60 years old and cage bound (please help)

[Icarus]

When I was in high school, I visited my best friend's house every single weekend. I was told, every single time, to stay away from the Yellow Crowned Amazon on the back porch, because she WOULD bite me and was vicious. She was never allowed out of her cage, because she nearly bit the owner's husband's finger off (the bone was visible all the way around) years before, and had no toys. Her perch was a sawed off plastic broom handle with sandpaper wired to it. Her name was Sunshine. And she was beautiful.

Since high school, I have moved in with my friend (now my fiance) to care for her aging grandparents, who owned the bird. I am now 26, and have finally thawed them out enough to allow me to let her out of the cage (even though she's only actually steped out onto the cage door twice in months). But she hates EVERYTHING (of course she does, after what she's been through). She hates ME. She's aggressive, and tries to bite me. She growls and pins her eyes, and flairs her wings forward. I sit near her cage for an hour a day, and speak and sing to her, and she has FINALLY started to let me feed her tiny slices of apple and banana, but only when the cage is shut and she's safe inside. Other than the few treats I give her, she lives off of a strictly cheap seed and raw peanut diet, and so is very overweight and I fear for her health.

After all of that background, now down to the questions.

As she has not been allowed outside of her cage for over 20 years, what is the likelyhood she'll ever feel safe outside of it?

Would changing her cage at this age stress her too much?

What can I do to get her off of this diet? Tips and tricks for her to accept her new food?

Will she, a 60 year old cage bound Amazon, ever trust me?

 

[Clueless]

My zons were older, wild caught birds. Horrid diet. Cage bound (unknown amount of years).

After reading horror stories about pellet conversion.......had no issues here! I tried roudybush and zupreem. Zupreem also makes a monkey biscuit that my zons love to hold and crunch. You can soften that too with water or by adding organic tart cherry juice also.

Contact pellet companies you're interested in and ask for samples. Explain is an old Amazon you want to convert.

All birds are individuals.....but mine are coming out of their shell. It takes time. TIME the bird dictates, not you. But they're worth every second.

 

[aooratrix]

I'd park a suitably-sized cage next to her old one, hang one toy in it, put goodies in the bowl, leave the door open and let her decide when to climb on it, go in, etc.

 

[MommyBird]

My male Blue Front Amazon had not been out of a tiny cage for about 10 years when we took him in. He had one perch, one bell and was kept in the garage, dishes were changed with welding gloves.
He didn't even understand the concept of stepping up onto another perch, he'd try to crawl under it ....the only perch he knew was the one he was always standing on.
But YES, he came around beautifully (and stole my heart completely), although it took 9 months for him to let me scratch him, and he became an ace flier.
Food treats, lots of praise and clicker training (positive reinforcement) are what did it.
We got him a huge cage asap and he wasn't scared by it and eventually used all of it, just go at your bird's pace. (name???)
It sounds like you ARE making progress already.

 

[faislaq]

Thank you so much for working with Sunshine! I always love reading about people who help birds or any animals out of unfortunate situations. Considering her background I'd say you've made huge strides already, and while she may have trouble expressing it, I just KNOW Sunshine appreciates it!

 

[Laylatoo]

This makes me happy to hear someone care enough to make such big changes in a lonely birds world. You are a good person and patience and time will reward you and Sunshine. Please share your journey here. I’m sure we would all love to follow along.

 

[zoo mom]

Time and patience are the key. It may take lots of time. Months (or years). Thank you for caring.

 

[Sarahmoluccan]

Thanks for looking after her and making positive changes in her life.

How aggressive is she with you? Stick training might be a good way to go. Using a T shaped I think would be the best. Here's a thread about them Clueless sent Wasabi and I a gift! | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

Best of luck with her!!

 

[JLcribber]

He certainly doesn't hate you. He doesn't know you or have any reason to trust you. You have to earn that over time and there is no shortcut.

Your love and caring will heal many things. Not all things but many. Be patient and wait for it. Thank you for being this bird's saviour. There is no greater gift.

 

[Tyrion]

It will take allot of time I'm going on 2 yrs with my girlie and its a slow go but we are making progress every day ...she was in a hoarding situation for about 6 yrs I was told and she is just beginning to trust me but its wonderful seeing her start to trust me more and more ...take it slow and let him go at his own pace and you will find that it will pay off ...best of luck

 

[Birdbabe]

Thank you for helping her!