What does your Amazon smell like?

wrench13

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My last parrot, a Yellow Wing parrot ( Brotogeris) did not have any smell or odor to him. Salty, on the other hand will give off this wonderful smell when he is happy. It smells to me like Christmas cookies. It only happens when he is particularly happy, like after a good scratchie. or a favored treat, or after we play for awhile. I've read that Amazons have a gland that makes this smell. Do other species have it, too?

What does your Amazon smell like? Do they smell like that all the time?

Do other parrots have the
 

Sunnyclover

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That smell could be from regurgitation. You may not always know he's doing it...He may not always throw up. Sometimes they just do the motion for like a second and it always gives off a smell. The smell from Molly is like an almond cookie type of smell. :)
 
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wrench13

wrench13

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Oddly, Salty never regurges for me. My oldest son, he is a more likely target. Any other 'zon owners notice this?
 

SailBoat

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My last parrot, a Yellow Wing parrot ( Brotogeris) did not have any smell or odor to him. Salty, on the other hand will give off this wonderful smell when he is happy. It smells to me like Christmas cookies. It only happens when he is particularly happy, like after a good scratchie. or a favored treat, or after we play for awhile. I've read that Amazons have a gland that makes this smell. Do other species have it, too?

What does your Amazon smell like? Do they smell like that all the time?

Do other parrots have the

There is this wondrous moment of 'contentment' that brings a wondrous aroma of Amazona! I am not aware of other Parrots species have this, maybe, but the aroma that you are experiencing is 'only' for the enjoyment of those Loved by and Owned by an Amazon!

As a fully admitted Amazona Snob, it is a wondrous moment that your Amazon is fully into the moment of contentment with the World around them!

Enjoy my friend!!!

FYI: For a reason I do not understand, each owner works at trying to define the aroma, as it seems to be different for each owner. I.E., you can pass an Amazon around a room of Amazon owners and each with have a slight variation on defining it. I have long ago gave-up on that approach and now refer to it as: The Aroma of a Contented Amazon! And, to an Amazon Owner it is Heavenly!
 

GaleriaGila

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I haved known two Amazons (Double Yellow Head and Lilac-crowned) well enough to experience the smell. The former smelled like fresh-baking bread and the latter smelled like wet lavender. The Rb smells like chocolate candy wrappers (not the chocolate, but the wrappers) all the time, although you have to be within inches to catch a whiff.
 

PrimorandMoxi

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My two amazons have a musky corn and tomato chowder smell.

At first its like, "whoa-what-the-eff." and then your addicted.

Max my B&G, a much bigger bird, does not have this musky smell.
 
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wrench13

wrench13

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'Boats, LOL, you ARE a snob! But one with excellent taste, so that makes you discerning. Funny how each person experiences the Amazon happy smell differently. A few nights ago, Salty was so much in his happy place that he positively reeked of it, and I was able to pass him around to the family for them to take a good whiff. No one described it the same. My youngest said he smelled like a warm, new, leather shoe, which is a first, for me anyway. Corn and tomato chowder? Not heard that one before - now I'm hungry!
 

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My BFA Gonzo smells like flowers, mostly roses. Never varies, and when he has an aggressive "fluff" the odor is amazing!
 

SailBoat

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'Boats, LOL, you ARE a snob! But one with excellent taste, so that makes you discerning. Funny how each person experiences the Amazon happy smell differently. A few nights ago, Salty was so much in his happy place that he positively reeked of it, and I was able to pass him around to the family for them to take a good whiff. No one described it the same. My youngest said he smelled like a warm, new, leather shoe, which is a first, for me anyway. Corn and tomato chowder? Not heard that one before - now I'm hungry!


Amazon Scent
By: Steven (SailBoat), 2017

Each of the (Adult) Amazons that have graced our home has had three distinctive scents. Since, we have never had baby Amazons, those additional scents would therefore need to be added.

The primary scent seems fully comprised of that parrot's own and basic ‘body odor.’ Not saying that it is an objectionable smell, in fact far from it, only that it is the static aroma of that specific Amazon. Each of our Amazons has had their own distinctive body scent. Of course, each body scent has its own variation like after a bath, while still returning to a dry state and at a dry state!

The second scent seems to be a choice driven scent. In this case, the Amazon chooses to release this very special scent. This seems to occur when the Amazon is very contented with life and the scent is a physical statement of that emotional contentment.

The third scent (in this case; smell) is simply proof that the Amazon has a functional digestive system and is simply passing a little gas with his moment.

No hard science here, only life-long observations from being up-close and personal with Amazons.

Amazon's Have More Fun!
 

Kentuckienne

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LOL, never smelt the third one.

I have! Sitting on the other end of the couch, where I was exiled by threat of beak, I most certainly had the privilege of experiencing parrot farts! It's a whole other kind of smell. I could never get close enough to him to smell the good smells, because I would have mostly been smelling my own blood.
 

RavensGryf

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I had a Cuban Amazon, and she puffed out a smell like a sour old musty smell, or a wet towel left in a bag for a week (definitely not good).

The genus Pionus are said to be close relatives of Amazons, and they are the only other species I'm aware of who also can emit this 'puff' of odor out of the head area, usually upon excitement or emotion of some sort. Both Raven and my late BWP have/had the same terrible pungent odor that my Amazon did.

Parrot farts? Is this something I've somehow missed over the past couple decades?
 

texsize

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When they are dirty and need a bath they have a musty smell.
After bath time they smell like a wet chicken.
When they are angry they tend to smell like blood LOL.
 

davefv92c

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maybe I shouldn't say this. lol
been sniffing mine and not noticing anything'

kinda wondering if you guys are sending me on a snipe hunt. lol
 
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SailBoat

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maybe I shouldn't say this. lol
been sniffing mine and not noticing anything'

kinda wondering if you guys are sending me on a snipe hunt. lol

One minor change to your Post: "been sniffing mine and not noticing anything (yet!)'"

You will! Not a snipe hunt!
 

texsize

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When they are dirty and need a bath they have a musty smell.
After bath time they smell like a wet chicken.
When they are angry they tend to smell like blood LOL.

Yeah...HUMAN blood...

YES just what I mean. If you get close enough to an angry amazon to smell him/her you will probably get bitten.:rolleyes:
 
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wrench13

wrench13

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Dave, honest injun, not a snipe hunt. Since Salty only emits this when he is really happy or contented, I take it as a personal 'thank you' when does it. It usualy happens after a good solid scratching, or when he is just sitting on my shoulder, grinding away on his beak. All of a sudden I will catch a whiff, and bury my nose in his neck feathers! Ahhh, cinnamon x-mas cookies!
 

Joon

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maybe I shouldn't say this. lol
been sniffing mine and not noticing anything'

kinda wondering if you guys are sending me on a snipe hunt. lol

The Amazon I knew years ago didn't smell like anything. Then when I visited the shelter one of the volunteers was telling my partner about the Amazon smell. "What smell!? Amazons don't smell!" Not one of the birds in the room smelt like anything. /head scratch

Though at least one of those birds was holding out because mine smells musky with a heavy sweet floral ... something when they're excited.
 

Taw5106

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Buddy has a wonderful musky scent. I notice it more when he's puffing his cheeks and being lovey dovey like this. Also he likes to get his head close to mine and purr. I can feel his warm breath hit my cheek and smell his Amazon smell lol.

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