Not many Quaker owners here?

[Paralegalpebbles]

I just bought a Blue Quaker, Sassy, about 2 and half weeks ago. She is about a year old. I believe she was originally purchased from Florida by the bird store I bought her from, so I think she has been in a cage most of her life. I brought her home and I put her in a much bigger cage and bought her toys. She is out of her cage from the moment I get home until bedtime and for about an hour in the morning while I'm getting ready for work. She just seems so timid and shy. If I'm not looking at her she might whistle or chatter, but she doesn't talk yet (although my husband thought he heard her say hello and I would swear she said "peek a boo" once when I first got her and played it with her). She , but she head blocks me if I try to get her to step up and then she runs away, but petting is okay. But when she's on top and I try to get her to step up, she gets scared and tries to fly away. Her wings were severely clipped when I got her so she can only flutter to the floor. When she's on my shoulder she's very still and quiet unless I try to pet her and she "startles" but then lets me pet her. Sometimes she gives my little love kisses on my cheek and ear. And she paces back and forth on the top of her cage. That's it for her activeness. I would have thought she would be talking up a storm by now and being silly and comical but she seems so scared and timid. Is this normal for a Quaker? I realize I haven't had her long, but posts I've read her make it sound like Quakers are very active and noisy. Sassy isn't. A week ago I also got a Jenday Conure (I had a Sun, but he flew away when I was out of town and I really loved him and his antics, so I got the Jenday because I couldn't find a Sun.) Anyway, last night I was playing with Jaxon (the Jenday) on my shoulder and Sassy (the Quaker) seemed to be almost jealous on top of her cage watching Jaxon and I play and cuddle...he was clucking). So I put Jaxon back in his cage and got Sassy on my shoulder. She stayed there for a while and then all of a sudden (for no reason I could tell) she did her suicide jump (that's what I call it) off of me and onto the floor, across the living room and headed for Jaxon's cage. He's in the far corner, but she was headed straight there. My big black lab, Amos, was asleep in front of the couch and Sassy waddled around him, back and forth, until she realized she couldn't get to the couch to get to Jaxon unless she used Amos as a step ladder. So she jumped on Amos' stomach/side (he was lying on his right she jumped up onto the couch and after checking it out, she got to Jaxon's cage, climbed up it and went inside and made herself at home inside Jaxon's cage and began to preen herself. He didn't seem to mind, but he eventually went inside to check her out and they did a little beak kissing and then he does this funny thing where he stands on one leg and holds the other up at his side in her face like he's telling her to "back off" or "shut up" or something. Kind of like a human would do to someone when they don't want you to talk anymore.....just hold a hand up to their face. That's what Jaxon did to Sassy.....they kissed a little, then he apparently got too fresh so she squawked at him and he held his foot up to her....she tried to bite his toe so I broke them up, but I thought it very strange that she purposefully strode over to his cage and made herself at home. It was so sudden and unexpected and purposeful. That was the most active/comical she's been since I got her. Can anyone tell me what's going on? Does she like Jaxon? Is it good or bad to have both a Jenday and a Quaker? I can't tell if she likes him or doesn't like him. He has flown to her cage before but she has always chased him away. This time she went straight for his cage and was kind of nice/kind of mean to him. I'm so confused. I just don't want the two of them to like each other so much that they forget about me. I've heard that two of the same kinds of birds will do that, but will two different species do that as well? I've been reading a lot on the conures thread, but there hardly seems to be anyone on the quaker thread. Are there any quaker owners out there who also own conures? Please let me know what you think. Thank you.

[nestbox]

I think she needs more time. I have a blue quaker and a sun conure, they visit some, in the same cage a little, but more on top of the cage. I find the quaker is more agressive than my conure. I don't hold them both at the same time. The quaker will nip me if I have my conure on the other shoulder. My quaker will be 2 years old in June, she does not step up, I still catch her in a towel when I hold her. She does not want my hands in her cage. She does talk alot, very plain, don't bite my nose, calls Ruby my African Grey. Jabbers her little head off and is so cute, she say a lot of phrases not just words. I find quakers are different from any other bird I've ever had, I still get a little nippy kiss now and then. But it is all worth while when you lift that cover up and she say "I love you"

[Paralegalpebbles]

