Hi! I'm a new quaker mommy, I just got my 3 month old baby Pooka on Monday. He was very shy the first two days, but now he's starting to show a bit of personality. I heard him squawk for the first time today, and he's being more adventurous with his diet (he ate some apple and banana!). We've been eating together -I eat my Arby's or whatever, and at the same time offer him some of his pellets or share some fruit/veggies with him. He'll take a pellet and eat it, but then when I offer him another he starts shaking his head very vigorously. Is this normal? Am I trying to feed him too much? Oh, and do babies need more sleep than adults? The vet said 10-12 hours, but he's still sleepy. Thanks! That was more than I meant to ask, but I'm so worried about every little thing...

Willie used to do that when I offered him something he didn't want. Now, he just acts really silly and pretends to take a bite. When it's in his "plate", he simply throws the plate, food and all into the floor.

Now, you're little one is probably thinking "What's this, pellets?? I have pellets all the time!! When we have our meal together, I expect something special!!".

Willie also gets up in the morning after twelve hours of bedtime, we get the morning stuff done, he has a bite of breakfast and promptly goes back in for a nap. He's two years old and he's always done it that way.

Parront paranoia is very common but I'm sure your baby is fine.

Haha, ok, thanks. Willie sounds like a cutie! Is throwing his plate a protest? Or just him being comical? Birds are such funny creatures!

Anyway, I just wasn't sure if this was different from the "quaking" that I've read about. Good to know it's just normal behavior! And from now on, I'll offer him tastier things than just pellets. It's just that that's all he'll take from me, and eat. I've offered him all sorts of fruits/veggies, but so far all he's nibbled on is a little piece of apple (which he dropped, and then shook his head at me when I offered it again). He also took a huge bite out of a banana, but that was just a funny accident. I took a bite of it, and he looked interested, so I just held up the end to him to see what he'd do. He attacked! CHOMP! And accidentally got a whole mouthful. It was cute, but now he doesn't like the sight of bananas. *Note to self* don't do that again.

Anyway, thanks again. I feel like one of those crazy moms who freak out everytime their 5 year old gets a bruise.

I agree with QPdad...however the quaking (shaking) could also be his way of showing you that he is interested in what your doing and may want you to give him some of yours. Which is OK if its in small amounts and hasn't touched your lips or teeth etc. Tear off a small piece of what ever and offer it to him, as long as its safe (not avocado, chocolate, appleseed or alcohol etc) its fine as a TREAT. Most birds will catch "catnaps" sometime through out the day, its what they do. Provided they aren't showing other symptoms such as being all fluffed up etc while they're sleeping its fine that they are sleeping.

Uh oh, so now he can't eat anything that has touched my mouth. Thanks, another thing I didn't know. But now I need to know, why is fluffed up sleep bad? Does it mean he's stressed? Ah! Now I'm stressed!

birds are notorious for hiding illnesses - self preservation. by the time you realize your bird is ill, he has probably been ill for a while. some signs of an ill bird are: lethargic, sleepier than normal, less vocal, different poops (outward appearances, amounts, consistencies), changes in appetite/thirst, appearing puffy (this helps them conserve heat), sleeping on 2 feet, hanging out at the bottom of the cage. keep in mind, a comfortable bird will sometimes puff up in the presence of someone they like or when settling in for a nap/for the night.

that being said, ANY radical change in your bird's behavior warrants a call to the vet. if your bird is normally a mean little booger and is suddenly a cuddlebug or the other way around. if your bird is normally a squawk box and now is suddenly mute.

hopefully i got most of it, but i'm sure someone will be along soon to clarify.

kris

Don't let just regular puffing up worry you. Mine puffs up when he's happy, and sometimes when he's mad, and sometimes when he's preening ... I would only worry if they don't smooth down after a while or if he has cloudy eyes or other strange behavior.

Clyde doesn't like anything new -- new food, new toy, new sound -- and will make threatening faces at new things and attack them. We've had the same experience with food that you did -- I held it out to him and he attacked it and got a taste and sometimes he wants more after that and sometimes he never wants to see it again. You just have to keep offering stuff until you both figure out what he likes. Sometimes Clyde will attack something he really likes, like cheese or pineapple. I don't know if he's just playing or what. And if yours doesn't like banana, try offering the whole banana instead of a little piece. Clyde wouldn't touch banana until I peeled one and held it out without cutting off pieces for him. He ate quite a bit before he got tired of it that time. And, much like dogs, they want what YOU have. Try eating stuff you want him to eat while he's sitting on your shoulder. Clyde will lean forward and make his sound that means "GIMME!" until I let him have some, and I've gotten him to try all sorts of stuff that way.