[SavvyMoon]

First things first;

Don't Panic! :)
Quakers are smart but quirky little birds. This could be nothing more than a little show of rebellion. Kind of like a naughty toddler.

Changing his cage is not the problem. If that was what was making him "psycho", he would have acted up right away, not a month later.
:)

Also, *some* changes on a regular basis can be very good for birds that tend to get very cage territorial, like a Quaker. So don't hesitate to switch toys around a bit, and change locations of perches once a month or so. Quakers are not like African Greys in that they don't usually get neurotic about every little change.

Now, as far as his behavior... how long has this been going on? A day or two? A week? Did you put something into his cage like a new toy or something that he doesn't like?
Did you change YOUR appearance in some way that's very noticable?
(drastic hair cut, or wearing glasses instead of contacts, etc)

Maybe he's just bored? Does he have enough toys that are made of wood, shells and stuff he can chew up? Is he calmed down at night when his cage is covered and it's "night-night" time? I used to have a Quaker too, and I remember that just about a month after I got her, she also got very nippy, and cranky with me for no (apparent) reason. I just kept to our routines, but never forced her to come out or step up if she really didn't want to... But I didn't stop OFFERING my hand to her either.
After about a week or so, she just as suddenly went back to her sweet self.
Well, as sweet as any fiesty Quaker can be! ;)

Observe him and then relay a little more information to us and maybe if we put our heads together, we can help you figure out what's going on with your little buddy. :)

Savvy*

[primrose04]

Well he has plenty of toys of all kinds but doesn't play with any of them. He has attached himself to my husband and now wants nothing to do with me. No I have not changed anything about me. I have moved him from the living room to the bird room after the quarentine was over but he had been in there before with the tiels(both female). but he had been in there 2 weeks before this started.I'm not even sure it is a he. At night he has no trouble when I cover his cage he quiets right down.
I had a happy hut in there but he protested so much that I took it out. I can't even change his food dish he pulls it from inside the cage and won't let me take it out to fill it. Now when I need to have him out so I can clean the cage or change the food and water I have to get a washcloth and get him out that way. once he is on my shoulder he is fine. He'll give kisses and ask for a cracker(he really wants Life cereal).
Maybe I should put him back in the livingroom.

[SavvyMoon]

Rose-

well maybe you should try keeping him in the living room...
IF the bird room is a room that doesn't see enough human
activities or traffic to fulfill his needs.
Your bird may not care about being around other birds
nearly as much as being around you, your hubby and other humans.
:)
Could be too that there's too many other birds in the bird room and he's feeling a little threatened, or overstimulated. (I don't know how many other birds you have...) But I'm only basing that assumption on the fact that he readily quiets down when under the cover for the night.
Maybe he feels less threatened or intruded upon when away from the other birds (in the living room).

Also, there is the chance that he/she is just going to attach himself to your hubby and unfortunately, there's not much you can do about that, except show the utmost patience and keep plugging away until he gets the idea that YOU are his best buddy, (the one who feeds him, cleans his cage, changes his toys, gives him treats, etc) and not your husband.
Is your husband a "bird person" too? Or is he like many husbands (and like mine) who like birds enough to pet them once in a while and that's about it?

If he's also a bird person, well then it sounds like he's got himself his own little birdy pal. If he's not really interested in being this Quaker's human best friend, then I have to go back and repeat the idea that only time and extreme patience has a chance of changing that for you.

Savvy* Keep us posted!

[The Outlaw]

Hmmm. I've never met a quaker who didn't NEED a happy hut. I think I'd put that back and let him fuss all he wants.

They are nuts. I love mine to pieces, but I'm glad he's little. If he were the size of a macaw, they'd star him in a horror movie. These little guys are fearless and totally nuts. Its not rare at all for them to develope a "tude".

And, for the record, the honeymoon period is now officially over. It usually lasts about one month, so you can now pretty much see what you actually purchased. I agree with Savvy. You need to interact MORE and keep him in the family area. These little guys are flock animals.

