Quaker Hen - Jealousy?

[flossy]

Hi Everyone

I was just wondering if you guys and gals could give me your opinion on a small issue I am having with my Quaker - Toddles.

She is a gorgeous HR bird and we love her to bits. She talks, plays games etc etc....
I have just started noticing that she seems to be having "dummy spits" and screaming at me, and then bites me very hard - mainly when I am attending to the other cages etc. I try and do hers first so she knows how important she is etc, or I let her out to supervise what I am doing while I am cleaning the other cages etc.

It's not a huge issue just yet, but I would like to deal with it now before it does become one.

Do you think she is just plain jealous? How should I deal with this?
Any hints or tips?

I have also noticed she seems to have seperation anxiety when we walk past her cage and go down the back stairs etc......perhaps this is an issue I need to deal with as well.....

I have looked at some other threads on here - but just couldn't find exactly what I was looking for.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thankyou

[Robyn]

Flossy, I for one don't believe a companion parrot knows jealously & i feel seperation anxiety is something fabricated by humans. Sorry To be honest i wouldn't read to much into it. However i would ignore the bites as much as possible & just go about things normally.

I am not sure what you mean by the anxiety thingy other than running up & down the perch trying to get out. What does she actually do to think she has a problem with anxiety.

[flossy]

Ok cool Robyn, thanks. I have read about these topics and just wondered if they could be an answer for me. I do ignore her bites, and just come back to her when she has settled. It's just so odd - she kind of just "snaps". Starts screaming, and running back and forth, then bites her own legs etc.....it's very sad to watch at times. I just talk to her the same and tell her I love her, but sometimes I just have to walk away as the screaming gets a little much. I go inside and then come back out when she has stopped. Yesterday, she wouldn't even let me touch her cage - she was trying to attack me! Again, I ignored her as much as possible, but it just got me thinking perhaps I am missing something......
Today she is a sweetheart again......? Until later! lol

[Robyn]

That behavior does sound a bit out of the ordinary. I must say i have had a few hens that would scream and carry on, I just put that down to being a little territorial. At the moment i have 3 caged together & i am not having any problems.

I think i would look into that behavior a little more, it is possible that she could be in pain for some reason. Especially if it gets any worse.

[flossy]

I have checked her head to toe and I can't find anything out of the ordinary. She has been inside with me today for ages and was just gorgeous, giving me kisses, and telling me she loved me. It just seems to upset her when I go near the other birds I have.....and as I said, she gets nasty! She was never like that earlier on.....she is 2 years old now and it's sad to see.

I will just keep reassuring her she is loved and give her her special time etc. I really don't know what else to do. I was just wondering if it was a common thing or not.......
I loveeeeee Quakers......and she is NO exception!! Thanks.

[Robyn]

OK i see what is going on now. I think you sweet little girl is a wee bit hormonal. At 2 years of age she is a matured bird.

[flossy]

Nawww.....really? My baby is a woman! lol..... I love her to bits, does it change anything for me? her? What should I do, not do.....thanks

[Karen]

LOL I was thinking the same thing as Robyn especially when you said her age.
I think she will grow out of it once the "full maturity" bit happens.
Maybe even a clutch might help if you got her a mate.