Hello from Florida!

[LuvofOrville]

Hello Everyone. I am new to parrot parenting. My neighbor recently went into a nursing home and left her parrot on her carport with an occasional girl down the street feeding it and her dogs. I have been watching this parrot live under a tarp-covered cage for 20 years. My daughter (who is now 23) was about 3 when the neighbor brought the bird to her house. We noticed because of the noise lol. Anyway, she did not take very good care of the parrot. He was never outside his cage, kept under a tarp to control his noises, and fed who knows what for the entire time I have known her to have him. I did call the SPCA a few times to report her but they never seemed to do anything. Long story short, when she went into the nursing home about 6 months ago, I tried to get the bird then; however, the girl taking care of it refused to let me have it. Recently, she came to me and told me she could not afford food and wanted me to feed him. I said sure, I will feed him, but only at my house with me. The girl agreed! I now have Orville, a 35-year-old Amazon parrot. He is surprisingly friendly. We cleaned out the poop that was 6-inches deep in his cage and have him in a new cage with fresh fruits and veggies (which he is still trying to decide if he can eat it or not) and is kept on my porch with the door open so he can venture out (which he only likes sitting on the doorway and not actually coming out. He has tried to fly but goes immediately to the ground and crashes into things. So he wants back in his cage immediately. He loves his head scratched and rubbed and will step onto a stick and sometimes my arm. I have never been a parrot owner. I really just wanted to get him away from the horrible life I have had to watch him live for many years. The woman who owns him is not going to come home. She is aware that the girl gave me the bird and the woman's daughter said I could have him. I have been reading as much as I can about parrots and how to care for them. There is no local bird vet here but there is one about 2 hours away. I am waiting on him to get more comfortable before taking him out on that trip. He seems happy now. His poop looks better. It was mostly water when I got him. Now there is substance. His feathers look better and shinier (we love to be squirted with water and take a bath!) Anyway, my biggest concern now is the flying. I have a pool and am scared to leave the door open when I leave. I only leave it open if I am out there around him. If he doesn't learn to use his wings and land then he could crash into the pool and drown. I try to get him to fly but it scares him badly and he wants back in the cage. After the two crashes he has had, he will not even try to fly. Any suggestions on how to get him to warm up to the idea? He crawls under my neck and will not sit on my shoulder either. He is afraid of falling. He does try to puke on me and does a little one foot dance from time to time I realize is a compliment. It surprises me since he is 35 and still doing this. Any tips for new owners will be appreciated. Thanks everyone!

 

[Laurasea]

Welcome! I'm so glad you have him!

The pool is a very big risk. I have a freind with a fully flighted African Grey and she moved to a new home with a pool that is screened in. She has the parrot out and he flew into the pool and had to be rescued.

A parrot that has been left in a cage fir years becomes " cage bound" like PTSD, they have a big fear if being away from it. It takes time to rehabilitate them, sometimes months. I will link an article. A good start would be to link a perch bridge to a play stand area a few feet away. You font have to buy an expensive play stand, you can create your own. I used a bird stand swing holder I git at pet supermarket fir 30 bucks, then attached a ton of stuff to it. Yiu can also add all dirt of perches to the outside and top of cage to make it more fun , interesting, and like a burd play gym. In addition you can use tge vertical space above tge cage. I put in ceiling hooks and used fishing line rated fir 50 pounds to hang spiral perches and swings ect, thst are at the birds head hight do they can grab and climb up.
https://www.beautyofbirds.com/cageboundbirds.html

On page 12 of this thread I have several links to cage bound parrots. Pages 9-13 I think I have lots of behavior links.

http://www.parrotforums.com/general...hare-discuss-scientific-articles-parrots.html

I recommend getting a digital kitchen scale that will weigh up to at least 700 grams to weigh your bird. Its a good indicator of health, and you can see if he is over weigh or under weight.

Flight will take time. Its possible he never learned how. My older rescue has never flown and it took more than a year to get her flying. I would hold off working on thst right now. But when you do taking them into a carpeted bedroom, and let them practice landing on the bed. Landing on a hard floor can injure them even crack their keel.

 

[LuvofOrville]

Wow. Thank you guys for replying so fast. All very good advice. I will try the bed landing that might just work! I am only really concerned about flying because of the pool. I am scared to turn my back or walk into the house to get anything when he is sitting in the doorway of his cage. He does get upset when I leave the area and when he has tried to fly it is because he is trying to follow me. Now he just screams loudly when I walk away. I think he knows I am trying because he does not act like some of the stories I have read on here about Amazons. He is an orange-wing. He has not tried to bite but he does nibble my fingers in a soft way and loves his head rubbed. He doesn't seem to have a temper either. I am wondering now if he feels okay and is healthy.

 

[Scott]

Welcome to you and Orville! I must commend your compassion and willingness to rescue a clearly abused parrot. Orville has many years ahead if given good care and love. Respect!

Do you plan to continue outdoor habitation with open cage door for freedom? Pool is a tremendous risk as is eventual quest for freedom should he possess latent flying abilities. I've heard OWA (Orange Wing Amazon) among the more mellow species and your experiences seem to validate! Orville has clearly chosen you! Two superb threads to help decipher life with Amazons: http://www.parrotforums.com/amazons/65119-i-love-amazons-going-journey.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/amazons/54250-amazon-body-language.html

Highly advisable to visit avian certified vet for well check and at least basic blood chemistry. Orville has not enjoyed the best of diets and one of the reasons for poor flight skills is excess weight, poor muscle tone, and possible illness. Parrots as creatures of prey hide perceived weakness.

