Animal Stories - People Talking About Amazon Parrots



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Latest Animal Stories on Amazon Parrots (351)

Shon MtPisgah - 2012-10-08
We adopted our BFA Trixie about two weeks ago. We got her off craigslist for free. She is healthy & a joy. She has had two owners that we know of, one older lady for quite some time 8-10 yrs until she passed, and then a gentleman for under a year. She seems to be smart and friendly, she does talk, sing, and yes screams! She came in a very large cage the size of a refrigerator and on top has a built in play gym. I don't think she was ever abused, however trust is an issue. After reading every post on this blog I feel that trust will come in time. I really appreciate everyone's Feedback. Does anyone Have a favorite blog or website that they enjoy About BFA's Besides this one?

Geralyn M. Schneider - 2012-03-24
I have a yellow crown yellow nape 15 month old male Amazon, and am desperately seeking information regarding the possible sexual behaviors, as just in the last week, he has begun behaving very strangely, and I don't know if it is neurological problem (it almost looks seizure like), or if it is sexual behaviors. Could someone who knows, please provide me with specific information of their sexual behaviors? When I describe the behaviors to bird experts or vets, they say it sounds possibly sexual, but the bird is too young, or think it sounds neurological which is very frightening to me as I have become so very attached to this bird. Help, please!!!

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April - 2012-04-07
I have a male yellow front amazon that when he sits with me he does the same sounds that you are talking about. Is he near you when he does this, because I am going to say they are whooing us even at a young age, because this is their breeding time, from March to May or when the weather is warm.
Charlie Roche - 2012-04-07
Try and explain to me what is going on. Birds do exhibit strange or peculiar behaviors at times - I had a bird who loved to click. She would just click - made me crazy. Had one that always slept with his toe up his nose. 15 months sounds a little young to me to be exhibitng sexual behaviors. Those aren't seisure like -
Try and explain to me. I have had them as pets for over 20 years and i have bred them - maybe i won't have a clue but maybe - who knows. Amazons don't reach sexual matuirty until 3 - 4 years old - or older.
Jake - 2012-06-08
Geralyn, I have a yellow crown she's 12 yrs old now had her since she was 8 weeks old. Mine started getting the what I call the horny mood when she was almost 2, it starts for her around the end of feb and lasts tell about the end of may, What Sparkie does is that she rubs her vent on her bells and makes a funny sound. It sounds to me that your may be rubbing it's vent, does it make a noise when your is doing this, I know Sparkie is a female I had her DNA done, I hope to breed her 1 day, I hope this helped alittle

max - 2012-05-19
Hi I am looking for some advice regarding my bfa.

He is 2-4 years old. My parents have had him for about 3 years, and had him never leave his cage for most of that time.

During the past 3 months, I began letting him out and placed a perch atop his cage.

He now hardly stays in, and loves to fly out and about the house.

He had chosen my mom as his partner; she is the only won he flies to and sits on her shoulder and body, and would never ever bite or act aggressively towards her.

But even she can't get him to step up on command. When she tries, he jumps out of the way and acts afraid.

For myself, I have learned his mannerisms and when he is in a good mood he is playful and lets me massage and pet him. But I want to teach him to step up more than anything.

If anyone has any ideas please post a reply. Thank you.

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Charlie Roche - 2012-05-19
I don't know how you are trying to get him to step up but how about we try it this way. He isn't going to want to 'step up' on your hand if he thinks you want to put him back in his cage. They can be extremely acrobatic and very clever when it comes to not going back in the cage. So let's put him in your moms lap and have him 'step up' on to her arm (have her put a long sleeve shirt on so not slippery for the little guy). Then have the little guy 'step up' onto her other arm. She would place her arm directly under the birds chest and press backwards toward the feet. The bird would have no choice but to step up onto her arm. Have her keep switching arms for just 6 or 7 times and do that a few times a day making a game of it. Be like climbing up the stairs. Now do the same thing - climbing up the stairs going from one hand to the other. Let me know
max - 2012-05-20
Hi Charlie,

The thing is, and I should have mentioned this before- he is very fearful I think he has trust issues.

