Animal Stories - People Talking About Amazon Parrots



Select Pet Atlas	Select A Family	Species / Breed

Latest Animal Stories on Amazon Parrots (351)

Troy - 2013-02-14
I have a 14 year old yellow naped amazon; she is a really sweet bird that I have had since she was a baby. She is very loving and never bit anyone, but whenever she sees babies or small children, she goes crazy. Her eyes dilate, tail feather spreads back and forth, and squawks very loudly. She really can't be handled or touched because she will bite. Any ideas of why she gets so crazy around babies/kids?

Click For Replies (1)

Lynne - 2013-03-17
Sounds like birdie is simply excited and is experiencing 'Amazon Overload'. This is common and there really isn't anything you can do about it other than to take care that the bird doesn't bite the children (or you) and that the kids don't hurt or tease the bird. He may grow out of it, especially if the bird is still young, but some things just excite certain birds. My YNA gets excited when my friend Susan or my mother visits and the only thing to do is give him a special toy and shut him in his cage. He looses all self control... poor thing! If she is out of the cage he will bite, and it's usually me who nees the bandaid... Just one of those quirky amazon things.... a birds gotta be a bird. Keep in mind that an amazon parrot is at MOST 4 generations removed from the wild. they aren't domesticated, they are still a tame wild animal! Good luck

Barb Foltz - 2013-02-23
We have a 25 year old Amazon who just laid an egg! She has never done this before and we are shocked! Is this normal?

Click For Replies (2)

Jeremy Roche - 2013-02-23
It does happen. Nothing to be concerned with.
Lynne - 2013-03-17
This is not unusual, and the bird is likely very happy if it's laying. I would watch out, though and make sure to feed any hen laying calcium rich foods like a little cottage cheese, yoghurt, spinach, Kale and other high calcium foods as you can. Let birdie's vet know that she's laying and if she lays one egg after another, watch out for signs of hypocalaemia (twitching, seizures and if she breaks a bone, get to the vet ASAP. Also, make sure that she has frequent servings of vitamin A rich foods and exposure to natural sunlight! Good luck.

Anastasia Higgins - 2005-04-11
I just recently rescued "riley" a 17 year old amazon, I think he is a double headed.
I rescued riley from the veterinary clinic I work for as a grooming assistant. he was put there to board by his elderly owner who went into the hospital in feb 2005. well his owner passed away so I offered to cover his bill and bring him into my family.
He was my favorite coworker :) and now my best friend. I have just recently been through the hard times of losing someone close to me also as he did, so we make a good pair. I look forward to having a life with him:) He is very talkitive, the most clearly spoken bird I have met! His favorite phrases are "I love you", "hello" (he likes to answer the phone), "guten tag"(hello in german), "happy bird", sing happy birthday, and silent night to name a couple :) he is great.

Click For Replies (2)

Anonymous - 2012-12-12
Hi, I have a question for you, we have a double yellow amazon which is being told by the previous owner 18 years old, as she is not banded I dont have any age proof of that bird! I dont have any knowledge about birds and specially big ones. When we first saw her, she looked sick but the owner told that the bird is molting at the moment other wise she is very healthy, and he said she molts twice a year, is that common? she doesnt speak anything and she is sleeping most of time or eating, first I thought its a stress of transition but now since its a second day i am bit worried. Many thanks for any suggetions!
Gina Foster - 2013-02-23
i have one too it took a couuple of weeks for her to like me .now she loves me .but will attack company so i have to keep her in when someone comes over .

Sandra D Singh - 2013-02-21
Hi elliottsmom, I'm happy that you do understand you've a rescued bird on hand. I've also rescued a bird that spent his entire life cagebound; about 5 years. The first owner never played with him or let him out of his cage; he was alone in a corner and looked very lonely from the picture I saw. His seeds and water dishes were put through the slots in his cage, so he never even touched his owner's hand; no interaction whatsoever! I'm very happy that I took him out of his misery and loneliness. The first owner told me that he's wild and he bites when you put his food so they never took him out. The first day I got him I opened his cage, he didn't come out so I put my finger near his chest and he still didn't climb up. I then took him out and realised that this poor, unfortunately bird is NOT wild and neither does he bites; as the owner made me believed. I kissed him that same moment as I took him out and I cried with joy because I thought of how happy he'll NOW be with me and my 2 other birds. Everyday I had to take him out of his cage because he'll never come out although his cage would be open. After 2 weeks he started coming out by himself. It seems as though he was so accustomed to being IN his cage it like he didn't know if or how to come out. I've had him for 19 DAYS already and he's now very happy because he flies around everywhere in my home, plays and whistles with my other birds. He's a sweet and wonderful little bird, my other birds taught him to kiss and now HE kisses them. He only enters his cage to eat his seeds, drink his water and sleeps. He eats nothing except the seeds he's accustomed to but I'm trying to see if he'd eat veggies and pellets as my other birds do. Two days ago he ate grated carrots and plain cooked rice so that's a start. His cage never had anything more than just one single perch, a water dish and a seed dish and that was it; NOT a single TOY! No matter what kind of toys are placed in his cage, he'll not touch it. He loves my two birds and he loves me; he's very happy now and we all love him and he loves us. I'm very happy to have rescued him; he's my Little Sweetheart! So you'll have to give your bird a lot of love; cuddling, playing, talking, kissing (lips closed are important for bird's health) and show him that he is SAFE with you. Take care and good luck. God bless you both. Sandra D Singh.

