Amazon Body Language?

[PetFoster]

I am fostering this Amazon parrot, and he/she has been a bit of a challenge! First, their diet is awful: the owners said they fed cockatiel seed mix, but really all the bird wanted was millet, so they moved to just feeding millet sprays. These particular owners only had the bird for about 4 months, but prior to that is a mystery: they got the bird from a shelter, who had zero insight on its previous life or appropriate care. So, I am working on diet conversion as the first priority and hopefully other things will begin to fall in place.

I am having a hard time determining its body language. I uploaded this video to YouTube, but the quality seems to have suffered quite a bit, so I hope it is clear enough to give some recommendations! He/she is pretty aggressive toward me, but is this body language pure aggression? Hormones? Fear? Frustration? Pain? I keep getting bit, especially when changing food dishes, regardless of whether I may eye contact or not, move slowly or quickly, only reach for dishes on the opposite side of the cage, etc. And it’s a nasty bite — lets just say that all my dripping blood is only going to be appropriate through Halloween in this house!

 

[Mizzely]

Someone more experienced with Amazons hopefully will come by! I read it as fear. That tail flare is a sure sign of being excited, and the raised wings looks like she would fly away if she could

 

[MommyBird]

That is not aggression. It is excitement or "I want" (the 'what' for you to figure out. Often it is to go somewhere else or get a treat.)
At least you know you can use millet spray for target training.

 

[April]

@Clueless @melissasparrots @Wasabisaurus @macawpower58 they can give you some Amazon insight.

 

[cnyguy]

To me it resembles a baby parrot's begging behavior. He wants food or maybe just some attention.

 

[Clueless]

Somewhere I read that if they held their wings out they wanted to go somewhere. Look at my name though, it's there for a reason. After rescuing 2 wild caught, blue front amazons, male to boot, I read a LOT and traveled states away to seminars to learn. I still have a lot to learn.

Secret just bit my arm, hard, tonight. The almond sliver intended as a treat wasn't delivered fast enough. I'm so grateful I was cold and had a thick jacket on. No blood!!!!! I'm a bad bird owner, the almond slivers were put away.

Get the bowls ready to change. Try luring the bird to the bottom of the cage, maybe the opposite side too, then stand and change. The idea is NOT to get bit.

I bought cage with food and water doors that open outside.

 

[Clueless]

Joanie Doss is an author that had the performing amazons. She got her first amazon and was bitten daily for over a year (but he wound up being her best buddy). She wound up getting more amazons and performing with them.

Her books are hard to find though.

 

[macawpower58]

If my Zon was doing that, I'd be cautious but encouraged. I see some excitement, perhaps a little territorialism.
A willing desire to engage with you, but with the blanket on the cage, he may be being a bit protective of his space.
Kind of looks like a nesty area, and grabbing the bars makes me think a bit of claiming the area.
One thing I've learned over the years though, is that Amazons often bite from excitement.
Most of my bites have been when we're having the most fun. I've learned to exercise caution when mine is in anyway worked up.

 

[Xoetix]

After rescuing 2 wild caught, blue front amazons, .

Wild caught? Color me intrigued! Where did you find wild caught blue fronted amazons?

 

[Xoetix]

I don’t know a lot about amazons (just what I’ve researched while helping a friend with hers), but if I had to guess, they look excited, but also a little fearful? Not full on scared, but skittish maybe? The only way I can think to describe it in a more familiar sense would be a dog from a shelter - They’re wagging their tail, they know you have a treat, they *know* you’re friendly, but experience has made them mistrustful.

Again, I don’t have personal experience with amazons, but if I had to guess the behavior that’d be it. I’d just exercise a lot of caution because any heightened emotion (like excitement) can result is what looks like a super mood swing - I’m so happy to see youCHOMP

 

[Clueless]

Wild caught? Color me intrigued! Where did you find wild caught blue fronted amazons?

Family member had them and my vet (and other experienced folk) have told me their bands identified them as being brought into the US. Secret has big time issues when she hears a lawn mower. (Always made me wonder if they sucked her out of a tree)

 

[Xoetix]

Family member had them and my vet (and other experienced folk) have told me their bands identified them as being brought into the US. Secret has big time issues when she hears a lawn mower. (Always made me wonder if they sucked her out of a tree)

Whoa. That is so crazy. Where were they wild at? Florida?

 

[Mizzely]

Whoa. That is so crazy. Where were they wild at? Florida?

Import band means stolen from the wild before it was illegal. So Central/South America

 

[Xoetix]

Import band means stolen from the wild before it was illegal. So Central/South America

Oh! I must have misunderstood her comment - I thought she meant they were imported, and then wild in the US (like they’d been set loose or had gotten out), and she caught them somewhere.

Now I’m caught up. Don’t mind me

 

[PetFoster]

You guys are so great -- thank you for the feedback! Yes, normally I don't cover the cage at all, but he had been screaming for a full hour, and my husband was trying to work. The blanket did calm him in terms of vocalizations, but that just may have been because it was a new thing. I do know that when I bring my bird past the room where he is, that will often set off his screaming until I take her back to my bird room -- at least that is predictable. Yesterday he bit me twice, and I normally ascribe to the "don't be in a situation to be bit". Once I decided to try and "be" taller (like my husband) and stand on a stool and confidently offer my finger like he does. Nope. Not fooled. I tried wrapping a towel around my arm and hand tightly, but he was very frightened and I didn't want to chase him. Then I thought I would just pull my sleeves down over my hands, and pull out food dishes to fill from the bottom of the cage, since he was at the top, but I discovered he is a very fast and stretchy bird, and he tagged my forearm hard enough to draw blood through the shirt. Now, 6 months ago I would have said that I am most cautious around cockatoos, given their tendency to change from clown to killer in a fraction of a second, but the Goffin's I am fostering has not bitten me once. Well, he has put his beak on my finger, but not bitten down, even when he is heightened and leaps on my back while screaming. This 'zon looks so sweet and friendly, and her beak is tiny even compared to my mini macaw -- so I have probably been stupid, thinking, oh I just need tougher skin... and then it happens again.

 

[macawpower58]

Don't worry, most Amazon owners learn how to do battle, and to not totally lose!
These are birds that come with spice, and many of us who have them, live a precarious and challenging life.
As the spice does not go away, and they live forever.....you'll have lots of time learning how to live with it.
Teach him to use a t-perch or other type of perch to step up on. Go slow and use lots of treats.
This will save your fingers over time. Hormones can escalate aggression, so knowing how to step onto a perch is a god send.
Those living with sweet calm amazons....treasure your birds!

 

[Clueless]

Sweet calm amazons?

MC was sweet (spicy with hubby) but calm enough to step on my arm from his playstand. He just wanted to scare hubby. They played ball occasionally. Hubby would put the ball on his cage top, MC would ram it. Hubby would pick up the ball and continue the game. I miss those days.....

A "T" perch is the saving grace. Always, always, always recommend one. @JLcribber sells them. I need my fingers to type. Still Secret has managed to nab me a few times through the bars or when she pretends to be nice. In her defense, she WANTS to be nice but her human is slow to learn.

 

[melissasparrots]

I read the body language as a combination of nervous and excited. I'd be hesitant about reaching into the cage and getting a step up. A bird showing that body language might bite out of anxiety or defensiveness. I'm not seeing much aggression in body language, but the video is just a moment in time. Also, that is a much different amazon species than what I have.