Puberty Crazies

I did some searching here and read a lot of Amazons and puberty. What I read is that puberty usually lasts a couple of years! It was a bit of a scary read honesty.


My BFA, Fidget is 5 years old and I'm guessing is in the midst of puberty. Hes crazy! Every time I open his cage to get him out, he immediately bites me. In the past week hes gotten me in the face twice. The first time from my shoulder, the next time from sitting on my arm. I imagine continuing to get Fidget out of his cage when he is determined to draw blood every time is going to make for a long couple of years. I've tried using a stick to move him but he still tries to get to me to bite. If he lunges or bites as I'm getting him out, I just put him back in the cage and walk away. Sometimes it will take me 4 or 5 times of doing that before he will come out without biting. And when he does, he will bite later when I try and get him to step up so can put him to bed. I can handle the bites, but I'm just hoping that this wont be an everyday thing for a couple of years!

Niko, DYH, is about 4 or so. I'm guessing he may be going through the same thing. This one is a bit more complicated. I just got him so we havent bonded yet. Trying to bond with him in the middle of his hormonal/puberty crazies is a real challenge. How do I bond with Niko while hes going through this? I've spent lots of time talking to him, giving him treats etc. But if I get close enough, he lunges at me. I expect this because we dont know each other yet, but if that joins with puberty and seasonal hormones..... He also appears to be afraid of sticks, so I'm avoiding that.

I understand that this is all part of being owned by an amazon, but I'm looking for tips on how to make it go as smoothly and pain free as possible ..

So, I'm hoping that the parront collective here can give me some suggestion on how to work on these issues.

TIA

Yeesh, two of the hot three on the verge of puberty...yikes...They can hit puberty between ages of 5-10, and yes, it can be a rough couple years. Though every bird is different, some feel it more than others. There’s a small chance you may not have TOO MUCH of a challenge with your DYH. Time will tell.

As an Ekkie owner I’ve got nothing for you on this very species specific concern, other than Massive commiseration, and remember trainIng training training. Engage the mind, and this can help at least for a brief time distract from the hormones.

Hopefully our amazon experts who have seen a hot three amazon through puberty will speak up shortly.

It's like the "terrible 2's and 3's and 4's.." Try to give them activities, DO NOT STIMULATE THEM SEXUALLY with petting anywhere other than the head and neck...no dark spaces or shadowy spaces...limit mushy/warm foods if that is a trigger for yours...limit shred-type toys if they are into them more than usual these days...set boundaries...teach independence...don't take it personally. Attend and praise what you want and ignore what you do not want (make mental notes of why you think they are doing what they do, but don't teach them that they can use naughty behavior to manipulate people and objects within the environment)

Thanks for the comforting word my non-Amazon good friend!

But it is not just the Hot Three that can have problems with the Rush Of Hormonal flow! As an Amazon Snob, just clarifying fine points: The Hot Three, Some times referred to as the Big Hot Three are Yellow Nape Amazons, The Blue Fronted Amazons and The Double Yellow-Headed Amazons and of course all of their Sub-Species, a total of nine members of the Hot Three!

The Very Large Amazon Family does not limited the Joy of Puberty and the years Hormonal Season to just the Hot Three! Those who are owned by other members of our Amazon Family can provide a wide vantage of from near nothing to out and out crazy equal or near equal to the Hot Three!

But, you have (as stated above) two of the Hot Three family! My heart goes out to you and I'm not kidding!!! One can be enough of a challenge...

The sad part of puberty is that they are just as stunned by the rush as you are just a bit less painful for them (I think). During puberty, the body at any given time can release various amounts and in a rush or a dribble. This leaves them from generally upset with the World around them to I'm going to Kill anything close by! When the chemicals flow away, they are commonly left confused as to what just happened! Point being, they have no control over the event.

This is where the individual who is around said crazed Amazon needs to be on Full Amazon War Path Alert! First let your Amazon know you are coming her/his way and what your intentions are! All the while, Read Your Amazon's Body Language... I NEVER pick-up an Amazon without a full read of their Body Language, NEVER!

And, as a result, there are sometimes I just elect to come back a bit later!

