Quaker Parrot

Fatty liver / hyperlipidemia

SignsObesity with a swollen belly, abnormally long and brittle beak or nails, feather color changes, lethargy, sudden seizures

PreventionStop high-fat seeds such as sunflower and hemp; base the diet on pellets and vegetables. Weigh every morning and get a blood test once a year

Gout (visceral / articular)

SignsSwollen leg joints with white nodules, holding a foot up and unable to perch, drinking and urinating more, lethargy

PreventionAvoid high-protein, high-fat diets; always provide fresh water. Reduce kidney load and get regular blood tests

Feather plucking / self-mutilation

SignsFeathers lost from chest and flanks with bare skin, feathers remaining only on the head, biting the skin until it bleeds

PreventionReduce boredom and loneliness with foraging toys and interaction. Do not give too much nesting material. Rule out skin and internal disease with tests

PBFD / PDD

SignsDeformed or lost feathers, beak abnormalities, regurgitation, undigested droppings and weight loss (PDD)

PreventionPCR test at the time of adoption. No contact with infected birds; quarantine newcomers. No cure exists, so prevention is everything

Egg binding / chronic egg laying

SignsFemale straining on the floor, swollen belly, unsteadiness, no droppings, leg paralysis

PreventionDo not give nesting material or nest boxes; suppress hormonal behavior. Keep daylight to about 10 hours. Ensure calcium and UV light

Chlamydiosis

SignsGreen diarrhea, discharge from eyes or nostrils, labored breathing, fluffed-up and lethargic

PreventionTest at the time of adoption. Clean daily and ventilate so dried-dropping dust is not inhaled. Transmissible to humans

Strangulation by nesting material

PreventionDo not let the bird use thread, string, cloth fibers or tissues as nesting material. Keep anything that can wrap around the legs out of the cage

First aidIf thread is wrapped around a toe, do not pull; cut it carefully with scissors. If the toe is purple or swollen, see the vet the same day

Wing / leg fracture

PreventionMake the room safe from collisions with windows and mirrors. No free flight when fans are running or while cooking. Leave a dim light at night in case of night panic

First aidDo not splint the wing yourself. Put the bird in a small box or carrier, keep it dark, quiet and warm. See the vet now

Bleeding (nail / feather shaft)

PreventionTrim nails short of the blood vessel. Handle carefully so new blood feathers (pin feathers) do not break

First aidFor a nail, press styptic powder or cornstarch on it for several minutes. For a bleeding blood feather, press the base of the feather; if it does not stop, see the vet now

Burns / scalds

PreventionKeep the bird out of the kitchen during free flight. Cover pots, heaters and electric kettles. Overheated nonstick (PTFE) coatings also cause poisoning

First aidCool the area with room-temperature water for several minutes. No ice, no ointments. Even if it looks small, see the vet now

Psittacosis (Chlamydia)

RouteInhaling dust from dried droppings or feathers; mouth-to-beak feeding

PreventionClean daily, dampening droppings before wiping. If you develop fever or pneumonia symptoms, tell your doctor you keep birds

Salmonellosis

RouteHand-to-mouth after touching droppings

PreventionAlways wash hands after care. Wash bird dishes separately from kitchen dishes

Bird fancier's lung (hypersensitivity pneumonitis)

RouteInhaling feather dust and dried-dropping dust

PreventionVentilation and an air purifier. See a doctor if cough or shortness of breath persists. Wear a mask when cleaning

Bacterial infection of bite wounds

RouteBacteria such as Pasteurella from a bite wound

PreventionWash the wound under running water and disinfect. See a doctor if swelling or fever develops

Food

• Pellets as the staple (70% or more of the diet). Twice daily, morning and evening; about 10% of body weight per day
• A small amount of vegetables daily, such as komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach), bell pepper and carrot
• Seeds only as treats. Especially limit sunflower and hemp seeds

Water

• Replace with fresh water daily. Never let water run out, to prevent gout
• Provide two water dishes; replace immediately if food or droppings get in

Toys & play

• Chewable wooden and paper toys. Strong urge to destroy, so replace often
• Foraging toys that hide pellets prevent boredom and feather plucking
• Choose stainless-steel bells and ropes whose fibers cannot tangle

Nest, bed & hideout

• As a rule, do not provide nest boxes or nesting material; they intensify hormonal and nest-building behavior
• Let the bird rest on a perch at night and cover the cage for security

