Is the Amazon good parrot for me?

[sunnysmom]

It is possible that a bird will attach himself to someone that doesn't really interact with him or want to interact with him. Birds like who they like. That doesn't mean that they can't still get along with other people in the house but birds will choose their favorite. That's why I think an older bird is actually better. You can get an understanding of his personality and preferences in advance. (Although they can change.) And both of my birds have been older birds and both have been completely trainable and attached to me.

 

[Imogena]

Most birds rehomed are just fine. I adopted a Hahns who was abused before I got her at age 11 - sweetest bird I've ever had. My rehome Jardine's I got at 19. He wasn't abused but they fed him all seeds so now he's sick but very sweet as is happy to go to anyone - even strangers! So the baggage
they come with doesn't always define them.

As for preventing it... You're going against nature in many ways. Birds WANT to bond with one bird. In the absence of a bird, especially with hand fed birds, humans fill that need.

This is a good read Site Name - Articles - Behavioral - Sex And The Psittacine

Oh. Ok. Now you gave me a lot to think about. Ok... I have to think.
Hahns and Jardine are Amazons?
About had feeding: In one place I've read that it is the best way to have a gentle bird who will become easily accustomed to the owner. In other place I've read that hand feeding is a very bad idea because the immune system of such bird is weaker and the bird tends to attach to one person only. Which one is true?
I have to seriously consider taking an older bird.

 

[sunnysmom]

Okay roadies, get ready to shout at me...

My husband and I did not have an ounce of bird knowledge. We rescued two blue front amazons (wild caught ones, old dudes). We've made it work thanks to the avenue and friends at a local bird club.

Old birds will learn, too. I've taught mine a couple of tricks and I'm the one that doesn't take the time to teach otherwise they would learn more.

Is there a place you can go to meet different parrots? Maybe volunteer at a local bird rescue if they have them in your country?

No shouting from me. I am actually a firm believer in getting the bird that you want from the get go as long as you have done the research and don't have unreasonable expectations. I mean, I came home one day to a cockatiel in my house. I had zero clue what to do with him. I learned. And now I have my cockatoo. Other than knowing basic care, I don't really think having a 'tiel prepared me for a 'too. You just kind of have to educate yourself, take advice, make mistakes, correct the mistakes, and try your best.

 

[Gen120]

My lilac crowned Amazon, Sammy is a rehome and is an exception to how most Amazons are, especially rehomes. So, I got her in 2006, my first Amazon and large parrot ever. I didn't have much experience at all but when I got her I promised I would do whatever it took to make her life better. She was in a small rusty cage on the back porch of her so called "rescuer" (use that term loosely as she was sort of a hoarder honestly). So, Sammy attached to me and only me. To this day she will not let anyone else touch her or handle her, but me. She was not tame when I first got her, she was very afraid and clearly abused in the past. She has never bitten me but she is a very mellow chill Amazon so I got lucky.

 

[Imogena]

Is there a place you can go to meet different parrots? Maybe volunteer at a local bird rescue if they have them in your country?

Unfortunately not. We do not have such thing in our country. We only have shelters for dogs and cats. I was in one place but I don't even know how to call it in English. It is some kind of ZOO but only for parrots. You can interact there with parrots, pet them, take them in your hands if they let you. By the way, later I've read opinions of experts about such places and I'm never going to visit it again. The experts say the parrots are nervous and overexcited and it is very bad for them.

 

[Imogena]

My lilac crowned Amazon, Sammy is a rehome and is an exception to how most Amazons are, especially rehomes. So, I got her in 2006, my first Amazon and large parrot ever. I didn't have much experience at all but when I got her I promised I would do whatever it took to make her life better. She was in a small rusty cage on the back porch of her so called "rescuer" (use that term loosely as she was sort of a hoarder honestly). So, Sammy attached to me and only me. To this day she will not let anyone else touch her or handle her, but me. She was not tame when I first got her, she was very afraid and clearly abused in the past. She has never bitten me but she is a very mellow chill Amazon so I got lucky.

And what happens if you have to leave the house? Does she allow others to feed her? I know she doesn't let anyone else to touch her but what about feeding? How does she react when she is with you and someone else comes close to you? Does she attack or just tries to avoid another person?

 

[Mizzely]

Oh. Ok. Now you gave me a lot to think about. Ok... I have to think.
Hahns and Jardine are Amazons?
About had feeding: In one place I've read that it is the best way to have a gentle bird who will become easily accustomed to the owner. In other place I've read that hand feeding is a very bad idea because the immune system of such bird is weaker and the bird tends to attach to one person only. Which one is true?
I have to seriously consider taking an older bird.

Hahns are macaws and Jardine's are poicephalus. Handfeeding does lend itself to one person birds because the bird identifies more as a human than a bird. So it could be more prone to trying to start a mate pair bond with a human. In some countries it is illegal to handfeed as it can be mentally harmful to the bird. My Quaker was handed.

 

[Brittany0208]

I agree that an older bird would be the better option as opposed to a baby. I got my bird when he was 8 years old and he's now 9. He was untamed and never had positive interaction with people. He lived as an aviary breeder, but after working with him, he's allowing me to pet and hold him without aggression. He's very passive and a real sweetheart.
When I first got him 8 months ago, if I looked in his direction he'd thrash around the cage and scream. Now, he's only in his cage at bedtime or when I can't supervise him. He's always eager to come out of the cage in the morning.

