To be honest....

[itsjoyceduh]

Hey everyone!

As you know I recently got a baby BFA. I am a first time amazon owner. As excited as I am for her to come her to be honest I AM SO NERVOUS ! I keep reading all these "bad temperament" issues with amazons and im getting nervous... I know a lot of our members told me that I still have 5-6 years for that to come but man im still nervous.. I am not scared just nervous. >.< Also i hear good and bad things about amazons but all that just depends on the owner... I was told to socialize socialize and socialize ! than the bird will be nice hahaha. That is engraved in my head.. Phew. just thinking about bella coming home in a few weeks made me see the future haha BUT! I am willing to work with her now and forever!

Sorry everyone just needed to rant because I have been so nervous this week after hearing the owner telling me Bella should be ready to come home in afew weeks

 

[Kiwibird]

I think you'll be just fine. It's always 'nerve wracking' bringing a new bird home, whether your a first time owner or have years of experience.

You are correct that amazons CAN be temperamental, but they can also be the best companion parrot you could ask for. That's up to you! Socialization will help prevent the bird from becoming a "one person" bird at puberty whereas day to day interactions/play time, lots of mental stimulation, proper diet, physical activity and you being a firm, yet compassionate flock leader is what will make hr a GREAT companion Bella is coming home as a blank slate, it is up to you to teach her how to behave in your "flock", what is and isn't acceptable and to be consistent with that throughout her life. Give her attention, but not too much (keep her craving more), get her on a routine so she knows what to expect, teach her to self entertain with toys and foraging activities and be firm when she misbehaves. I'm *positive* you will do just fine with Bella.

 

[Birdman666]

Of all the birds I have ever owned or worked with MY MOST BONDED BIRD EVER was my BFA... who I lost to a tumor at age 38. (And I had a conure that lived inside my shirt, two reasonably velcro-ed macaws, and a red lored amazon that preens my eyelashes, and curls up into a ball at night and uses my cheek for a pillow.) She was my constant companion, and a constant joy to have around. I still miss her to this day... BFA's are HUGE personality birds.


Yeah, that's right, my BFA was even more bonded than this... she was amazing. She didn't preen my eyes, she launched to my shoulder before both feet even made it in the door, and stuck her entire head in my eye socket! So, yeah, amazons have this side to them as well...

MANY of the "bad" amazon traits relate to territorial behaviors. And, oh by the way, IT'S USUALLY THE MALES, NOT THE FEMALES. The males establish and protect the nests. So, they can, but not always, become seasonally hormonally aggressive. There are things you can do to modify those behaviors, problem being that people don't do them... and then they complain because behaviors that are allowed to fester become chronic, and are then difficult to modify.

With an amazon, you need to understand amazon body language, and somewhere in here I have a post on that....

The other thing to understand is that these birds can go on "overload" if they get too excited. You need to take a second to let them calm down before picking them up. Amazons are playful birds, but how do they play with their toys? They attack them and chew on them.

Don't be the toy!

People get them wound up into a state either on their person, and/or then try to pick them up... those folks get bit! The bird is too wound up. You can set your watch by it... it's going to happen. So either don't get the bird wound up into a state, OR if wound up, let the bird calm down before attempting to pick her up.

Amazons need to be handled and socialized. Most folks also don't handle their birds enough. Then they complain that the bird who's been locked up for the last ten years, unhandled, doing life in solitary, is NOT particularly friendly. Gee, I wonder why? Amazons that spend too much time in one spot, tend to get cage bound and territorial. Easy way to fix that? Put a boing on a hanger with a favorite toy or two, and presto, instant portable playstand that you can move from room to room.



Or get a portable playstand you can roll around the house and take with you when you go out. (Boings are cheaper and easier. But I had 11 birds at the time, so we had a couple of these lying around as well.)



These are pair bond birds. They form really strong attachments with the ones they love. Do the work, they bond with you, that's it... it's a lifetime thing!

Amazons generally self entertain well. They do not tend to be pluckers. They don't tend to want to be held all the time, though my BFA was 110% velcro-bird.

The thing about female amazons, unlike the males, they are hard wired to be pampered during hormonal times...
mine only got more affectionate, and more velcro-ed (if such a thing is possible) during breeding season.

So, even hormonal times for females are different.

Couldn't live without my macs or my zons.

 

[Flboy]

Here ya go:
http://www.parrotforums.com/amazons/54250-amazon-body-language.html

 

[itsjoyceduh]

Hahaha thanks everyone ! I have read birdman's post about body language so many times just to make sure I don't miss anything out ! Your post is super helpful and I thank everyone that responded! I'll update everyone when I bring this little missy home

 

[Birdman666]

Here is my tribute to my BFA.