Jayashree Manoharan - 2013-02-12
My 2 months old Alexandria is not eating properly but he is active and playful. He hates inside the cage. What can I do?

Click For Replies (1)

Jasmine Brough Hinesley - 2013-02-13
Continue offering him healthy foods and supplements. That is about all you can do. If he is hungry enough and not sick, he will eat.

elliottsmom - 2013-02-11
Hi everyone. I have a 10 y/o OWA that I got as a rescue. He spent entire life cagebound with a senior couple. I have had him for a year and he has really come out of his shell. Talking, mimicking etc. He is wonderfully gentle and not at all cage protective. However, he is very what I call 'anal'. He WILL NOT perch on anything other than what he has had in his cage all his life. No matter what!!! He also will not 'step up'. He is not totally food motivated so I am having trouble outsmarting him. He loves us but doesn't want to come out of his cage or have us touch him. Any help would nbe appreciated. I have gone slow with him as I knew his history. Thanx

Click For Replies (1)

Clarice Brough - 2013-02-12
These are wonderful birds... but they have incredible memories. He's well trained (for years its sounds like) to perch in his cage. Patience and love, those are the main things. But he may never change and you may have to just love him the way he is. Still a wonderful bird though:)

Parm - 2012-10-13
Hi all, I have a two OWA's first one we have is 12 and is bonded to me the new one is only 3 years old but the older one seems to be just blanking the new one and if i let them out together the older one will go for the new baby. anything help would be great. Thanks

Click For Replies (3)

Clarice Brough - 2012-10-13
Sounds like a bit of jealousy there:) It can take a lot of time and patience to get an existing bird to accept a newcomer, especially since your older bird is so closely bonded to you. Don't rush them, I would probably just keep being a good friend to the older bird, but give equal attention to the newcomer, and see how it goes. A rule of thumb is it takes a new bird about a month to get situated in a new environment, but becoming friends may take even longer.
Parm - 2012-10-14
Thank You, We have a very busy house so I have moved both cages to the quiet side I managed to let them both out yesterday and the older one went for the new baby, but after I stopped them they sat and watched each other for a good ten minutes before they started feeling comfortable enough to take food from my hands, and the cage move today they are a lot quieter and seem more relaxed.
Marie - 2013-02-05
Hi there.I am extremely happy for the parrots that find wonderful homes after being misstreated. I myself have an Orange wing Amazon named Marley ( 19 years old). His first owner gave him nothing but nuts and sunflower seeds. He smoked like a chimney and found it funny to blow the smoke right in my poor Marley's face. The second owner was someone from the man's family. He once again ate the same diet, left to be chased by the family dog. No toys, and just a sad looking perch inside the cage. The owner was completly terrified of him and poked and beat him with a stick for a year. Marley was completly terrified of humans and wouldnt come out of his cage. He was all plucked, and beak curling. He now has stopped screaming, has a WONDERFUL diet and has went to see a good vet. He ABSOLUTLY loves me and i wouldnt imagine my life without him. He is afraid of others and im trying really hard to work on that. So once again, congrads on all of you who take the time for these wonderful creatures.

Greg Meissner - 2013-01-17
The bird in the photo is clearly a Panama Amazon (A. ochrocephala panamensis) as described on this webpage. Notice the lack of red-orange in the upper mandible, the small and restricted area of yellow on the forehead, and the paler look of the beak, cere, and feet. I live with a Panama amazon, and I'm pretty sure about this. You might want to update the photo's caption.

