Depressed Quaker.

[Txquaker]

To start off this post I must admit. I have not been a great caretaker for my beautiful Quaker, lieutenant.

I got him several years ago from a local Petco, and the staff had actually been working with him for a very long time to get him to stop being aggressive so that he would be able to be rehomed. by the time I got him he was a bouncing happy little bird that was still very apprehensive, but not aggressive, around people.

Unfortunately, I believe I may have received some unfortunate advice from a professional breeder who told me to force him out of his cage every day. While he would sit with me for a while, he never enjoyed it, and would eventually fly away.

I became very busy a year or so later, and he ended up spending way too much time in his cage after that. I purchased a larger cage so that he would have room, but now he is very territorial and will do anything not to leave it.

He has also stopped playing with toys as much, and more or less spends his time climbing up and down his cage between his food bowl, and his water bowl.

He will take sunflower sees when offered, but only after hissing, and lightly striking my hand to let me know he does not want me there.

I know that I have many more years with him, and it was estimated that he wasn't yet a year old when I got him. I just want him to be happy, as he seems depressed.

Does anyone know what to do in this situation?

[Dragonlady2]

Just on the little knowledge I have on quakers, they can be territorial over their cage. You may have to start from scratch. Does lieutenant have any favourite food or treats? To start with, sit beside his cage and read to him, show him your iPad etc. Leave his door open and give him the option of coming out or not. Stop by his cage numerous times throughout the day and offer him a treat. This may take some time to get him open to interacting with you. For right now don’t force him out. Can you set up a little play station just outside his cage to entice/ encourage him to come out?
What is his diet? When does he get up in the morning and go to bed at night?
When was the last time he was at the vet?

Thank you for not giving up on the little fella.

[Txquaker]

Just on the little knowledge I have on quakers, they can be territorial over their cage. You may have to start from scratch. Does lieutenant have any favourite food or treats? To start with, sit beside his cage and read to him, show him your iPad etc. Leave his door open and give him the option of coming out or not. Stop by his cage numerous times throughout the day and offer him a treat. This may take some time to get him open to interacting with you. For right now don’t force him out. Can you set up a little play station just outside his cage to entice/ encourage him to come out?
What is his diet? When does he get up in the morning and go to bed at night?
When was the last time he was at the vet?

Thank you for not giving up on the little fella.

Thank you so much for your reply.

Unfortunately, the only treats he will take on a regular basis are sunflower seeds and millet. Even those he takes with apprehension, and sometimes aggression. I have tried things like fruits and vegetables in the past, but he will leave a bowl full to mold if I let him, so I haven't attempted any in a long time.

as for a play station, I do have a tree that was purchased from a specialty parrot store years ago, but I believe he may associate that with being forced out of his cage and is afraid of it.

His diet consists of zupreem natural pellets, and because of the previous issue not much else.

He starts his day when the sun rises, and ends it when the sun sets, as I have his cage set up by a window. He used to interact with wild birds on occasion so when the weather was permitting I open the window so he can communicate with them, but doesn't do that much anymore ( there was always an insect screen between his cage and the outdoors).

Finally the question of the vet. I currently work for a vet clinic, so I would bring him up from time to time. However, we specialize in dogs and cats. My doctor was never very comfortable with birds, and there is no specialist I trust in the area.

[Dragonlady2]

Does the tree playstation have any bowls attached to it? If not, can you find a way to attach one? Whatever treats he will accept, put one or two in the bowl in his view and see if he will come out for it. You may have to do this for a while before he responds.

Try some warm oatmeal or mashed sweet potato. Do you give him fresh food chopped or whole? I would keep trying different foods. My birds don’t like everything I give them and at times will decide they don’t like their favourite food for a couple of weeks.

If you were to sit beside him and have a piece of millet in your hand, will he be interested enough to venture out to get it?

Does he have any toys or bells in his cage?

Quakers like to build nests. Try taking a straw and weave it around the bars. Leave a couple of straws in the cage to see if he is interested. Plastic coffee stirrers, popsicle sticks or paper rope would work too. You just have to find something that interests him.