Hello
If you have read my introduction - you know that I am completely new to parrot parenthood.
My young green quaker parrot is slowly adjusting to me as his new Mommy and I to him. I am concerned about keeping him entertained during the day when I am not talking to him or trying to encourage him to befriend me. I have yet to purchase him any bird toys (but have put paper toilet rolls as possible toys in his cage - he just poops on them). At this time, my main concern is that he spends most of the day chewing the inside corners of his cage - as if he is trying to escape from the cage - is this normal behavior? I am aware that parrots sharpen their beaks by rubbing and chewing but it just seems like this is his main preoccupation...any insight would be great LOL
Thanks in advance,
Heather (hlm584)

Even when Clyde's cage door is wide open and he can come and go at will, he sometimes hangs on the side and chews on the bars. He has a favorite spot. He did that in his old cage, too. I think it's a self-comforting thing, like a kid who sucks his thumb. Get your baby some toys and it will cut down on that, but he might never completely stop.

If he has no toys it could be boredom. You can make easy ones with plain paper bags, news paper coffee filters. Hide treats in them and tie them with plain cotton string around the cage. Give him something to chew on besides his cage

Thanks for the great simple toy making advice - I will definitely try it!

My Marley is a year old, my second quaker so I have a little experience. Both mine would chew their cages from time to time I always thought it is just keeping occupied and fulfilling the need to chew. They seem to particularly like plastic coated cage bars. From time to time I put toilet paper rolls or rounds of cardboard in Marley's cage, but I string them in a row like a toy, and hang them up so there is some interest to them. I have found very affordable toys at my local pet store and also online- marley loves anything with a bell and will ring the bell with great amusement, holding it in her claw. I respond by saying "ding ding ding ding" and she likes that. I just make sure that the paint is safe- these birds need to keep occupied and play. Sometimes even a rolled up ball of paper keeps her occupied and content. I switch toys around, change them or change where they are in the cage every couple of cleanings. Your bird should have a cuttlebone to gnaw on. Quakers have HUGE personalities and a lot of intelligence and require a great deal of interaction- mine spends most of the evening on my shoulder, I talk to her, with her, respond to her talking, sing or whistle to her. I have regular "rituals" with her, I tell her goodnight and good morning using the same words every time. She likes to share suppertime with me as a social event and gets something to nibble that is good and good for her while I eat. She can get quite cranky if I'm holding her at that time and don't have my supper- she looks forward to this, and will nip my ear- if she misbehaves like this she is immediately told she is being bad and she has to "go to bed". I don't experience much shrieking, she only does that now when she hears me coming up the hall from work- I don't play into shrieking, won't rush to pick her up if she starts, but I DO talk to her, let her know she is being responded to. I hope I am giving you good advice- Marley seems to be very well socialized and happy, tho definitely a one person bird, and if you don't know already, be aware they are VERY cage-protective, you should warn people that they don't like to be messed with in or on their cages, Marley only wants to be spoken to and welcomes that attention. I had to delay changing her food on occasion so she wouldn't nip at me reaching into her cage. I would tell her "No biting" and come back in 15 minutes. She learned quickly. Same with opening her cage, she would reach for my fingers, I would verbally correct her and come back later. She learned very quickly. You are not going to believe how clever your bird is- I was trying to teach Marley a certain phrase, which she just wasn't interested in- instead, she suddenly started saying, very clearly, "Gotta Pee!" every time I walked towards or into the bathroom- silly me, if I had her on my shoulder and had to go to the bathroom, sometimes I would very cheerily say "Gotta Pee"- how embarrassing, she picked that up beautifully. They like phrases that rhyme or have some rhythm to them, also.
Good Luck and enjoy this great companion!

Thanks for all your great advice...
One question, what is a cuttlebone?
I loved the "gotta pee" story ha ha
A little trial and error has shed some light on Pepe's cage chewing. The only time that he was chewing on his cage was when he was in his cage outside in the yard and could not see me directly. The last few days I have been keeping him within sight, indoors and the chewing has stopped! So I'm guessing that was his way of letting me know that he wanted me close by?? He seems content to just have me in his line of sight throughout the day...problem solved!
Have a good night with Marley!

I used to tie all different kinds of yarns/ and cotton fabric ties to my Quaker's cage, and then he would spend days just weaving the fibers in and out between the bars. also , small sticks from outside to encourage his building skills. His cage was an expression of his creativity, which was quite impressive. And when I wasn't home, I always put on the animal planet channel. He really liked all the shows, not just the bird shows.......

my youngest quaker, Cricket, does that too. he'll cling to the side of his cage and spend the entire day biting at the corner of the cage biting at the bars. i took it as a nervous tick... or obsessive compulsive thing so i knew i wanted the behavior to stop.

Cricket is a scaredy-bird so he hates anything new in his cage so i'll put a toy in that corner to keep him away or recently i've been putting the head of a beanie baby in the corners of the cage to keep him away.

as he comes out of his cage when i get home from work, he'll attack the beanie baby head as he passes but when he's on the outside of his cage he uses their butts for perches lol