Quack Quack Quackers

So, I've had some lady contact me. She thinks she wants an IRN. She used to have a quacker prior to moving to sucky CA where nothing cool is legal. She wants something similar to a quacker. I don't think that's an IRN. I think it's more like a conure.

Well you guys?

Depends on what she wants characteristic wise... one thing quakers are known for and conures are not is talking ability. Quackers of course, are just ducky, so maybe you are onto something.

ScooterNScotty wrote:

Depends on what she wants characteristic wise... one thing quakers are known for and conures are not is talking ability. Quackers of course, are just ducky, so maybe you are onto something.

She didn't indicate that talking ability was important. She described her quacker as "sweet". I don't think I'd describe an IRN as sweet. I've emailed her back for more details about what qualities she's looking for.

I would love to have a quacker to check them out. To bad we can't here.

patdbunny wrote:

. To bad we can't here.

Yeah. They do sound like really cool little birds.

What about a Red bellied parrot? Similar size, clownish, cuddly, outgoing, usually very clear talkers.

I'd suggest a some sort of conure. It is the closest. Quakers play better by themselves, and are are happier to let be, but over all very similar I find.

But she's looking for a talking bird, that's probably why she looked at IRNs. Quakers are some of the best speakers out there, and Conures -with a few exceptions- are usually some of the worst.

Actually, Roz said she didn't indicate talking ability. Unless I am reading something wrong.

She didn't indicate that talking ability was important. She described her quacker as "sweet". I don't think I'd describe an IRN as sweet. I've emailed her back for more details about what qualities she's looking for.

GlassOnion wrote:

But she's looking for a talking bird, that's probably why she looked at IRNs. Quakers are some of the best speakers out there, and Conures -with a few exceptions- are usually some of the worst.

No, no "She didn't indicate that talking ability was important." She described her quacker as "sweet".

Red Bellies - I've interacted with a few, but not enough to be comfortable recommending them. I generally don't discuss birds that I don't have first hand experience with. "clownish, cuddly, outgoing" are very general terms. My CAG was cuddly, but not cuddly like a conure. My IRN's outgoing, but in a different way than a caique. So I really don't feel comfortable discussing as I can't describe exactly what the adjective means.

There is just nothing likea good Quaker.

california needs to legalize ferrets and quakers, pronto If I didn't get to play with ferrets at work then I'd be an unhappy child... and quakers sound like cool lil birds too!

I completely misread that, I thought she DID indicate that talking was important..

patdbunny wrote:

(...) "clownish, cuddly, outgoing" are very general terms. (...)

Seems like Cockatiel to me Why not?

Margaret wrote:

patdbunny wrote:

(...) "clownish, cuddly, outgoing" are very general terms. (...)

Seems like Cockatiel to me Why not?

Exactly. These general terms have different meanings for different people. Outgoing - My husband and I just discussed this. He does not consider IRNs outgoing because they're not in-your-face friendly. I do consider IRNs outgoing. My Xavier, if you go near his cage or the play stand he's on he comes over to you and starts "talking" to you.

I've had an outgoing tiel and a not out going tiel.

I am so sad Quakers face this unjustice.

Hmmm.. I definitely don't consider Cockatiels clownish. If anything, they're the most pigeon-like parrots I've encountered.

patdbunny wrote:

These general terms have different meanings for different people.

GlassOnion wrote:

Hmmm.. I definitely don't consider Cockatiels clownish. If anything, they're the most pigeon-like parrots I've encountered.

Case on point.

When I commented, I used that description just as a reminder of those qualities, ASSUMING you knew what Red Bellieds were like. Hadn't thought it out on my part.

The problem with Quakers in CA isn't Quakers, it's people... they do really well when they get loose, and they can be hard on agriculture. We have feral flocks of conures and amazons in several places and they aren't nearly as prolific as Quakers. The law assumes if you have it, it will get loose.

I don't know what the big deal about feral Quakers is,the only place i see them is around the fast food joints usually battling the sea gulls.Them and the Jendays.

ScooterNScotty wrote:

The problem with Quakers in CA isn't Quakers, it's people... they do really well when they get loose, and they can be hard on agriculture. We have feral flocks of conures and amazons in several places and they aren't nearly as prolific as Quakers. The law assumes if you have it, it will get loose.

One word - Florida

moa wrote:

california needs to legalize ferrets and quakers, pronto If I didn't get to play with ferrets at work then I'd be an unhappy child... and quakers sound like cool lil birds too!

Moa - aren't ferrets PERFECT? Puppy and kitten rolled into one. One down side - they don't live very long.

I haven't heard of Quakers being farm pest ,i know they have "programs" to control them and the Jendays but i have only seen them in urban settings.I know that they can compete with any bird for food and even crows and seagulls don't want to mess with them.

I used to have ferrets, what a blast! Kinda stinky though, but not too bad. Poop a lot.

henpecked wrote:

I haven't heard of Quakers being farm pest ,i know they have "programs" to control them and the Jendays but i have only seen them in urban settings.I know that they can compete with any bird for food and even crows and seagulls don't want to mess with them.

They build humongo nests on power lines/power poles. I guess the concern is fire hazard and economic damage from that and keeping the poles clear.

Julsiebean wrote:

I used to have ferrets, what a blast! Kinda stinky though, but not too bad. Poop a lot.

Smelly they are. "If" I were to have a ferret, which-I-never-have-as-they're-illegal, I'd bath it weekly.