THE OUTLAW

[SavvyMoon]

Originally Posted by SavvyMoon

Rose-

Could be too that there's too many other birds in the bird room and he's feeling a little threatened, or overstimulated. (I don't know how many other birds you have...) But I'm only basing that assumption on the fact that he readily quiets down when under the cover for the night.
Maybe he feels less threatened or intruded upon when away from the other birds (in the living room).

OK, I saw your signature and see that you only have 2 other birds; and they are cockatiels. :)

Well could it be he's mimicing the chattering and noises of the cockatiels just to get attention? Or... maybe he doesn't like them?
My quaker came from a home where her owner was breeding tiels, and she was the only Quaker.
She came to me when she was 9.5 months old, but she was a 'tiel in so many ways; from her whistles and songs to her chattering and squeeking.
But my bird's transition was from a crazy tiel invironment to a fairly quiet and calm household where she was the only bird for a while.
Your bird might be going through the opposite and is just trying to adjust to having two other (fairly) noisy room mates.....
So it still might be better if he was moved back to the living room and see how that works out for you all.

Savvy*

[primrose04]

Well I'm talking aboout a formal livingroom that noone really goes into. Our Family room is in the basement but I think it is too damp down there.
I have my computer in the bird room and am on it all the time, so I am in here with him if I am not at work.
As for my husband you are right he just comes in and plays with him every now and then. Not what I would call a bird lover.
I only have one noisy tiel(the pied Pepper) the other is really quiet. but Pepper has learned several new whistles from the quaker. I don't know if they like eachother or not because I don't let them get that close. I'm afraid the quaker could really hurt the tiels. But I have had one on each shoulder and niether seem to mind. He came out on his own today and when I went to him while he was on the top of his cage I had no problem with him stepping right up on my finger.
I wonder He really hates my son(21 years old)when my son even gets close the quaker will bite me. He says he hasn't but I am begining to think that he might have done something to the quaker when I wasn't home to make it flip like this. Or he just hates my son.
well I have to try something. I'll put him back in the livingroom tomorrow and see what happens. Thanx and hugs to all,Rose

[SavvyMoon]

He doesn't necessarily "hate" your son... he just "loves" you!
(and gets jealous when your son comes around!)
Or he's protecting you from your son (so to speak) by
nipping you when he gets close.
That's how birds get other birds (and their babies) to move along
out of harms way or to be alert to a danger - they nip or gently peck at them.

It's not always correct to label all birds' actions according to
human emotions. Birds are still very much tied to their inborn
(wild) instincts.

And see? He's stepping up again and is already working through his
first little rebellious stage. :D Be prepared... there will be others! *LOL*

Savvy*

[primrose04]

:oops: I tried something new and made a big mistake. I moved the quaker closer to the computer so I could interact with him better and more. Well that was the place that the lutino tiels cage was and move that cage next to the other tiel. Well Popper's cage had been in that spot since I brought him home a year ago. He got confused and landed on the top of the quakers cage. I was in the kitchen and heard popper screeching in distress. I ran in and the quaker had been in a fight with him. The tiels toe was bleeding and he had blood on his face. he came to me and I cuddled him and calmed him down so I could assess the damages. I thought the toe was broken but after a day it was just bruised bad. She is using it fine now but I feel so bad for her. I feel it is my fault.
As for the quaker the move was good. He is doing great since I am closer to him. He comes out and wants me to hold him and to give him crackers. I was in the kitchen and he said "come mere, come mere" So I went in and said "what do you Want?" He said "cracker" I'm really sorry that Popper had to pay the price for the quaker to be closer to me. :oops:

[SavvyMoon]

well accidents happen and I'm glad no one is seriously hurt.

However, I would suggest the following;

1) Never EVER leave the room with cage doors open or birds out and about...

2) clip all the birds' wings so they can't fly from cage to cage, but only glide gently to the floor should they try...

These two rules are extemely important especially if you have other animals in the house, (cats or dogs etc) or kids. But mostly they are good practical rules to protect the birds from their own curiosity and mischief!
;-)