Hi,

So I just joined this forum after getting my 12 week old new quaker Buster about a month ago. Already, I love him to death. He's the quirkiest little thing. Very lovable and entertaining and I wouldn't give him up for the world.

The only thing is, he's so aggressive! He constantly needs to put his beak on evvvverything! This includes but is not limited to toys, food, his cage, people, furniture, you name it. It reminds me of a puppy in his nipping stage. He gets very frustrated very easily and responds both vocally with frustrated growls and with his beak by biting for absolutely no reason. I can tell that it is not intentional to hurt anyone, he's just extremely aggressive about everything. He just gets so excited about every little thing. He's very dramatic.

I've never had a quaker before, so i'm not sure how normal this is for a baby to go through. Is it hormones or just a behavior problem? If anyone has had experience with this and can give me a few tips to help calm it and him down, that would be very helpful.

Thanks

Buster is just like any baby, they need to use their 'hands' (beak and tongue) to taste test everything. It is normal for them to beak almost everything they come in contact with. They want to see what it feels like, what it tastes like, how it relates to their world. You can train them at this stage to NOT bite, by gently gripping his beak and telling him No bite, or Gentle or whatever you want to use, if he bites a bit too hard. They are very smart and will catch on quick. Mine knows when he is biting a bit to hard and I tell him dont' bite mamma he doesn't chomp down ...... USUALLY unless he is being a little green monster

But it is normal behavior to taste test everything.

You will have sooo much fun with him...........

Your answer would be YUP! =) I don't think "docile" and "quaker" have ever been in the same sentence unless it also included the word "ill". They're little green sticks of dynamite with a high cuteness factor.

I have to agree!!!


Quakers seem to get a bad rep for the nippiness, although if you poll the members of this forum you'll find that most of them would say their bird isn't nippy.

Like Jo mentioned, they do use their beak for everything, and your Quaker is at the perfect age to teach what is okay for pressure and what isn't. Again, like Jo mentioned, use 'gentle' or 'no bite' if your bird is getting too nippy/aggressive with your fingers, but I wouldn't worry about toys or other stuff like that. They need some place/thing to get rough with, and toys are much better then your fingers