Hi, my name is Julie and we just got two new quaker parrots about two weeks ago. They are both babies, one is a couple of weeks older than the other one. They are truly our babies..... We love them TONS!!!! They are however, starting to get bossy and adventurous with chewing on our fingers. I really don't think that they are trying to hurt us, they just think that our fingers are something to chew on. I know that if we do not stop it now, it could be a problem down the road..... Help........ I am really excited about this website, because I do not know everything about these little birds and sure am learning from reading around in here............
Thanks, Julie
Full Version: Hello From Washington.....
Hi Julie! I'm from Bellingham, WA. I just wanted to say welcome to the forum!
A lot of times, gently pulling your fingers away and saying "Be gentle!" will work. Eventually they will actually understand what "Be gentle" means and when they get mouthy all you have to do is say "Be gentle!" and they'll stop.
My 1 year old Quaker, Chewy, has started squawking a bit but he also talks a lot and so when he gets going I just have to interrupt him and ask "Are you a good boy?" and he'll say "Yeah!" and start talking to me instead of squawking.
Anyway, welcome to the forum!!
Dani
A lot of times, gently pulling your fingers away and saying "Be gentle!" will work. Eventually they will actually understand what "Be gentle" means and when they get mouthy all you have to do is say "Be gentle!" and they'll stop.
My 1 year old Quaker, Chewy, has started squawking a bit but he also talks a lot and so when he gets going I just have to interrupt him and ask "Are you a good boy?" and he'll say "Yeah!" and start talking to me instead of squawking.
Anyway, welcome to the forum!!
Dani
Hi Julie, More Washingtonians Hurray!!!
Since you are new to Quakers I would suggest you purchase the book "A Guide to Quaker Parrots" by Mattie Sue Athon Great book with lots of great information.
As far as curbing the chewing before it turns to a bad habit. First its not abnormal for a baby to start chewing on things, that's how they learn about different textures and hardness. I would suggest starting to correct them now. You can do it several different ways. You can offer them something else to chew on and kind of side track them. Or you can do what we call an earth quake manuever. Where if they are sitting on your hand and start to chew on your fingers you give them a "No Biting" command and then do a quick short jerk of your hand, just enough to cause them to slightly lose their balance so they concentrate on staying on, they will let go. You have to be consistant about anything like that. If you allow it one time and not the next then its really confusing to them. If they continue to chew/bite on you even after the earthquake manuever, try it again a little harder, if that doesn't work, I would remove them from your hand and put them back on their cages and walk away. Next time it happens tell them no biting or you go back to your cage if the earth quake doesn't work. Again, consistency is the key to teaching them what's exceptable as to what isn't.
Good Luck.
And welcome to the forum.
Since you are new to Quakers I would suggest you purchase the book "A Guide to Quaker Parrots" by Mattie Sue Athon Great book with lots of great information.
As far as curbing the chewing before it turns to a bad habit. First its not abnormal for a baby to start chewing on things, that's how they learn about different textures and hardness. I would suggest starting to correct them now. You can do it several different ways. You can offer them something else to chew on and kind of side track them. Or you can do what we call an earth quake manuever. Where if they are sitting on your hand and start to chew on your fingers you give them a "No Biting" command and then do a quick short jerk of your hand, just enough to cause them to slightly lose their balance so they concentrate on staying on, they will let go. You have to be consistant about anything like that. If you allow it one time and not the next then its really confusing to them. If they continue to chew/bite on you even after the earthquake manuever, try it again a little harder, if that doesn't work, I would remove them from your hand and put them back on their cages and walk away. Next time it happens tell them no biting or you go back to your cage if the earth quake doesn't work. Again, consistency is the key to teaching them what's exceptable as to what isn't.
Good Luck.
And welcome to the forum.
Thank you MSDani and Andie's Mom I understand what you are saying and really appreciate the feed back! I just love these little guys and my hearts desire is for them to stay sweet FOREVER!!!! Thanks again!
Julie
I understand what you are saying and really appreciate the feed back! I just love these little guys and my hearts desire is for them to stay sweet FOREVER!!!! Thanks again!Julie
QUOTE (juliehitchcock @ Aug 25 2009, 06:22 PM) 
Thank you MSDani and Andie's Mom I did this and it REALLY WORKS!!!!
Thanks!
Julie
I did this and it REALLY WORKS!!!! Thanks!
Julie
QUOTE (Andie's Mom @ Aug 25 2009, 06:09 PM)
Hi Julie, More Washingtonians Hurray!!!
Since you are new to Quakers I would suggest you purchase the book "A Guide to Quaker Parrots" by Mattie Sue Athon Great book with lots of great information.
As far as curbing the chewing before it turns to a bad habit. First its not abnormal for a baby to start chewing on things, that's how they learn about different textures and hardness. I would suggest starting to correct them now. You can do it several different ways. You can offer them something else to chew on and kind of side track them. Or you can do what we call an earth quake manuever. Where if they are sitting on your hand and start to chew on your fingers you give them a "No Biting" command and then do a quick short jerk of your hand, just enough to cause them to slightly lose their balance so they concentrate on staying on, they will let go. You have to be consistant about anything like that. If you allow it one time and not the next then its really confusing to them. If they continue to chew/bite on you even after the earthquake manuever, try it again a little harder, if that doesn't work, I would remove them from your hand and put them back on their cages and walk away. Next time it happens tell them no biting or you go back to your cage if the earth quake doesn't work. Again, consistency is the key to teaching them what's exceptable as to what isn't.
