When you talk to her, speak with respect. You should never rudely criticize her or say things which are demeaning. Just like it wouldn't be acceptable for someone to say these things to you, it's not acceptable for you to say those things to her. Try to think not only about how you'd feel if someone said something to you but also think about how her own experiences might lead her to feel about what you said. For example, only call her a girl if she is one. Is your girl older than, say, 20 years old? At that point you should be calling her a woman or a lady. When you call her girl, you're making her seem like a child, implying that she can't do things for herself, think, or act like the capable adult she is. Get to really know her for who she really is, not just what you think she is or want her to be. Ask questions about her. Dig deep. Take an interest in what she says, what she does, and what she wants. She'll notice that you do these things and it will show her that not only do you care about her but that you also respect who she is as a person.  Ask questions about her religion, her political views, what it was like for her growing up, what she wants for the future. You can also ask the usual questions like her favorite color or food, but these kinds of things need to be balanced out with a deeper understanding of who she is. Listen to what she says. When she talks, you should be listening. Don't tune her out because she "talks too much". Pay attention because you might learn things about her that you didn't know before. Instead of fighting and insulting each other when you have a fight, talk things out. If you really want to treat both her and yourself right, talk about things that bother you when they happen or very soon afterward. Bottling things up and "keeping score" will just make both of you miserable. You also shouldn't talk behind her back. A lot of the time it's easier to complain about your girlfriend to everyone except for your girlfriend but this isn't fair to her and it isn't helpful for you. Solve the problem instead by talking to her calmly and finding a solution together. . Of course you should give your girl lots of compliments but if you really want to treat her the way she deserves to be treated, you might want to pay attention to how you give those compliments. With a little understanding, you will be giving great compliments that make her heart just beat off the chart.  You don't want to give them out all the time for no reason at all because it will devalue them. You should focus on complimenting her when it matters, such as when she works really hard or does something really kind. You should also watch the language that you use. Sometimes, even though a guy means to say something nice, he accidentally says something that is hurtful. You have to be careful about how you talk because it can reveal a lot about how you think and also make the woman you're with very uncomfortable. Don't be vulgar, make off-color jokes, or be deliberately impolite (like farting in front of her). You also don't want to talk rudely about people or talk about how sexy other women are. All of these things may make her feel uncomfortable or hurt and you don't want that. When you talk to her, be truthful. Lying to her, even to be kind, isn't helpful and it won't help you to build a relationship of trust. Don't tell her you'll be helping your sick grandma when really you just don't want to go see a chick flick with her. This kind of behavior is disrespectful and sets a bad precedent. When you know that telling her the truth is going to be not only painful but also unproductive or unhelpful, try to lie by omission instead. If she asks you something like the proverbial "Does this make me look fat?" question, then instead of saying something inevitably hurtful, turn the statement around and tell her a truth. You can say something like, "I love the way that dress makes your body look but I think the yellow dress was way prettier overall."

Summary: Speak with respect. Understand her. Have a discussion when you have problems. Compliment her in the right ways Watch what you say. Generally be truthful but lie smart when you have to.


Quakers are a smaller breed of parrot, but because of their active nature, they do best with a roomy cage.  An 18” x 18” x 18” cage should probably be the minimum size for your bird, but also consider safety and security features.  Quaker parrots are known for being escape artists, so make sure the bars on the cage are not too far apart, nor at the same time narrow enough that a curious quaker can get its head stuck between them.  ⅝-inch spacing between bars is a good reference point. Likewise, to counteract their curiosity and escapability, choose a gate that swings open (not a guillotine-style gate that a quaker may be able to lift up only to have it become a trap).  Quakers have been known to figure out how to unlatch a gate, so consider a lock as well. A repetitive daily diet of bird food pellets not only lacks the diversity to provide proper nutrition, it may also cause boredom (and thus a lack of eating) in birds like quakers.  Make the pellets part of the diet, but also mix in a variety of fruits and vegetables, and occasional seeds and nuts. Avoid feeding birds avocados, however, as this can be toxic to them; also skip chocolate, caffeine, and alcohol. Birds are messy — there is no way around it.  In addition to droppings, quakers will strew food scraps, destroyed toys, and bits of anything else they can get their beaks on throughout the cage and on your floor.  Give the cage a quick cleanup daily, removing large bits of junk and replacing the newspaper liner (you may want to subscribe to a daily paper if you’re going to be a bird owner). Each week, give the cage a more thorough cleaning, scrubbing down the bars and such. You may want to place the cage over an easier-to-clean floor surface, such as tile or hardwood rather than carpet. Take your quaker for annual checks (and more as warranted) by a veterinarian, preferably one with a bird specialization.  Beak, claw, and feather health should be areas of particular focus for you and your vet, as problems in these areas are often indicators of larger issues.  Quakers may be more susceptible to fatty liver disease, so don't let your bird become overweight.  Limiting seeds and other high-fat foods may be necessary.  Talk to your vet if you are concerned. Feather plucking is another disorder that can be common among quakers, and can have physical or behavioral causes.  A good avian vet can help you with this issue as well.
Summary: Buy the right cage. Provide a diverse diet. Expect messes and frequent cleaning. Find a good vet.