Whenever we bring our hands towards his chest and try to force him to step up, as you described, he avoids our hands by over and/or away.
Anonymous - 2012-05-20
* he jumps away
Charlie Roche - 2012-05-20
I thought very much he might be hand shy. That is why I said to start with your moms arm. If you can get the little one in your lap - it would be natural for him to climb up your arm to get on your shoulder. Just start by having him go up from one arm to the other. Right arm on top then left arm on top then right arm on top etc. Just a few times - saying step up. Another way is to pick him up off the floor - they (usually even if hand shy) will let you pick them up off the floor. Try using your arm to get him UP and off the bed etc. Anything to just start to get him used to your arm then your hand. A trainor would just literally grab the two feet and hold the one foot down with the thumb. So fast the amazon wouldn't even know it happened but not sure you want to try that. Think you have many months or years and it will happen much sooner than you think.
Charlie Roche - 2012-05-20
Had another thought. When the bird flies to your moms shoulder, have your mom extend her arm with a little piece of chicken in her hands and see if the little guy will walk down her arm onto her hand. Chicken is good, tuna, macoroni (messy though) cheese --
Charlie Roche - 2012-05-22
Yeah honest all of mine love chicken. They also love pizza, french friens (real treat), tuna, speghetti - pretty much anything I eat but really love chicken. Never thought about the cannibal aspect - oh well. lol
Max - 2012-05-22
Your bird eats chicken! Lol a cannibal!

I tried feeding mine but he wouldn't go for it!
Tammy - 2012-07-12
I have a blue fronted Amazon as well as a double yellowheaded Amazon & two African Greys. My sister-in-law passed away three years ago and we have had them every since. The Blue Fronted is the youngest and was not attached to any human. I decided since he and I would be partners. I realized early on that he was hand shy. So when I wanted to have him get on my shoulder I would lean my shoulder up to his cage and he would step on. Then I would do the same or lean into his cage when I wanted him back in his cage. This way he would feel like he had to step off or fall. Slowly I would touch his feet with my fingers and talk and spend time with him. When he learned to trust me I started putting my hand out and having him step up to put him on my shoulder. He is no longer hand shy. I still have to lean into the cage to get him to step off because he never wants to leave me. P.S. Until these birds I had never been around any birds in my life. I love them all very much and handle all of them.

Jan - 2012-02-14
I have two (a male and a female) Blue Fronted Amazons, which I would like to breed. They are at least 5 years old now, I got them as seemingly matured birds 4 years ago. The female lays eggs (5-6 at a time), and sit on it, but they never hatch, and then she throws them out after about two months. This happened now 4 or 5 times. Their cage is big - 6m x 5m x 6m and their are no other birds in it. What could be the problem?

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Charlie Roche - 2012-02-14
I doubt you have a male and a female. I believe you have two females. Amazons, I have never known them to have more than 2 - 3 eggs in a clutch - which doesn't mean I am correct but just never known it to happen and bred blue fronts. Two females are not going to have fertile eggs but they will actually lay eggs at the same time but obviously doublt the normal amount. You should DNA sex them and the kits can be purchased directly from labs advertised in the back of Bird Talk. You should be able to visually tell to some extent by the shape of their heads. The male head is flatter while the female head is a curved rounded slope from eye to back of the head. But I am really pretty sure you have two females. Sorry - but all you need now are two boys.

David Buss - 2011-10-16
Just got our 3 month old OW today. He/she is so smart it only took 7 hrs to learn to put his head by my hand to scratch his neck[pin feathers]. Is a very loving bird and just wants to be near his flock.

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David Brough - 2011-10-17
How cool is that? Sounds like you have a friendly member of your flock!
David Buss - 2011-10-21
My baby is doing very well after just a few days. Fiji loves to perch on my hand or fingers and or play on my chest and stomach. He has many toys but loves his plastic fork the best. His foot coordination is getting very good and he loves to have his neck and cheeks rubbed [gently]. He lets me know when I rub to hard but has not drawn blood yet. LOL. He is very loving and I can tell he is going to make a great pet/companion.
Charlie Roche - 2011-10-22
Amazons are great and the orange wing is one of the less tempermental ones. I like all amazons but find some are just more loving and cuddly than others. Orange Wing is one of them. It is so great to have a pet that will actually talk back 'at you'. My human would tell our Amazon (a panama named Peppy to be quiet) abd Peppy would say 'no no no' etc. He memorized much of the dialogue from watching the Nija Turtles on TV and some people came to the home and Peppy said 'drop your drawers, I have a pistol' It was clear. Enjoy and have fun and talk to her a lot. They talk - they learn - they love musicals and cartoons like Surf's Up and Ninja Turtles.
David Buss - 2012-04-17
Update ,Fuji is doing great. She turned 9 months yesterday. Fuji says wow, hi ,pretty bird and green bean(her nick name). She has three room mates, all African Grays. They all have their own cages. Fuji is very vocal and loves to whistle and schreech when you ignore her. She is learning to control some of her temper, but we still love her.

Luis - 2010-11-20
I was given a blue front amazon parrot 3 days ago by someone who didn't care for it correctly. The bird is very aggressive. How do I deal with it's aggressive state?
I want to gain it's trust. I attempted to handle it with a glove, this made the bird very angry towards the glove, it acted as if it had a negative experience with gloves. Maybe mistreated. I fed it with my bare hands this morning without any problems, but I'm afraid it may get aggressive and bite me. I need some info on how to deal with it. I would like to handle the bird with trust, not with fear of being bitten.

