Parrot Sitting an Amazon and have some questions....

cheekychico

New member
Mar 29, 2013
3
0
Hi all!

My nana has had her Double Yellow Headed Amazon Chico for longer then I've been alive (25 years this coming winter) and she's been in Florida since after Christmas.

Since it's hard for her to travel in a car with him (she doesn't drive) my mom usually does all the handling of him but she's left for Florida with my dad and so I've been responsible for taking care of him the last two weeks. My nana is coming back with them and Chico will be going home.

A little backstory - he was bought for my Papa but bonded with my Nana instead and for my entire life has never been a "nice" bird. You in general can't get within grabbing distance or he'll try and bite you.

In all my life, I've never handled this bird before, and he's tried more then once to steal a digit or two from me when I've tried so in the month before my parents left I started trying to ingratiate myself with him so that at the very least I'd be able to reach into his cage to change his water out and clean up his cage when necessary. It went WAY better then I intended and eventually he would let me pet him and scratch his neck and since we've become good pals.

I'd like to know some more tips and tricks to better handle and "play" with him and also how can I maintain this bond with him after he leaves and goes back to my Nana's house?
 
OP
C

cheekychico

New member
Mar 29, 2013
3
0
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #2
28915_10152563282140573_897442846_n.jpg


Chico and I enjoying a late night snack.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152563292590573&l=8453974820184595473
Sharing some Tea... first time EVER.
 

Greenwing

New member
Mar 8, 2013
179
0
Parrots
GW , BG , DYH , YN, CAG
You seem to have made good headway in a short period of time..so keep doing what your doing to strengthen the trust..

My experience has been they really don't forget...For work I sometimes have to travel..sometimes for month a few times I have left for over a yr .. At the beginning they took a threatening posture.. But within a few hrs ... It was like I never left...
 
OP
C

cheekychico

New member
Mar 29, 2013
3
0
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #4
Well mostly I've just been paying attention to him. He doesn't talk (when my Nana bought him almost 30 years ago, we're pretty sure he was kept in a room by himself and not handled well by the man who had him previously - hence not such a keener when it comes to people) but he can most certainly make himself heard when he wants it.

When I come home from a day at work/school (College Nursing student) he calls and grabs the bars with his beak until I come over and say hello and scratch his head. (Started by just touching his beak from the outside of the cage working my way in) and made sure I was the one bringing him his nightly dinner, and sitting with him while he ate (He has a funny habit, doesn't like to eat by himself. If you just put his dish in the cage, he'll eat what he can while you're still there, if you walk away, he stops eating and starts calling for whoever will come sit with him?!)

I really enjoy having him out but I was told to pay attention to wires and sockets and shelves as he has a tendency to like to chews these and climb inside them. I'd like to play with him, what are some good starter games?
 

MonicaMc

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2012
7,960
Media
2
43
Parrots
Mitred Conure - Charlie 1994;
Cockatiel - Casey 2001;
Wild Caught ARN - Sylphie 2013
If he considers your Nana his mate, then he may continue to be difficult to work with.

At the moment, since his mate "disappeared", he may have chosen a new mate - you. And he's bonding with you. When your Nana gets back, he may react in one of two ways... One, he's aggressive towards your Nana because he now has a new mate, or two, he's now aggressive towards you since his original mate has suddenly "reappeared".


Just wanted to put this out there, in case it does happen, so you can expect it!



Many amazons love singing, so that's one option. You could always look into positive reinforcement and clicker training as well.
 

Most Reactions

Top