Speckles or...

the name just doesn't fit me or the bird.



There is no point in me giving you another picture because nothing has changed except he is in a different cage.

When I went to get him I took my step son with me and the understanding was between us that he was to keep me from getting the bird if he thought it was a bad idea. We hadn't been there five minutes before he said to me - let's get the bird and get out of here.

The bird is tiny compared to any other Amazon I have seen. Some of his feathers are broken off. He is not a plucker. In fact, he doesn't even preen. He does move around in his cage and he has come out of his cage twice. This morning he settled on the cage door and I was sitting really close to him. I put my finger up and said step up...he just looked at me but when I said step...he stepped up. Then a few second later he bit me. It wasn't hard and I didn't drop him. I just said no, no, and let him stay on my finger. He stepped up twice for me...the second time he didn't bite me.

He says - hello, good morning, good night (but he says that during the day), he laughs, he gives the kissing sound, and he tsks, tsks, tsks, a lot.

I sprayed him this morning and soaked him. He didn't even preen. He just sat on one of his perches after I gave him his shower. He will look so much better once he starts preening and gets a good diet. The person I got him from on Saturday bragged to me about how she mixes her own parrot food. It is Walmart's bird food and sunflower seeds. It was about 3/4 sunflower seeds and the rest of the Walmart mix. I haven't put it in the cage yet. He is eating the pellets and MSBS harvest mix. I thought I would give it a couple of days and see what happens but once I saw him eating it I was satisfied he isn't going to go hungry. He is pooping.

He has a vet visit today.

Oh that's so great! I have been looking daily for updates from you! I'm sure after his bathing and diet change his feathers will be in much better shape. Can't wait to hear what the vet says and also can't wait to see more pics and hear more updates! Congrats...you did the right thing!!

I'm glad you got him He's a pretty boy and I'm sure his feathers will start coming back and he'll learns healthy preening habits.

I actually think speckles is a pretty cute name, but I could see him with a "human" name too.

4dugnlee said:

Oh that's so great! I have been looking daily for updates from you! I'm sure after his bathing and diet change his feathers will be in much better shape. Can't wait to hear what the vet says and also can't wait to see more pics and hear more updates! Congrats...you did the right thing!!

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Thank you - yep I know I did the right thing. The woman had a small town house with at least 14 birds. She had two breeding pairs in the basement as well as a Senegal and who knows what else. On the main level she had...ready??? two African greys in one corner cage and that cage was gross, next to it was a macaw, next to that were two Double yellow headed Amazons in the same cage MAYBE 2 feet wide, next to that was a umbrella cockatoo in a cage 18" wide, next to that was another umbrella cockatoo in the same size cage, behind me was another cockatoo (I didn't catch the kind that was) and then my bird in a table top cage MAYBE 18x18x18 with only a dowel for a perch and a couple of toys. If the birds get too loud they sprayed them with a water bottle. Yep - no question about it - I did the right thing.

Kiwibird said:

I'm glad you got him He's a pretty boy and I'm sure his feathers will start coming back and he'll learns healthy preening habits.

I actually think speckles is a pretty cute name, but I could see him with a "human" name too.

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I kind of like the name and I haven't settled on anything else yet so it may stick.

How does he learn healthy preening habits?

Oh my gosh that sounds horrible!!! I'm so glad you saved Speckles (name TBD) Those cage sizes sound like they would be suitable for a budgie or possibly a cockatiel but NOT for Amazons, Toos or Greys!! That's just crazy!!!:11:

I'm so glad you got Speckles out there! What a sweet looking fellow!!

I'm horrible with names, but looking at his red, white and blue, how about "Captain America?"

I asked about the greys and she said that she couldn't get rid of them because they were her first birds. If she had said that she wanted to get rid of one I was prepared to buy one. My step son would like a grey. I really tried to get her to let me in the basement but she wasn't having any of it. I can only imagine how many more birds were in the house. It scares me.

