Download Article
Download Article
The quaker parrot—sometimes called a monk parrot, or a quaker or monk parakeet—is an intelligent, playful, often talkative, and regularly mischievous bird species. Quakers can make a great addition to your family, but they do require frequent and active care to thrive. In this guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about quaker parrot care, including the supplies you'll need and the best ways to keep it happy and healthy.
Things You Should Know
- Buy a cage that swings open and can be latched securely. Steer clear of guillotine-style cages, which can make the bird feel trapped.
- Feed your parrot a diverse and healthy diet of food pellets, nuts, seeds, fruits, and veggies. Avoid foods that are toxic to parrots, like avocados.
- Clean your parrot's cage daily, and give it a deep cleaning each week.
Steps
Expert Q&A
Search
-
QuestionWhen I got my Quaker, I was at a bird fair and she was a baby. All I was told was that Quakers were very sweet. I'm very attached to her now, but she is a mean bird who bites hard. Since I obviously didn't train her well as a baby, how can I fix this problem? She is a year old now.Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.Go back to basics and train her to accept you, then trust you. Speak to her quietly as often as you can. Hand feed her, but if she bites, offer the food on a spoon, talking to her all the time she eats. Try clicker training her; click when she eats from the spoon. Soon, she'll associate food with the clicker and be eager to work out how to get food. Then you click when she is calm and reward her with a treat to teach her to be good.
-
QuestionHow can I keep my baby quaker from constantly chirping loudly?Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.Quakers love to be sociable and chat to other birds and family members. Make sure she has plenty to watch and mental activity to occupy her. Use feeder toys so she has to work to get her food (and occupy her mentally) and toys that your change regularly. Also, train her regularly, as the mental stimulation prevents loneliness and boredom. Finally, never shout at her to stop chirping as this will reward the behavior and make it worse.
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Tips
- Because Quakers easily destroy toys, try making some yourself instead of constantly buying new ones.Thanks
- Avoid using any nonstick cookware, as the fumes they give off when heated are fatal to parrots.Thanks
- Play with your Quaker parrot for at least a few minutes, or an hour a day. This will create a stronger bond between you and your bird.Thanks
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisement
Warnings
- Though Quakers are usually good talkers, never buy a parrot for talking ability. Your Quaker may or may not talk.Thanks
- If you are buying a young parrot, always be sure the place you are buying from gets their birds from quality breeders. Ask them where they get their birds from, and if they have written proof the birds were captive-bred. Do not buy birds from pet stores that are unwilling to provide this information! The illegal parrot trade exists because most pet owners do not bother to ask for proof of breeding.Thanks
Advertisement
About This Article
Article Summary
X
Quaker parrots are funny and active birds that can live up to 30 years if you take care of them properly. To keep it well-fed, give your Quaker parrot bird food pellets, but be sure to mix in a variety of fruits, vegetables, and nuts and seeds so it’s getting all the nutrients it needs. Quaker parrots are messy and prefer to have a clean habitat. Clean its cage every day to get rid of droppings, messes, and to replace the newspaper lining on the bottom. In addition to their physical health, Quaker parrots need to be mentally stimulated as well. Give it simple toys like a wad of paper or a stick and find some time each day to play with your Quaker parrot so it doesn’t get bored. For tips about how to find a good vet for your Quaker parrot, keep reading!
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 213,832 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "I found a monk parakeet outside. He was very friendly in a matter of minutes. Eventually, I was able to pick him up and put him in an animal carrier case. I posted neighborhood signs and on the community blog. I wanted to know as much as I could in a short time. This site was so informative! Thank you. " ..." more
Advertisement
100%
of readers found this article helpful
.
Click a star to add your vote
% of people told us that this article helped them.
"I found a monk parakeet outside. He was very friendly in a matter of minutes. Eventually, I was able to pick him up and put him in an animal carrier case. I posted neighborhood signs and on the community blog. I wanted to know as much as I could in a short time. This site was so informative! Thank you. "
..."
more
"Our dog found a dead Quaker parrot, it was eaten by some cats and another one hiding in grass was later found by our dog, still young and alive my daughter hand fed the bird and now when ever my daughter is nowhere near the bird, it screams so loud. "
..."
more
"Good article. I lived with four quakers since childhood up to now, and I think this article is very accurate. I live in Argentina, so quakers are as common as doves. However, nobody knows much, and we don't have any color mutation here. Thanks."
..."
more
"I have other parrots. I researched each bird before I bought them so I could responsibly care for them. My Golfin's motto is...If it's chewable, it's do-able. I recently found a Quaker parrot by our pool and I'm in love. This article was excellent!"
..."
more
"This article really addresses how to correct some bad behavior that my parrot has acquired just in the last few months. But I think I have not been spending as much time with my bird lately, so I'm going back to basics and I will let you know."
..."
more
