Blue fronted Amazon...my new friend...need advice

I recently adopted a BF Amazon. (I have had him 3 weeks)The previous owner said he is male and 10 years old. "Gus" is so sweet in so many ways. He will always step up on his stick, will sit on my shoulder. I can go into his cage with my habd to feed/water. He recenty started the sweetest kisses on my face..very gentle. Takes treats from my hand well...even my grandkids can give him treats (His new fav is cheez-its)He even takes treats from my lips very gently. He does the sexy whistle...and says another phrase that we dont understand. (He was also saying it to the previous owner but she also couldnt make out what he is saying) Prior to the gal I got him from he lived in a home that was dirty and disgusting. So dont know much more than that. So my dilema is...as gentle as he is, he absolutely will not step up on my finger. If I try, and I always go very slow and gentle with him, he squaks and tries to bite. I have been bit once, but not bad...broke the skin just a bit. Any ideas?

Hi! That is great that you have been able to handle your blue front so much already! I got my blue fronted a few months ago and it took her a full 2 months before she would come to me. We could feed her by hand but she would bite if I tried to have her step up on my hand/arm. She was also terrified if I tried to use a perch for her to step up on. She just had to learn to trust me and know that I would not hurt her, and now she steps up to my hand all the time. When I originally worked with her to step up to my hand, I would make a fist and like point my knuckles down (if that makes sense). That way my fingers weren't sticking out and the skin was tightened so if she did bite, there was no loose skin for her to grab. Hope that made sense. I know in my case it's because her previous owner didn't handle her or let her out of the cage. Maybe the previous owner of your bird just used the perch to have her step up to?? Just be patient and take it slow and I'm sure in time she will step up to your hand/arm.

How about pics?? We love pics!!

this is Gus

And does he look like a BFA? Even with the yellow before the blue?

Welcome to the forum and congrats on Gus! Gus is a beautiful zon, though he isn't a blue front amazon. He looks like an orange wing amazon to me. That's not a bad thing at all either, your actually in luck because OWA's are known for being very sweet birds and a little easier to deal with than the BFAs

Please remember it is not natural at all for parrots to step on our hands and hands in and of themselves can be very frightening to a bird who has never had positive interactions with them. It can also take longer than we'd hope to gain the trust of these older, rehome birds. It took about a year before Kiwi would step up consistently. Patience is a virtue with birds I would recommend looking into target training and starting there. It one of the most reliable positive-reinforcement based methods to train birds. There are tons of free videos on youtube that explain the concept. Best of luck with Gus.

Edit: Target training works to build trust and entice your bird on your hand for the first time, but you have to hold your hand right for a bird to feel safe enough to go on it. In your original post, you say he will not step onto your finger. Do you really just offer a finger? That is an acceptable perch for a budgie or teil, but an amazon needs a more substantial perch and offering up a finger is like an invitation for him to bite it! The proper "hand" to offer a son-sized bird would be if you press all your fingers together, turn your hand to the side, and tuck in your thumb (parrots go after thumbs). You can slightly bend you finger if you want and should position your hand about 2-3" away from him, 1-2" up from his feet. Be firm and authoritative when you give the step up command.

That's very true about how you hold out your hand. I notice when other people try to take my bird they do it completely wrong.

Although, I can hold my hand in any way and my bird will climb on it. But this is because my bird wants to always be where I am. She's very annoying.

BlueFrontOwner said:

But this is because my bird wants to always be where I am. She's very annoying.

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Amazons are flock birds to begin with (i.e. are never away from their flock in nature), and in captivity, they bond strongly to their human 'flock' (and especially to their perceived mate). If your bird is 'annoying' by wanting to be on you all the time, I suggest a t-perch you can easily move from room to room so she can alway be NEAR you, just not always on you and getting in the way. Teaching independent play/self rewarding behaviors is also always a good idea, as well as distracting an overly affectionate bird with foot toys or foraging to keep them occupied and happy

Congrats on your adoption and good for you for taking in this bird. I think everyone hit it on the nail with just being patient with him. I tend to use my arm over my hand to have them step up and I usually put my hand facing down in a fist to avoid loose skin as the earlier poster stated.

I think as long as you can get him to step up on the stick, I wouldn't push stepping up on your hand until he is ready. He will let you know when he is! He will reach out for you. You are doing a great job. Just keep up the good work, be as patient as you can and all will come around. He is beautiful by the way!

I have to comment though...I'm not sure I would trust a bird that won't step up on my shoulder....an Amazon can do a lot of damage with that beak!

Gus will go on the stick always...then on to my shoulder...he gives sweet kisses and I am not afraid...just doesnt like the hand. Today he flew a bit and readily stepped up on my hand once on the ground...I am loving this little guy!!

kimby1066 said:

readily stepped up on my hand once on the ground...I am loving this little guy!!

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This tells me he *understands* the concept of stepping up on a hand if he will do so when in an uncomfortable situation. He's just choosing not to the rest of the time for whatever reason:20: I would try getting him out on the stick if he's comfortable with that and then doing step up drills each day from an unfamiliar place where he is likely to get up on your hand (like the floor or the back of a chair is usually good). Be sure to reward and praise him each time he does it. Once he's become more proficient, move on to having him step up from various places around the house, and once he's even more proficient, work on stepping up OFF the cage before finally moving on to stepping up from in the cage.

Gus sounds like he's going to turn out to be a real sweetheart, and I think it's great you are getting him out and exploring his new home so soon!

Good luck with Gus, he's so stunning!