How Long Do Quaker Parrots Live?
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by Shelly Lane Have you ever wondered how long Quaker Parrots can live? Parrots in general can be very long lived. What I see with Quakers is that many do not reach their full potential in regards to lifespan. This article discusses some of the reasons why. |
I have watched my small dog age and slow down over the last couple of years. She is 13, and while I am grateful for the years we have had, I dread that day not too far in the future when we will have to say goodbye to her. (Update: We lost our yorkie in March 2008. She was almost 15.)
One thing I've always liked about parrots is that most species have longer life spans than dogs and cats. If you are reading this article, you probably feel the same as I do - that 10-15 years is just too short a time with a treasured pet before we have to say goodbye. So how long do Quaker Parrots live? Actually, I think there are two things we need to discuss in regards to this question.
- How long can Quaker Parrots live?
- How long do Quaker Parrots live?
Because unfortunately, the answer to both questions is not the same. Let's take the first question. I've read that Quaker Parrots have the potential to live 25-30 years. Over the years that I've been involved with Quakers, I've talked to a small number of owners with Quakers in their 20's and have even heard of one that made it into its early 40's before it passed away. So it does appear that Quakers have the ability to live into their twenties and sometimes even beyond that.
Sadly, what I've also learned over the years is that our birds' life spans don't often reach their full potential. I believe I have identified three primary reasons for this:
- Household Accidents
- Illness
- Accidental release
The good news is that now that you have this information, you can take steps to reduce the chances that your beloved pet bird will fall victim to one of these tragedies. Here are some tips that will help.
Tips for avoiding household accidents
- Don't allow your Quaker to roam the house. Teach it to stay on its cage or play area when it is out.
- Don't allow your bird access to the floor. It could pick up and ingest something that is dangerous. Other parrots have been stepped on, caught in doors and more. Floors are dangerous, especially for small birds like ours.
- Be very cautious about allowing your bird to interact with other pets of any kind. There are too many stories of Quaker Parrots losing their lives to this type of accident, sometimes in spite of the fact that the other pet had not shown any interesting in harming the bird in the past.
- Do not sleep or take naps with your bird, and don't leave your bird out while you are sleeping. In fact, it's best if you keep your bird in its cage during times you are not right there to supervise for whatever reason.
- Carefully inspect your bird's cage and toys to insure there are no trouble spots where your bird could get its toes, head or body stuck. Make sure the cage is sturdy enough or is set up in such a way that it's impossible for it to be knocked over, especially if you have dogs and cats in your home.
Tips to help prevent illness
- Develop a relationship with a good avian vet in your area now - before your bird gets sick. Pets sometimes get sick and need immediate medical care on weekends and holidays, and having an existing relationship with an avian vet will go a long way in getting your bird the care it needs.
- Purchase an inexpensive scale that measures in grams, and weigh your bird on a regular basis. Weight loss is often a sign of illness.
- Monitor your Quaker Parrot's behavior and droppings on a daily basis. Changes in either or both can indicate a potential health issue. Changing the cage paper daily makes it easier to monitor droppings.
- Clean your bird's cage, food and water bowls, and toys regularly with hot, soapy water, rinse well and allow to dry before placing your bird back in its cage.
- Quarantine any new additions to your flock for 30 to 60 days to help prevent the spread of an illness from the new bird to the existing ones. Many owners are tempted to skip this important step, but it's better to be safe.
Tips to keep your bird from flying away
- Keep your Quaker Parrot's wing feathers clipped at all times
- Check regularly for wing feather regrowth and trim as needed. Don't wait until all wing feathers are fully regrown before trimming again.
- Keep your parrot in its cage during times when people are going in or out of your house - for example, when the kids are leaving or coming home from school.
- Never take your parrot outside unless it is in a carrier or cage. This is true even if your bird is clipped. Even a clipped bird can fly outside if there is just a little breeze.
- Don't ever make the mistake of thinking your Quaker won't fly away. Flying is something that is instinctive for your bird. Be vigilant always and don't let your guard down.
Obviously, no article is able to cover every type of illness or accident that could occur with a pet bird. Hopefully the above tips are a good start and will help you to consider other ways to help prevent a tragedy that could shorten the life of your Quaker. The main point is to carefully study your bird's environment for anything that could potentially be unsafe and then make the appropriate changes.
May you and your Quaker Parrot spend many enjoyable years together!
18 Comments on How Long Do Quaker Parrots Live? »
February 19, 2008
Linda Howerton @ 4:41 pm:
CoCo was my green male quaker. I caught him in my back yard about 5 years ago. He was about 3 to 4 years old. He died yesterday and it happened very quickly. He was producing clear slime from his mouth and making feed balls and he was very puffed up. I don't have a clue why he died. I had taken him to the vet 2 weeks ago because he was doing the same thing and the vet said he was in the mating stage, but I think the Vet was WRONG. I think CoCo had some sort of problem digesting his food. Has anyone had this happen to their Quaker Parrot?
March 20, 2008
Linda Friedt @ 11:25 am:
My quaker is about 20 years she has lost weight lately. What can I do to help her gain?
