Hi Everyone,

Today I went to the local petstore... Petsmart. I went to purchase some new chew things for the dogs. Petsmart generally has smaller birds for sale; finches, budgies, canaries and of course cockatiels. But, low and behold, there was a Quaker in the big parrot display cage. I couldn't resist so I asked for assistance. I was told this poor little girl (or guy) had been there for 9 months, with no one interested in him/her. The hatch date was April 20, 2006. He is cage possessive, doesn't have his wings clipped and can't talk. The woman assisting me said he more than likely won't talk but felt he would do best in a home where he could have lots of love and attention (duh). Have any of you purchased a Quaker like this before? How have they done after the fact? Were they very noisy? Was it a long adjustment period? I feel awful for the little guy. He has been there so long with little human contact and affection that I'm not too sure if one could bring him out of his shell... especially someone like me who hasn't owned a bird before.
Thanks in advance,
Shauna

THAT IS SAD..MAYBE IF HE GETS OUT OF THE ENVIROMENT HE IS IN HE WILL DO GOOD....AND BEING LOCKED UP IN A CAGE THAT LONG IS NOT GOOD....OF COURSE HE WILL HAVE CAGE AGGRESSION..POOR BABY!!!!GOD lOVE HIM!!!!

that poor baby needs rescued for sure. I am pretty sure that with love and patience and repetition that you could turn this little quaker around, but you would have to be in it for the long haul. This is all this poor little thing knows.....but if he was introduced to a new environment and new parronts and given lots of patience, I think the little thing would love it. I will wait for more experienced people to come on here and give advice.

I also agree with Sandi.

I have a rescued, stressed qp. Doubt I'm the most qualified person to answer you but here goes. I got my baby from a couple that had him and he was fine, then added another one and still fine, but then they added another one plus a blue and gold macaw and that was the end for my baby. He sat in his cage in the corner all the time. He still ate but was quiet and began plucking. Even though his cage was always left open he would stay in the corner. A few months later I brought him home. Almost immediately we realized that he was super attached to me and me only. So I put his cage on the dresser next to my bed which seemed to help him feel better. I also put a plain nuetral colored sheet over his cage so when he doesn't "feel" good he can hide out in there and feel safe. Even when he doesn't feel like coming out I would talk to him...he chirps back. He's doing extremely well...no more plucking. But he is a biter...not cage aggressive but will gladly take a chunk out of your skin :-( I am the only one that can hold him and still there have been 3 times that I literally had to pry his beak off of me....once off my lip and twice off my finger. We've only had him January and it's been weeks since I've received a bite but the behavior is still there. The rescued ones need sooo much love and patience and you have to be willing to go the distance especially if they only attach to you as in my case. Luckily I have hubby and 2 kids to help with the other fids....we have 8...yes I know but I have a soft heart. But always remember to make sure you can handle the work load. He'll need extra attention and time and will you be okay with him maybe not falling in love with you right away? if ever? I'm not trying to scare you off but I also have a rescued tiel who we have had for going on 2 years who will sit by you but not on you....I doubt she will ever snuggle like our others but I love her just the same! It's just things to consider. No doubt he would prolly be better off with you right now but are you willing to put up with his habits if they might not be so nice in the long run? Just because he's a rescue doesn't mean he'll be loud but they do have a tendancy to be loud. My stressed one is not unless you have made him angry in some way or he does an extreme high pitched shriek if he's really scared for some reason. But my non-stressed qp is the loud-mouth lol! He flock calls....but I also think he likes the reaction he receives from doing it....someone usually picks him up or makes a fuss over him. These birds thrive on attention...good or bad. They are much like little kids and I still find it funny when they pull some little kid stuff. That being said I absolutely cannot imagine not having them...I dunno how I survived without them for so long! Each one of them brings me so much joy. Even though they are so much work I also think they give so much more back to me.

Talk to them about 'adoption' - the thread 'Possible Free Quaker' she went in and they gave her the bird without any kind of fee. I'm sure you could get him for very reduced price or free, or possibly (if you buy a cage) for a super discount. He should be fine once someone who knows what they are doing takes some time with him/her- but make sure that you have that time, otherwise he's really no better off.

Shauna i rescued my share of pet shop birds some quakers and cockatiels and they usually warm up to people in time and even become show offs..lol the adjustment time depends on the bird, and i suggest you get a different cage for him/her. all birds make noise but some are quiet, my paulie is quiet unless he wants something-attention. you dont have to be an expert on birds, to ow one, thats why we're here to help newbies i gsuggest you g\et him AND give him a wonderful home. i suggest you get him a nice gage, many toys and stuff to keep him busy. talk to him everyday see if they can clip his wings at the petshop. if not take him to the vet.your gonna be a fine parront.. just keep talking to him, offer him treats- millet- or little piece of apple. that should help with trust. Save that little one!!

The more I think about it, I think Georgie was this way. From what I gather from the previous owner, she was around a year old when he got her.......from Petsmart. He said he had her a year.....which I'm a friend of his and NEVER had heard him talk about her. The reason I got her was he didn't have the time to work with her.

When I first got her, she didn't talk much and was cage aggressive. In general, you could tell she didn't get much attention as far as human contact went.

