Does your bird want too much head petting?

When my amazon is on my shoulder she constantly is putting her head down to get pet. It is kind of annoying as I only want to do it so much.

It's got to the point where if I ignore her she will eventually lift her head up, but as soon as I turn my head at the slightest towards her she will put her head back down.

Does your Amazon do the same, do you find it annoying? How do you deal with it?

Thank you.

My BFA could be a pest at times, but I loved her and miss her dearly...

She was less a scratch my head all the time bird as she was a head pressed up against the side of your face kind of bird.

I lost her to a tumor when she was 38.

This bird loves you, that's all. As amazon problems go, this is a good one to have. It means your bird's temperment is exceptional.

BlueFrontOwner said:

When my amazon is on my shoulder she constantly is putting her head down to get pet. It is kind of annoying as I only want to do it so much.

It's got to the point where if I ignore her she will eventually lift her head up, but as soon as I turn my head at the slightest towards her she will put her head back down.

Does your Amazon do the same, do you find it annoying? How do you deal with it?

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First, how old is this bird, how many owners has it had before you and how much experience have you had with companion birds?

You may not like my reply, but it really is not directed/aimed at you specifically/personally.....

Too often we (companion bird people) get birds for the wrong reasons or we have this preconceived idea that our new Pesky Parrot is just the cutest/sweetest/most personable thing in my life, but then we reach a point where our perception changes a bit and we find ourselves in BFO's situation, and really BFO, you only opened the door so I could bring my soapbox in. I found myself in a similar situation, but mine was MBS (too many birds to realistically provide the best care for all of them).....

Anyway, getting back to your predicament, we allow our birds to do things that might seem cute at the time, not realizing that our allowance may actually be a bad thing, because we are not really in control of the situation...in many cases we are enabling the wrong behavior.....we should instead, be training our feathered friend that it needs to entertain itself more...once a trait is learned it is hard to un-teach you bird...too often we miss the cues that we (us human companions) are teaching the wrong thing.....we human males have this problem - missing cues and ignoring our feathered friends, is akin to ignoring our wives, girlfriends, significant others.....they just never taught that in growing up school, so now that we have been slapped in the face with this new realization, we have to force ourselves to devote ALL the time necessary to correcting our deficiency and finding the right solution.....

BFO, in your case, I think it might include teaching your 'zon how to entertain itself and when you do that, you'll probably find your attention still in demand, but nat at the current level...and...while I don't have a 'zon, I have an attention sponge, AKA a Patagoninan conure that drools for men's attention. It took me about six months of PO'd patty conure, before we became a harmonious household again.....

Good luck, because it's going to take a bit of work on both of your parts.....


Hmmm, didn't mean to jump into your answer Birdman, I started my reply, then got distracted by a phone call & did not check to see if anyone else had replied yet.....sorry.....

Thank you weco for a great answer. To the OP ,, a little more info would be helpful. I assume this is a new bird? young bird? It isn't looking for petting from you, what it's looking for is acceptance. The petting is actually preening. it's part of the "bonding" process that is very important for pair bonded birds like an amazon. Their survival in the wild depends on them being accepted into a flock and having a mate. I'm sure she also wants to preen you. Please read though some of the older post/threads and gain some insight into having a amazon as a COMPANION. I think you'll find her asking for less attention once she realizes that she's safe, loved and has you as her mate. We humans make poor mates for parrots, it's the bird who makes so many concessions to be bonded with a human. Please try and see the world though her eyes. it's not like having a dog or cat, more like adopting a child.

I was going to say I've never heard of a zon that needs to be taught to self entertain and wants too much physical attention. If anything I often hear the exact opposite when it comes to zons.

thekarens said:

I was going to say I've never heard of a zon that needs to be taught to self entertain and wants too much physical attention. If anything I often hear the exact opposite when it comes to zons.

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Like I said, good problem to have...

Pecker wanted to be with me 24/7. He was a velcro zon...

They do exist, and BFA's are a logical choice, in my mind. (Just because I experienced this one first hand.)

I'd KILL to have my little BFA back...

Birdman666 said:

thekarens said:

I was going to say I've never heard of a zon that needs to be taught to self entertain and wants too much physical attention. If anything I often hear the exact opposite when it comes to zons.

