Other Quakers may react differently. Perhaps on and off for several hours they may actively fight the collar. They will try to remove the collar by scratching it with their feet or twisting their necks and stretching in an attempt to reach it. They may refuse to eat or play for an hour or two.

But, soon they will accept the collaring too. If a bird can reach the collar and chew it, then replace that collar with one about 1/8th of an inch longer. I have not yet heard of a Quaker reaching a 1 1/2 inch long collar, unless the foam had a larger hole in it than the size of a penny.

A few Quakers may appear depressed about the whole ordeal of being collared. After an initial struggle they may appear to completely give up to the point of hanging their head and resting the point of their beak against a flat surface. It may seem that the foam collar is much too heavy for them to support, but actually it weighs about one half of a gram. Those Quakers will adjust too, but it may take overnight. Some of those birds may refuse to eat from their food dish for the remainder of that day, but within two or three hours they will usually accept a small treat or some ground pellets mixed with baby food fruit or sweet potatoes.

Should a Quaker Parrot appear severely depressed and flatly refuses to eat anything the following day, then consult a veterinarian. A temporary and mild anti-depressant may be indicated. It may be worth mentioning that one of our smarter Quakers sometimes appear depressed after being collared following a new plucking episode, but we see her sneak a bite from her dish and play with her toys until she notices us watching her from another room.

If it is necessary to collar your Quaker, it may be better to do so in a familiar place. Have the collar and tape ready and quickly collar the bird to minimize stress. Speak soothingly to the bird during the collaring process. Afterwards, give the bird extra attention and let it know that you love it and everything is ok. We hold our QPs for a few minutes. Do things to distract it from fighting the collar. Give it a favorite toy or treat.

If it has a surrogate enemy toy, then let it take out any frustrations on it. The bird may refuse to eat or play for a while, but present the offerings often. One of our birds loves to ride in the auto, so I will take her for a spin about the neighborhood.

It may take a few minutes for a collared bird to readjust its balance. So, do not place a freshly collared bird where it may fall from a distance. Soon it will be climbing and balancing almost perfectly normal.

If collaring a bird is necessary to protect it against its own actions, then be sure to collar it. If you cannot bring yourself to collar it, then let someone else do it. When you begin collaring a Quaker, then do not give in to any emotions of pity which the bird may provoke in you. Sometimes birds are masters at playing on our sympathies. For that reason some veterinarians choose to keep a bird overnight away from a potentially upset owner, especially if the bird is to be fitted with a bulky and heavy Elizabethan or solid spool collar. I have seen Quakers collared in a veterinarian clinic fall over on their sides or back and appear to pass out. Often their being collared in such an unfamiliar place by unfamiliar people with heavy and bulk collars will cause much more stress to the bird than being collared at home by the owner.

We have noticed that our Quakers speak less when collared. That is natural since their neck muscles are being constricted a tiny bit. When they speak or make their special birdie sounds, it may be with a lower voice. However with a beak full of plucked feathers or while picking at a wound, they did not speak as often either.

It may not be wise to place a collared bird with another bird or birds. If you attempt to do that, then be aware that the others may attack the collared bird. It cannot defend itself as well when collared.