Mizzely
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Birds over 10 are the best IMO
Thank you for this. I haven't had anyone be this direct and specific before about "the change". Will be sharing this information with my boyfriend and shop friends. One of them has a Panamanian and she just turned 5. Everyone that has met the bird has been told that she is NOT typical Amazon in the she is just so calm and laid back, don't let that mislead about the breed.I don't have any experience with a Mealy so I can't offer any information as to what type of changes this species go through when they reach maturity. Hopefully you can find several Mealy owners, and specifically those will males that can attest to the phases they go through when they do mature and the subsequent periods of hormones. I brought my male yellow nape home when he was 5-6 months old. He was great to handle... until he reached five years of age and then all heck broke loose. It was like overnight he turned into a nasty wanna attack me bird. It lasted for a few months. He's 14 now and this is a yearly change he goes through like clock work. He's been calm and requesting head scratches for the past months and lately I'm seeing tiny changes in behavior. I know it's coming. He can be super charged in the morning and calm down later in the evening. I gave him skritches last night... tonight he didn't ask for them and did threaten me while I was wiping his top tray down. His threats are dead serious, he's flown at me before in a full attack. This type of behavior isn't the least "bratty"... it's dangerous. Definitely my least favorite time of year! At the age you are wanting a Mealy you won't see the full mature behavior for a couple of years. I've heard they are one of the nicer more calm species of amazons though I don't think there are any guarantees. Being consistent with a "toddler" has no bearing in my eyes when a bird comes into maturity. They simply cannot control this behavior and neither can you when it happens... you just have to be patient, kind, and understanding throughout this period. It's another reason many will suggest an older bird where you know what you are getting into if you are provided with the history of previous owners. My 'Zon Henry is in the "Hot Three" catagory of Amazons and he full well lives up to it.
I replied to someone else about this; I stumbled into the breed while googling, and only found 2 of them at all, the northern and southern. The northern is illegal in the pet trade and has a blue crown, the southern is all green. That's all I found.I'd look them up for rescue or rehome. I could be wrong, but what you are calling a southern mealy might be otherwise known as a guatamala mealy? Or blue crowned mealy amazon. You might have more success if you search for those. Or just search rehoming sites for mealy amazons and skip over the ads showing the northern. The blue crowned birds seem to be less common and neither is bred as commonly as many other species. You may end up finding more older birds for rehome than younger.
GeorgiaWhere are you located? The rescue I got my Cockatoo from had a Mealy not long ago. They are in NC.
Would prefer to. In my op I had meant to say that I wanted a bird older than 2, but after reading everything here, I want one that is between 20 and 40!I agree that rescue or rehoming is definitely better. I only really recently discovered nationwide UK rescues, and have already applied for a rescue!
I hope you consider looking into rescues
Well into their 40s and 50s.What ages are considered "senior" for a bird like this?
Oh, sorry! USA, the state of Georgia. I'm just outside of the city of Savannah, so I could easily be in Florida or South Carolina within the travel time I can afford.Do you mean Georgia the country or Georgia the state? WE have memebers from all over the world here.
Pet finder didn't have any that would be a good fit for me. They had 3 over 50, posted over a year ago, and 1 from this year that was not a pet; he's very aggressive and was a breeder.Well into their 40s and 50s.
You can look into Phoenix Landing to see what they have in their foster homes. Also Petfinder.com is a great place to read about the birds in foster care listed by the rescues.
The best thing about your inquiry is seeking valuable information. There aren't many Mealy's as companion birds here on AA to give you enough information on the nature of this species. Those that do have them have nice things to say about them. My two amazons are in the category of the "Hot Three" and they both live up to it. One is female, the other male. Even during a hormonal period.. Lola is going through this now... she is nothing quite like Henry. All birds no matter what species they are have the potential to be more territorial and unpredictable about their surrounding space and cage when hormones hit. So many people don't understand it is seasonal or know how to deal with it..... it's challenging for sure! Sadly, the first option they seek is getting rid of them ( such an unpleasant term... surrender is a much nicer term). Definitely take your time looking for that special companion, even if it takes months or more. One of our members had a very sweet Blue Front Amazon ( she passed last year) and currently has a male Double Yellowhead he adopted who has a nice personality. I've tried tagging him but he's not coming up for me. Most people want a hands on bird, even if they are not you can still offer them a safe place to land in your home and give them the best life and in most cases a better life than what they had.Thank you for this. I haven't had anyone be this direct and specific before about "the change". Will be sharing this information with my boyfriend and shop friends. One of them has a Panamanian and she just turned 5. Everyone that has met the bird has been told that she is NOT typical Amazon in the she is just so calm and laid back, don't let that mislead about the breed.
I mention this bird, because this has been my only personal experience with that time. But her owner is the also the one who has shown me her scars from working with other Amazons during that phase, but she go into the details you did. She described it to me as you I did to you.
But I have seen first hand a bird just "randomly" completely change and turn on its owner and have to be surrendered. This the reason people have suggested that I don't limit myself to a male. I was originally led to believe that this was a hormonal female behavior, if you didn't breed them.
Haha your username is me right now ;-) love my mini-pars!Phoenix Landing serves the Jacksonville area in NE Florida -- if that is within your driving distance.
Hot three?? Not heard about this.The best thing about your inquiry is seeking valuable information. There aren't many Mealy's as companion birds here on AA to give you enough information on the nature of this species. Those that do have them have nice things to say about them. My two amazons are in the category of the "Hot Three" and they both live up to it. One is female, the other male. Even during a hormonal period.. Lola is going through this now... she is nothing quite like Henry. All birds no matter what species they are have the potential to be more territorial and unpredictable about their surrounding space and cage when hormones hit. So many people don't understand it is seasonal or know how to deal with it..... it's challenging for sure! Sadly, the first option they seek is getting rid of them ( such an unpleasant term... surrender is a much nicer term). Definitely take your time looking for that special companion, even if it takes months or more. One of our members had a very sweet Blue Front Amazon ( she passed last year) and currently has a male Double Yellowhead he adopted who has a nice personality. I've tried tagging him but he's not coming up for me. Most people want a hands on bird, even if they are not you can still offer them a safe place to land in your home and give them the best life and in most cases a better life than what they had.
Yes... the Hot Three are the Blue Front, the Yellow Nape, and the Double yellow head. Hot three meaning the most temperamental.Hot three?? Not heard about this.
Amazons are my absolute favorite and ideal bird. Talking with you guys on this thread is giving me lots of hope that I might find an older bird with an individual personality that would be a great for me, that I might have otherwise overlooked because of the breed or type.
Breed specific traits are generalizations, and not true for every bird of that type. I hear this from everyone enough to trust that it's true
Yellow Nape has also been highly recommend to me based on my needs, but with the express caveat that I get an older one. Would you agree with this?Yes... the Hot Three are the Blue Front, the Yellow Nape, and the Double yellow head. Hot three meaning the most temperamental.