Ways to assure being bitten!
- Not clearly letting the Amazon know you are coming (from as far away as possible!!!)
- Not Assuring that the Amazon has confirmed s/he has confirmed above!!! This ties into having a working contact structure in place. FYI: Amazon's can look like they are clearly looking at you and be out in the AMAZONE contemplating String Theory!!! You need to get a movement or like response from them prior to requesting a Step-Up and clearly before placing a digits in the danger zone!
- Confirm approval from them! (can be very difficult with new members), with a working relationship in place, commonly as you state Step-Up, they will raise their favored Foot.
- Start 'Step-Up' Again and move in with a smooth movement.
NOTE: The head should be up looking at your face or a slight dip watching the incoming hand! I prefer using my closed hand and tucked thumb to limit getting a finger bit. They all hurt, no question, but the hand provides a much wider area and 'can' limit being bitten.

NOTE: If the head goes down, drop you hand down, this commonly causes them to further drop their head down. At this point, their upper bill is parallel to their breast and bitting becomes more difficult. You can stop (recommended) and pull your hand further down and away while you said in a clear (not overly loud) voice NO! No Bite, No!

Time is always against you when working with Amazons and Likely other Parrots. Within a minute and not much longer, backing up a few steps and start over! The longer you wait, the less the Parrot connects your actions to their actions! Start from the top and work in again! Each of the above are very important points and it is very important to use each of them each and every time.

When you become more aware of your Amazon's movements (and I really mean your specific Amazons movements) during this process the more you will be able to read this specific Amazons clues and warnings!

Now, if you are a bit more daring or more experienced, you will pick-up on the opportunity of not pulling down and a way, but use a slight down, with a shift out, followed by a lift-up will places you at the mid-point of the upper bill. Moving you hand in onto the middle of the upper bill will place the bill softly against its beast and halt their ability to bite you. The time on the bill should be at most a second, when move your hand away to start over. This sets a question into the Amazons head as to its ability to in fact bite you. NOTE: This is not for the faint of heart, as timing is critical and a mis-step will confirm to them that they can bite you!!!

Working with an Amazon in Puberty demands that you accept, they haven't a clue what is happing, nor do they have any control over it! Letting the wave to flow over them and simply waiting until it has softened before you start your entry is a much better way of living with an Amazon!

NOTE: The Hot Three will have a returning yearly cycle of Hormonal Rush!!! It's just life with the big guys. They never really get to a point that they can turn-it-off. At best, with time, the vast variation slows and the rush becomes more consistence! The signs will become deeply ingrained in your mind and the standard statement is: Well, it's that time of Year! Never attempt to push or cause them to spin-up as they can become totally out of control!!! This is all human pushed, and those who do this should suffer in hell forever, or have an enraged Amazon in their face. I'm not sure what is worst.

- When your Amazon is showing signs of a hormonal rush just them flow out of it.
- When the juices are flowing, do not place them on your shoulder!!! Never!
- When your Amazon is acting weird, set them on a perch to let they settle.
- Assure your Amazon is either on Sun Schedule or 12 hours on 12 hours off sleep schedule. With Sun Schedule after the first couple of years, you can anticipate the arrive...

Enjoy, this to shall pass!!!

Shine!

Thank you for the opportunity to cover this topic, as it is rarely covered in the general writings.

I'm thinking of adding this to the I Love Amazon -... Sticky. So, if any of the other Amazon Snobs wish to correct or expand on the above, please do so and I will add those items to this prior to adding it to that Sticky!

Again, thanks you Shine!

Remember!
[ame="https://youtu.be/tzDubhD3f2A"]Jurassic Park - "Main Theme" (John Williams) - YouTube[/ame]
Leads to:
[ame="https://youtu.be/ZDcrMScGaj8"]JAWS Offical Theme - John Williams - YouTube[/ame]

Thanks for the replies.

Noodles, thanks for the tips. Good stuff!

Sailboat, Thank you for the detailed info. I'm going to stick with the beginner stuff to keep all of us sane for the moment! So, I guess this stuff sort of ebbs and flows for the duration. Thats helpful to at least know that crazies do let up some occasionally and I might get a glimpse of my sweet boy again!

Flboy, that made me laugh, only because its true!

