he's 4 months old. i mean are there quaker sweaters or cerain blankets that we're supposed to use. I'm new at owning quaker parrots i have a dog and i buy him sweaters to keep him warm. someone help please i'm really worried about him.
2007-10-23 13:16:21 · 4 answers · asked by randy 1 in Pets ➔ Birds
Well, if you buy a heater, be very careful that it's bird safe. A lot of them have Teflon coating that will kill a bird in a matter of 5 - 10 minutes. A great heater to use around birds is www.econoheat.com - just be sure you run it in another room for a while at first as it seems to omit a bit of an odor for the first 10 - 24 hours. :-) It's also wall mountable.
Quakers are quite robust little birds... I'm sure you've heard of the huge wild flock of them in Brooklyn. During the winter, place his cage in an area of your home that is warm, no drafts and receives natural sunlight... (be sure the sun isn't beaming on him all day or that he has a patch of shade to hide away in) but keep him away from your windows as they tend to be a little colder than other areas. Cover his cage at night with a flannel sheet or fleece blanket. As long as you keep your home warm he will be fine.
While birds to shiver to regulate body temp, they also shiver a bit when they are nervous. How long have you had the little guy? Is your dog being nice with him? He could just be a little stressed and if he's new to your home, give him some time to adjust. Spend lots of time with him, talking to him, reading to him. If he'll allow you to, step him up and place him on your chest and nuggle with him. Don't force anything at this point, it will take a while for you to gain his trust which is crucial to a successful relationship with him.
Quakers are the only parrot that actively like to build nests too... provide him some popsickle sticks from a craft store (untreated) and give him a pile of them in or on top of his cage. You'll likely be amazed by his little nest building abilities!
You can also buy him a snuggle hut to crawl into when he wants to get cozy or sleep. Just be vigilant that he's not chewing or shredding it and ingesting the materials it's made of.
Be sure he's on a good pelleted/small amount of seed diet as too much seed can be very unhealthy for them. Along with that, some fresh fruits and veggies are ideal. A constant source of water, lots of toys and love and he should be fine.
Good luck!
2007-10-23 14:24:13 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just get a ceramic heat lamp ( like the kind used for reptiles) Place it just outside his cage,but not so close that he can get burned.Also,keep three sides of the cage covered during the day,and the entire cage covered at night,and add some cooked pasta to his diet ,as carbs will help him stay warm.Oh,and there are "birdy bunkers",little houses for birds,lined in faux fleece,and heated perches!.You can get these from Drs. Foster and Smith,too. Good luck.
2007-10-24 01:59:16 · answer #2 · answered by Dances With Woofs! 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Join a quaker parrot group on yahoogroups. They can most certainly help you. Also, could you put a little heater nearby but not too close to his cage? Poor thing...... Could it also be that he's nervous? Parrots sometimes shake when they're nervous. Good luck and let us know what happens. One more thing, just the fact that you're asking questions and care shows that you're a good owner. :)
2007-10-23 20:20:53 · answer #3 · answered by oliverbenji 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Bird heaters /lamp units cost about 25-50 dollars. Go online ,you can check DrsFoster&Smith they are my fav!
2007-10-23 22:21:57 · answer #4 · answered by RowanSilverSkye 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