 

[Anita1250]

Ok, they will probably yell at me too. 35 years ago I bought a baby BFA. Not only had I never had a bird before, I had never had a PET before. My bird was not yet weaned, so I hand fed him for about three weeks. He is the absolutely best bird today! He does not scream a lot, gets along with everyone, loves my new husband as well. He allows both of us to touch him just about whenever we want. He is a pure joy to live with. I have never had any real problems. When he hit 5 or 6, he did get roudy, but pretty much calmed down within three or four years. Now, at 35 he is mellow and fun loving. We take him with us all the time, and spend quite a lot of time with him. He sits on the couch and watches TV with us. Even lets us know when he has to go, so we bring him back to his cage.

My advice is to read everything you can, talk to everyone and make your own decision about what bird you want. Good luck on your travels to birdie heaven!

 

[Gen120]

And what happens if you have to leave the house? Does she allow others to feed her? I know she doesn't let anyone else to touch her but what about feeding? How does she react when she is with you and someone else comes close to you? Does she attack or just tries to avoid another person?

I went out of town for a few days in April and my brother fed her. It didn't go well even with her cage having feed doors. He managed to get her fed but she was lunjing at the cage bars..

 

[Imogena]

Ok. So most of you recommend an older bird. And not hand-fed, right? Wow, this is quite opposite to what one Polish expert is advising. Another Polish expert doesn't agree with him and they argue constantly. The problem is, they are more focused on the argument than the merits and I got lost. I didn't know anymore what is right, what is wrong. Ok. Back to the birds. Does it matter how old is the bird? Like the older the better? Or the younger the better? Or middle?
And about introducing the bird to the new home. Is it ok if I did like this: I would take two weeks of vacation from work and during this time I would get to know the bird and simultaneously I would get him used to being alone for six hours a day? Is six hours a day too long for the parrot to be alone? Or maybe I should wait till summer, take longer holliday (like one month) and try to get the bird?

 

[Mizzely]

Adopt the bird in a time when it will know your household schedule best. If you take off two weeks and then have to be gone, it can distress or confuse them. Put them in your normal routine so they get used to NORMAL vs ABNORMAL.

As for age, I prefer in the realm of 10 to 20 because that is usually when they are over the worst hormonal periods. But I'm not sure what is "best" for Amazons

Hormonal Behavior in Companion Parrots | Beauty of Birds

 

[iamwhoiam]

Best to go out and do a meet and greet with a few Amazon parrots and see what you think. With an older bird you will have a better idea of the personality. I have a BFA and a YNA. They are both 31 years old but I've had my BFA since he was 3 mos. old whereas I got my YNA in 2003 when she was 16 years old although I knew her since she was also about 3 mos. old. Casey, BFA, is generally very sweet although grumpy in the AMs. Shannon has a tendency to lunge at me and I always need to be extra careful so I don't get bitten. She has a history of biting and had bitten her previous human a few times as well as hurting other birds. I do work with Shannon and the lunging has decreased over time and I can scratch her head without any concerns that I will be bit.
Keep your usual schedule instead of staying home with the bird for two weeks. You want the bird to get used to your schedule rather than being used to seeing you all the time and then abruptly changing that.
Wishing you the best of luck with your research and hope you find that special bird.

 

[Imogena]

I thought about taking two weeks off to slowly introduce the bird to my absence. Like one day two hours, then three hours and so on. Do you think it is better to get the bird one day and leave him for six hours the next day?

 

[Mizzely]

Yep. I always let my bird know how things work from day 1 so there are less surprises

 

[Imogena]

Yep. I always let my bird know how things work from day 1 so there are less surprises

Oh. Ok. I haven't thought about it like that.
Sorry, it's not that I'm contradicting you or anything, but I'm surprised. Wouldn't you be afraid that the bird could for example panic in his cage and hurt himself? He doesn't know the new environment, you do not know the new bird. Maybe it would be better if I stayed in another room and pretend I'm not home but I would listen if the bird is calm or nervous?

 

[iamwhoiam]

When it comes down to it you need to do what is comfortable for you as well as what is good for the bird. Maybe just staying home a day or two if it would be less stressful for you would work out but taking 2 weeks off just to spend more time with the bird may be nice but not the norm.
Now if you got a baby bird that you had to hand feed every few hours (and I am NOT recommending that) then taking time off would probably be a necessity although it would depend on the feeding schedule.

 

[Mizzely]

Most birds are quiet and watchful for the first day or so. They don't want to attract attention to themselves as they are prey animals and it is a natural way to avoid being eaten. Even my most phobic birds (I had one afraid of perches of all things!) did just fine.

 

[Clueless]

And you can always get a video camera to see him when you're away. I have cameras on each of mine.

 

[KatelynDeanne]

And you can always get a video camera to see him when you're away. I have cameras on each of mine.

Were actually looking at cameras as well to monitor Lucy when were not in the same room or away. Also, get some funny recordings of her talking.