Thank you everyone!

Generally, with our yellow shoulder, who is in the midst of a strong mating season, if he is not into being picked up, I wait 10 or so minutes, often he has calmed down. If he is playing or beating up on a chew toy, that is NOT the time to ask for step up.

Wrench, thats pretty much what I do. Hes pretty easy to read most of the time, but occasionally I miss the signs and get chomped!

I think Fidget and Salty are almost exactly the same age. How is the puberty thing going with Salty? I thought I saw you post somewhere that he is already through it. If so, colore me jealous, very very jealous!

Well Salty is almost 6, so this is not his first rodeo. His initial onset of puberty was mild at like 3 years. This year not so much, but from what I have been reading, a lot of northern parrots are having an especially potent mating season.

wrench13 said:

Well Salty is almost 6, so this is not his first rodeo. His initial onset of puberty was mild at like 3 years. This year not so much, but from what I have been reading, a lot of northern parrots are having an especially potent mating season.

Click to expand...

I''m thinking now that I have this all wrong. I thought puberty was basically a year or two long continuous hormonal season.

Fidget has had seasonal hormones for a couple of years now, so I get that.

So maybe I need to go back to the beginning. Whats the difference between seasonal hormones and puberty?

Excellent question.

Puberty is also associated with seasonal transitions as the first flow commonly is linked the transition from Winter into Spring. Some Amazons, like our Julio, will start very late December, where others will Start late March. Write the general start date for future reference...

Okay, first puberty most commonly begins within the transition from Winter to Spring. It tends to be someplace in the middle regarding flow and its intensity, and of course it will come out of nowhere! The wonders of Puberty is the overall length is commonly measured in years, like three +/-. During this time, an Amazon will be in all corners of the flow of the chemicals. Okay for a bit, wanting to kill everything, or just grumpy at the World and everything in it.

The Big Hot Three have the greatest difficulty with this period as the crashing about can be sudden. The good part is that it tends to flow like the tide. The hard part is that most people tend not to be that attentive, nor be mindful of the Status of their Amazon when they come upon the Amazon or when they are around the Amazon. In short, if you cannot see the Amazon, its body stance, nape of the neck, head feathers and eyes. You are in the danger zone.

Provide your Amazon space and cool off time.

Question: During what period of their life does the Bid Hot Three commonly lose their homes! Puberty...

Remember, they have no control over the chemicals, not its volume or anything when they are overwhelmed by it.

Yes, there will be great days, but there will be confusing times. Watch the calendar and keep notes.

Work with your Amazon when the chemical flow is low to none, provide distance and understanding when it goes over the top. Providing space and sweet words, helps.

Remember, This Too Shall Pass!

Also, when they transition into yearly Hormonal Season, all the signs you will pick-up on during this time will be useful later.

Enjoy, in the end it will be helpful!

Boats, where the HELL have you been hiding this ^^^^^ nugget??? This explicitly needs to be trodded out in EVERY amazon hormone thread. I have never heard it explained in such relatable, USEABLE detail!

Likely hidden deep within my aging mind and then the right question at the right moment and another epic moment comes forth. Sadly, they tend to be a bit further apart than in the past.

Anyway, I'm planning of combining this and the other on page one and add them to the I Love Amazon - ... Thread in the Amazon Forum.

Thanks for noting it my good friend.
You have also added a fair number of inspirational writings yourself...

Thank you for the clarification. I think I'm getting closer to understanding this.

So basically my boys will be grumpy and unpredictable, on and off, for the next few years.

Sounds like a 'not always fun, adventure.'

Thank you!

Yes, you nailed it!

Time will 'fly by' quickly and you will learn much about dealing with your Amazons when they transition into Adulthood. You will understand the advantage of reading your Amazon prior to asking for a step-up that will last a lifetime. And, by living this moment in time, your joy in the future will build on this foundation.

Enjoy...

Shine said:

I did some searching here and read a lot of Amazons and puberty. What I read is that puberty usually lasts a couple of years! It was a bit of a scary read honesty.





