# What am I getting myself into...



## ratsaremylife (Nov 5, 2013)

My friends have had a quaker parrot since I've known them. I've always liked her and offered to take her multiple times, they get annoyed with her.

This morning I got a text asking if I want to take her home tomorrow... I said yes! She is 11 and has nippy problems. 

I've never really done any research on quakers. The family seems to think she would become friends with my little budgie but I think that wouldn't work.

She doesn't get time out in her current situation and in my home she would get about 2 hours a day if not more.

Basically I need as much information on this species as I need before I take her home. Training tips, cage tips, how to put her away every day if she is nippy. Rats and quakers mixing, nutrition. Everything. 

Thank you!


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## Fu-Inle (Jan 22, 2015)

I don't know much about quakers but I wouldn't let rats and any small bird mix. A rat could kill it easily if they got a hold of it..


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## Fraido (Oct 1, 2014)

Yeah, the only tip I have is to make sure the bird and rats are always separate. My dad had a conure and one of his rats got him.

Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk


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## ratsaremylife (Nov 5, 2013)

No I wasn't planning on actually mixing them! I just meant, if a rat was free roaming would she go and try to get into the bird cage and vice versa. 

Of course I wouldn't mix them!


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Fuzzy Rat tried to make friends with everything including our wild conure... The conure tried to chomp on poor Fuzzy Rat's head, but got bit in the tongue in an gawd awful squawk-squeak noise... it only took half a second, and I honestly never knew rats could think or move so fast... But after that day Fuzzy Rat stalked that parrot... The parrot would fly down to intimidate the rat on the kitchen table but Fuzzy Rat would lower her head fluff up her fur and literally stalk the parrot across the table... Luckily the parrot could fly... As to parrots and other birds, I don't know about Quakers, but our conure killed our parakeet and our cockatiel and tried to kill our rat... something Fuzzy Rat never forgave him for... She hated that bird until the day she died... and once even charged up my arm to get him when he was on my shoulder and nipped my ear...

I wouldn't let our parrot near any other animal... on the other hand our parrot was wild caught and never really tamed, it sort of liked me but it would even swoop down on other people and claw or nip them... your experience might be very different.

Best luck.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

I would register on a parrot forum if I were you. You could actually get lots of ideas on parrot forums on how to create fun stuff for your rats like diy boing boing, ladders perches...


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## ratsaremylife (Nov 5, 2013)

Rat Daddy, 

I have had rats kill cockatiels before and it's not fun. Both animals are capable, of course they would never go together!


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## raindear (Mar 3, 2015)

I have had 2 Quakers and various other birds. In my experience when a sweet bird starts biting it is often because the amount of attention it has been getting has changed. This sets up a vicious cycle: the owner avoids the bird to avoid getting bitten, the bird bites more in frustration and on and on. Hopefully, with the amount of time you intend to spend with her, the new home, etc. you will be able to break this cycle. But, since health issues can also play a part in biting, you might want to schedule a vet check.

I got my first Quaker, Chatterbox, when I read that Quakers talk as well as, or nearly as well as African Greys. Since African Greys are beyond my means, I chose a Quaker. Chatterbox learned to talk and even held conversations with me, something I never anticipated. When I got him, I spent 6 weeks holding him up to my face and repeating "Hello, Mommy" over and over. At the end of 6 weeks he said: "Step up", "Step down", "Want out", "Go bye bye" and "Make poo poo" - none of which I had TRIED to teach him. I learned that about 10-15 minutes after getting him out of the cage, he would need to relieve himself. I kept paper towels on the arm of the chair and at 10-15 minute intervals, I would hold him over the paper towels and say "Make poo poo" he soon learned the command and relieved himself fairly reliably over the paper towels. I read that some birds that learn this will only relieve themselves on command, but Chatterbox never had this problem.

I had a navy blue sheet that I used to cover his cage at night and when he was making too too much noise during the day. The day that I got it out to give him a 'time out' and he started saying "No Mommie, no Mommie, I'll be good, I'll be good." was the last time he ever saw that sheet. I never covered him again day or night, but he also never continued screeching when I told him it was time to be quiet, either. Then there was the day that he said, "Mommie" I said, "Yes, Chatterbox?" he said, "Are you a good boy, Mommie?" I said, "Yes, Chatterbox, Mommie is a good boy". I could tell you other stories about Chatterbox, but not now.

Boo Boo Bear is now about 20 years old. He has never conversed like Chatterbox did, but he has a respectable vocabulary with many of the same phrases as Chatterbox knew, and is a wonderful character in his own right.

I'm sure you will have many stories to tell about your new girl and look forward to seeing some of them here. Best of luck.


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## Veileddreamer (Sep 21, 2015)

Raindear, that is HILARIOUS! Over here legitimately laughing out loud. What a sweet parrot! Makes me wish ratties could talk.


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

I have a quaker  I got him from a classified site nearly a year ago.

He's pretty hands off, but he does like to hang out near me, mooch my food, and we chat back and forth. My best advice is to not set your expectations too high and go at the bird's pace. Let them lead the way with interactions.


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

http://www.parrotforums.com/

Super friendly people who helped me a ton with bird research... and kept me from making impulse buys. (Yay.)


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