Good Luck.
And welcome to the forum.
Since you are new to Quakers I would suggest you purchase the book "A Guide to Quaker Parrots" by Mattie Sue Athon Great book with lots of great information.
As far as curbing the chewing before it turns to a bad habit. First its not abnormal for a baby to start chewing on things, that's how they learn about different textures and hardness. I would suggest starting to correct them now. You can do it several different ways. You can offer them something else to chew on and kind of side track them. Or you can do what we call an earth quake manuever. Where if they are sitting on your hand and start to chew on your fingers you give them a "No Biting" command and then do a quick short jerk of your hand, just enough to cause them to slightly lose their balance so they concentrate on staying on, they will let go. You have to be consistant about anything like that. If you allow it one time and not the next then its really confusing to them. If they continue to chew/bite on you even after the earthquake manuever, try it again a little harder, if that doesn't work, I would remove them from your hand and put them back on their cages and walk away. Next time it happens tell them no biting or you go back to your cage if the earth quake doesn't work. Again, consistency is the key to teaching them what's exceptable as to what isn't.
Good Luck.
And welcome to the forum.
That book is a good one. I don't have a Quaker yet, but I've purchased it already and I'm reading it. Another way you can get tons of information is going down on history lane on this site. Read everything you can from past posts. It was very helpful to me when I first started and I'm barely one month old here.
Just wanted to say Hi !! and welcome to a great group...don`t be shy check out all the forums and join in share some photo`s ..we also have a non feathered forum so if you have any fur/scales babies you can chat and share stories and piccys of them too..
Once again...
From me and my boys Sunny the sun conure and buddy the blue Quaker..
Once again...
From me and my boys Sunny the sun conure and buddy the blue Quaker..
Welcome to the forum, Julie!
Welcome to the Forum!
Cool! Cool! I just ordered the book and so glad that I did!!!!
These little guys are getting rambunctious! They are just at this
stage where they think that they know EVERYTHING!!! Reminds me of
my 15 year old son! LOL!!!! Seams like it started as SOON as they
got sure footed. Meaning, as soon as they learned how to walk and
climb on everything that is theirs. Kind of like they really
know their environment now so they think that they are all that!!!!
They used to LOVE their cage! Now they beg to get out of it. I
think that I have spoiled them, because I just love them SO MUCH
that I just want to be with them all of the time! After reading
on here and learning that you should only spend a realistic amount
of time with the,,,,, opps... lol..... Well, I am working on being
the boss, if you know what I mean...... eeeekkkkk!!!!!!!
Thanks!
Julie and the soaking wet quaker parrots.....
They LOVE the SHOWER!!! They think that it is the "amazon rain forest"
Well, I told them it was anyway..... LOL!
These little guys are getting rambunctious! They are just at this
stage where they think that they know EVERYTHING!!! Reminds me of
my 15 year old son! LOL!!!! Seams like it started as SOON as they
got sure footed. Meaning, as soon as they learned how to walk and
climb on everything that is theirs. Kind of like they really
know their environment now so they think that they are all that!!!!
They used to LOVE their cage! Now they beg to get out of it. I
think that I have spoiled them, because I just love them SO MUCH
that I just want to be with them all of the time! After reading
on here and learning that you should only spend a realistic amount
of time with the,,,,, opps... lol..... Well, I am working on being
the boss, if you know what I mean...... eeeekkkkk!!!!!!!
Thanks!
Julie and the soaking wet quaker parrots.....
They LOVE the SHOWER!!! They think that it is the "amazon rain forest"
Well, I told them it was anyway..... LOL!
Ooh, wet birdy pictures! 
With Clyde, when he gets nibbly, I touch his beak with the tip of my finger and say "no chews! It's not nice to chew on Mommy." He'll squawk and sometimes nibbles anyway, but it works sometimes.
Just a suggestion. It probably doesn't help that he thinks it's funny to make me squeak and a good stout nibble of my shoulder never fails to make me squeak.
With Clyde, when he gets nibbly, I touch his beak with the tip of my finger and say "no chews! It's not nice to chew on Mommy." He'll squawk and sometimes nibbles anyway, but it works sometimes.
Just a suggestion. It probably doesn't help that he thinks it's funny to make me squeak and a good stout nibble of my shoulder never fails to make me squeak.
Hi Julie-----Harley and I would like to say Welcome also---your little babies are adorable...glad to have you aboard....I'm sure you are gonna do wonders with them and I know you love them soooo much; how can you not... We all just fall in love with them....
We all just fall in love with them....
Thank you Andi's Mom for the heads up on the Quaker Parrot book. I finally got mine in the mail from Amazon and finished reading it last week. Very good book, with lots of very good HELP! I appreciate the suggestion! Thanks! Julie
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