Gracie's post ♡

Nov 1, 2019
123
14
Oregon
Parrots
Gracie, our Blue Fronted Amazon.
This is just going to be her thread from now on. I didnt realize how much there is to process with a parrot. Every day theres just so much that happens, so many things that chane or that I learn I need to keep it all in one area.
Her name being Gracie is wildly appropriate, we both need a lot of grace to get to know one another.

Today I sang Amazing Grace to her a few times and she seemed to love it! Very attentive and curious.

She is absolutely TERRIFIED of sticks, likely because her previous owner would smack, push, or poke her with a stick to get her off of her perch or to move anywhere. I didnt think about that before using one to kind of gauge what kind of decent perch I could build for her today and I have never seen her freak out that bad since we've met. Like full on PTSD panic mode.
I read that baggage thing today and had a good almost ugly cry with her because I know what kind of home she came from. They weren't THE worst, but they were not good for her. Everything her previous owners told me goes against EVERYTHING I have learned. I'm amazed she survived her 9 years. And I pray we can get her fully healthy and show her how much she is really worth. I will live her with every ounce of baggage she carries, because I carry baggage too. Idk if birds cam hand it over to Jesus, but Lord knows I will help her try haha!

Even the Lord knows their stories. Not one sparrow will fall from the sky without Him knowing. He cares for their wellbeing too, not just ours. ♡
 
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sunshinemama91
Nov 1, 2019
123
14
Oregon
Parrots
Gracie, our Blue Fronted Amazon.
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I made her a T stand today ♡ and a full size perch that should help her feet out. The one she came to me with is too small for her feet and I want to help correct it. I moved her perch inside her cage and she wasnt a fan so I moved it back. I put her training stand in to see of it helps her gain trust for the item and hopefully will start checking it out. I ordered a targeting stick with a clicker, it should be here about the time she starts warming up to everyone.

I built her a tree stand too the other day out of apple wood. Her perch is made from lilac. I did a lot of research to make sure what I was using was safe. Fortunately I had both kinds of trees in my back yard. It's been a great experience so far.
050c0dd5321d4fb86293a3e44c7700b7.jpg
 
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sunshinemama91
Nov 1, 2019
123
14
Oregon
Parrots
Gracie, our Blue Fronted Amazon.
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Her tree stand is nothing fancy, but I made it myself so until I find a better tree to demolish and skin, this will do :)
6ad7ea7b1da090b08dcc785fd3baab68.jpg
 
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sunshinemama91
Nov 1, 2019
123
14
Oregon
Parrots
Gracie, our Blue Fronted Amazon.
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Shes actually out and talking today! Giving us a wider view of her vocabulary and personality. Past few days shes been mostly quiet and in her cage. She still wont let me touch her, but I can get really close with my face while I'm talking to her and she did a bit of pinning :) as soon as I pull out my hands she goes into fighting stance or fear stance and panics. But today she is showing off for attention! Yay for growing! She is also exploring her surroundings a lot more which is excellent! Please Lord let me hold her and love on her soon!
 

Laurasea

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Aug 2, 2018
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All looks great and like fun!! Good job! It's like having a kid isn't it? :)
 
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sunshinemama91
Nov 1, 2019
123
14
Oregon
Parrots
Gracie, our Blue Fronted Amazon.
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All looks great and like fun!! Good job! It's like having a kid isn't it? :)
It really is! Except instead of the whole newborn phase and the precondition to love you, it's like jumping right in to a parent-child relationship with a rebellious teenager or foster child [emoji1787][emoji3064] eventually we may revert back into toddler phases where mostly they just want food and affection. Time is on our side by the grace of God haha. Which still makes her name overly appropriate hahaha!
 

Valyndris

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Apr 24, 2019
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Canada
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Jacob the blue and gold macaw
So glad you could rescue her and give her a better home. She will be stepping up and being affectionate with you soon. Sometimes people just don't know what they are doing to take care of their parrot even when they love them, like Gracie's previous owner. My mother once rescued a blue and gold macaw and the poor thing could barely walk because it was in a tiny homemade enclosure that wasn't even tall enough for the macaw to be able to groom his tail. The owner loved him very much but just had no idea what she was doing wrong. She said she groomed his tail for him because he didn't do it himself. The poor thing just didn't have room to do it as B&G macaws have long tails. Once my mother rescued him (owner couldn't keep him due to health issues) she slowly got him walking on perches in a bigger cage, the perches were setup so he could learn to walk (closer together and extra perches). He didn't take long to warm up to us and I'm sure Gracie will be the same way. That's very sad about the stick thing.
 

