I'm Considering a Yellow Nape Amazon

[SharonC]

Thanks Tom! I've been researching bigger birds for months now, and Amazons, since Freddie came up for rehome, which is quite some time ago.

I've concluded that you are completely right. All birds bite...the bigger the bird, the harder the bite. The bigger the bird, the bigger the responsibility. I do feel that I've probably done enough reading to not allow the bird to control me. My experience is mostly with smaller birds, but Levi(linnie) has just come through puberty and he's very strong willed. Levi is NOT the typical Linnie. I did a lot of research and learned a lot. I'm unsure whether I've learned enough for an Amazon, especially a YNA.

The unknown is what is scaring me. I can have a one month trial with Freddie, so that should give me a feel for Freddie as he is now, but puberty will be another thing. Freddie, according to the owner, has never been naughty. Puberty will hit...I have no clue how that will be for Freddie. I can deal with not handling or modified handling, but I KNOW I cannot deal with screaming.

It's a HUGE commitment. I'm 55 years old, so Freddie may very well outlive me. In 20years, am I going to want to be dealing with an Amazon daily??? I have no clue...

The intelligence of this type of bird, and the interaction level that they afford, is what appeals to me. The talking is part of the "charm" .....Again, maybe I'll get tired of talking to Freddie in a few years! Again, I can't see that far down the road...I love my little birds, but I can't lose this "craving" for a bigger bird. A Cape Parrot is probably more my style, but they're hard to come by in Canada.

The cage in the pic would just be a sleeping cage....and hopefully, can be used when we go on short visits to family. According to research, I'd like to make sure he gets 12hours in a seperate room, with no distractions, to minimize hormonal activity, if and when it starts. I was concerned with the bars being too lightweight, as Amazons are known for chewing.

I'm still thinking....maybe if I have to think this much about it, my "gut" may be trying to tell me this is a bad idea....

 

[Oogies Mom]

I'm still thinking....maybe if I have to think this much about it, my "gut" may be trying to tell me this is a bad idea....

I wasn't going to comment on that initially, but going with your gut is a VERY good idea!! You won't be letting Freddie down if you decide not to adopt him, you'll just be giving him the chance to find the person that is perfect for him! Don't feel bad about that!!! Good luck Sharon

 

[2sharprob]

I have had mine for 9 yrs and he has been fine. But I have to sell him now. I have it listed in the classifieds section.

 

[Lesleybird]

Sharon, First of all, amazons do not make a lot of dust like a cockatoo does. Secondly, an angry amazon bite is worse then my larger macaw bite because there is more torque in the amazon's beak grip than the larger macaw. My moluccan cockatoo bite can be pretty bad too. My moluccan male only bites when he is jealous. My blue front amazon female never bites unless something scares her, which is rarely. My hand yellow nape female rarely bit me unless she was in a bad mood and was pinpointing her eyes when I used to handle her. I stopped handling her when I got her a non-hand fed mate when she was about three years old. Her mate was never hand fed and will defend the cage like a nest site and will bite full force with all of his mite if he every can get his beak on you....I would rather be bitten by my Moluccan cockatoo than be bitten by him. I have a scar on my wrist where he got a hold of me.
I have an umbrella female that never bites me.

That being said I would not worry about being bitten. My advice to you is to never let an amazon on your shoulder because if they get scared by something like another bird or another person, or jealous, they can dammage an ear or a nose or a lip....Fingers heal, faces scar.
Lesley

 

[Conurekidd]

Well. As all info is good. Now it's times for reality

AMAZON PARROTS. Are listed as naughty birds because of the seviour homonal mood swings. These are at there peak from ages 4 to about 10 or 12
That being compley understood and know you CAN tame it down a bit by reading his emotions. Next there attention nuts. And idk if you have heard the oprah and amazon essp the yc yn and dyh can carry when your not there lol. I have an 8 yo yc amazon and he's amazing. Prolly one of the most free and privileged brid you'd meet lol
He is in full hormonal aggression right now. But NOT with me. And when this does start you have to discourage it as much as you can so when he calm down again he'll be that much better. I think iv been bitten once by Sam. And an amazon has a way harder bite they latch and grind. But again. Can be discouraged.

Now getting this specific bird would be bad if you had regrets later.
Not fair to for Freddie you know.
But this is a pretty old thread. Did you get the bird??

 

[EmeraldIsle]

I'm not so sure I'll get a YNA now. You guys are kind of putting me off of them. Maybe I'll just get a sun conure or a cockatiel. A YNA may not be worth all the trouble to me. They sound like they may be too much work for me.