March 24, 2008
ana @ 12:24 pm:
i just lost my quaker after having him for 17yrs. im wondering why he die he was very active healthy maybe cause he was too old i dont really know how long they last now in hoping that my other one that was left alone dont die we call her cuquita the one that past away we name him pepito my husband was ver devasted whe he came from work and saw him dead
March 28, 2008
Darlene @ 6:09 pm:
how long do quaker live and how do get them to stop bitting
June 4, 2008
patricia morrissey @ 12:54 pm:
i just lost my little friend, his name was puki, my son brought him to me 13-14 years ago, he found him at his place of work, nobody claimed him so he's been with me for all these years, very healthy, the only thing i noticed was that he was sleeping a lot lately, this morning i uncovered his cage, and he was lying on the bottom, he was fine yesterday, so i don't understand, all i know is that i'll miss him terribly, he was my companion…. i'm devastated…..
August 13, 2008
Holly @ 5:21 pm:
My name is Holly, I am only 13 and I have a Quaker. I am not sure about how long these parrots live. But, I did get mine to stop biting. When I got him he was very friendly, but then that all changed he continuously bit and I was scared he would never like me. So I often left his cage open and he would come out. Once he grew his wings he would enjoy flying out of his cage and I was able to hold and pet him again. Once I picked Pablo up he would totally calm down and he would let me pet him everywhere it was amazing. Maybe just let you parrot adjust to his surroundings and spend extra time with him. I now place food on the other side of the room to enjoy too! Hope this helps.
August 16, 2008
emily @ 10:22 am:
i just got a quaker from somebody in Irondequoit, NY and i have a lovebird in another cage too. but when i took them out at the same time to play, my new bird, ziggy (the quaker parrot) flew over to me and started squaking really loud! i thought he would attack my little lovebird so i put him back imediatly… if anyone knows when you can start to let them out together or why ziggy flys over and squaks at gizmo (my lovebird)please email me and tell me! thanx. that would probably help me a lot!! lol
August 27, 2008
Diane @ 3:49 pm:
I have a quaker and I was told other than other quakers.You never trust them around other birds they are very aggressive.
Diane
November 3, 2008
Mehgan @ 1:22 pm:
I just lost my Jasper after seven years. He was lethragetic all day and I was going to take him to the vet but at 4:52 in the moring I heard screeching. So I ran over to his cage turned on the light and threw off the cover to see him seizing and yelling and looking at me for help, I couldn't do anythong but hold him then he slowly stopped and died. I don't know what happened to him he was fine the day before. I hadn't given him anything new and I just cleaned his cage. I feel like it was totally my fault. And it is.
December 18, 2008
Elaine H. @ 6:26 pm:
Dear holly- How can you do that! my bird ( a quaker) dewy, wont stop nipping at me and my mom!and i am three years yonger than you so you may have more experince.
December 22, 2008
MAIE @ 11:32 am:
Hello, my name is Marie and my parrot's names is Polly. He talks a lot and sings. but he makes to much noise, and that makes me a little angry.
January 25, 2009
maggie @ 8:25 pm:
Quakers are very aggressive with other birds. Mine bit my parakeets toe off. I had the cages too close and the parakeet climbed over onto the quaker's cage.
I just found my quaker of 13 years dead on the bottom of the cage today. She was fine and eating and then Saturday she threw up (which I never knew a bird could do) and had watery droppings. I checked on her at 2 a.m. and she was ok and on her perch. This morning she was on the bottom of the cage. I feel so bad about it. I thought she would live another 13 or so years! Has anyone lost a quaker and at what age did they die?
March 11, 2009
Arturo @ 11:44 am:
We had a quacker for 2 years. During the day he was out of his cage. He would fly around the house and he never attempted to fly outside, even with the door open. Well on 3/8/09 he flew out the door. I didn't close it all the way. I figure he will come back since he was very attached to my 10 year old son. In fact my son was the only one that could touch him and carry him around. Do you think he would come back? Our neighbor has other species of parrots and they have come back after flying away.
March 12, 2009
redneck cowboy @ 12:37 am:
hi im gary hudson from charlottesville va i have just bought a quaker parrot you need to feed him roudy bush thats what i feed all my 29 birds good luck any more questions let me no
JOHN @ 4:14 pm:
i have a quaker parrot he is 23 years old this year he loves everyone and lays on his back
April 6, 2009
david @ 7:40 am:
i just lost my parrot yesterday around 2:45 pm. it was a very sad moment as my quaker knew many things that most parrots are not even taught to do. she was only 1 year and a half. we got her on july 1st 2007. house hold accidents happen. my friend heavy set guy step on her while she was roaming the house and he snapped her neck i guess. and she was bleeding. at 4 shee slowing closed her eyes and we all said goodbye. it was the worst feelinq ever so short time and your bird could go longer. i buried her in my back yard to keep her close to my heart.
Shelly Lane @ 8:07 am:
David, I am so very sorry for your loss.
Nicole @ 3:02 pm:
Hi all- my green female named Quincy is about 12 years old and going strong. She says "pretty bird" "hello" "chuck" (our dog's name) and "whatcha doing". I've had to start traveling so much for work and looking for a safe, loving home for her because I'm just not home enough. We have been together for almost her entire life and she's been a great companion especially while I was in college and was home so much more. If anybody is interested please email me at nic.duran@gmail.com. I'd like her to join a family that is familiar with Quakers because they'll know how incredible sweet they are and yet somewhat demanding of our attention. She steps up and purrs too.
Nic