by Pajarita » Wed Jun 21, 2017 9:55 am
Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new baby! Quakers are one of my very favorite species of birds in the whole world! Now, the first thing you need to do is take this bird to an avian vet for a COMPLETE check-up because you got it from somebody who sells in a flea market and that means this person is NOT a good breeder. And, sorry, but there is no two ways about this. Good breeders have waiting lists for their babies and would never sell in a venue like that. I personally know of three birds that were acquired in flea markets/bird fairs that were sick (two of them with chlamydiosis and one with PDD] so you want to make sure the baby is healthy.
I don't know what you mean by the 'grunting' noise but if it is what we call beak grinding, you would be able to see the beak moving. If you don't it might be labored breathing that only 'shows up' when the bird is a bit anxious. I've had birds that did not show any labored breathing symptoms until they became a bit upset and then you could hear them breathing -which is never supposed to happen with a healthy bird.
Aside from that, the only other advice I can give you about quakers is that you need to make sure it's kept at a super strict solar light schedule because they are not tropical but temperate climate birds and, as such, they are HIGHLY sensitive to a human light schedule. And to feed right because these are not birds that require a lot of protein so no free-feeding protein food for them or it will end up with fatty liver. AH! And don't stick your hand in its cage! You can get away with it now but, most likely, you won't when the baby is grown -they are the only species of parrots that uses a nest all year round and are super duper cage-aggressive.