Gizmo and i need you!

Alright im somewhat in a bind...my grandma is extremely oldschool and doesnt really care for the bird as much as i do anymore-long story short- i feel like gizmo is getting depressed or maybe craves more attention(a mixture?) anyways- i have read the sticky topic of behaviors and i recognize alot of them- thanks for the info
but theres nothing that goes too into depth on specifically orange feathered amazons(im assuming theres huge difference in behaviors)
its gonna sound silly possibly but i am cautious around him and i know he realizes it- he isnt afraid to bite especially if you are "too fast" or make any sudden moves, i can tell hes intelligent and i think he tried to extend an olive branch( he had one foot on the "stand" and another raised, when i had my finger out, but i was honestly afraid to give it a chance, as i work with my hands and i know for a fact it will hurt like hell. i read that you are suppose to "force" your hand/finger into his bite instead of retracting, but i dont want to scare him or get biten.(keep in mind he has tried to bite me before, so its not just in my mind)

do i just need to trust him? what am i doing wrong? i clean his cage, get his food, and i try to play with him (like squeaker toys he likes and stuff, he cant figure one out though haha but i digress)

please help friends, i want gizmo to be happy and trust me(also any hints on some foods/snacks i can get him? he seems to not really like peanuts/nuts as much as he use to...and fruit is somewhat hard to get daily, unless dried fruit is ok, also a sidenote i read that they eat cocoa in the wilderness, does that mean chocolate bars(say hersheys bars) are ok for him to eat? i gave him the tiniest piece and im not sure if he ate it but i want to make sure.

anything else and im sure ill think of it- cheers and thanks, if anyone wants the picture again ill post it as well

No chocolate or cocoa! It can be fatal! No avocado either - do a quick search for unsafe foods for parrots and check the relevant forum here.

Offer Gizzy small treats - pine nuts (not too many), halves of goldfish crackers, unsalted popcorn. Hold them so he has to reach for them and can't bite your fingers. After a but you will develop a sense of when he's feisty (eyes pinning, aggressive stance) and when he's relaxed. With most parrots, when he puts a foot up he wants to step up and you can offer him a wood perch if you are nervous about your finger. Some parrots don't like perches or sticks but step easily onto hands. Keep eye contact. Don't look at your and or at the stick, watch gizmos eyes. You can learn to read his intentions very well by watching his eyes and his body language.

When you have a little time, read the sticky post above called "Amazon Body Language." It's very helpful as you get to know Gizmo better.

Both of the Posts above have brought you excellent advise!


There are no differences between Amazons regarding their General Behavioral Response. An over-loaded Amazon regardless of Species /sub-Speies is an over-loaded Amazon. Now some Amazon species have a greater 'tendency' to having a quieter personality and within each Species, there is a natural deviation of personalities.

You may want to check what is at the base of your Grandmother's response. Being Old School has its advantages and I would rather deal with someone that is Old School and has learned the 'Art' of developing knowledge then someone who has only been taught the Answers! Cause I'll old also! Your behavior is just as likely the source of the relationship problems with your Grandmother as it is a problem with the relationship between the OWA and you. Amazons and Grandmothers require that you respect them and on their terms, not yours! Respect your Grandmother and your Amazon, and you will find deep Hearts filled with Love in both of them. Both are open to far more than they are presenting, only waiting for you to Respect them

The 'Sticky' Threads in the Amazon Forum are based around the Old School approach - Providing Knowledge in which the Human that strives to understand and grow upon! Understanding Body Language provides a foundation that the Human than expands upon with their Amazon! Knowledge Foundation - not Answers! The goal is to open the Human's eyes to the Amazon's World. To see that the Amazon is communicating too them and they only need to spend the time to see the Language and add upon it based on the uniqueness of their Amazon and their relationship.

It is NEVER the fault of the Amazon! It is ALWAYS the fault of the Human! When you view the relation for this vantage point, you more quickly see what you are doing wrong and can correct what you are doing wrong. This Vantage Point works wonders with Grandmothers and many others!

Your Thread indicates that you are seeing the communication. Move at the rate of you're Amazon and change you're mind set and things will change.

FYI: A Friend of your's has just gotten their Drivers Licenses after seven tries! Now each time you have seen them drive, they have 'every time,' hit something within the first block! How willing would you be to have them drive you across town! My guess is that you are going to want to see that they have improved and improved a great deal before you ride with them, correct?

Same story, you're Grandmother and Amazon are waiting on you!

Develop a trust bond with both by only good things happen with you are around. Do not fake it!!! Both can see a 'fake' a mile away! Be honest and caring and with 'time' you will see the results of your efforts.

Mr. Boats, maybe we should ask what the OP means by "old school." It could be the thinking that a pet is just a pet, rather than part of the family. I'm that sense, you are FAR from old school.

That said, as always, your response is on point.


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@Kentuckienne-no chocolate or cocoa? really i thought for sure i read somewhere that they eat the cocoa nuts in their natural habitats, do they need to be exposed to it when their younger or they acquire an allergy?"look at his eyes and body language" mostly his eyes and his feathers right?

@rescuebird i have, very good information, but i like to be very well informed

@sailboat yea man you totally misunderstood what i meant about oldschool- she does things like when he acts like a bird(squawks for example or is too loud for too long) she puts a blanket over him- basically punishes him like hes a dog or something, which from my experience and what i've read is you are NEVER suppose to "cage" him like that(gizmo goes in and out of his cage as he pleases, and as he should in my opinion) and i dont have any problems with my grandmother thank you-

@inger exactly, she treats the dog to toys every week and only one who gets gizmo toys is me- to her gizmo isnt her family anymore, hes just an annoying bird that makes noise too much