Thank you for responding. My quaker and jenday get along for awhile and then the quaker gets a little mean so I have to separate them. They preen each other and then the quaker gets "frisky" and wants to "mate"? with the jenday, but they're both only a year old so maybe the quaker is just feeling her oats, I don't know. The quaker has been talking a little bit more, mostly just before bed time while we're watching t.v. (we don't dare look at her or she shuts up) and sometimes in the morning. If I'm alone in the house with her doing house work, she will talk to me if I'm in the kitchen. She's starting to say peek a boo and hello. So far that's all I've noticed. She is like Jekyl and Hide....when she is by herself without the jenday she is quiet and shy. She won't step up either, but she lets me reach into her cage and pet her or pick her up like a baseball, but she blocks me with her head if I try to get her to step up. But she doesn't bite at all......UNLESS she is with the jenday (either on top of her cage or ONCE on my shoulder) then she turns into hell bird.....she strikes at me and bites and pecks hard! I had both birds on my shoulder last night and she just attacked my cheek and I wasn't even trying to pet the jenday or anything. I just had both of them on my shoulder and she reached around and over him to get to me so I put her back on her cage. But if she's on my shoulder alone, she lets me pet her and kiss her and sometimes I get kisses back. But man oh man she is a terror if the Jenday is with her. Yikes!!! It really is like Jekyl and Hide. lol I only let them be together for a few minutes a day and when she starts getting mean, I take the Jenday off her cage and she has to be by herself again. The Jenday is very lovable but he "pinches" my neck and shoulder when he's on me. I don't think he's trying to bite me, he just nibbles and it hurts sometimes. He also chews huge holes in my shirt so I immediately change into my "bird shirts" when I get home so he doesn't ruin my work clothes. Thanks, again, for responding to me. Have a good day.

[nestbox]

I can't have my conure and Boobo on me at the smae time, same thing. I get bit. If I have the quaker by herself she snuggle against my face and gives kisses. She does not like my hands. I've had her almost two years, more like 1 and half. So sweet and so smart, first thing in the morning she says "Good morning". I love her so much.

[Paralegalpebbles]

Nestbox, that is so cute. I've been saying "I love you" a lot to her in hopes of her saying it in return. I say "good morning" every morning when I uncover her and "nite nite" or "goodnight" every night when I cover her. She doesn't seem to mind my hands. If I tell her I'm going to pet her, she will be still and let me. But if I don't tell her first, then she will try to fly, but she's severely wing clipped (not by me) and she can only flutter about a foot away. Sometimes I think she wants to "step up" but she flutters away instead and I always catch her. I've never seen her bathe in her water dish. Do quakers like showers? My Jenday LOVES to be in the shower with me. But I haven't tried to put the quaker in there yet.

[Brenda40]

I run a little bit of water in the tub,and Fred(Quaker) goes crazy.He splashes around,and dunks his head.He is so cute.My Jenday does the same thing,but he will take a shower on my head,while I am showering.

[nestbox]

Boobo dives into her water dish, when she takes a bath it's every where, her cage is wet, the floor. About everyother day she does it. I haven't tried her under running water, never needed to. Just keep saying the things your saying and when you least expect it, suprise!!!!!! Your baby will talk to you. They are so precious.
Brenda you must have started that routine when Fred was very young, Boobo would have a fit now.

[glenna]

i have a sun and just today saw my new baby, a green quaker. hoping they will love each other and teach each other to talk.

[Paralegalpebbles]

Hi Glenna - I'm sure your Sun and your Quaker will be great friends. I had a Sun, but he flew away while I was out of town. Then I got a Jenday and a Quaker. They LOVED each other and the nice, calm little quaker turned into Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde whenever she was with the Jenday and I tried to get close to the Jenday. She would try to "kill" me! lol But when she was on her cage alone, she was a princess. I've recently had to rehome my Jenday, unfortunately, so now I just have the quaker and I'm certain that she is holding a grudge. She hasn't spoken to me since I left the house with the Jenday. Good luck to you with your new baby. Keep me posted.

[sammythegreyt]

Cynthia,
Quakers are territorial of thier cages. I am sure you have noticed. Parrots when they are above your eye level are "IN CHARGE" according to them lol. This is why you may notice more aggressive behavior when your bird is on your shoulder or on top of cage.
It sounds like your bird had a bad experience with Step-Ups. I read that for training to bring your bird into a neutral room and use a favorite food for reinforcement and give her lots of praise too. Patience is key if she had a bad training experience before.
With an aggresive breed it is reccomended that you not put them on the shoulder-Because at some point the Parrot seems to feel that your head is crowding her perch! and that is when she can hurt you.
Sassy is a beautiful Quaker and I know from taking in birds that time love and care will benefit sassy and you.

Best wishes Sammy