r/QuakerParrot

Suki has officially been at her new home for 13 days today and she’s the sweetest! Before her I’ve only ever been a budgie mom, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but wow! Quakers have so much personality (and sass lol). But moments like this make everything worth it!

Can you spot the dinosaurs? 😂

Down side is constantly getting SHAT on with this setup.

First a little backstory before I get to my actual questions.

My mum always loved birds, especially budgies. She would constantly send me Instagram videos or talk about them, but she would never actually get one herself because she was the type of person that would worry herself out of doing something.

So many years ago I decided it would be a brilliant/stupid idea to secretly get her a budgie for her birthday.

Before doing that, I called my uncle (her brother) to ask how angry she would realistically be. His answer was basically: “She’ll probably be pissed off… but also very happy.”

So we executed the mission while my mum was at work. We set everything up in the living room and waited for her to come home while just pretending nothing changed.

The funniest part is that it took her almost an hour after coming home to realize there was suddenly a bird cage in the house. Her reaction was calling me an idiot, followed by spending the rest of the evening sitting next to the cage completely in love with her new little friend.

Mission successful.

A couple of years ago my mum passed away, so naturally I took over caring for the budgies (which eventually became two). Over the years those two little idiots really grew on me, and I completely understood why my mum loved birds so much.

Sadly both of them have passed away now as well, and my apartment feels incredibly quiet without them around.

Over the years I’ve really fallen in love with Quaker parrots. I absolutely adore their personalities and how expressive/interactive but certainly chaotic they are. Because of that, I’ve started seriously reading into their care and what owning one is like.

I’m used to budgies, but I also understand that Quakers are a completely different level of bird in many ways. Google is great, but I figured it would also help to ask people who actually live with them every day.

So here are my questions:

• I’m used to letting my budgies free-fly around the apartment most of the day. I have about 60m² of accessible apartment space. Would that realistically be enough for a Quaker?
• I’ve read that proper sleep schedules are really important for Quakers. My budgies mostly handled their own schedule naturally. How do you personally handle this? Separate room? Cage cover? Strict bedtime?
• I currently work from home at least 3 days a week. Would one Quaker generally be okay with that amount of company, or do they really need someone around most of the time?
• What does a good base diet realistically look like for a Quaker? (Besides fresh fruits/vegetables obviously.)
• Does millet still work well as a training reward/snack?
• Any major do’s/don’ts you wish you knew before getting one?

Also maybe a long shot, but if anyone here is from the Netherlands and has recommendations for good/ethical breeders or places to get a Quaker, I’d really appreciate it.

(Added a budgie picture for tax.)

This is CoCo, he's 4 years old and he's a happy boy.

Hi everyone!

My 9 year old Quaker Noddy (aka Noodle) laid her first eggs last year. She is bonded to me and my other parrot, Oz (aka Queen Ozma) who is a 7 year old blue crowned conure female. Oz first laid eggs two years ago, under a blanket, and last year both Noddy and Oz laid in the bottom of their cage.
They’re both gearing up for it again, I think. Exhibiting nesting behaviour, feeding each other etc. I know it’s inevitable, and I can’t control whether they do it or not. I give them calcium supplements when they start this behaviour. I know we’re not supposed to encourage them to nest and lay, which is why I’ve never given them anything for it. But last year, with them both doing it at the bottom of the cage, I can see it doesn’t matter what I do! They’re gonna do it whether I assist or not.
So my question is this: should I give Noddy something for nesting materials to help her with this time, to provide enrichment? I was thinking small sticks, like kebab skewers or ice lolly sticks or cocktail sticks? I know quakers build huge nests out of sticks in the wild, but conures nest in tree holes so don’t nest build the same. Still, if it would provide enrichment and happiness to Noddy, and if she’s going to lay anyway, should I do it? Or would it be unhelpful?

Any advice would be great! And if it’s best to give her nesting materials, what kind of thing should I give her?

Bird tax pic attached!

Just wanted to share this photo of me and my son💕

Why does he have a belly ass? 🥴

First day he came to stay here I gave him two colour rattles and he’s never stopped with them, he does this head shake thing and noise that sounds exactly like the rattle shaker lol 😂 ❤️

Had him for two years, unsure how old he was but yesterday noticed this spot.

Nothing weird or unusual in his routine. He’s out most of the day, and has toys and sticks are his favorite to play with.

He bites so no one at home can pet or touch him.

He has been extra horny and does horny stuff in the edge of doors or on the couch pillow.

At the end i was trying to make him laugh more on camera, but he stops laughing as soon as he sees the camera. Guess he's camera shy 🤭