Monday, she will be with us 4 months. She talks more and has come around tremendously. She's still alittle cage aggressive but we're working on that. And she still likes to bite....which is another thing we're working on.

I think with a little time and attention, this little guy you're talking about will come around.

Quakers pet shop or not can and will be noisey at times.
I am not sure why the petsmart person who assisted you said your quaker will never talk. She obviously doesnt seem that knowlegable to be making statements like that.

Quakers like all living creatures have basic needs decent food and shelter plus add attention in and they will thrive.

Love and bonding will not happen overnight. Especially with a bird that hasnt been handled and left alone to entertain himself. Yet I can say its more than possible to bring a bird around with time and patience.

I have handled enough birds to know this. That there is no such thing really as a bad bird each one has its value and place on this planet.

I am not sure I can tell you either way to get the bird or not. Do your research and think it over and while in the process see if you can make a deal with the petshop. On your visits spend time with the bird and see if he is truely the bird for you. Never buy a bird because you feel sorry for them. Buy one because you absolutly adore him.

good luck
hugs
IMPy

I personally feel that a "first time bird owner" is not the best for this type bird..But that is just my personal opinion. Some people think that birds are pets that you just put in a cage and leave them there, but that is the furtherest thing from the truth. They require lots of time and attention and they are messy, can be noisy and can't be left alone for long periods of time. They will demand attention....If you work or have children, you have to take that into consideration..Just feeling sorry for a lonely bird is not a good reason to buy them. You have to count the cost of this type pet..You have to take them to the vet for well bird check up yearly and it's more costly than dogs and cat's vet visits.
I think you should read, read, and read some more about quakers and caring for birds in particular. There are many questions: do you have the time, money, space and patience for a possible "problem" bird...Just think about children who have been in many foster homes...by the time they are older, they begin to think that no one loves them, or will give them a permanent home, so they rebel and cause more problems..This can happen with birds..they aren't as forgiving as dogs that you get at the humane society...They won't jump on your lap and love petting..
You have to decide if you can give him a forever home, no matter what...even if he bites, makes a mess, screams 24/7 or damages furniture etc...Don't go into it with the idea, "if it doesn't work, I'll find him a home." decide "THIS IS PERMANENT, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE!'
Please let us know what you decide..

Rebecca

Helllo Shauna! I also live in Saskatchewan, Saskatoon to be exact and I think I know what little guy you are talking about. Is the poor little guy at the Preston crossing pet store? I had a situation that was exactly the same with my little quaker Reggie, she was at the pet store(Petland) for a long time(eight months). I first saw Reggie in March and thought she was a baby because she was fluffy looking and really shy, it wasn't until we (me and hubby) started to ask about her that we found out how long she had been there. Apparently over the christmas holidays kids would come in from the mall and poke and terrorize her so much that she started plucking and being kind of mean! Well I felt really bad and wished that I could do something for her, but having a cockatiel and a cat I did not think that my hubby would want yet another pet. A week later my hubby came home with Reggie as a surprise ! We have only had her for a little over a month and she is great! She loves to laugh at us and is getting use to having us wrapped around her little claws!LOL. Truthfully it was a bit of work coaxing her out and she is still a little causious when she is away from it. Keep in mind that the little birdie your looking at has been in it's cage most of it's life and will take a little extra effort on your part, but it is definatly worth it. Go For It!

My very first Quaker Kiwi was from a petland, he was there for a little less then a year and was almost 2 years old when I took him home, I paid $150 for his cage and because of that they gave him to me for free, the employees had told me that he bites really hard and how he always screams...one of them even asked me how I could even think about taking him home...but since I had prior experience with birds he was no trouble at all and took to the whole family within two months or so, he was a bit cage aggressive at first and even though it lessened over time it was still a habit especially during spring time, he was also very quiet and shy for a quaker and didn't know how to play with his toys at first, he wouldnt eat pellets or veggies or fruits, it took time but eventually that little quaker personality started to shine through I got him to eat healthy foods and anyone could handle him even my daughter who was only a few months older then him at the time, he also learned to speak english and spanish and would put together the meaninng of the spanish word with the english word for example he would say "manzana mmmm apple, que rico" but I agree with what some of the others here have said...think about it, do your research and consider all the expenses, time etc.. and other things that come along with having fids and then make your decision

How dedicated are you going to be? How much research are you going to put forth? My first quaker was Lily and she wasn't touched by anyone for the first 6 months of her life - she sat in isolation in a cage w/ out toys etc... was she a challenge??? You better believe she was... but I had the board and I read everything I could get my hands on .. I took her to parrot training class (haha..not a requirement) .. i socialized her by taking her everywhere with me.. and low and behold 3 years later I still have a feisty little brat that I LOVE more then anything in this world and I Know loves me with her heart and soul. It's up to you... just know if you bring this baby home you owe it to him/her to put your all into it... so if he/she bites, screams, etc you need to promise yourself it will get better - and you will not get rid of him/her. They wouldn't deserve it. Good luck with your decision.

