How to train my Quaker Parrot how to talk?

keithatthedisco: How to train my Quaker Parrot how to talk?
Hi, I just got a Quaker parrot about over a week ago, and apparently he’s old. He hasn’t said one word. I don’t know if he’s shy and doesn’t want to talk just yet, or his past owners never taught him anything. Is that a problem? Is it too late to train him how to talk? How long would it take? And please provide some tips in general for Quaker parrots. As in sleeping tips, how to treat them, etc. I’m new to having birds as pets. Please and thank you!

Answers and Views:

Answer by Mamabird
First of all, just because parrots have the ability to speak human does NOT mean they will choose to do so. You’ve only had the bird a short time and he hasn’t developed a relationship with you and accepted you as his flock mate and he’s going to keep quiet until he’s comfortable in his surroundings and comfortable enough to open up and let his personality shine. How long it takes to learn to trust you is up to you and the more patient and loving you are with him and the more time you spend with him, the quicker he will learn to trust you.

Quakers in general are very comical and active birds, but they do tend to be sneaky so don’t be surprised if you end up missing small things when you let him out of his cage to forage. They also need more balance and stability than most parrots because they are prone to self-mutilation (called Quaker Mutilation Syndrome) and everything about their diet, health and nutrition, and environment needs to be as high quality as possible.

In my experience second hand parrots (birds who have had previous owners) have a harder time adjusting to new environments, especially those who have been in multiple homes, because they have learned that humans aren’t trustworthy and not committed to giving them the love and security they need to thrive. They develop negative behaviors that are fear based such as biting, plucking and screaming and it takes a confident, gentle handler to help them get past that. This is where you will need to step up and make sure he feels loved and secure.

Like all birds, Quakers have normal sleep habits and as long as you give them at least 10-12 hours of quiet, uninterrupted sleep time you won’t have any problems with their sleep cycle.