Shannon - 2009-07-24
I rescued an OW amazon from a terrible place. He was living in a cockroach filled cage and fed nothing but garbage. He lost an eye from getting into a fight with a ferret in their home. His nails had not been trimmed in years,they were corkscrew down to his toes. He is elderly and imported, he has an open band. I cried all the way home because he looked so sad and sick when I met him, it's hard to believe he was living that way for so long. I got him home, bought him a new cage, gave him a bath, some good PROPER food and made a vet appointment. The vet told me I got him in the nick of time and that he was lucky I found him. He was VERY WILD. I have 10 other pet birds, most were rescued from bad situations, and I had never seen a bird as fearful of humans as he was. With veterinary care, proper diet and A LOT of patience and love he is turning out to be the SWEETEST little man. Almost as cuddly as a cockatoo, he can't wait to be with his momma and get a kiss. He loves watching HIS TV and chewing up wood when he is not in my lap. I mounted a tv with cable in the bird room (near his good eye so he can see it)because he loves it. He lets me know what he wants to watch. The only thing I can say that is sometimes a hindrance is his screaming, which I am working with him on. Unfortunately he spent most of his life locked in a tiny cage so screaming is the only way he knows how to communicate. I understand this so I am doing my best to be patient even though my hearing is probably permanently damaged. Since I got him I find myself saying "what" a lot, lol. His scream makes my cockatoo sound like she is whispering. OW Amazons can be VERY LOUD. OW are unique from the other Amazons. I love how he smells like daisies and his neck feathers "puff up" when he is happy.
Overall I've found that in spite of his fear of humans he is a gentle bird who doesn't have a mean bone in his body, he just wants love and to be understood.
I love him with all of my heart and I encourage all to rescue parrots instead of buying babies, there are plenty more out there just like mine who need someone to love them.

Click For Replies (4)

Les - 2010-03-31
Wow Shannon,

Such a sad story. I felt so sad when I read his story but so happy that you are taking care of him now. Well done.

Hope you are both well.

Les
rachel - 2010-04-04
I am very pleased to hear this I have a male ow called pippy, he is the sweetest most gentle bird ever, I have had him for 11 yrs and would never part with him. Like yourselves I think he had a bad start as I bought him from a pet shop in kent, he was advertised in a bird magazine, I phoned up and gave my details , sent the money and then I got the bird. I was told he was nasty and I would be lucky to even be able to feed him through the bars, but with a little tlc, me and pippy well I can do anything with him as can my children and husband , but he loves me most and I feel the same about him. We had an african grey called casper but she died last month of a hereditry heart problem , the vet was very impressed with the overall condition my parrot was in, so I booked pippy in to be seen by the vet , and the vet said he was perfect, and in fantastic condition , which I was proud of my animals are my world I love them. So I have now gone and rescued a lesser sulphur cockatoo from a home that he was no longer wanted at, I have had him 2 days and now he is eating and drinking like he should and his feathers are not dirty and he let me pick him up. I think we are going to be good friends. I can't stand people being nasty to parrots they are stunning animals.
CATHY - 2012-04-16
My orange wing is loud too! ! But louder than a cockatoo! ! Or kidding! Mine is quiet now that he's comfortble in the new place but i whistle in a tin sports whitle an he stops,, sound like another bird to him i guess? ? Do they all have a dander or has mine been bathing in well water? ? Like a white coating on him? ? Or her not sure i got my ow at a rescue place in fla. . Very sweet bird , cathy
tina jones - 2013-01-17
Your story was very sad; I'm so glad he's ok now very well done!

Henri - 2012-12-26
I have an Orange Winged Amazon for about two years but it is very angry with me and my family. I have tried to train it but I can't. The only thing that he accept to do, is to take the treat without touching my hand. What should i do to train it?

Click For Replies (2)

Jeremy Roche - 2012-12-26
They will normally pick one person in the family to be their own. These birds can be stubborn. With ALOT of attention and not pushing it's limits the bird should easy up. Start allowing the bird to be loose some with the family. Bird will need to train you guys a bit to on how to read and what it wants. Pay close attention and it should guide you somewhat. These birds do need a lot of time and work!
Henri - 2012-12-27
Thank you!

About Animal-World

Animal-World offers animal pictures, videos, and animal information on all different types of pets and animals. Included are animals that are commonly kept as pets, exotic pets and wild animals. Check us out for information, education, and fun. We strive to aid in responsible pet ownership and an understanding of the importance of preserving and honoring our world and its inhabitants. Animal-World members and contributors are from all over the world. You too are invited to be an active participant in this community. Post your own personal pet stories, contribute pictures of your pets, and join the forums for pet and animal discussions.

Visit Animal-World

Animal Stories - People Talking About Amazon Parrots

About Animal-World