Boy I hate Petland, I wish they'd stop selling birds

If you really think that you have the time and dedication to do this, then get this poor baby. Just be very aware that have a parrot IS like having a baby, it's very demanding of your time but well worth the effort

I could say a lot about PETsMART. Honestly, most of their stores shouldn't be selling birds...at least not any breeds bigger than your budgies, finches and canaries, etc. Sometimes you will run across one of their stores that's really great, but it always depends on their management. My Poco came from a PETsMART...some people know my story (ha, if you all even remember me, since I don't post often!) about how I got Poco. I was working there through part of college. He was one of many QP's (back when they sold several different breeds of companion birds.....1999 or so), and he developed gout. The problem with PETsMART is they don't know what to do with animals who get sick. They have sick rooms set up for their stock now, but back then, they did not. So when Poco was diagnosed with gout by their avian vet, my manager just stuck him in a back room, behind the aviaries, where he got no socialization. I felt really sorry for him, so I "made" my mother buy him for me. I had to teach him to perch, grab, everything, since the gout is in his leg.
7 1/2 years later, here we are!
QP's aren't very good first birds, IMO. But, I knew nothing (past my experience with PETsMART) about birds when I first got Poco, so.....if this is something you can see yourself doing for years and years AND YEARS.... do it. I was 19 ( and just diagnosed with mononucleosis, lol....how did I not kill him?!) when I first brought him home......now I'm 27. And he's going to be around for a LONG time. If you have that kind of dedication, then I think you should do it.

But they should really give you a discount. Those birds are supposedly hand-fed when they come in from the breeder, but if he's been there that long, he's getting no socialization...and if they don't sell him, he will only be transferred to another store. That's what they do, you know. If the bird doesn't sell in a certain amount of time, they deduce there is no market for that kind of bird in the area, so they send him to another one of their stores. We had a rose-breasted macaw at the store I worked at recently as a second job (I had the good fortune to work for them twice) that had seen 4 or 5 different PETsMARTs.

Edit* BTW, I paid $60 for Poco as opposed to the standard $200, since he had gout and no one wanted him. I think they were just happy not to have to feed him anymore, and honestly, what else would they do with him? Besides keep transferring a bird who will never be sold?

I had to take my mother to petsmart for dog food the other day... God I hate seeing those birds there. They have a Amazon now that looks just as sick as the Grey they had a while back... chewed up tail feathers... cage full of droppings... and he was perched on one foot shaking. Clearly a sick bird. Price tag... 1000.00. Who in their right mind is going to pay that kind of money for a clearly sick bird. Poor things. I hate looking at them when I'm there cause it breaks my heart... but I can't help myself. It's like a train wreck. Ya gotta look. Petsmart... Petco... I've never seen a properly taken care of bird in either store. They're both about the same.

I did purchase a Quaker form the exact same store (not location) and I too felt terrible about its living conditions. We have had her for two years now and she has just lately become tame. When I fist got her she bit hard (blood drawn). Now she will come out of her cage and act nicely around us. I admit we haven't spent a lot of time with her especially when we paired her up with a male Quaker who was in the same situation. Peanut & Scrappy hold a dear place in our hearts.. I know they will never be like a hand feed raised baby, but they are all the sweet. They do tend to get load and I don't think that will ever go away. They did mate and had the baby Cashew.. All three are speaking well.

I hate the chain stores too, but it really depends on how caring and knowledgable the employees are. I got Poppy from a petco and he was very well on his way to being the spoiled brat he is now. He was well socialized in the store. Then again, a Petco 2 miles away had QP's that drew blood.
Unfortunately, seems they hire whomever they can to work for low wages, and the care of the birds is not their main concern... the almighty dollar is.
In general, I would say most pet store (chain) birds are not well socialized at all.

I got my first Quaker from a pet shop.He has all the others in there were just sitting there in their cages.For some reason out all the other 4 Quakers I picked my little guy.He gave me that sweet look and turned his head side ways.He was quiet in the store.I got him home and not even a day or 2 later he started screaming away and playing.He was handfed and he steps up when asked to even when not asked to,lol.Now he is so happy with us that I went and bought him a bigger cage and it has breeder side doors on it and today he has been opening the door hisself and sneeking out,lol.I let him play out alot on top of his cage and now he knows these doors he can open he sneeks out and peeks at me and runs making a laughing sound,lol.I got him now trying to say "peek a boo" and "kiss kiss" he is about got it down packed.I spend alot of time with him as they do need alot of attention.He sits with me I even cook him scrambled eggs and he loves noodles.He kisses me on the mouth when I say kiss kiss.He is full of love.I went and got him a female Quaker friend.He is a little not happy with that right now.He is very jealous.He is 6 mths old now and she is only about 2 mths old.She is so sweet also.He tries to bite her sometimes but then they play.He is now letting her clean his feathers.He is getting adjusted with her.Most birds handfed and spoiled sometimes will never breed.I am hoping when they get of age they will still breed but if not that is ok.I also have Cockatiels and Parakeets.I spoil them all.When I cook they eat what I eat.Every bird I have takes showers.They love it.So dont worry your Quaker will start screaming away so loud and thats when he is wanting you to hold him.He will start playing and you will know when he wants something.They just like a child.lol