I'm a terrible, terrible person, first to say.

Well, one day my parents came home with a bunch of parakeets. Why? I haven't the slightest idea. I think they were on sale. It was fall, and they were molting. A lot. And it turns out my sister was allergic to them, so despite my protesting my mom dumped them outside. I tried visiting them, but all three were deathly afraid of humans and my impatience combined with the lack of constantly seeing them everyday and also the fact that junior year of high school is extremely hectic eventually caused me to go and forget that they were around.

What's worse was that even though my parents were the ones who bought them and even though I never wanted a bird in the first place (the thought of encasing an animal appalls me), I was the only one who even thought of their mental and physical health.

So, fast forward to summertime. There's only one bird now (the other two...flew away...) and the day after summer started my irresponsibly father suddenly came home with a quaker that he bought on a whim. I was quite angry, since I knew that parrots were extremely high-maintenance and I couldn't count on my dad taking proper care of the bird, and I and my guilt-ridden conscience refused to allow what happened to the parakeet to come to this new parrot. Needless to say, I now have a certain feathered fiend chewing my sleeves off my shoulder as I type. I suppose you could call it one of those love-hate relationships. It makes me sigh.

Although he/she has a crap name; my dad named it and after building Lucky a perch he went back to his other home. Sigh.

And now I'm talking about my parakeet as if he doesn't exist anymore. But, he does. And it kills me because I'm not a bird-lover and never got these birds willingly, but the rest of my family doesn't even bat a second glance at them, except my mom who just changes their food and water.

After getting Lucky, though, I realize that I don't have to give up hope on my parakeet. All of my efforts to get him to look at my hand failed, but now with my free time in summer maybe I can devote myself to getting him on track. I want to fix my wrongs and help this bird by doing what I didn't do all the previous ones. Yeah. Sadly, this isn't the first time a bird was brought home on a whim.

I'm sorry for the long post, but please help me with my resolve. I have to find out how to make it easier on both of us to get him to trust me and other humans more. Maybe when he becomes more friendly I'd be able to finally get my mother to let him back inside the house.

So far, I've tried sitting by his cage, rambling ceaselessly, and opening the door but not sticking my hand inside. I've read about pellet-based diets and plan on going to the store as soon as I convince my mother that a fifteen-minute trip isn't that long and dollar-store pet food and toys are hazardous and wasteful.

My congratulations go to those who actually read the long post, and my thanks go to those who actually choose to reply.

Well I'm confused ... did you dump them OUTSIDE the house as in let them go? Or are they out in an unheated garage or shed or something but still caged?

In either case ... PLEASE, get those poor little birds to someone who will properly care for them!!! Obviously your family aren't able or willing to do so ... shame on them.

IF you are going to be the one to care for them, kudos to you. At least you came to the right place.

To get the Q used to people, ;you can sit by the cage and talk to him. Read a book, read your homework, it doesn't matter what it is, let him get used to the sound of your voice. Don't force him to come out, he'll bite you and will learn to distruct hands. Let him come out of the cage on his own. If you have not gotten his wings clipped, you may have a problem as he will be able to fly, but it can still be done...will just take longer. Make sure he is in a 'safe' room, no open water, and you can block the doors/windows so he is contained. The smaller the room, the better/easier for you.

You may want to read other threads to find out how to properly care for you Q but you can start here >>> Taming a Q

You are correct, dollar store bird seed is NOT good for them. Try to get a good quality pellet and convert your birds to it as soon as poosible. They will also do well with fresh fruits and veggies. Check out the pinned threads here dealing with pellet conversion and safe and un-safe foods >>> Food


Please learn how to care for your new pet ... you will have a WONDERFUL pet for many years that will love you and amuse you so much. If you find you cannot do so ... please get him and the keet into more experienced hands to save their lives.

Ask any questions you have as you go along ... we'll help you any way we can ...

I am confused also, I take it the quaker Lucky has gone back to another home??? and you want to try to tame the only surviving parakeet that has been outside neglected for a few months, I am assuming in a aviery?cage?? If so it's going to take some time to trust you again but it can be done, just alot of hard work on your part and some TLC plus good food including fresh veges, but just remember parakeets can live 15 plus years as well so it's a full time commitment to him/her, but good on you for trying, the little bird certainly deserves it. We all make mistakes and no-one is perfect, it's learning from them what counts, and if you realize you and your family are NOT bird people, find them a home that is.

Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't know I was confusing people.

My quaker is quite tame enough, so much that he cries when I leave to go to the bathroom. He's very healthy and since he's only about two and a half months old I'm talking to him as much as possible to teach him. It's because of him that I resolved to help my parakeet, who is the one distrustful of humans.

