Parrot Behavior Problems
When properly socialized Quaker Parrots are wonderful, social, and hardy birds. They’re not afraid to tell you exactly what they want and they’re fairly even tempered.
However, like all parrots, they are prone to some specific behavior problems including feather plucking, bititng, and screaming. Let’s take a look at each of these behavior problems individually.
Quaker Parrot Feather Plucking:
occurs for a variety of medical or behavior reasons. If your Quaker parrot is pulling their feathers out, it is critically important that you get them to an avian veterinarian right away to rule out any medical illness. Some common medical reasons for feather plucking are:
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• Endocrine diseases such as low thyroid levels, progesterone or testosterone imbalances
• Infectious diseases such as pox virus or psittacosis
• Poor nutrition
• Allergies, food or chemical allergies to pollen, dust, mold, or perfumes and smoke.
• Liver disease
• Internal parasites
• Bacterial, viral, or fungal infections of the skin and feathers
• Yeast infections
• Staphylococcus aureus
• Intestinal, respiratory, or crop infection
• Kidney disease
Behavioral causes include:
• Improper housing
• Sexual frustration
Feather plucking can be significantly eliminated by proper care and socialization. Spending time with your Quaker parrot each and every day and training them helps them stay mentally stimulated, which alleviates boredom, it helps to calm your Quaker and improve their ability to trust their family members.
Biting Quaker Parrots
In addition to feather plucking some Quaker parrots grow fond of biting as they approach sexual maturity. Like feather plucking the behavioral causes are the same. Additionally if your Quaker is tired or not getting enough nutrients from their food they may be grumpier and more prone to biting. There are two absolute musts when it comes to dealing with a biting Quaker.
The first thing you must do is stop reacting to a Quaker that bites or threatens to bite. Yes it hurts however each time you react, you reinforce the behavior. Consider learning to read your bird’s body language before they bite so you can avoid altercations. Train yourself to gently push into a bite or to turn your hand rather than pulling away. This will confuse your bird and cause them to rethink the biting thing.
The second thing you must do to eliminate the biting behavior is to train your Quaker Parrot. Training teaches your bird a few rules of the home, it teaches them to trust you, and it creates patterns of structured and acceptable behavior.
Quaker Parrot Screaming
Screaming is the final behavior issue you may have to deal with when you own a Quaker Parrot. They are by nature noisy birds so it is common for them to be vocal particularly during certain times of the day. However if you’re finding that your Quaker is screaming to express their displeasure you have several steps you can take to remedy the situation.
First, try to determine why they’re screaming. Like biting and feather plucking they may be bored, frightened, stressed, or just plain unhappy. It is important to do what you can to remedy the situation first. In addition to changing your Quaker parrot’s situation so they’re less inclined to scream, you can also help curb the screaming tendencies by training your parrot. Trick training teaches your bird appropriate responses to situations and it saves your ears.
Well socialized and well trained Quaker Parrots are generally pretty accommodating birds. They’re generally affectionate and good natured. While they are bold and typically unafraid, there will be times when they want to cuddle.
Of course there will be times when they absolutely want to be left alone and will demonstrate this desire by biting you or screaming. Proper Quaker Parrot Training will help to curb this tendency and go a long way toward raising a well adjusted Quaker Parrot.