(White fronted) Amazon tips

[Ali]

Hello all,

Yesterday, I applied for a White Fronted Amazon from a rescue. I have already mentioned thinking about this before, but we have decided to go for it.

The charity gets a large number of applicants for every bird, so it is quite likely that we won't end up with him anyway.

Just in case we do, I would like to ask for a few tips on caring for a White fronted or just in general. So basically, if you have any tips on any subject of amazon care etc. please do tell me. If we were shortlisted or even accepted in the end, I want to know as much as possible now about them rather then rush to gather information and start off on the wrong foot. The write-up on the bird tells me about current diet, including his food mix and favourite fruits/veggies. (He is on Tidymix, which after looking it up seems like a very good and nutritious mix and has very good reviews)

We were thinking the living room would be the best place for him, as it is the busiest part of our home and he will be able to communicate with the birds in the avairy and the parrotlets upstairs throughout the day. We want to give him the best possible life, which is why I have decided to ask all of you experienced amazon keepers, rather than looking through hundreds of conflicting care guides online.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated as it would be my first time with a larger bird.

Thank you in advance!
Ali

 

[Ali]

This is his basic diet.... (direct from the webpage)

Diet:
I’m now on Tidymix and lots of veg and a little fruit. I love my seed and I will eat most green vegetables, I like sweetcorn, yellow peppers, beans and I will try most things if they are presented to me in a fun way. (like on a stick or sticking out of a box.) I love apple and will taste other fruit, but apple is my favourite. My weight fluctuates so it s good to keep an eye on that.

 

[Kiwi & Co.]

@Clueless

 

[tka]

Have a read of this if you haven't already: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly about Amazons

From what @Fuzzy says about her amazons and pionus, they are similar in that they will tell you exactly what they are feeling. If they're used to people who read their behavioural cues, they will let you know exactly how close you are to getting a bite long before they actually do resort to a bite. Look out for eye-pinning, flared tail feathers, ruffled head feathers and back off! If you disregard these cues, you'll get what's coming to you. They are very honest in that sense.

 

[Ali]

@tka , thank you! I have skim read it, but I haven't got round to looking at it in full yet, so will definitely try to have a good look this evening.

 

[Ali]

Is there anybody with first hand experience on this species that could give me particular details about them?

 

[Clueless]

This is his basic diet.... (direct from the webpage)

Diet:
I’m now on Tidymix and lots of veg and a little fruit. I love my seed and I will eat most green vegetables, I like sweetcorn, yellow peppers, beans and I will try most things if they are presented to me in a fun way. (like on a stick or sticking out of a box.) I love apple and will taste other fruit, but apple is my favourite. My weight fluctuates so it s good to keep an eye on that.

I have no idea about tidymix. A good pellet that provides nutrition that the parrot actually eats is always good.

Secret has fatty liver from seeds. If anything changed in diet, I'd be more prone to lessen those.

 

[Ali]

Do you happen to have any general care tips? What about toys? Does your amazon have any particular favourites? I know this amazon has quite a few homemade toys so would definitely carry on with that whenever I had the time to do so!

 

[Clueless]

Love.

Secret likes easier woods (Basswood with bark on it, thin woods, woods with grooves, snd balsa).

Cardboard, too.

You can get them other wooden toys, just make sure they have some they can destroy otherwise they get frustrated.

 

[Ali]

Thank you so much!

 

[Clueless]

We do a bath once a week. We try to get them soaked. It improves feather quality.

Again, this is dependent on THE BIRD. Secret prefers bathing in a bowl. MC used to stand proud on a PVC stand and spread his wings for me.

With two of them, I gave up and put them in the shower at the same time in order to save my time. The shower would run on a mist but Secret was in the front on her crock bowl where the stream didn't hit her at all. I have a plastic bottle (only for the birds) and I use that to mist in the air above the bird's head. That bottle was how I introduced them to baths.

 

[Ali]

Thank you, I thought I had replied to you, but obviously not! The write up says he loves to spread his wings and get them sprayed, so I will definitely keep going with that.

 

[Snowghost]

My Bugsy was a White Front Amazon. She was wild caught and fully flighted. I can't advise on diet as I could never get off of seeds. She did like grapes and yellow squash. She did not speak, although she understood me. She was smart enough to figure out that when I pick up my keys, she would fly to her cage, knowing I was going out. She like playing with her bell in her cage and was a chewer. Chewed door frames, kitchen cabinets and any surface she could get to. She got her shower by a water bottle/plant mister. I would clean the fish tank first and she would scream knowing she was next and get a bath. Her voice was very loud, you could hear her a block away. It never bothered me. I encouraged her, she loved to screech to Steppenwolf's song, "Born to be Wild". She was out in the living room with the family. She would get wound up and chatter when there was a football game on or loud music. She was my companion and friend for 25 years. She handled car rides a like a champ and any changes in her life like trooper. I had an Cockatiel and she did it on top of her cage. I never let them out together since I was afraid with her being a bigger bird she would hurt the smaller one. One time she did get out and did bite the Cockatiels foot, blood every where. It healed. Since she was wild caught we didn't cuddle but we had a wonderful life together. I miss her terribly and I hope you get the bird. Keep me posted.

 

[Ali]

We were emailed earlier today and we will be having a phone conversation at some point soon to discuss. She sounds like a really lovely bird. Do you have any photographs from when you had her?

 

[Clueless]

Good luck!

 

[Ali]

Can anybody suggest a good travel cage (just in case)? I have seen loads online but some look really small although they recommend it for an Amazon.

 

[Kiwi & Co.]

I don't know any that would fit an amazon, (unless you want to go the expensive route with a pak-o-bird) I have seen people modify dog crates to make carriers, and I belive @taxidermynerd made one for her Jade.

 

[tka]

If you're travelling by car, it's best to have a smaller travel cage. If you have to brake suddenly, you don't want your bird to get thrown across a large cage.

I have a Rainforest travel cage that would be fine for an Amazon.

 

[Ali]

Thank you. I will have a look!

 

[Ali]

What are your views on this type if travel cage? Is it safe with the soft sides?

Bird Cages, Aviaries and Bird Cage Accessories | Best Prices at zooplus

Bird Cages & Cage accessories including bird feeders, perches, swings & ropes. We have a wide range of cages for the wide range of birds kept across Britain.

www.zooplus.co.uk

(Not necessarily this one)