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\'HP\' - 2010-12-30
I had the same problem when I got "Capt. Morgan" - male BF Amazon. Of all the things I did, I think that keeping to a schedule of feeding him at the same time I made my meals for several weeks really seemed to help. It actually changed my diet (lot less fast foods and many more veggies, fruits, pastas & nuts) I prepared meals that included food for Morgan. For example, we both love Honey Nut Cheerios with milk over the cereal. I spoon up some cheerios and milk and he will gobble 7 - 10 of them down and finish with a small drink of the milk in the bowl. I often have a Sub-Way salad for lunch (their BMT salad) and Morgan shares the pepperoni, ham, peppers, tomatoes, lettuce & cheese with me. And his favorite pasta dish? Spicy spaghetti sauce with some meat and using the wide/flat noodles so he can grasp better. I filter in other things like corn, lima beans, green beans and carrots. (All bought frozen and a small amount tossed into the micro wave just enough to warm up). NOTE: I used a plastic spoon to feed him bites from my plate at first. Eventually I began to prepare his food in a round metal bowl. (Don't leave 'wet' foods out for more than a couple of hours. Bacteria can start to grow & can lead to tummy problems)

I will leave 'skinned' items such as grapes or cherry tomatoes out all day along with the pellet and seed foods.

I also began asking Morgan "You want Some?" When offering food. It only took a couple of weeks before he was significantly trusting me.

Good Luck.

P.S. Have someone trim his beak back a bit more than normal (meaning remove all sharp edges - top & bottom. This way if he does 'get you', chances are lessened that a bite will break your skin. Also, if he does bite, don't flinch if you can help it. My response to a bite (or bite attempt) was to immediately toss a small towel over him, covering his head, and while holding him down on a cushioned chair seat, I would say sternly "Bad Bird" four times and then release him and walk away. This said, also Note that for EVERY good thing he does, I clap my hands a couple of times and say 'Good Boy" (Some trainers suggest using a clicker)
Mary - 2011-03-22
Good luck that is why I'm here, but as I told the other lady, have patience, go Slow, use treats, give him wood to chew on But big wooden toys to got out the frustrations also small rawhide dog bones; he won't eat it but will enjoy untying it. I have found that reading about body language in a book at the pet store helped a lot it said to approach when the feathers are fluffed, like when he/she is preening, Go Slow. Don't try when the feathers are flat against the body. Mine likes people food for a treat. Fruit, I like watching him with grapes and shredded wheat. Loose the gloves try also petkeeping with Marc Morrone.
Charlie Roche - 2011-06-18
Most PET birds are extremely afraid of gloves. Many are also afraid of hats. I think it just changes the appearance and they don't understand and they react with fear. You can feed your little guy with your bare hand and that is a big step. Now you just need him to follow your hand away from his cage and onto a perch, table, sofa anything that is not his cage territory. Feed him with your hand and eventually let him just take the food out of your palm with the palm resting in your lap. Then go to holding the food in your left hand and ask him to "UP" onto your right so he can reach the treat. Just go slow. If anything can tell you are afraid -- it is a bird. They sense you are afraid and they don't know what is wrong so they become afriad. It is a circle. Yes you can get bit - it happens. The worse bite I ever had was from my 3 year old child. I have had birds (big guys) for 25 or more years and haven't been bit and yes I play with them. I had a bird in a pet store attack me and bite and it hurts but not as bad as hitting your hand with a hammer or stubbing your toe.
Just go slow and learn his body language. Talk lots of talking or singing. Be patient. They can be agrssive but their body language is very obvious and you can twll. Head down, feathers smoothe, eyes going in and out. Leave him alone - does not want to play. Head up, relaxed feathers, eyes seeing you he is relaxed and not afraid.
Izzy - 2011-06-18
It would be best to learn amazon body language. Male blue fronted amazons are very aggressive at times and have mood swings. Do not show the bird that you are scared. Earning trust takes a long time, but you can build trust with patience and food! lol Find out what his favorite treat is and try to give him that treat more often. Talk to him...They are very social birds and love attention. Most people forget how intelligent parrots are...Talk to them in a gentle voice and give them a treat. When he feels more comfortable with you the body language will show it. fluffed feathers and relaxed posture is usually a sign.
Getting bitten may happen...a firm no will teach him that biting is not ok. Just give it time and you will have a parrot that loves you to pieces. :)
Derrick - 2011-08-03
On the contrary, Amazons have a painful bite. I learned quite literally first hand.
The body language was ruffled and dilating eyes along with a clicking sound when my index was getting squeezed hard enough to cause a hairline fracture.