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Like I said, good problem to have...

Pecker wanted to be with me 24/7. He was a velcro zon...

They do exist, and BFA's are a logical choice, in my mind. (Just because I experienced this one first hand.)

I'd KILL to have my little BFA back...

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My BFA is exactly this ^^ a Velcro Amazon! she loves being with me and just sits on my shoulder or leg! she rarely plays.... Mum won't let me have a play area for her so we just sit in the sitting room, mostly because she attacks everyone else in the house, so she's not allowed to be left 'on her own'.The down side to a Velcro bird is noise..... And lots of it!!! She hardly peeps when she's out unless I sing (badly) or whistle!!

Would you prefer a bird who reacts as though your going to kill her if you attempt to pet her? Thats how our BFA reacts to the concept of being petted. He has NEVER voluntarily put his head down for scritches either My hubby can pick him up around the body (like for grooming), but he surely doesn't like that! He's actually a well trained and friendly bird (and we adore him), but he's just not a touchy feely bird. About the most physical contact he wants with a person is to sit on your hand, arm or leg. I wish we had your problem!

I think you have a sweet bird on your hands, and I agree with henpecked about looking for your acceptance. If it's "irritating", give your bird some scritches then hand her a small toy to play with to give her a nice hint you don't want to pet her right now Or, instead of being on your shoulder all the time, utilize a t-perch with some toys and activities on it for her to keep her close, yet occupied while your working or can't give her undivided attention. She does not need to be glued to you 24/7, and it is (IMO) not a good thing to have a bird who cannot entertain themselves or be independent of a human.

My GCC does this too. The other day, I was trying to learn to play the piano. Trixie kept climbing down from my shoulder to my hand on the keys and biting (not hard).

I would put her back on my shoulder but she kept repeating the behavior until I stopped playing and gave her scritches.

Maybe she hated my playing, lol. I didn't mind, though. It was really sweet of "Little Satan, " as my son calls her, to want cuddle time.

Your Zon sounds like a sweetheart! Kiwi's idea of handing her toys to chew on or play with is a good one.

This is a problem I wish I had!

Poor little guy just wants your attention. That is not a negative behavior.
That would not bother me at all

Kiwibird said:

Would you prefer a bird who reacts as though your going to kill her if you attempt to pet her? Thats how our BFA reacts to the concept of being petted. He has NEVER voluntarily put his head down for scritches either My hubby can pick him up around the body (like for grooming), but he surely doesn't like that! He's actually a well trained and friendly bird (and we adore him), but he's just not a touchy feely bird. About the most physical contact he wants with a person is to sit on your hand, arm or leg. I wish we had your problem!

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I agree, that doesn't sound too bad coming from the perspective of the quote above! Raven my Pionus (who are closely related to Amazons) is pretty much like Kiwi (above). Tolerates my hubby better, but overall doesn't like being touched by us humans. He'd sit on me when he feels like it, but that's about all he likes. He prefers being preened by his bird buddy Griffin instead lol.

Really :O wow am I lucky with blue then. Sometimes she'll take herself off and sit on the end of the couch, but most of the time she spends sat with me, she fluffs right up when she wants cuddles, she'll put her head right inside my cupped hand to get a really good head rub, she loves nuzzles under my nose/chin and having her head kissed...... Strange bird haha. Only thing she's not keen on is her wings, back and tail being touched. Everything else she's fine.... Even like her toes being tickled hahaha

It can lead to 'other' behaviour tho. But she's not aggressive with that!!!

Wish I had pictures showing what I mean!!

You have a wonderful birdie!

This is a problem I wish I had!

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Ditto! Sassy is just now, after months, reluctantly letting me pet her head/neck. She has made amazing progress with me (not so much hubby) but still does not "like" to be touched. I would love it if she actually wanted too much head petting! I would probably cry (happy tears) if she started this habit.

I thought most amazons would be velcrow amazons.

Is it more common or rarer to have a velcrow amazon?

I assume this has to do with bonding?

Yes it has to do with bonding. Amazons are usually more independent and not so much velcro birds, opposed to say a cockatoo. I have an longtime pet nape, very bonded to me, very cuddly however i can put her back on her cage/stand at anytime. She doesn't always want to go but she does if i ask.