If you go to page two of this, you'll see the memorial I made for her. Those pictures DO NOT LIE! That's how that bird was from the day I got her to the day she died...

http://www.parrotforums.com/amazons/44788-pecker-my-head-eye-socket-bird-rip-2.html

 

[itsjoyceduh]

aww... that is a lovely tribute of her. I understand the feeling of loosing a family member. This might be off topic but just last week I lost by best friend. She was a long haired chihuahua and I had her since she was a baby. I was 16. She passed away last week due to severe heart failure.

 

[mh434]

One thing to bear in mind - Amazons, in my experience, are extremely sensitive to our moods and body language. If they sense you are nervous or upset, they will respond in kind. When you're with her, be completely open, calm, and happy. That's the way she'll respond.

You will learn things about her, likes and dislikes, in time. My 'Zon, for example, hates it when I approach him if I'm wearing a dark shirt. He WILL attack! He'll happily chatter away at me from across the room, but I dare not approach. If I'm wearing a light-colored shirt, though, he's all sweetness & light! I have no idea why that is, but it's the way he is, it's something I've learned, so I accommodate him.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Joyce, you know what's in your favor? That Bella is a girl. I'm not saying boys are harder....but IME girls are 'mellower'

And ditto that they pick up our moods - almost scary how intuned they are with our feelings.

 

[SailBoat]

I Love Amazons!​

Over the years, I have enjoyed the company of the full cross-section of large parrots. I am often asked; which is my favorite and without hesitation, I state that my favorite is that raucous group of parrots know as Amazons. The common second question is: WHY Amazons, they are so difficult!

Difficult? What is so difficult about Amazons! At this point, the questioner commonly tells any number of stories of the much-fabled Flaming Hot Three, The Hormonal Maniacs, The Screaming Monsters, The Flesh Devouring Vampires, The Territorial Hoarders, and The Cruel Divider of Families. Stories, Stories and more Stories of that New World Green Killer!

Then I begin asking questions – commonly the bird or birds in question was purchased on the quick and far more commonly, the cheap, and/or the new owner was provided little or no information, let alone what constitutes a healthy meal or proper living quarters, then surprise, surprise the little green bundle turns into a Mass Murderer! It would be truly funny, if not for the part where they dump the bird!

It must be a new fault in the Human personality or a recent failure in our rearing of Humans, which has resulted in the growing number of Humans that believe that life requires nothing more then simply wanting something for it to magically be that way. Possibly, it’s the affect of the wonders of modern technology - that fresh from the box - instance gratification of extremely complicated technology that by simply adding batteries or plugging it in, It Work! Gratifying our momentary want, before we whisk onto our next want. Whatever happened to actually having to work for something? Reality Check: Living Things do not function that way. Surprise, you have to work at having a ‘Successful Relationship’ with Living Things!

Amazons Are Simple! All you have to do is pay attention and they will clearly tell you what is working and what is not. Amazon’s tell you like it is, no rouse, no guessing, no game playing, just to the point, the way it is! All we Humans have to do is to use only a small percentage of our enormous brains and simply be observant. How hard is that? You would think that I’m asking a Human to cut-off their arms and legs!

That same Amazon, now having lived though the passing from one dead-end relationship after another, with stops between in those wonderful places called “House of Horrors” or more commonly referred to as Pet Stores, can by luck or divine intervention find its way into a true home. You know, one of those seemly rare places in which individuals value each other and contribute/partner to their abilities. There, that Green Mass Murderer, by great transformation, becomes the love of that family’s life. How can this be? A Vampire to a Lover, what Storybook can this be from.

There is no storybook - it is simply why I love Amazons. Through all the past miss-treatment with a little bit of love, understanding and observation they are the “Come Back Kid’s” of the Avian World. It can even occur in the same home that had defined that Amazon as the New World Green Killer. Is this possible, in the same home? Yes, a simple change on the part of the Humans and its time for the Lover to come forth!

Anyone that has known me for even a short period of time, know that I have a Love for Amazons. I Love the Feather, Flesh, Smell, and Blood of the Living Amazon, which does not require batteries and is not simply de-activated by pulling the plug or pushing the OFF button. I Love In Your Face Amazons! A Warm Blooded, Living Reality Check, Ever Hour of Everyday!

Put that latest greatest electrical gratification toys away, engage a living creature. You may just find that there is far more to life than that momentary gratification toy. For our home, the best Christmas gift of two years was the continued warming of the relationship between our YWA and my dear wife. Without engaging that living creature, such a statement would never be possible.

Amazons’ Have More Fun! Shouldn’t you?