New to the bird world!

[Baby's Mama]

Hi everyone!
I have had my orange winged amazon for about 2 months now. It started out as babysitting and when the owner seen how happy she was at my home she asked if I would like to keep her!
I Have never owned a bird so this is a big change lol but a great one!
I have not handled her yet as she's not fond of that, but we are both working up to it. I just have a few questions I was hoping to get answers for!
Whenever I talk to Baby, she kind of bows down (puts her chest close to the cage) and flutters her wings out to the side. Does anyone know why she does that? It's really cute and I tell her she's very pretty and she keeps doing it lol but I'm not sure what it means!
Also if anyone has any tips on how to try to handle a bird that screams whenever you try, that would be great!
Thanks!

 

[sunnysmom]

Welcome! Often birds put their heads down when they want their heads scratched........

 

[Hankmacaw]

Welcome to AA.

First how old is Baby? Her activity at the cage bars sounds like a baby bird begging for food. Do you know anything about her life in her former home? Was she handled in her old home.

You need to take it very slow with a new bird - basically at her speed. Just open the door to her cage and allow her to come out when she wants to. Talk to her a lot and give her lots of treats.

There are many people on this forum who are much better behaviorists than I - they will be along sonn.

 

[Baby's Mama]

She just turned 11 on March 28!
I let her out of her cage every morning and sit beside her with my coffee. She usually walks around the top of her cage clucking at me. After my coffee I will make her breakfast.
I work from home so I'm home all day and she gets to spend the day out of her cage which she loves!
She was handled in her last home and was there for 8 years. But even when her old owner would go to pick her up she would scream and fly away lol but once she was up she would cuddle into her mom's chest and fall asleep!
So I'm just unsure about the screaming as I do not want to hurt our relationship at all.
She does talk and whistle to me when I'm out of the room for a few min and is learning new tunes lol

 

[Hankmacaw]

It seems that she may have a fear of hands. You could try getting her to step up onto a stick. or offer your forearm instead of your hand. She sounds like a pretty good bird.

 

[jh81]

Welcome!! OWA's are the best! Ofcourse i am biased as i have one, but from what i understand they are amongst the more mellow Amazon's, so you should be good

Do you have any pics to share?? We love pics and i am curious how your owa looks like

 

[Baby's Mama]

 

[Baby's Mama]

She is very mellow! She only usually yells when we are leaving the house or when my son and I are in the kitchen having a conversation she thinks she needs to be included in! Also when someone is coming up the walk way and the dogs aren't doing their job lol
She has never been one to play with toys and doesn't like being off her cage. A few times she's flown off her cage but scrambles to get back on it! She seems very happy not being touched, but after seeing her snuggle into her old mom and fall asleep, I'm wondering if it's something her and I need to work on!

 

[Clueless]

MC does the crouch and wings thing, too. Not Secret though. I thought I read once that they do that because they want to be elsewhere. I'm not a behaviorist....just the owner of 2 blue front amazons that we have had for going on 7 years now (with zero bird knowledge).

Can you skritch her head or touch her toes through the cage bars yet?

 

[Baby's Mama]

No we can't touch her at all. If I walk up to the cage she makes loud noises and gets to the back of the cage as quick as possible. And if I reach out at all she screams that defensive screach! Though if I'm eating toast in the morning she will stretch off her cage to let me know she would like some lol so I can hand it to her and she will quickly take it and go to the very top to eat it!

 

[Baby's Mama]

But when I ask her to go in her cage at night, she will get on her perch and do the chest down wing flutter as I say good night! I have tried then to touch her head as she has it against the bars but she yells and goes to the back of the cage!
So basically we are friends but no touching lol

 

[Baby's Mama]

 

[Baby's Mama]

This is what she does when I talk to her! She will walk around the top of her cage clucking then she will stop and do this then keep walking and clucking!

 

[jmfleish]

This looks like a sexual begging pose to me. My female Amazons do it all the time to kind of say...well...you know what I'm trying to say? When they're looking for a mate!

 

[Baby's Mama]

Uh oh!

 

[Clueless]

This looks like a sexual begging pose to me. My female Amazons do it all the time to kind of say...well...you know what I'm trying to say? When they're looking for a mate!

MC is a DNA MALE!!!! MALE! As in NO EGGS!!!

I'll take a picture of him tonight.

I may need a margarita. If that sex thing is wrong, I'm toast.

 

[jmfleish]

MC is a DNA MALE!!!! MALE! As in NO EGGS!!!

I'll take a picture of him tonight.

I may need a margarita. If that sex thing is wrong, I'm toast.

They have been known not to be correct...I'm just sayin'!

 

[Tyrion]

Such a pretty bird ...I have a Blue Fronted Amazon that I have had for a 1 1/2 yrs and still no touching but we are forever working on it ..she seems happy so I leave it up to her ..somtimes it just takes time ..hand feeding is the way to their heart so keep that up ..you might want to look at this webinar Parrot Digital Media | Online Parrot Media
8. Training Rescued and Re-Homed Parrots ..its got allot of information that will help you out

 

[jmfleish]

Such a pretty bird ...I have a Blue Fronted Amazon that I have had for a 1 1/2 yrs and still no touching but we are forever working on it ..she seems happy so I leave it up to her ..somtimes it just takes time ..hand feeding is the way to their heart so keep that up ..you might want to look at this webinar Parrot Digital Media | Online Parrot Media
8. Training Rescued and Re-Homed Parrots ..its got allot of information that will help you out

I have a Lilac Crown Amazon, Nibbles, whom I've had for four years. She's a riot. A little chatter box. She doesn't like being touched either. She will let me touch her but prefers not to be touched. She's such a sweet heart though and loves to hang out with me and will step up for me and sits on my shoulder. Just doesn't like to be touched. If I go really slowly, she'll let me pet her beak or her neck if it's a good day.

The way to an Amazon's heart is through their stomach, if you have food, you can bribe them for pets!

 

[iamwhoiam]

Congrats on getting your Orange Winged.

My BFA likes to be touched. When he is in the cage he will sometimes reach out with his foot by putting it between the bars so I can hold it. He will also put his back against the bars so I can scratch that. He likes to have his head scratched and also likes to be petted under his wings. My YNA likes to have her head scratched but she also likes to lunge and tries to bite so I have to be extra careful with her.