Hi All, I apologize in advance for the essay...
This past Saturday I went to 'just look' at some parrots at a rescue. As many of you probably know just looking doesnt ever happen. I ended up taking home a male 5 year old blue fronted amazon named Ozzy. I was told that I would be his fourth home including a stay at a county animal shelter. The person who currently had him had so many birds he was not given much attention. She said that you could not put your hand inside his cage but could take him out with a perch and then hold him but not pet. She also said he had previously been hit.
I took him home in his cage with one perch and two toys. I went out and bought him some new food that wasnt entirely seeds (Zupreem fruit blend and wild and spicy) and some new toys. I hung the toys on the outside of his cage and introduced his new food (which he ate with no issues and actually will crawl out of his cage and jump in the tupperware container to get more). I have since put in his toys and he doesnt play with any of them except the one thats made to be torn up. I can take him out with a perch (and once was able to take him out with my hand) with no issue. He also will jump down off his playstand and walk across the living room floor and yell 'hellllo' until I pick him up off the ground and set him on the couch next to me. I can not touch him anywhere though.. He does give me a kiss on the lips when i say 'I love you' but thats about it.
My fears now are from reading postings about Amazons. I live in a town house with neighbors and while Ozzy is currently pretty quiet, only yelling 'HELLLLO' when I leave the room suddenly and dont say bye or when he thinks I'm ignoring him during my attempt at bonding time, I am worried that he is going to become very loud all the time. I am also worried that he will never let me pet him or scratch him. I know it takes time but is 5 still young enough to get him to learn to trust again? He does not bite when you get close, just growls and backs away.
So in a nutshell:
1) is 5 too old to regain trust?
2) am i guaranteed a very loud bird or could I have lucked out with a quite one?
3) Is there anything I can do to get him to play with toys? I feel like he is bored
4)How soon can I transfer him to a bigger cage
5) He also hates water... are baths neccessary right now? Or can I gain some trust first?
I love him already and I want this to work!!!!
Thank you!
This past Saturday I went to 'just look' at some parrots at a rescue. As many of you probably know just looking doesnt ever happen. I ended up taking home a male 5 year old blue fronted amazon named Ozzy. I was told that I would be his fourth home including a stay at a county animal shelter. The person who currently had him had so many birds he was not given much attention. She said that you could not put your hand inside his cage but could take him out with a perch and then hold him but not pet. She also said he had previously been hit.
I took him home in his cage with one perch and two toys. I went out and bought him some new food that wasnt entirely seeds (Zupreem fruit blend and wild and spicy) and some new toys. I hung the toys on the outside of his cage and introduced his new food (which he ate with no issues and actually will crawl out of his cage and jump in the tupperware container to get more). I have since put in his toys and he doesnt play with any of them except the one thats made to be torn up. I can take him out with a perch (and once was able to take him out with my hand) with no issue. He also will jump down off his playstand and walk across the living room floor and yell 'hellllo' until I pick him up off the ground and set him on the couch next to me. I can not touch him anywhere though.. He does give me a kiss on the lips when i say 'I love you' but thats about it.
My fears now are from reading postings about Amazons. I live in a town house with neighbors and while Ozzy is currently pretty quiet, only yelling 'HELLLLO' when I leave the room suddenly and dont say bye or when he thinks I'm ignoring him during my attempt at bonding time, I am worried that he is going to become very loud all the time. I am also worried that he will never let me pet him or scratch him. I know it takes time but is 5 still young enough to get him to learn to trust again? He does not bite when you get close, just growls and backs away.
So in a nutshell:
1) is 5 too old to regain trust?
2) am i guaranteed a very loud bird or could I have lucked out with a quite one?
3) Is there anything I can do to get him to play with toys? I feel like he is bored
4)How soon can I transfer him to a bigger cage
5) He also hates water... are baths neccessary right now? Or can I gain some trust first?
I love him already and I want this to work!!!!
Thank you!