For that one, my mom took the cage and put it outside in the backyard enclosed patio, which is shaded but has one of those mosquito-net walls. I don't think the place needs to be heated, considering I live in a very hot, humid area.

I'm not a bird lover and I didn't want to have a quaker with me but he's just so unexpectedly attached to me that I can't help but feel some affection in return.

OK... It seems as though the bird care and training has basicly fallen into your lap. You either need to take the responsibility totally serious or tell your mom and dad that Parrots and Parakeets are not dumb animals, for the most part they have the mentality of a 2-3 year old human. With the proper care and attention Parakeets can live upward of 15 years. Quakers can live up to 35 years...

Birds are not a throw away product that when you get tired of them you just put them outside or let them loose etc. And If you have problems saying that to your parents just steer them here and we'll tell them

So you want to tame your parakeet. Its going to take some time and patience and taking getting bitten a lot to get him settled enough to trust you. I would recommend taking him into your room where he has just you to contend with and can focus on that. And you have more control over him than you would out on the patio.

Start with just talking with him in a soft voice and offering him healthy treats from your hand through the cage. Pieces of apple or carrot or lettuce etc. Then as he gets used to your hand and what not, start opening the cage and offering him the treat from your hand inside the cage. When he starts acting less frightened of your hand being in his cage start trying to pet him. When he starts allowing you to pet him then you can start asking him to step up on your finger or onto a dowel.

I'm assuming he is fully flighted so he's going to fly away from you a lot, so its good to get him used to stepping up on a dowel so you can reach him when he's up on top the curtain or door jam.

You might want to consider having his wings trimmed to limit his flying ability until you get him tamed down and used to being held. However, There isn't anything really wrong with having a less than tame parakeet as long as he gets good daily attention and all his needs are met properly.

The thing I don't understand however with your parents is, if your sister is allergic to parakeets why would your dad bring home another bird of any type. I don't quite understand that concept...but then I guess it isn't important that I understand.

One other thing I wanted to mention about your quaker. By allowing him to be with you every waking moment, you're doing him almost as big of disservice as the parakeet received with no attention. Birds are flock animals meaning they live to be with a group of animals (birds) and sometimes humans, for all intents and purposes you are now its flock. But you can't be with him 24/7/365 and he needs to learn at a young age that he will survive without you being within sight. He needs to learn to play by himself and keep himself occupied with toys and eating etc. So its important now that you start working on this concept or you will have a screamer and possibly a plucker when you go back to school in the fall.

I would strongly recommend that you get the book "A guide to Quaker parrots" by Mattie Sue Athon. It has lots and lots of useful information and even information that you can put to use with your Parakeet, And I'd also strongly recommend you talk your mom and dad into reading it as well.

Good luck with the training of both your birds.

If you have questions please don't hesitate to ask for help. Everyone here is more than happy to help when they can. After all we all have a common interest and that's the health and happiness of our feathered friends.

I too was confused when I read your post. I think I see clearly now that you do not like or want birds and just had them dumped on you.
As Connie said, a bird is like a 2 or 3 year old child, so can you imagine how scared a child would be being passed from here there and yonder, left alone, VERY afraid where no one cared? A bird (or any animal) is the same. Most of the time a scared bird bites. That bird has been afraid so long that it's just going to take some soothing peace and quiet, some very soft talking and building trust to ever calm it down.
If I felt that I couldn't handle that for the bird's sake, I'd find it a home with someone who LOVES birds. Poor babies.
I can't keep from wondering why they got the birds in the first place and hoping you would find them loving homes rather than put either one outside. Speak very softly to these birds to give them a sense of comfort and put them at ease. It surely will take a while

Argh.

Thank you, Andie's mom and equine. I don't have any good toys for either of them just yet, so I do plan on going to the store relatively soon. I'm also trying to get the rest of my family members to spend time with my quaker so he won't be as attached to me.

My sister has a huge load of allergic problems, ranging from dander to grass to even her favorite fruit, so my mom has a tendency to ignore her unless she complains about something obvious (ex. dozens of feathers floating in the air). My dad doesn't even live with us so he wouldn't know. I guess he wanted to keep the quaker but my mom (or I for that matter) wouldn't let him.

I've been trying to offer the bird to my friends but they aren't interested at all and think it's a joke. Even if they did take up the offer they wouldn't appreciate having a bird that doesn't even like humans. I don't know any bird lovers, unless someone here lives in my area?

I'm going to try the things everyone offered, thank you. Although I can't bring him into my room since I share it with my sister.