My BFA, Fidget is 5 years old and I'm guessing is in the midst of puberty. Hes crazy! Every time I open his cage to get him out, he immediately bites me. In the past week hes gotten me in the face twice. The first time from my shoulder, the next time from sitting on my arm. I imagine continuing to get Fidget out of his cage when he is determined to draw blood every time is going to make for a long couple of years. I've tried using a stick to move him but he still tries to get to me to bite. If he lunges or bites as I'm getting him out, I just put him back in the cage and walk away. Sometimes it will take me 4 or 5 times of doing that before he will come out without biting. And when he does, he will bite later when I try and get him to step up so can put him to bed. I can handle the bites, but I'm just hoping that this wont be an everyday thing for a couple of years!



Niko, DYH, is about 4 or so. I'm guessing he may be going through the same thing. This one is a bit more complicated. I just got him so we havent bonded yet. Trying to bond with him in the middle of his hormonal/puberty crazies is a real challenge. How do I bond with Niko while hes going through this? I've spent lots of time talking to him, giving him treats etc. But if I get close enough, he lunges at me. I expect this because we dont know each other yet, but if that joins with puberty and seasonal hormones..... He also appears to be afraid of sticks, so I'm avoiding that.



I understand that this is all part of being owned by an amazon, but I'm looking for tips on how to make it go as smoothly and pain free as possible ..



So, I'm hoping that the parront collective here can give me some suggestion on how to work on these issues.



TIA

Click to expand...

I'm so happy to see your post. My BFA is 9 and has been acting like this since Christmas [emoji24]. Its exhausting and I feel like I'm being neglectful. He gets the other 5 birds all wound up and he screams ALL day! Thank you for posting because I will be following this too!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

One more comment in my puberty boy.... we rescued him at age 7 with NO history of being handled. We had JUST gotten him to allow us tdd o hold him briefly (hes afraid of hands) and then this started. Poor baby is really gonna have a setback because he attacks even the cage during this puberty business. He doesnt seem to have any downtime from the surges. Makes me feel so bad for him. But we will keep loving him thru the cage since that's always been his comfort zone and pray it's a short run.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Each Parrot will experience the yearly (mating season) Hormonal Rush differently.
And, during the yearly chemical flow, that flow with vary from a dribble to a heavy flow.

As stated above, assure you have connected with your Amazon prior to approaching and assure that your Amazon as confirmed your request.

Most Amazon are not cuddly and tend to invite connect on their terms. Head and neck scratches is the area most common areas and the safest area during a mating season.

Think of this as an Amazon Lead Life Style.

NOTE: For whatever reason, this years is really over the top regarding the length and high chemical flow. Take care and love them...

Sticky material


QUOTE=SailBoat;862386]Excellent question.

Puberty is also associated with seasonal transitions as the first flow commonly is linked the transition from Winter into Spring. Some Amazons, like our Julio, will start very late December, where others will Start late March. Write the general start date for future reference...

Okay, first puberty most commonly begins within the transition from Winter to Spring. It tends to be someplace in the middle regarding flow and its intensity, and of course it will come out of nowhere! The wonders of Puberty is the overall length is commonly measured in years, like three +/-. During this time, an Amazon will be in all corners of the flow of the chemicals. Okay for a bit, wanting to kill everything, or just grumpy at the World and everything in it.

The Big Hot Three have the greatest difficulty with this period as the crashing about can be sudden. The good part is that it tends to flow like the tide. The hard part is that most people tend not to be that attentive, nor be mindful of the Status of their Amazon when they come upon the Amazon or when they are around the Amazon. In short, if you cannot see the Amazon, its body stance, nape of the neck, head feathers and eyes. You are in the danger zone.

Provide your Amazon space and cool off time.

Question: During what period of their life does the Bid Hot Three commonly lose their homes! Puberty...

Remember, they have no control over the chemicals, not its volume or anything when they are overwhelmed by it.

Yes, there will be great days, but there will be confusing times. Watch the calendar and keep notes.

Work with your Amazon when the chemical flow is low to none, provide distance and understanding when it goes over the top. Providing space and sweet words, helps.

Remember, This Too Shall Pass!

Also, when they transition into yearly Hormonal Season, all the signs you will pick-up on during this time will be useful later.

Enjoy, in the end it will be helpful![/QUOTE]