New Amazon owner

Hello,

One week ago, Lucy the yellow shouldered amazon joined my life and it has been a wonderful adventure with her! I visited her three times before deciding she was "the one" and it was the best decision I have ever made. She is 6 months old so watching her learn and explore brings a lot of laughs. She seems to laugh back at me and says hello. She seems to fluff her feathers a lot and the grey feathers underneath her green seem to come out one at a time during her fluff. Is this expected to happen with a baby? Will her feathers change a bit?

The carrying case I got to take her home got almost as many compliments as her!

FYI, Her name is Lucy because I'm a 31 year old with an old soul and I Love Lucy is my favorite show.

Welcomed home Lucy! May you have a lot g happy healthy life! Travel cage is most excellent! Often new weaned, new home parrots bennifit from warm comfort feedings before bedtime. Perhaps some warm oatmeal. I have a link on stress in parrots that I love. Always linking it you might enjoy some tips. Talks about rituals and routines. The clicker training , I'm a fan of behavior shaping, but not clicking, I just say good bird and give treat.
https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/stress-reduction-for-parrot-companions/

Welcome to the Wonderful World Of Amazons!

Your baby Amazon feathers are normal as part of the fluffing process. The underlining grey feathers will show as your Amazon adjusts its outer body feathers. This will be a life long occurrence and is normal. Some areas more common than others.

The layers of structure above skin starts with lines of fine hairs that sense air pressure durning flight. Between them are down (white) feathers, which provide insulation (warmth) and therefore will be molted during the year depending of temperature. The next level is where the gray feathers are located. They are a transitional feather and can be found with both the down white and gray or gray at the bottom of the green body feathers. Their goal is to provide a surface in which the outer body feathers float above and allows the pressure of the air to accurate the hairs.

As you can see, each layer is very important and as the outer body feathers float over the lower layers, you will see them from time to time.

FYI: When your Amazon fluffs, it is not unusual for them to puff out a light powder. That powder allows the outer body feathers to float with ease.

Enjoy!!!

Welcome to you and Lucy! Beautiful bird and carrier!!

Visiting three times bodes very well for a strong bond and happy decades ahead.

Welcome and be welcomed. Yellow shoulder Amazons are very very special indeed. I think out of the 1000's of parrots we have here on the ParrotForums there are only 2 with yours being the third.

Our Salty is a 5yr old who is an absolute delight. You will see just how smart and personable they are. Salty talks, sings and loves to be around his family. First up is to teach her to step up when you request it. Lucy's coloring will change slightly as she approaches maturity, with the yellow on her head getting a bit larger, the yellow flashes on her shoulders too, and the inside of her thighs turning yellow too. YSAs are the parrot of choice on their native rages of coastal Venezuela because of their mellow dispositions ( which is sad because they are CITES II endangered in that native range).

Such a sweetheart! Welcome!

Sorry to be a pain in the bottom, but did the individual that you purchased you Amazons from provide you a Certificate of Birth (Hatch)? If you dear baby Amazon is less than Three Years Old. The seller was required to provide you with very specific documentation regarding the parents, your parrots birthdate (hatch date), Detailed documentation regarding the breeder and any additional ownership changes between the breeder and you! The document set, commonly requires a DNA sex document and may also require a health document from an Avian Professional.

The above document set should be provided to your Certified Avian Vet (CAV) or at the very least an Avian Professional, who is a member of the AAV. They should make a copy of them for your Amazon's medical records.

At this point, North America is sloppy regarding the document sets, but I assure you that it will not continue to be this way. If you do not have the documents, Get Them!!!

FYI: I strongly recommend that you Microchip your Amazon as it will ease ownership and age issues that may arise in the future. Plus, a Microchip is the only Legal proof of ownership you can use to prove ownership in a Court of Law...

Hello and welcome to the forum. Lovely Lucy! Al...better not let Salty see her!


Jim

Hello,

Thank you for mentioning this. Yes, she came with lots of paperwork with all information and a Certificate of Hatch. I also have the DNA sex document. She has been home for about 10 days so I have not taken her to an Avian vet for her wellness exam yet but I have found two avian vets in my area and will be scheduling that soon for her. I imagine they will take bloodwork, will this be painful or traumatic for her?

