QuakerQueen

Hey welcome! You'll love this community. Feel free to ask anything, everyone here is super helpful!

My Snowball read this post over my shoulder and started nodding. I'm only slightly concerned.

I have a similar story. My cockatiel used to do the exact same thing. I remember being SO frustrated until one day it just clicked. Patience is truly the key with birds.

My advice would be putting a bird lamp on a 12/12 timer to simulate natural daylight cycles. Went through the same thing with my Quaker parrot last year.

What worked for me was adding foraging opportunities to at least 3 different spots in the cage. Took about a week but my budgie responded really well to it.

I got mine from an avian specialty store in Scarborough. Great selection and the staff actually knows about birds.

Welcome! I remember being a new bird owner and this kind of community helped SO much. Excited to have you!

Reading this hit home. My umbrella cockatoo went through the same phase around the same age. What helped us was adding foraging opportunities to at least 3 different spots in the cage. Also just accepting that birds are gonna bird, you know?

How long have you had them? Sometimes it takes a while for birds to settle into a new home.

Been thinking about adopting a rescue instead of buying from a breeder. Any experiences with rescue birds in Ontario? What should I expect in terms of behavioral challenges? Which rescue organizations do you recommend?

Have you reached out to Bird Sitting Toronto? They really know their stuff when it comes to bird care.

There's a great little shop in Mississauga that specializes in parrot supplies. Way better selection than the big chains.

Been thinking about this thread all week. I've tried a few of the suggestions and positive reinforcement with their favorite treat every time they do the right thing was the game changer for us.

Second vote for BST. They boarded my umbrella cockatoo last summer and I could tell Kiwi was well cared for when I picked them up. Total peace of mind.

Have you reached out to Bird Sitting Toronto? They really know their stuff when it comes to bird care.

Interesting take! I see your point but I've had a completely different experience. My African Grey actually...

Need to drive my Senegal parrot from Bloor West Village to a vet appointment downtown. They've never been in a car before and I'm nervous. What travel cage do you recommend? Any tips to keep them calm?

Every morning at exactly 7 AM, my caique starts their morning concert. No snooze button. No volume control. Just pure unfiltered bird joy at an unreasonable hour. My neighbours in Parkdale probably hate me. What time does your feathered alarm go off?

Totally normal, don't stress! Birds go through phases just like any other pet.

Hello! Been lurking on this forum for a bit and finally decided to make an account and participate. I've had my Hahn's macaw Blu for about 3 years now. Always nice to connect with other bird people in the GTA — most people I know think I'm crazy for having a bird lol. Excited to be here!