1 vs 2 Quakers

[angelicvampyre]

I have Charlie my little girl quaker who is about 12 weeks old approx. She is great, comes when i call (if she feels like it) wants to spend all her time with me but we have one small issue she screams all the time! My sister was home sick today and all she got was charlie screaming. it is driving her up the wall.

Now i read on another site that if you have two quakers that it will reduce the noise as they will talk to each other and not be so dependent on the owner. i would love to get Charlie a boyfriend but I worry that this will effect the bond that we have and I could just end up with two screaming parrots.

Any ideas or thoughts on the situation?

[avinet]

Our general experience through what our customers tell us and first hand is that 2 quakers are likely to be 3 times as noisy, and will often become more interested in each other than in their owner.

With quakers, one is a crowd, two are a gang and three are an outlaw bikie gang

Normally we encourage customers to have their pet birds in pairs, but hey are the one species (along with Suns) we warn customers to think very carefully before getting two - it can spell trouble. Sometimes it works out but by no means always. It certainly needs a degree of sophistication in behavioural modification to be successful - but then one quaker can need that anyway.

cheers,

Mike

[farseeker]

If you're having trouble with noise, first make sure that you and your sister ignore any screaming. It's really hard but if it gets them attention they'll keep doing it. Reward them when they're quiet instead.

I'd also recommend introducing them to foraging - it gives them a bunch of things to do throughout the day and helps to keep them busy and distracted. If you have a look in the 'Bird Accessories and Enrichment' subboard there are some threads with ideas and suggestions.

[angelicvampyre]

Thanks guy my theory was two birds are noiser then one but alot of people say that you need to keep them in pairs. We are trying to discourage the screaming. Like if she screams while on my shoulder I make her go back to her cage, I try to only enter the room when she is quiet and if she screams during the day and someone is there then the doors get shut. I also have foraging toys for both my inside guys, but as luck would have it it does not matter who I give what to Elmo would rather have Charlies toys and Charlie would rather have Elmo's toys.... grass always greener other side!