Laurasea

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Aug 2, 2018
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Lol
Those books will be chewed sooooon!!!
I'm so happy you have her
 
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sunshinemama91
Nov 1, 2019
123
14
Oregon
Parrots
Gracie, our Blue Fronted Amazon.
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Lol
Those books will be chewed sooooon!!!
I'm so happy you have her
Haha yes they will! We are so happy to have her too ♡♡♡ she's such a great bird and a precious gift! I dont blame her previous owners for how they were, they just couldnt be what she needs, and they kept her alive for me so I thank them. I have another child because of that and so I am THANKFUL.
 

Laurasea

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Good choice on the white cage, more light in and happier birds. I have one black cage left to chs he out, every bird I put in it tried to move into one of the white ones! Lol. They get in and areike this is much better!!! Even though the black one is the same cage !!
 

SailBoat

Supporting Member
Jul 10, 2015
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DYH Amazon
One of the goals of larger perches is to accept the reality that it is wanted for them to vary in diameter over their length. This allows their feet to naturally adjust to variation is pressure as they more about on the perch. This process increases and decreasing the pressure on their pads, which is healthy. Precisely machined (dowel) perches regardless size provides a static loading, which with time results in damage to the pads. In their natural range, no one branch is like another.

FYI: May want to open-up the area between the cage and the back wall. This will allow air and your Amazon more room behind the cage. And, yes, she will try to fit in there. Also, if she elects to send something flying, there is a bit more room between the cage and the wall.

Great idea for an active Gracie Thread!

Enjoy!

Oh, and just another Amazon Saying: Amazon's Rule!

Also: Amazons commonly do not take well to 'stuff' just showing up in their World. It is better to let the new thing slowly find it's way to her cage. Using this process, you will note that new things are more welcomed.
 
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sunshinemama91
Nov 1, 2019
123
14
Oregon
Parrots
Gracie, our Blue Fronted Amazon.
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One of the goals of larger perches is to accept the reality that it is wanted for them to vary in diameter over their length. This allows their feet to naturally adjust to variation is pressure as they more about on the perch. This process increases and decreasing the pressure on their pads, which is healthy. Precisely machined (dowel) perches regardless size provides a static loading, which with time results in damage to the pads. In their natural range, no one branch is like another.

FYI: May want to open-up the area between the cage and the back wall. This will allow air and your Amazon more room behind the cage. And, yes, she will try to fit in there. Also, if she elects to send something flying, there is a bit more room between the cage and the wall.

Great idea for an active Gracie Thread!

Enjoy!

Oh, and just another Amazon Saying: Amazon's Rule!

Also: Amazons commonly do not take well to 'stuff' just showing up in their World. It is better to let the new thing slowly find it's way to her cage. Using this process, you will note that new things are more welcomed.
That last little tidbit is so right. She pretty much hates everything I do, and while warming up to her surroundings, she is getting less comfortable with me because I keep trying new things with her to see if it will help her warm up. Its definitely not working lol. All she wants is her space and for me to leave her alone, which is really hard for me to do. My love language is very much physical affection and she will NOT let me near her. I have to train myself to be patient with her and do things on her terms, rather than be like her previous owner and force her out of her comfort zone. I've never had to really work for the love of anything, usually animals are just taken with me... NOT her. We are both very stubborn.
She does talk back and interact with guests, my kids, the other animals, and occasionally me- but I think I threaten her comfort more than anything right now and I need to change whatever I'm doing wrong.

On the other hand she is really making GREAT progress at being at home here. She splashed around in her water dish today and was very vibrant, she even tested out the rope on her tree with her beak. So that's really cool!
 
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sunshinemama91
Nov 1, 2019
123
14
Oregon
Parrots
Gracie, our Blue Fronted Amazon.
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Oh joy! Today went really spectacular! Shes still not 100% my number one fan by any means, but we are improving! She really got in on some social action today, I had people show up at my house for various reasons all at once and it got super loud for a minute. My kids, my dad, my Godsister, her kid, and the neighbor girl all showed up at once and Gracie just squcked, talked, and flirted up a storm! She really liked my dad. He took all the kids and her and I got pretty much the whole day alone.

