Getting a Quaker tomorrow

[mumto4birdies]

Hi All, sorry for not being around much lately.Ido log on and read posts but havent been posting. A few things have happened lately. Firstly, I lost our lovely tiel Rory. Our dog can open the sliding door with his snout, I was only inches away but didnt realise Rory was right behind me and out he flew. We have looked for nearly 3 weeks now but we have realised that we probably wont find him (done fliers, vets, parrotalert etc) Hopefully he found a new home, cos the alternative is not nice to think about. Then a few other personal things have happened. But the good news is, I am getting a quaker tomorrow. I had posted on here awhile ago quaker vs lory. Well, I saw this little guy on Trading Post. The lady has to get rid of him (doctor said so, allergies) He is 7mths old, blue, not tame, looks like all his wing feathers cut off, they look very short in pics. I hope I can make him happy. Any advice (I do know the basics of bringing home a new birdy, an untame birdy, patience is the key, diet, a-vet etc) but anything you guys wanna chuck into the mix would be greatly appreciated. I am so excited but a little nervous. What if he doesnt like me? I want to take him to the a-vet asap, can anyone give me a rough idea of what a first check up would be in $$, just so I dont faint when they give me the bill. I have no idea. Also, what sort of things will the vet do, or what should I ask them to do? I know my dogs, cats, rabbits prices roughly but clueless to a-vet bills. Am going to go to Dr Walker who is not too far from here. thanks, in advance. Wont be sleeping tonite LOL

[flossy]

Sorry to hear about Rory. I'm sure he is happy with someone right now and being well looked after. It's horrible losing our pets this way...........

Ok - I read your post and as soon as I saw 7 months old - not tame - wings cut - my mind was like!! WHAT! Why would his wings be cut if he isn't tame? That doesn't make sense to me? If a bird has been aviary raised - simply cutting it's wings off isn't going to quieten him down in my opinion? BUT, without seeing the bird I can't really say what you have ahead of you. I'm sure others will comment on this post - they have much more experience than I do.....
I think a vet visit would be good. I guess they will just give him the once over. My vet charges around the $50 mark for an initial consult and then if anything else is needed, it's added to the bill.....not much help am I.....lol.

If this little guy has been used to people in a cage environment - hopefully he isn't a screamer etc. Quakers can get very noisy and territorial if feeling anxious and scared.......

Just take it one day at a time for now and see what his behaviours are like and go from there.....it's so hard without being able to see him.
Have you spent time with him yourself already? or are just buying him from the pics on Gumtree?

Goodluck and keep us posted.........

[twr]

I'm sorry for your loss.

It very exciting that you're getting a Quaker tomorrow. I agree with Flossy that its very strange that an untame aviary bird has clipped wings. Curious to find out why that would be.

[mumto4birdies]

Thanks guys. When I rang the lady about him she said he was untamed but inside in a cage, a very very small cage (I wouldnt even put one budgie in it, no grill on bottom, with pooh on base, one dowel perch, one toy, BUT I will not judge cos everyone is different) Pics showed he was clipped. Her english was very poor also. What a surpirise, he can be handled, is able to glide even tho his wings look terrrible to me even tho I am no expert. Really, I dont think she knows much about birds, not that I am an expert either, but thats why I am on a forum - to learn. Said the quaker gave her allergies now she wants to get tiels??!!!!!. Her version of not being tame is - he cant talk - What the ----? Gave him a mist shower this morning, he has quite an odour. Phew! Is that normal? He is actually quite a cutie. He had vocalised but nothing that I cant handle, and have told my son to NEVER put his hands into the cage. He also has a band on his right leg, havent been able to read it yet. Thought I read somewhere that breeders band their birds - left leg boys, right leg girls, but not sure. She said he was a boy, I have renamed him Malakai, Kai for short. I AM IN LOVE. Will make vet appt for next week as soon as I can get in. Speak soon. PS Flossy, got him jst from the ad on Trading Post, and I am glad I did. The cage I have him in is probably 6-7 times the size of his old one and he is loving climbing here there and everywhere. He is in quarantine (pain in butt, but has to be done, for the health of all birds)

[avinet]

Sounds like you might have got a good one there

To answer a few of the questions:-

The leg band is hopefully a closed ring and not a split ring. If it is an aluminium split ring then have it removed when you see the vet - they can get squeezed and cause problems. If it is a closed ring then it shouldn't be a problem, and be sure to make a note of the number and any letters on it - they will enable you to positively identify the bird as yours if an accident happens and it escapes. If the ring is a closed ring it would have been placed on the leg when the bird was 10 to 14 days old - too early for it to have been sexed and so whether it is on left or right doesn't mean anything. Even split rings are usually put on at time of taking a blood sample to be able to identify the bird when results come back so again the leg won't mean anything.

Smell - quakers don't have much of an odor from my experience - most likely that is from a lack of spraying from what you have said about how he was being kept - the smell should go as he gets sprays and preens himself.

Cockatiels are more likely to cause an allergy problem than Quakers - they produce more feather dust like all members of the cockatoo family.

Good idea to warn your son never to put a hand in the cage - some (but not all) Quakers can be pretty territorial about their cage - their castle to defend! However once out of the cage they are fine.

Quarantine is a good idea at least until the vet check - do you have an avian vet to go to?

Most Quakers learn to talk between 6 and 12 months so since he is 7 months now is the time to work on talking if you want him to talk - just as soon as he seems well settled in with you. I always like the clip of Pluto singing at - too cute

Finally photos are essential!

cheers,

Mike

[flossy]

Woohoo....Sounds like one lucky Quaker!! SO glad you went and got him. Poor little thing....he will talk, believe me and probably already does!! Quakers learn to talk so quickly - it's incredible.

I'm so pleased you got him Mumto4birdies!! Some people have NO idea!! What a sad little life this guy has had so far - can't tell you how happy I am to know he is safe and well cared for now

Keep us posted and as Mike said, pics would be nice.

I think everyone knows.....but I loveeeeeeee Quakers....lol!

Goodluck hun xx

[mumto4birdies]

Thanks guys. Will make a-vet appoint for Thurs-Fri (work the other days). he seems really healthy but hey, what do I know. He was really scratching one section of his back but since I gave him a shower he has stopped it and just seems to do "normal" preening. Have had him out a couple of times, he is very nervous but doesnt bite, so he has been handled, but wont sit with you, he is everywhere. He likes being talked to, if you ignore him, he shrieks, but I quite like the sound. Hates raw veggies, picks at cooked tho (Bailey GCC hates cooked, eats raw, Budgies wont eat either) Two birds, one I have to cook for, one I dont, cant they like the same? LOL. Will now go look at how to load photos. He looks diff to Ebz new guys, mine looks more grey than white on the chest area.