 

[Conurekidd]

as much as i want to say no. some can be. most people dont look at the real facts behind amazons and it leads many unhomed. or even naglegted. no ones saying there to much work. i love my sammy..
the work involed really is not work to me at all, just entertainment. hours of joy. and if you can put amazons in that catagory, then there truly for you. but you can never think of them as annoying, or trouble, because if you do, they will be. if you dont, there not. and i have a sun conure. she louder on a more frequent level. sam has his woots, but usally dawn and dusk. much louder OH YEA!! but twice aday. bella, prolly has 7-8 screaming sessions a day, and the occasinal hawk.. but i love her just as much, and those screams do not bother me at all!!
cockatiels are amazing, and i love there bossy personalitys. if loud or moddyness is a prob, then a cockatiel would be great!! even a green cheek conure

I'm not so sure I'll get a YNA now. You guys are kind of putting me off of them. Maybe I'll just get a sun conure or a cockatiel. A YNA may not be worth all the trouble to me. They sound like they may be too much work for me.

 

[Mondos Parents]

Mondo is a YNA also my first Fid. He was 8 or 9 when we got him, had not much "personal" contact with people, he lived in a furniture store. He has bite me, blood a couple times, but I probably brought them on myself! Learn body language, love them with all you have, and you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams!! Mondo is a big talker, hardly ever "screams" and is always glad to see me or Kelly when we come home. and they smell wonderfull! To me anyway!

 

[oregngrl1]

I have owned a yellow nape and we had one in our office at work. I can tell you this, they choose who they like. You will know if it is not you immediately when their eyes dilate and their tail fans out and the feathers on their head ruffle. No question do not handle at this point, they are in an aggressive frame of mind and they can be aggressive, very much so. Learn how to read the bird and have extreme patience. Take it slowly. Use food rewards. Let him/her come to you. I did this with the one at work and was only one of two people (both women) who could pick this bird up. He was a stinker. He would still bite if you werent watching his body language. I am sure there are some cuddly ones but I have never known of one, Still, they are my all time favorite. Funny, smart, unpredictible, con artists that they are they are awesome birds. They did not get their reputation by accident however. They can be scary if you do not know what to expect or how to handle them. Agree about the smell. Not anything like my Congo Grey who has zero odor. Not unpleasant - just a smell all their own. I can tell you that my Congo Grey is very quiet, no screaming and no mood swings. He is young yet so that may change. He does not have the go, go, go personality of the Amazons. He is a cuddle buddy. You may want to consider one of these. Mine was a hand fed baby I got at 14 weeks old. He is not as exciting as a Yellow Nape but alot more even tempered and quieter and less independent.and of course African Greys are usually great talkers and very smart.

 

[dawnkyung]

There's no guarantee that any bird will end up exactly like or against a particular stereotype. I've had cockatiels, green cheeked conures, quakers, and an african grey and I can tell you that my yellow-crowned (very similar to a YN) is the easiest bird I've had to deal with (with exception to the cockatiels, perhaps). She's independent and funny and vocal without being too screechy. I was terrified to get an Amazon - Banner is huge and dwarfs every bird I've ever owned in both size and personality, but we love her, and my boyfriend (who is not an innate "bird person") loves her maybe even more than I do. Sometimes she's nippy and sometimes she's loud, but as a whole she hasn't fit the stereotype that I was expecting.

 

[oregngrl1]

If this is your first parrot good luck. They are aggressive birds, can be noisy and most often one person birds. That said, they are the Rolls Royce of talkers and are filled with personality. They are my favorite parrots. They can be and often are very moody. They are part of the Hot 3 birds for their behaviors. They are very very smart. If you get one be patient, do not push the bird. Gain the birds trust. If and when he bonds with you watch his body language. Flashing orange eyes and a fanned out tail means no touch, I may bite. He may be the best thing you ever did, or again, a total disaster. You can but try to see how it goes.

 

[lokiNotis]

I have had my YNA for about 5 months now. I have always had small birds and did a lot of research before I got Bandit. It is unreal how smart he is. He loves my husband and tolerates me. With that being said he does not attack but just prefers my husband. We have no dust issues with him. Very rarely will he screech. I was almost scared away from this particular breed because of all the negative surrounding these birds but I would not trade him for the world. As someone else has said do as much research as possible.

 

[WharfRat]

We have 2 YNA's that are both a year old now (same parents, different clutch) I absolutely love them even though they really aren't affectionate at all with me. However, the way they interact with my wife is just amazing and special, I wouldn't trade that for the world, they are awesome and very entertaining parrots! Even though I do their food and water every day, they don't care, they are VERY bonded to the wife and she can do anything with them she wants, the most they'll do with me is sit on my shoulders, I'm fine with that though

 

[JerseyWendy]

Vicious, vicous creatures.

Hunter on my youngest son, when he was about 9 or so.

Hunter & Quincy (male DYH) on same son when he was about 13.

 

[henpecked]

That looks like Jake and myself pics, LOL I love my YNA.

 

[WharfRat]

I have to get a vid of Deb with the Zon's....It is just amazing what she can do with them (damn it)

 

[JerseyWendy]

That looks like Jake and myself pics, LOL I love my YNA.

You're right, Richard! My Mark and you HAVE a resemblance. LMAO.