[Rico'sMom]

Well, Saturday I became the proud owner of a green QP baby. His name is Rico and he is 4 1/2 months old. I've never owned a bird, so this is a new experience and I find this forum to be exceptionally helpful.

Our children are grown and gone, so now our household consists of my hubby, myself, 2 dogs, 2 cats and 3 horses. Working from home allows me a lot of time with my new baby and I'm enjoying him, although I don't believe he feels the same way, ..... yet. He enjoys sitting out on his perch, will eat from my hands and allow me to pet him, but the step-up thing ....... NO way! He hops over my hand, moves away and sometimes squawks at me (as if to say 'get away!'. He will jump off his cage to keep from getting on my fingers. Then I pick him up with the full body hold and he bites me, but amazingly NOT hard. So, I hold him close and talk to him softly, and put him back on the cage. He can't wait to get away from me.

After reading this forum, I understand it will take time for him to bond with and trust me, but any other tips will be greatly appreciated!

Oh! he said his first word (sorta) last night! It was 'Ruff", after he heard the dog. He did it twice. It was so cute. ha ha.

Thanks in advance and I'm so glad you are all here!

Nancy

[Siobhan]

I wouldn't pick him up with the full body hold. I did that to Clyde when we first got him and he wouldn't let me near him for a week after that, always squawking and biting and freaking out when I got close. And he was afraid of hands even before that, so it set him back on learning to accept and step up on hands. I took an awful lot of wounds while we worked all that out together.

Try offering your arm or your shoulder instead for a place to step onto you. That worked with Clyde until he got over his fear of hands. I'd offer the shoulder and let him step onto it and sit there a while, and sometimes he'd walk down my arm toward my hand and eventually he got so he'd step onto the hand from his cage, but it took a lot of false starts and bites to get there.

[Rico'sMom]

I wouldn't pick him up with the full body hold. I did that to Clyde when we first got him and he wouldn't let me near him for a week after that, always squawking and biting and freaking out when I got close. And he was afraid of hands even before that, so it set him back on learning to accept and step up on hands. I took an awful lot of wounds while we worked all that out together.

Try offering your arm or your shoulder instead for a place to step onto you. That worked with Clyde until he got over his fear of hands. I'd offer the shoulder and let him step onto it and sit there a while, and sometimes he'd walk down my arm toward my hand and eventually he got so he'd step onto the hand from his cage, but it took a lot of false starts and bites to get there.

Thanks for your reply, Siobhan. Good ideas.

Today, he sat on my shoulder for quite a while, so I'll try offering him that from now on. The full body hold does seem to be making it worse. Since he sometimes jumps off the cage onto the floor, I went out and bought him a ladder today. Now, instead of me having to pick him up, he can climb back up.

[Carrie~Anne]

Hi there!! Welcome to the forum!!

Keep in mind you've only had this little bird for a few days. He's probably quite nervous and a wee bit stressed out with moving to a new home. Take things slow and try not to push him too hard.

Do you have any photos that you can share with us?

[xerxeys mama]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

[cindylou_38]

Hi and welcome to the site. Congrats on your quaker. Pretty soon you will fall in love with him. Just give him tme to settle in.

[Casey's Mom]

Welcome to the forum! Congrats on your new baby!

I agree with Carrie ... definitely be patient, it takes a little while for them to settle in so don't move to fast in the beginning.

Looking forward to seeing some pictures!

[Kattastrophe]

Welcome to you and your new little guy! You are going to have so much fun with him. You will be surprised how much company they are. Can't wait to see pictures!

[equineRtist]

A big welcome to you and your new baby. When I first got Kiwi, she wouldn't get on my hand either, but would jump to the floor. When she landed, I couldn't offer her an open hand or finger without a bite, but I could close my fingers in a fist and offer her that and she would step up on it.

Be extremely careful if the dogs and cats are in the room with her. they are much faster than we are. We've had several birds on this forum lost to them. My dogs freeze the minute I say stop...most don't and cats don't speak english, so they are unstoppable. Remember too that animal saliva as well as human saliva is toxic to birds, so no doggie kisses or people kisses...I know you want to, don't we all!!!

I think you will love it here and that you and your new baby will get a lot of enjoyment here and much knowledge too. Send pictures when you can. We love them

[Lisa Barnes]

welcome to the forum. You will love it here. I'm so glad you found us.
Hold on to your heart your new little friend is going to steal it. LOL
Don't give up on him/her it can take some time before things settle down.
I'd be very careful with that latter and cat's. Please be in the room with your little one
if he is out of the cage. My cat Whisper who is about fifteen Fat and lazy, was in a dead sleep on our couch. Milo flew to the floor from another room and before we knew it she was right on top of him. My husband make a great lot of stomping and yelling and the cat ran off but if we had not been right there Milo would not be here.
We no longer have the cat in the same area as Milo when he is out of his cage. Hubbie told me she might try and get Milo but I was sure she didn't care and was to old to be faster than me. LOL Now I know what a good con she is and how fast something can go wrong.
Rico already sounds like a little doll. ruff ruff lol Can't wait to see pictures.

[Rico'sMom]

Thank you all for your welcoming and thoughtful posts.

Lisa, your cat was quite a con! Thank goodness your husband was there! Our dogs and cats are banished from the room when Rico is out on his perch. And during that time I'm with him. Its a challenge to juggle them around but I don't trust them at all. They are beginning to understand the routine though.

Equineartist, you and I have a lot in common. I am an oil painting artist, specializing in wildlife, people portraits and pets, especially horses and dogs. I work with and ride my horse almost daily. Life is wonderful.

I'll try to post some pics of widdle Rico soon. Gotta take some first!

[Rhyme]

Hi and welcome~! I have a baby Quaker about the age of yours and an older,re-homed Quaker.They are my joy and this site and the people on it,are amazing.

[Majj]

Hi and WELCOME ....My Q.P Buddy doesn`t mind at all being picked up bodily and smooch him all over and get a good sniff of his little belly I love the Quaker smell...Sunny on the other hand doesn`t like being held but he likes to dive down my top and snuggle..so I guess each bird is different ..Do you press your finger /palm against his little body when you want him to step up ..?? he will get the idea what you want and after a while he will step up when you just put your hand out ..give it time...I say "come On" some say "Step Up"..I have heard Buddy say what sounds like come on when I say it , he is not a great talker, I thiunk its because we have sunny ..he does a MEAN sun conure flock call....and if you have heard a sun conure w you will KNOW thats not a pleasant sound to the ears..
any way I am sure if your checking out the other forums and reading posts you will learn lots of tips ..and ask away anything you are not sure on everyone is great hear its the best group on the net (IMO)..Don`t be shy jump right in and join in , we have a non avian forum to chat about our furry/scaley critters too ..share some pitures we love them.. I am off to bed its late downunder so I hope to chat again and from me and my boys...