Odd Behavior? +Progress!

So I have my new Amazon parrot who was adopted on Monday, Elphie!

On Monday when we got back from the long drive to get her she was a very tired little birdie. She doesn't fly, yet anyway. Her wings aren't clipped or anything though. But she was in this big box and was having trouble getting out, so I reached in slowly, and she hopped right up! But I didn't push it and put her right in her cage.

Tuesday she was shaky and quiet. But she was taking little apple pieces from me through the cage bars, which was good. I'm trying to get more supplements to her since right now I'm working on switching her off a fattening diet. But she's only ever had apples so I have to work with that slowly. I don't want to upset her.

Today it was like night and day! I have a vet tech program to go to from 12-2 so before I leave I let her out of her cage and she didn't hesitate climbing right out! I was shocked! I got some nice pictures of her, she's actually pretty photogenic! After that she went back in her cage easily.

When I got back and walked in she ruffled up her feathers and said "Hi!" to me. This is the first time I'd really heard her talk! After that, I couldn't get her to shut up! She was so talkative today! She said 'Hello!' to my sister when she came in the room and when my sister left she said "Bye Bye Elphie!" and Elphie shouted back "BYE BYE!". My goodness she can project her voice!

She was wolf whistling, saying 'Waka Waka', which is her favorite song according to her previous owner. She willingly hopped up on my hand(I was just trying to readjust a toy and she just hopped up there), let me pet her, etc. She seems to be a bit honorary when on top of her cage, a bit nippy and not very nice, so I'll probably stop letting her up once I get another area set up for her to explore. She loves her beak being rubbed. She'll just rub it all over your arm, her perches, cage bars, etc. She even let me rub it for a moment!

It was just so shocking. Tuesday and Wednesday were like night and day!

I have noticed one thing that's quite odd that she does a lot. I don't know if it's a normal behavior, a quirk, or what. I can't even put a name to it to look it up!

What she does is she'll be on her perch and then she'll grab the cage bars with the closest foot, grab another cage bar with her beak, sort of stretching out, while.. not flapping her wings but extending them just a tag away from her body and moving them around slightly, as if to keep her balance. All the while making "Bah? Blahhh? BAH." type noises.

If she's only done it once or twice I'd think she just didn't know where to go or reached out too far or something. But she's done several times today and I just don't know what to make of it!

While I'm here, here's some pictures of the little girl.




I don't know why she looks so ruffled here.. Maybe it was right after she ruffled up(I don't know what the term is, haha!)? I can't remember. But she's perfectly smooth now.



So that's little Elphie! Pictures taken this morning.
Any tips? Ideas about that odd thing she does? Anything, I'm all ears!

Elphie is beautiful and I love the look she is giving you - she definitely does not lack personality!

I am trying to imagine what you are describing and the picture I am seeing is that she is just playing. Make a video, maybe my imagination is distorted.

I am glad that she is already talking and comfortable with you - many happy years ahead of you - for sure.

Elphie is gorgeous! I think the behavior you're worried about is play. Amazons can be such goofs! Elphie sounds a lot like Fred, and I'm sure you're going to enjoy her!!! The talking is such fun...but I sometimes wish there was a turn off button!!! LOL!!!

You are so right, it's not even funny. She definitely does not lack personality!
Haha, sorry about that. I'll try to get some sort of video of it. She's done it about three times this morning already. What a goof!

Thank you! Well I'm very happy to hear she's just a goofball. I'll have to get some videos of her doing this silly thing to share then!

Yes please do!

I have another question. I have this set up on my desk.. I don't have a perch for her yet so I let her sit on my table easel. And she seems to really like being rubbed and pet and such. But there's another behavior I don't understand. She'll grab my finger in her beak, it doesn't hurt at all. I know she could really hurt me if she wanted to, so I don't think it's aggression or anything. But she grabs it and like.. licks it/feels my fingers with her tongue. And then other times it's like she's mouthing my fingers.

Does anyone know what these mean? I've read about mouthing is good or something?

Other times she' wave her head around and then nip at my fingers. I can tell she's putting more pressure on it, but she's not trying to necessarily hurt me.. Is she testing me, playing, etc? If she is testing me, is ignoring her the best option?

If she's just licking the finger, I would assume she's just getting to know you. When she waves her head around, and is applying more pressure, she may be wanting you to stop whatever you're doing. It's hard to tell, just from the description, but you'll get to know her body language with time.

Elphie is so beautiful, and so full of personality-- you must be enjoying every minute with her.

Ooh, thanks SharonC! I'll look out from that from now on.

Oh, she's so amazing. I love her to bits. She's a quirky little thing. Pretty bossy too, if you don't do things just right she'll turn her back on you and refuse to turn around until you give her a snack. She certainly knows how to get her way. As long as she stops biting and behaves, I don't mind though.

Very beautiful girl indeed, congratulations on your new fid(fid=feathered kid)

eulahluff said:

She'll grab my finger in her beak, it doesn't hurt at all. I know she could really hurt me if she wanted to, so I don't think it's aggression or anything. But she grabs it and like.. licks it/feels my fingers with her tongue. And then other times it's like she's mouthing my fingers.

Click to expand...

Just exploring your hand, and it is the way they get to know you and each other. It's like grooming behavior.

Other times she' wave her head around and then nip at my fingers. I can tell she's putting more pressure on it, but she's not trying to necessarily hurt me.. Is she testing me, playing, etc? If she is testing me, is ignoring her the best option?

Click to expand...

That sounds like what Boo does when he plays. If he does that, I usually move my fingers just a little bit and make a growly noise (trying to imitate the noise he makes when he plays). We'll wrestle for a few minutes and he enjoys it - but I keep a close eye on him. He can get too worked up and if I see his tail start to flare, I'll stop wrestling and rub the feathers along his lower jaw. That's his sweet spot, and he stops wrestling to get some affection. When he's calmed down again, sometimes we wrestle some more, and sometimes he wants to come up and sit on the couch with me.