If you're wanting to find the bird(s) a new home could you let us know where you are located? We've got members spread out lots of places. I'm sure there would be people willing to help you find a home if that's what you want to do.

My thoughts EXACTLY! Our members are spread all over the country -- aw heck, all over the WORLD -- and we know soooooo many ppl ... we have been able to rehome many of our fids when circumstances call for it.

I'm glad you will be attempting to do what is best for him while you have him, but if you truly feel unable, unwilling to take care of him for the next 30 years or so, please consider posting in the re-home section of the forum. Many of our members have had successful re-homes ...

Good luck with whatever you decide. You may find yourself falling in love with the little green chicken before you know it

I just wanted to commend you for your efforts. I find that you are very mature, and caring. You are the type of person that will take on the problems that you find around you even though you had nothing to do with them coming about. We NEED more people like you! I think that you might be surprised that when the time comes, that you do find a home for your quaker that you will be very attached, as they are not like so many other birds. I have spoken with several people that said that they had parrots, but so many didn't have them any more. I always want to ask where their parrots are now, as they are so long lived. I wish you all the luck in your endeavors, and look forward to hearing about how things are going for you.

Where do you live.? Sorry if i overlooked it in your post. As others have said if we knew where you lived then maybe someone could help you out if you want to rehome them. Best of luck.

Thank you all. It's wonderful that you guys really want to help.

Umm, but I like my quaker. It's just the parakeet. Even if I didn't like my quaker, though, my parents would never let me give him away or sell him.

I live in the Houston area, so I guess quite a few people would be living here. But those who would be interested in getting the parakeet would have to, unfortunately, have to pay. It's not me; it's my mom. She says that we went through a lot of trouble for having the bird around and so we can't just give him away.

If that's the case, you'll probably be keeping him...sorry to say it but its true.

You know, Even if you just sit out on the patio with him while you're playing with the Quaker, that's at least giving him some attention. There's nothing that says he has to be handled to give him attention. But make sure he's on a good diet and has clean and fresh water everyday and his cage is cleaned regularly.

However, you have been given several idea's on how to get him tamed down, so you can start there and continue.

Good luck with him.

I commend you a lot for trying to find out what you can do to help the birds. If it were me and I didn't have the time and love for the birds as they rightly deserve-I would find good homes for them- someone who is home all day and knows about Parrots etc. They deserve to be given the attention and mostly love they deserve.Someone on here would give them a great home I bet. It's too bad your mom dosen't think that way. I would give them away free if I knew they were going to a great forever home-but that's just me. You are trying and that is great. Please love your birdies they depend on you for affection and the best care possible-Patience and lot's of love is needed. Why don't you buy some books on Quakers and training books. You can order them from Chapter's quite cheap.(less than half of the pet store prices). Welcome to this Forume-were here to help

I also would like to commend you for the kindness you've demonstrated toward these little creatures even as you didn't choose to have them in your life.

It sounds like the quaker is beginning to do one of the things that quakers do best; working his way into your heart.

You might remind your mom that anyone can get a tame, handfed baby budgie for around twenty dollars so they would be unlikely pay for an adult one that is not tame.

I'm sure with all the excellent advice you have received and your kindness, you'll do a great job with both of them.

I have three budgies that aren't really hand tame ... they tolerate me being close to them, but they don't/won't step up and will fly away from hands ... I've been working with my OTHER fids around the budgies, however, and Emma will now let me a lot closer to him than before ... he wants some of the loving the others are getting Occasionally he will even fly to ME and land on my shoulder or lately on top of my head (silly fid!) I am happy just having them around and knowing they are safe and fed and taken care of ... at least they are not out in the wild which is surely a death sentence.

Another thing to keep in mind. You mentioned you just finished your Jr Year at highschool... do you plan to go to college? What happens to your Quaker when you go?

I know your parents do not want you to get rid of the birds but if nobody will care for the Quaker while you are at college it could develop some serious problems. Same things goes for when you move out, start dating seriously, get married, have a baby, go vacationing etc etc etc. I think you see what I am getting at. Think of your life for the next 30+ years - are you willing to keep your Quaker with you for that entire time? Even if it means paying more for rent/food/toys etc? If the answer is yes than I commend you and we are all here to help you pick out toys and give you advice on owning a Quaker If it's no, then we are all here to help you find a great home for your bird... even if it means having a serious discussion with your parents about how they are not equipped to handle a bird right now. Keep in mind also you are going to hit a hormonal stage with your bird. It is only a baby right now but will you still be willing to play with it every day if it bites you? Will your mom still care for it if it bites her? I'm not trying to discourage you from owning a Quaker, they are wonderful birds, but we all want you to be prepared for what is coming up.