Bedding & litter

• Line the floor with newspaper or paper towels, change daily and check droppings
• Avoid shredded paper on the floor; the bird will carry it as nesting material
• Grit and sand are unnecessary. Watch for ingestion of bedding

Cage / housing material

Stainless steel or safely coated metal. The beak is strong, so wood or plastic is unsuitable

Size & space

At least 60 cm wide x 45 cm deep x 60 cm high. Larger if out-of-cage time is short

Layout

• Two or more natural-wood perches of different thicknesses at different heights
• Place food and water dishes where droppings cannot fall in; avoid directly under perches
• Rotate 1–3 toys and do not create hiding spots that can become a nest

Placement notes

• Place against a quiet wall where the family is nearby; do not move the cage often
• Avoid the kitchen, direct sunlight and spots where air-conditioner airflow hits

Exercise, free-roam & walks

• 2–3 hours of free flight daily. Cover windows and mirrors, close doors and the exhaust fan, and check beforehand
• Outside the cage, offering a hand is less likely to get you bitten; do not put your hand inside the cage
• The bird walks on the floor picking up objects, so watch your feet

Temperature & humidity

Temperature20–28°C. Fairly cold-tolerant, but sick and young birds need 28–30°C

Humidity50–60%. Excessive dryness stresses feathers and the respiratory tract

Summer & winter

• Summer: watch for heatstroke from direct sun and closed rooms; keep below 28°C with air conditioning
• Winter: on nights below 15°C use a cover and a heater. Avoid sudden temperature changes

Nail trimming

Trim overgrown nails about once a month, short of the blood vessel. If unsure, have the vet do it. Keep styptic powder on hand

Brushing, skin & coat care

No brushing needed. Bathing or misting 2–3 times a week keeps feathers and skin clean

Other care

The beak wears down naturally. Abnormal growth or deformity signals liver disease; see the vet. Sunbathe a few times a week

Protection from predators

• Do not let the bird out in the same room as dogs, cats or ferrets. Keep the cage out of their reach too
• Do not take the bird onto the balcony. Crows and raptors target it. Recovery is difficult if it escapes
• Use mosquito netting or screens to keep out mosquitoes (vectors of avian pox). Always close window screens

Foreign-body ingestion

Nesting instinct makes it carry thread, rubber bands, beads, scraps of paper and metal in its beak. Clear the floor and desk before free flight; if ingestion is suspected, do not induce vomiting and see the vet now

Being stepped on

It walks on the floor collecting nesting material, so watch where you step. Check where the bird is before opening doors or sitting on the sofa

Getting pinched

Easily caught on the hinge side of doors, in drawers and in the cage door. Secure doors during free flight and check the bird's position before opening or closing the cage door

Falls

A clipped bird can hit its keel in a fall. After a fall from a height, keep warm, check leg movement and breathing, and see the vet the same day

Escape

This species has become invasive abroad; never release it. Prevent escape with double doors. If it escapes, call its name, put the cage outside and call it back in early morning and evening. Report to the police and the public health center

Safe release procedure

1. Freeze and stay silent; wait for the beak to loosen
2. With your other hand, gently push the bird's chest and tilt its body backward
3. Once it lets go, calmly return it to a perch and leave it alone for a while
4. If you were bitten with your hand inside the cage, change to a method that keeps your hand out

After the release

Wash the wound under running water and disinfect. For deep wounds, swelling or fever, see a dermatologist or surgeon. Record the circumstances of the bite and review the environment

What to tell the vet & what to bring

Weight records, paper with droppings, diet details (proportion of seeds), time of last meal, hormonal and laying history, other birds in the home

Checking consciousness, breathing & heartbeat

• Response to calling and light stimulation; whether the eyes open
• Check breathing by chest movement. About 40–60 breaths per minute at rest
• Heartbeat is too fast to count by hand. Put your ear to the chest to feel it

Stopping bleeding

• For nail or beak bleeding, press styptic powder or cornstarch on it
• For a bleeding blood feather, press gauze on the base of the feather for several minutes
• For bleeding on the body, press with gauze, keep warm and see the vet now

Transport

• Line a small carrier or plastic case with cloth, keep it dark and warm with a hand warmer (no direct contact)
• Remove perches and carry level without shaking. Do not talk to the bird too much on the way