The Basics:

Quakers Parakeets are most commonly found in green, though blue and yellow are becoming more common. They are intelligent birds and can learn to speak well, though they require ample amounts of interaction and attention. For the most part, Quaker Parakeets are friendly birds, though they may become territorial around breeding season. They can also be loud, and even scream. While training can help control the volume and frequency of a Quaker Parakeet’s calls, loud calling is still natural behavior, so they may not be the best choice for an apartment bird. These are outgoing, self-confident birds with an intelligence level that approaches the African Grey’s, so they need a committed owner who is willing to become actively involved in their lives.

Cage:

These active little birds need room to play and exercise for their physical and psychological health. Their cage should be at least 18” long, by 18” wide, by 24” high. Spacing between bars should be no wider than 5/8”.  No bird should ever be able to fit its head in-between bars! Young Quaker Parakeets do best in smaller cages in general. If possible, consider a smaller cage at first and purchase a large cage when the bird is fully-grown. Since Quakers are accomplished escape artists, an extra lock should be used on their cages.

CAUTION

In most cases, more space is more desirable for birds. However, when increasing the size of a Quaker Parakeet’s cage, the bird’s human companion must be careful to maintain a safe (narrow) space between the bars. The bars of a cage have to be narrow enough to prevent a bird from sticking his head in between. Bars that are spaced too far apart for the bird’s size can result in serious and even fatal injuries.

Positioning The Cage:

As with other parrots, placing a cage in room that human family members spend a lot of time in will encourage proper socialization. The kitchen and bathroom, however, are generally unsafe for birds, due to temperature fluctuations and fumes.  The cage should be placed with at least one side against the wall, to allow the bird a sense of security and privacy. No bird’s cage should ever be placed in or near the kitchen, since cooking fumes and smoke, as well as fluctuating temperatures, pose a serious, and possibly even fatal, health hazard.

Playthings:

Quaker Parakeets are usually quite playful and enjoy multiple toys. A mixture of destructible and permanent toys provides a few different ways for a Quaker Parakeet to amuse itself. Toys that include or hide food provide stimulation by making a Quaker Parakeet work for their food, as they do in the wild. They may also help encourage a Quaker Parakeet to try new foods, since a bird becomes adapted to “hunting” for food from that toy. Size is important; toys that are two small can pose a choking hazard, while toys that are too large may be difficult for a Quaker Parakeet to play with. Toys sized for Conures or Cockatiels are a good fit since they are similarly sized. Quakers are very athletic, and they enjoy acrobatic toys. As with other attention-craving birds, Quaker Parakeets may benefit from a radio or TV when they’re alone in their cage.

Perches:

Perches with a diameter between ¾” and 1” work well, though varying widths and textures are essential, preventing foot damage by giving Quaker Parakeets more than one position to keep their feet it. As with other birds, Quaker Parakeets require at least one wooden perch, since that is what they would use in nature. Branch-style perches are best, providing diversity in size and shape, rather than a dowel-rod or similar perch that is only one width. Other perches can be plastic, rope, or even concrete. Rope perches should be checked regularly for fraying and replaced as necessary, while plastic, and even some wooden perches, may need to be roughened up with sandpaper if they’re smooth, to provide a better grip for a bird’s foot. A perch should be placed in front of, but not above, food and water dishes.

Play Time Outside The Cage:

Quaker Parakeets do require time and attention outside of their cages. With proper training, they can entertain themselves for longer periods of time than Amazon Parrots, though not as well as a Pionus Parrot. Play gyms provide a safe area for Quaker Parakeets to play alone, outside of their cages, though they should still be monitored to prevent mishaps or other trouble. Multiple play gyms are generally more convenient, allowing the bird to spend time in different rooms, without moving the entire play gym.

Grooming:

Consult veterinarian or literature about trimming nails and possibly flight feathers.

Bathing:

Provide a shallow bowl of chlorine-free water for supervised bathing, or mist bird with chlorine-free water at least once a week. Water must be lukewarm to room temperature. Avoid drafts. Remove bath when finished.

Diet:

Wild Quaker Parakeets eat weed and grass seeds, along with vegetables and the occasional insect. Companion Quaker Parakeets do best on a diet consisting of mostly pellets, about 60-75%. The remainder of the diet should be vegetables. (Seeds can be offered only as a very rare treat.). Fruit should not be offered to these birds because of its high sugar and calorie content. Vegetables should be rinsed, dried and cut into appropriately sized pieces before being offered to this bird. Many Quaker Parakeets will be resistant to trying new foods, but feeding the same foods constantly, with the exception of pellets, can be unhealthy, providing them with limited nutrients. Mixing foods together or incorporating food into toys may help encourage the bird to eat them. Water should be constantly monitored for cleanliness and changed often.  Many experts believe Quakers are prone to obesity, so their diet should be carefully controlled to avoid having too much fat in it. Provide additional calcium i.e. cuttlebone during egg laying.

A Note About Water:

All water given to birds for drinking, as well as water used for misting, soaking or bathing must be 100% free of chlorine and heavy metals.  (Not all home water filtration systems remove 100% of the chlorine and heavy metals from tap water, so check your system's specifications before using it to filter water for your pet.) We recommend that you use unflavored bottled drinking water or bottled natural spring water and never untreated tap water. Do not use distilled water, which can cause severe medical problems, since it lacks minerals that are essential to important body functions.