As for the parakeet... the budgies I owned never really LOVED people all that much... but they were still lovely birds. Just do what Connie suggested and spend lots of time on the patio with your Quaker. Birds learn well from other birds, so if your QP is not afraid, your budgie may pick that up.

I agree with Jamie. It is very easy to love a quaker but you have to think about his life long term. Are you able to pay for vet bills? If you go off to college is your family going to give it the same love and attention? Like Jamie said, he will develope serious problems. Just food for thought. Its better to find him a home now if you know you will have to in the future. Sorry you have to decide all of this on your own. It seems your parents aren't thinking about the birds

hey i make bird toys you need to get that baby some toys the quaker and i make swings for parakeets too.... i will send you some toys for those birds.... free of charge but they need toys now ........

I'm hoping to find a college in the same city so that I won't have to leave the house but if I do I really do intend on still taking care of my quaker. But I'm only saying this when I'm not swamped with work, so I know I can't guarantee that. But I know that I have to think about Lucky's health so I'm going to stick to my plan and keep him around for as long as possible.

Is there anything I can do to slowly get my quaker used to not having me around?

Yes, teach him to play by himself with toys, and foraging for food in toys designed specifically for that. You can start now by not spending every free moment with him as well. Rule of thumb is to only spend as much time with them when you first bring them home as you think you'll be able to for the next 30 years. But life has a way of throwing us curve balls so the better he is at playing with toys and foraging the happier he will be. DO NOT, I repeat Do Not. get him a playmate in hopes that it will keep him company...it doesn't work that way.

Start out with simple toys, little cat balls and paper tied with string or beads on a piece of leather that aren't so big that they are scary to him. Show him what he's supposed to do with them. you can actually teach him to play catch with you if you're patient enough. give him strips of paper weave some of them through the bars of his cage and show him how he can tear them and make neat noise Several of my birds have adding machine tape rolls in their cages and they absolutely love it. There are lengths of bamboo fiber that are woven together called shredders, that come in a roll I think for somwhere under 10$ a roll and you can also weave it through the bars, cut it in pieces and string it inbetween beads etc. But by showing him how to play with things will encourage him to try new things. Also you can get little skewers some are actually made out of stainless steel specifically made for birds to put cut up fruit on and be hung from their cage so they can actually forage off that. You can also cut pieces of colored paper and wrap things like nutriberries or shelled almonds etc in the and place them through out the cage, Use your imagination. But what ever it is, show him what he's supposed to do with it and when he does, get really excited about it and you'll find that he soon learns to occupy himself. You can even get little dixie cups and put something in them so it rattles and squish the top down so the object doesn't come out. But show him what you're putting in it etc...It'll make him more curious about getting it out.

hey gizzmo i make bird toys wih plastic chain leather and plastic beads... i will send them to you free of charge you said that he dont have toys and that you have no money to buy them i will send you 4 toys for that bird free of charge you cant go wrong there but he needs toys

I'm glad you are trying to keep him and good job to you for finding out how to give him the best life

Bird man....how nice of you to do that!!! You should really take him up on that offer. If you are worried about giving out your address you can always have him send them to the post office and pick them up there. A lady on another bird forum sent me a homemade happy hut for my sun conrue because Spree kept chewing up the store bought ones. It was fantastic and VERY VERY appreciated!!! Bird people are so nice (Dont be ashamed to be one of us now )

sure is! Establish a routine of time you spend with the bird.. for instance.. i'm hope lots now but know that isnt going to last forever so when we got our baby we said he would have an hour or so out in the morning and a few at night.. this is realistically what we can do..

the time i spend with my quaker has to be productive so i give him toys to play with and play WITH him.. sounds funny right? but it is teaching him to play with his toys so that when he is in his cage he is a well adjusted qp that has toys (and knows how to use em) and is able to entertain himself.

Just try to forcast what your life and time with the bird is going to be one year from now, five years from now, ten years from now and so on.... honestly.. if it doesn't seem as though time will be readily available i would still consider rehoming the bird.

If not.. congratulations and you'll get SOOO much help on here for any prob's you may have!

Hey guys,sorry that I haven't been here recently. I'm going to try spending less time with him because the second I came home today he started screaming his head off. My parakeet is getting a little more used to me everyday and I'm very happy about that. Thank you all for the help!

It's also really hard converting them to pellets... he acts like he's starving all the time.

Bird-man, thank you! I'm going to send you a pm.