The Quaker Parrot : An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet (Happy Healthy Pet)

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Resource for New or Prospective Quaker Owner
Review: An experienced parrot owner and breeder myself, I found little to disagree with in this book. Ms. Higdon's writing is clear, informative, and easy to understand. She obviously knows her subject, and she writes well. Her sly but gentle sense of humor is evident and enjoyable. The information presented is accurate, up-to-date, and covers most of the things a new Quaker owner will need to know. She portrays the personality and characteristics of the Quaker quite well and makes several excellent points, such as the fact that talking ability should be a secondary rather than primary concern when choosing a parrot for a pet, that are seldom made in other books. The focus of this book is quite different from Theresa Jordan's handbook - it contains no information pertaining to breeding and may not be of interest to the breeder or experienced Quaker owner. If, however, you have newly acquired a Quaker or are considering getting one, I would highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Solid but Generic
Review: There is very little to take issue with in this book-- but if you didn't know the title you might just as well think you were reading a book on Amazons, Greys, or any number of other parrots. The information is extremely generic with the exception of a few passages here and there. I really don't think this is the author's fault- and the info is useful- but if you want a really good feeling for what it's like to own a QUAKER- you should also buy Mattie Sue Athan's outstanding book. That said, the one thing I do object to here is this author's claim that any household with cats and Quakers should have the cats declawed. That may be fair to the birds but is an incredible injustice to the felines. If you can't keep them separate, you might be better off not having one or the other. Overall, a solid book but if I didn't already have a Quaker this book would not have shown me how amazing these birds are! They are incredible.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent for the novice bird owner
Review: When I first bought my Quaker, I didn't know the first thing about parrots. Fortunately for both of us he was so young he couldn't come home yet. I bought this book and read every page religiously. She gave me so much insight into what my bird would behave like, look like, eat, want, you name it. Her writing was easy to read and understand. She herself owns Quakers, so she is accustomed to their behavior, behavior problems, quirks, eating habits, likes, dislikes, etc. By the time I was done reading the book, I felt like the expert; from cage purchase to food selection to an attention schedule. My bird and I are a happy family now, and I still refer to my book when I need help. I highly recommend it to any Quaker Parrot owner.