I'll share the standard caution of shoulder privileges in same conversation with snuggling below your neck. Only if you completely trust as the potential for damage from biting in sensitive areas is extreme. From what you describe the hazard seems reasonable but be advised you are in the "honeymoon" period that may last weeks to a month or more. For now, it seems Orville "knows" he is safe and loved.

A few dietary tips, especially consumption of healthy fresh veggies and fruits:
http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...7-converting-parrots-healthier-diet-tips.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...afe-fresh-foods-toxic-food-lists-sprouts.html
If Orville is naturally resistant to new foods, try the "chop" challenge: Prepare two bowls of fresh veggies + fruits, give one to Orville, begin to eat from yours. Make "mmmm" sounds, bob your head in delight. Parrots are flock eaters and you are one of the flock!

 

[Inger]

Hello and welcome to the kindest corner of the internet. Thank you SO MUCH for taking Orville out of a horrible situation.

How long has he been with you? There is a “honeymoon period” and that may be why he’s currently so sweet and not showing any of the typical behaviors you’re watching for.

This is an incredible place to learn about parrots in gene and Amazons specifically. If you go to the Amazon forum, there are two “stickies” right at the top-one on body language and one on everything you’ll ever need to know. Read them both. Read them out loud to Orville.

Also we love pictures here soooooo please give us some!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[WhiteFlight]

Wow. Thank you guys for replying so fast. All very good advice. I will try the bed landing that might just work! I am only really concerned about flying because of the pool. I am scared to turn my back or walk into the house to get anything when he is sitting in the doorway of his cage. He does get upset when I leave the area and when he has tried to fly it is because he is trying to follow me. Now he just screams loudly when I walk away. I think he knows I am trying because he does not act like some of the stories I have read on here about Amazons. He is an orange-wing. He has not tried to bite but he does nibble my fingers in a soft way and loves his head rubbed. He doesn't seem to have a temper either. I am wondering now if he feels okay and is healthy.

Orville is lucky to have you.

A catastrophic incident with the pool would be short and definitive. Are Orville's wings clipped? He may develop the habit of following you on foot. My umbrella follows me by flight and or foot.

 

[LuvofOrville]

Hello everyone. I am having such a good time reading all of your helpful suggestions. I have had Orville for two full weeks now, going on three. He is a picky eater, but I feel like it is because he has never seen the fruits and veggies I am offering him. He loves to drink the orange juice from my cup during breakfast and also likes yogurt. I do plan to keep him on the lanai. He has been outside in a cage and tarp most of his life and seems to like being outside better. His wings are not clipped. He has had very little attention for his entire life. I could see the carport where he was housed and it would break my heart to realize he was under a tarp in a cage all alone. I am extremely surprised he is not mentally insane. I am sure I will discover problems later on, but for now he seems to be doing fine. I am planning a vet trip. The vet is so far away it has to be planned around my job. I leave him locked in the cage while I am at work. I would like him to enjoy the large patio that is away from the pool area and still feel safe about the pool. I probably will not feel safe with him out there, even with me there, for quite some time. He does not like toys. He is scared of them. I removed the ones I bought from his cage because he would stay in one corner to avoid them. He doesn't mind me sticking my hands in the cage or petting him inside the cage and does not mind stepping up. Actually, when I first got him, I did not try to pet him. I was talking to him at the cage the second day and he came to the side and put his head down for me to touch him through the cage. After that, he would offer his head to me wanting me to pet him. I did not expect that so soon. He seems grateful. I don't know if they can feel that or not, but he seems that way to me.

 

[LuvofOrville]

PS I am not sure how to upload photos yet. It keeps telling me to enter a URL but the pictures are on my desktop?

 

[LuvofOrville]

This is Orville the day I went to get him and removed his tarp. If you zoom in you can see the poop on the floor of his cage and the dirty water. So sad.

 

[LuvofOrville]

This was taken a couple of days after coming home with me.

 

[Laurasea]

Have to try again on tge pictures.

He can learn to like and interact with toys. It takes time. Poor poor kiddo!!! Watch some target training you tube. I like burd tricks you tube videos. You can target train and reinforce coming near toys.

He is really going great in such a quick time with you. And such a horror of a life before!!! Thank thank you for taking him!

 

[noodles123]

Welcome! For some reason, this is saying my "new to birds" post is too long, so I really hope you will read my reply to another poster (in which what I had to say was not cut off by the character limit lol!)



I apologize for the length, but there is just SOOOOOOOO MUUUCHHHHH that breeders and pet store owners do not mention (especially when it comes to health). Here you go--- see my reply to OP


http://www.parrotforums.com/new-members-welcome/89685-new-member-irn-owners.html


^that's the link

 

[Flboy]

Hello and welcome! Besides the pool, a major threat to never take lightly, is predators! Hawks, raccoon, crows, dogs, eagles, and coyotes! This is Florida! They will tear through your screen in seconds! They will study you and wait for an opportunity!
What part of Florida is home?

 

[WhiteFlight]

He seems grateful.

I'll bet. His quality of life jumped the scales.

 

[Scott]

This is Orville the day I went to get him and removed his tarp. If you zoom in you can see the poop on the floor of his cage and the dirty water. So sad.

This was taken a couple of days after coming home with me.

Orville is a beauty and amazingly well adjusted considering years of abuse. Exactly how parrots "feel" emotion is debatable but they certainly exhibit a wide range of contentment, happiness, anger, jealousy, etc. Please do everything possible to safeguard him outdoors!

 

[wrench13]

Welcome and be welcomed.