Birds of a feather flock together?
Quakers are not known for their love of other birds, either smaller or larger. Quakers can bond
together tremendously, but doing so, at least somewhat, reduces their bonding with you,
simply due to their decreased dependance on you for social fulfillment. Quakers will defend their
territory vehemently, at risk of great injury to themselves and others. When two birds engage in
beak locking, one is likely to come away "beakless", literally. Sometimes the loser is fortunate
enough to retreat with a surgically reattachable lower mandible, sometimes, however, well...you
get the picture, and it aint pretty. Although I have seen cases where Quakers fell madly in love
with other bird species, it is more common to see a scenario where the two, three, four,
whatever number of birds are housed in seperate cages, preferably seperate rooms, and each is
allowed their liberty seperately during the day. When allowing your Quaker free-time in a room
with another bird, even its' own cage, be careful. It does not take long for a
mischievous or envious hookbill to nip off a toe or Budgie leg.
(Can you say, Ouch!?!?!)
Well, you ask, what about mammals?
Don't be fooled by Sylvester! Many a happy Quaker household finds a great and loving
relationship between the bird and a CAT.Funny as it may sound, cats, who begin
their lives as kittens well socialized with birds, sometimes make the best Birdie Buddies. Older,
set in their ways, "That birds gonna make a great present to Owner" cats, are NOT what I'm
referring to here. However, when bringing home a kitten, you should know that the kitten will
probably be in more danger than the Quaker. Watch their little eyes! One quick nip is all it
takes.
Dogs can be very dangerous to Quakers. There are exceptions to every rule, of course, but unless
you are 100% sure of your dogs behavior, do not leave them with the parrot unsupervised. Knocking
the cage over unintentionally can lead to a fractured wing, escaped Quaker, or death. Certain
breeds of dogs have been bred for bird hunting and are probably not the best choice for a Quaker
household.
See Food?
My Quaker loves to watch my husbands saltwater aquarium. In fact, one of the books listed on the
Good Reading page regarding parrot behavior suggests that
it may be beneficial for a parrot left alone during the day to have view of a fish tank.
Just be certain to keep a cover over the full top of the aquarium to avoid accidental drowning.
Wet feathers do not fly and so even the tiniest opening spells potential disaster.
Three Blind Mice...
Let your Quaker catch a mouse and they'll be lucky to lose an eye.
Small rodents like hamsters and gerbils face an almost certain death at the beak of a mischievous
Quaker. Therefore, execute great caution when keeping both under the same roof. Also, rodents
are known to carry a number of diseases, many not infectious to humans , but deadly to LGC's.
Since the majority of people don't take their $4.99 Gerbil to the vet, the animal may be
harboring an unknown infectious disease or parasite. Sterilize your hands, sinks, etc. after
handling such animals.
Did you ever see "Rikki Tikki Tavvy", the story of the mongoose who killed a Cobra?
Enter the ferret. A ferret will kill your Quaker. As ferrets are excellent escape artists,
DO NOT TEST THIS THEORY!!! If you already have an established
relationship with a ferret in your home, wait until that situation changes before purchasing a
parrot.
To date, I have not known anyone who desired to own anything extravagant like a Pot Bellied Pig
or a monkey at the same time as a Quaker. If you already own one of these animals, you know more
about its behavior than I do. Use your common sense and ask a Veterinarian. I would not suggest
asking a pet store, considering their motivation is to sell you whatever it is you want to buy.
Please remember, all animals, including people, are possible sources of illness or injury for
your pet bird. Quarantine periods should be utilized properly as well
as sterilization and good hand washing.