Also,it was a male amazon,and we were clipping his claws,or more accuratly,daggers.

john - 2012-09-01
Hi to all, I brought a Yellow Winged Amazon Parrot a week ago for US $350. I don't know if it's a male or female also her age. Anyhow she is eating apple and sunflower seeds and drinking water. But very moody only sleepy not making any sound. Her droppings was watery in green colour but now changed to white colour with little solid and watery. I started to teach up command but I don't know how much time I have to teach per day. regards john

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Charlie Roche - 2012-09-01
Less fruit - the droppings don't sound normal. Should be solid and green possibly with a little white around the green. The poop should be solid though. Could be fruit or if she is real lethargic - she could be ill. I'd scoop up a little poop and take it to an avian vet. Possibly a course of anitbiotics with an anti fungal might do the trcik or take the bird to an avian vet. Training - try 15 minutes 2 - 3 times a day to start. Then you can do longer as time passes which would include interaction and play time also. Have fun with it. Get some music going. Put words to her actions and anything she comes in contact with. 'hey you want a sunflower?' I would get a good seed mix with dehydrated fruits and vegetables. I like Goldenfeast and using for 20 years and all are great. Look it up on the Internet and you should be able to find a store near you or someone that can ship it to you. Sunflower as a base is too fatty for an amazon.

james - 2012-08-08
i have been given an amazon blue face parrot , i knew nothing about parrots and have so far learnt a lot, jack speaks very well and screams loud, hes learnt some words dockers would be proud of, he has been rehomes about 10 times so far , i am trying to get him tame he will only allow brief contact and only me, its all new to me so any tips would be welcome what to do about it.....i try to touch him he allows me to touch his head, but the screaming i have no idea

brian hutchison - 2012-09-26
I am waiting on a rescued amazon parrot, any tips on what I should do when I get him or her on feeding and handling.

Diana - 2012-02-04
I got a male and female (dna'd) blue fronted amazon parrots, they are about 11 years old. The previous owner said that they do not get along and I (enventually) would like to breed them if possible. I let them out of their separate cages during the day and sometimes they will fight and sometimes they will groom each other, don't really know what the deal is with them. At night I put them in separtate cages cause I'm afraid that they will hurt each other. The female is really gentle (with me) she gives kisses and steps up pretty easily, the male is a little more aggressive but will step up and sometimes lets me scratch his head if the female is nowhere near him. I am not really sure how long these guys have been together or if they ever have been, when I picked them up, they were in separate cages. I guess my question is, will they ever bond? Should I keep doing what I'm doing and letting them together during the day and separating them at night.

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Charlie Roche - 2012-02-05
I don't know if there is a right/wrong answer to this question. However, this is working for you and it is working for them so it is what i would keep doing. I have heard many time, if you don't want them to 'do it' or completely bond with each other and not you - have them in separate cages at night. Woman in NJ had two Amazons and they each had their own cage and there was a large perch between the cages. Each day they would come out and play or argue and play again and each night they would go back to their own cages. The little girl had her first egg on her human mom's bed pillow and mom put it in a nest box and she had the 2nd and 3rd egg there and they were fertile and they hatched and they were fed. I had Panamas and they had their own cage but he broke into hers but gee it took him about 20 years. Both remained pets and with their own cage. Once in awhile he would break in, obviously, in the spring.
Jim - 2012-02-05
It probably happens most of the time untill they get to know each other well if they ever do. I had a pair somewhere about 7 to 8 years ago and they did not get along at the beggining but after a couple years they were bonding to the point that you could see each other scratching ecah others head. Believe me it will take a while but they will in most cases. Know i have anotherone that just got 02/04/2012 and he is robust; stocky but i bought him first and within a few weeks will buy his mate. Good Luck!!!
Jim - 2012-02-05
It probably happens most of the time untill they get to know each other well if they ever do. I had a pair somewhere about 7 to 8 years ago and they did not get along at the beggining but after a couple years they were bonding to the point that you could see each other scratching ecah others head. Believe me it will take a while but they will in most cases. Know i have anotherone that just got 02/04/2012 and he is robust; stocky but i bought him first and within a few weeks will buy his mate. Good Luck!!!
Jim - 2012-02-05
It probably happens most of the time untill they get to know each other well if they ever do. I had a pair somewhere about 7 to 8 years ago and they did not get along at the beggining but after a couple years they were bonding to the point that you could see each other scratching ecah others head. Believe me it will take a while but they will in most cases. Know i have anotherone that just got 02/04/2012 and he is robust; stocky but i bought him first and within a few weeks will buy his mate. Good Luck!!!

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Animal Stories - People Talking About Amazon Parrots

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