SailBoat said:

Sorry to be a pain in the bottom, but did the individual that you purchased you Amazons from provide you a Certificate of Birth (Hatch)? If you dear baby Amazon is less than Three Years Old. The seller was regarding to provide you with very specific documentation regarding the parents, your parrots birthdate (hatch date), Detailed documentation regarding the breeder and any additional ownership changes between the breeder and you! The document set, commonly requires a DNA sex document and may also require a health document from an Avian Professional.

The above document set should be provided to your Certified Avian Vet (CAV) or at the very least an Avian Professional, who is a member of the AAV. They should make a copy of them for your Amazon's medical records.

At this point, North America is sloppy regarding the document sets, but I assure you that it will not continue to be this way. If you do not have the documents, Get Them!!!

FYI: I strongly recommend that you Microchip your Amazon as it will ease ownership and age issues that may.arise in the future. Plus, a Microchip is the only Legal proof of ownership you can use to prove ownership in a Court of Law...

Click to expand...

Thanks for the warm welcome! When I was researching online about yellow shoulder amazons, I was surprised that there was not too much information about them. I knew it was a rare type of bird but I do not think I realized how rare! I am looking forward to seeing her colors develop as it seems she is still working on perfecting her appearance. She was in a cage with her brother who probably played with her feathers a bit so she is loving the alone time and is always primping herself! Truly a beauty indeed

wrench13 said:

Welcome and be welcomed. Yellow shoulder Amazons are very very special indeed. I think out of the 1000's of parrots we have here on the ParrotForums there are only 2 with yours being the third.

Our Salty is a 5yr old who is an absolute delight. You will see just how smart and personable they are. Salty talks, sings and loves to be around his family. First up is to teach her to step up when you request it. Lucy's coloring will change slightly as she approaches maturity, with the yellow on her head getting a bit larger, the yellow flashes on her shoulders too, and the inside of her thighs turning yellow too. YSAs are the parrot of choice on their native rages of coastal Venezuela because of their mellow dispositions ( which is sad because they are CITES II endangered in that native range).

Click to expand...

Very happy to hear that you received the Document set.

When you choose an Avian Professional look at their certification status. The want is a Certified Avian Vet (CAV). They tend to be more common in larger cities.

Most Avian Professional have taken additional courses and are Members of the AAV (Association of Avian Vets).

An Avian Professional as part of a 'New Parrot' examination will include a full spectrum blood screen, stool test, and a hands-on physical examination. Additional testing may occur if something is found.

No one likes blood tests and that is the same for Parrots. But, just like Humans, when the blood is taken by a professional, it hurts much less...

Within the Amazon Forum there are two Threads that are required reading for Amazons Owners. The first is Understanding Amazon Body Language. In this very important Thread is the foundation of understanding what your Amazon is telling you and as they age, they add their own variation to this base. Your Amazon is nearing her transition into an Adult and just like Human's this can be a difficult time period. Not If, but when your Amazon experiences the first Hormonal Rush, she will not understand what is happening and you need to understand that she has not control over the rush.

The second Thread is Titled: I Love Amazons - ... This huge Thread is filled information regarding Loving and Living with Amazons. It is targeted for Amazons of all ages... In fact, most of it can be used with near all Parrots. The Thread is provided in segments and it can be read and applied in segments.

Again, Welcome to the Wonderful World of Amazons!

More Lucy pictures and her daytime play stand made by her human father.

Love the photos!!!
And, that is one great stand, congratulations!

Nice stand for Lucy. Good design - you never want hang out perches over food or water bowls or they will get poops in them. A suggestion for your wood floor, get a office chair mat at Staples or other office supply store.Get the kind that is smooth on both sides, the pebbled ones are NOT easy to clean. Bigger protective area and lets the wood show through.

HeeHee, I told Salty that he might have a girl friend close by in NJ ( we are on Long Island). He already has a bromance with Jim's Amy.