I am so glad you got that poor bird out of there. It's a shame there's nothing to be done for the other birds. Speckles is a cute name, but I think he deserves something a little more noble. He looks like a Captain to me.

When he gets accustomed to regular baths and showers I think he'll start preening himself and taking care of his feathers. It will take a few weeks but a healthy diet will do wonders for his feather condition.

I'm so happy for him and for you. Looking forward to hearing what the vet had to say.

JerseyWendy said:

I'm so glad you got Speckles out there! What a sweet looking fellow!!

I'm horrible with names, but looking at his red, white and blue, how about "Captain America?"

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I love that. I love red, white and blue, myself so I was trying to come up with something along the patriotic lines.

I know the vet that I'm taking him to today likes the Harrison pellets. I think they are hard and BORING. I currently use Zupreem so I'm going to ask if there is a happy medium for us. BUT I want to do what is best for my birds. If I don't do what the vet tells me to do then I can't complain if my birdies don't get better.

Captain America is a great name!
I'm so so glad you got him
I can wait to see future photos.

Skittles is a good name.

I personally think Speckles is a cute name, but you're right, it doesn't fit the bird.
White Fronted Amazons are normally very small Amazons. I've seen some extra tiny ones before that didn't even look 200 grams!

That's a shame those people had so many birds and didn't have a clue... I know Speckles will thrive in your care.

I heard today that she has a trailer full of birds too. Ugh!

I haven't weighed him...although I do have a scale. I really didn't think about it. The doctor should take care of that today.

I'm hoping that he will thrive in my care. I'm going to try to take care of him and Whisper.

Dopey said:

I know the vet that I'm taking him to today likes the Harrison pellets. I think they are hard and BORING. I currently use Zupreem so I'm going to ask if there is a happy medium for us. BUT I want to do what is best for my birds. If I don't do what the vet tells me to do then I can't complain if my birdies don't get better.

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But YOU think it's boring . I've had about 15 years experience with Harrison's, and I can tell you I've seen amazing results with plumage quality and color in several birds in the past. Also perfect bloodwork for years in a bird who ingests that more than anything else, and that speaks for itself I think. In fact all my birds love that stuff like it's candy, but I hear not all birds take right to it.

Ok - if he insists I will try it again with these guys. I'm just not going to give them 75% sunflower seeds.

I have seen him rubbing his beak on some of his toys. So I at least know he knows they are there. I will have to see if he likes loofah like Whisper does.

Good vet visit. The doc was pleasantly surprised with Speckles considering where he came from and how he looks. He has a good weight of 237g and he thinks that the feathers will get better after he has been on the new diet for a while and under the care of me. Says he sounds good and he did a fecal and gram stain so we are waiting on the results of those.

I can keep them on Zupreem pellets.

I noticed this morning though that Speckles can't even break one of the big ones with his beak.

Dopey said:

Good vet visit. The doc was pleasantly surprised with Speckles considering where he came from and how he looks. He has a good weight of 237g and he thinks that the feathers will get better after he has been on the new diet for a while and under the care of me. Says he sounds good and he did a fecal and gram stain so we are waiting on the results of those.

I can keep them on Zupreem pellets.

I noticed this morning though that Speckles can't even break one of the big ones with his beak.

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Glad he had a good initial visit and hope his screens all come back healthy/normal Perhaps try soaking the pellets if he's not able to crunch them? 237 and healthy weight, my goodness he's a little guy I guess I forget sometimes just how "small" the smaller zons are

Great!! Can't wait to hear the results of the tests! How long before you get the results. I would be on pins and needles! My fids prefer Zupreem pellets. They will eat some Roudybush but really dive into the Zupreem. I tried Harrison's and they all tried it but eventually seemed to like the other better. I have 5 different kinds of Zupreem that is suppose to be delivered to me today (assuming UPS can get to me...the weather is really bad today). Good luck and keep us updated!