A couple of folks have been asking
if they are the only ones who have an "untouchable" Quaker, a Quaker that does
not want to be touched and does not want any sort of physical affection. There is a
way to make a bird more accepting of physical contact and more willing to return physical
affection. I don't know if I first saw this described in one of MSA's books - probably so
- I get most of my good ideas from Mattie Sue. (And I'm sure that Mattie Sue would be the
first to tell me "Don't touch me!" if we ever do meet.)
Anyway, here's my suggestion to tame a super stand-off-ish, bitey Quaker:
Arrange for a quiet time - a time when you can be alone with the Quaker for a half hour or
so. Use Mattie Sue's instructions to towel the Quaker. You loosely but firmly wrap the
Quaker in a small towel - a hand towel is good.
Wrap the Quaker so that his/her head is out of the towel, but the body is
restrained. Make sure the bird can breathe! Then just go somewhere nice - the den - the
screened-in porch - wherever, and just sit ad talk with the Quaker for a half hour. Maybe
put on some soothing music - not Def Leopard! (You deserve the rest, too.) The bird will
struggle for 5 or 10 minutes, but once it realizes that it can't get away and that it's
not going to be hurt, it will relax and actually respond to you. The first time or two,
just talk with the bird. Tell the Quaker how pretty he/she is and use the bird's name a
lot in your conversation.
Just talk to it like you would talk to a
friend. (Don't tell it your problems - birds can sense strong emotions. This is a
"time out" for the two of you.
The second or third day, I think that you will notice that the Quaker will
calm down sooner - after it's confined in the towel. After you have talked to it for a
while, try to stroke the back of its head - stroke with the grain of the feathers. The
bird may react strongly to the first touch and struggle to get away, but just back off and
start talking again. Pretty soon, the bird will start to enjoy the stroking. (Again - this
takes time - this might take all of a week to get to this stage.)
After a while, you will be able to work your stroking finger over the
Quaker's head and around its ears. The you will soon be able to trace your finger all over
its head even to the tiny area between its eye and its beak. The Quaker will nip at you
every once in a while - that's how birds communicate with each other as they are preening
and being preened. Soon ( a couple of weeks) you will be able to gently take the Quaker's
beak between your thumb and index finger and slowly stroke down the beak. Birds usually
love this.
After all of this - maybe a month or so, you can go into the feathers and
gently try to crack a pinfeather between your fingernails. You might be able to rub
against the feathers, but be careful! Some of the pinfeathers are sore.
Sooner or later you will realize that the Quaker is enjoying this as much
as you are. Then, when you loosen the towel, the bird will just sit there and continue to
enjoy the time with you.
Now, this all doesn't go completely smoothly. At some time or other the
bird will escape the towel and give you a good bite. You will be frustrated a couple of
times. It will take time - I'm talking a month or more for some birds. But it's worth it.
You will get a stronger bond with your bird and a bird that enjoys your touch.
Just remember one more thing: Be careful you don't fall asleep.
John D. & Teddy Bird