When all was quieted down I read a kids rhyming Bible to her and we prayed together and literally the cutest thing ever, as His spirit filled the room, she kept bowing her head while we were praying together and closing her eyes and it just looked like she could feel Him there just as much as I could. Most amazing thing! She let me get really close to her after and continued to do her happy eyes as I spoke softly about how blessed we are and all the love we have in our home. She seemed absolutely joyous!
During that little talk to, she used the rope on her tree to pet herself thoroughly and just sat in the Presence with me. Really great moment together. I think we stand a chance :D Praise the Lord.
 

ravvlet

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Jun 25, 2019
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Kirby - OWA, 33yrs old (2019-)
Broccoli - Dusky Conure - 3?mo old (July 2023 -)
~~~
(Rehomed) Sammy - YNA, 45 yrs old (2022-2023)
(RIP) Cricket - Cockatiel (2019-2022)
Cute! Kirby seems to do really great with the kids also. Is this typical of Amazons, I wonder?
 
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sunshinemama91
Nov 1, 2019
123
14
Oregon
Parrots
Gracie, our Blue Fronted Amazon.
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Cute! Kirby seems to do really great with the kids also. Is this typical of Amazons, I wonder?
I keep hearing they are whole family birds that love to be in the center of all the action! Gracie seems to LOVE noise and running and all the crazy. She gets excited and seems to come off as very playful rather than frightened or upset
 

AmyMyBlueFront

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Apr 14, 2015
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Amy a Blue Front 'Zon
Jonesy a Goffins 'Too who had to be rehomed :-(

And a Normal Grey Cockatiel named BB who came home with me on 5/20/2016.
Cute! Kirby seems to do really great with the kids also. Is this typical of Amazons, I wonder?
I keep hearing they are whole family birds that love to be in the center of all the action! Gracie seems to LOVE noise and running and all the crazy. She gets excited and seems to come off as very playful rather than frightened or upset

I just gave this statement a thought....it seems like when Amy and I are around a bunch of people ( like at the pet store or Wallymart) he get's all goofy and giddy :p throwing his head back and forth and mumbling in Amazon speak. Like a "Parrot for the people" type of thing lol. I'll have to keep a closer eye out the next time we go on an adventure...I guess it's true "Amazons have more fun"! :18:


Jim
 
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sunshinemama91
Nov 1, 2019
123
14
Oregon
Parrots
Gracie, our Blue Fronted Amazon.
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Ahhhhh! HUGE development today!!!

I was working on cleaning the house and she flew right off of her cage onto the kitchen counter. The hand vacuum scared her :( BUT it gave us JUST the right opportunity to pick her up and spend time with her. Shes more than happy to step up off of any surface that isnt her cage. So super pro for us all today. She gives me kisses too so that is cool!

I have to be careful to make sure I put her back soon too so she doesnt hate me for having her away from her cage for too long.
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SailBoat

Supporting Member
Jul 10, 2015
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It is dangerous to lump 'all' Amazons (as well as all Parrots) into one group regarding how they act in a Public Setting. Many Amazons truly enjoy and join in with the moment. That said, that same Amazon 'could' just as well provide a dangerously deep and damaging bite to anyone that pushed across a tripwire that releases a strong self-protection mode.

Understand that the Legal Owner is responsible if their Parrot bites someone!

Always monitor your Amazon in a Public and even a semi-Public setting. Never assume that all will be well. Remember, Amazons can very Rapidly Spin-Up into a Hormonal Rage in moments if someone pushes the wrong button at the wrong time.

Remember: Stupid People do very Stupid Things Around Animal!!! And, its still your Fault!!!

Cute! Kirby seems to do really great with the kids also. Is this typical of Amazons, I wonder?
I keep hearing they are whole family birds that love to be in the center of all the action! Gracie seems to LOVE noise and running and all the crazy. She gets excited and seems to come off as very playful rather than frightened or upset

I just gave this statement a thought....it seems like when Amy and I are around a bunch of people ( like at the pet store or Wallymart) he get's all goofy and giddy :p throwing his head back and forth and mumbling in Amazon speak. Like a "Parrot for the people" type of thing lol. I'll have to keep a closer eye out the next time we go on an adventure...I guess it's true "Amazons have more fun"! :18:


Jim
 

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