adopting a rescued Mexican red-headed amazon!

[LakeDesire]

Hi all! I am adopting a Mexican red-headed amazon, aka the green cheek amazon, aka the red-crowned amazon! Why does this lovely bird have so many names?

Here's my story of how we met! I also have some questions at the end of the post.

You see, I've been looking to adopt a second parrot for the last few months. Because I know rescues are full of unwanted parrots, and because I am in graduate school and on a budget, I knew I wanted to adopt an adult bird in need of a new home. I had started with Craigslist, thinking I could get a deal on a nice cage and manzanita perch and travel cage with a rehomed bird... but I soon discovered most of the birds on Craigslist have been neglected. I was tempted to "rescue" these birds from their neglectful homes, but you all gave me good advice here in an earlier thread that I would be enabling these bad owners, and possible bird flippers, but buying from them. Plus... I'd have to buy a bigger cage, new perch, and possibly have some expensive health problems to pay for... so I was looking at spending a lot more than the initial "rehome fee"!

So after hemming and hawing about if the timing was really right, I started talking with local parrot rescues, starting with a network that pairs folks who need to rehome their birds with people looking to adopt. I was meeting with a spoiled well-loved CAG and her busy owner for a few weeks, but her owner decided she wasn't ready to put her beloved bird up for adoption. I honestly was not disappointed because it was really best for the bird to stay with her owner. They were super close, and if possible should stay together. I'd never met a bird so well cared for!

So, finding a bird in our own city hadn't worked out... so we made a long drive out into a neighboring town where a nice family runs a parrot rescue non-profit in their home. I'd been talking with the rescue mom for a while on Facebook, and she had a few birds ready for adoption. My partner and I brought popcorn to bribe the birds into liking us, but turns out we didn't need it... Henry, the Mexican amazon, was waiting for us at the door when we came in! She sat quietly on our hands while we walked around and met the other birds ready for a home, some chatty severe macaws and some shy African greys. When it came time to go, Henry said "come here!" and then kept flying from her perch back to us, and then had to be pried off my partner's shoulders. The rescue had to close her in her cage--and her cage door is always open!--so she'd stop flying to us. After we left, we heard that she sulked in her cage until the next day.

Although we met lots of cool birds, it was clearly that Henry picked us. The rescue reported that she'd never been much of a wanderer or a flyer... and that she'd never waited by the door before! It was really hard leaving her and not taking her home that day, but we have a small car and wanted to come back with a truck so we could take home the biggest cage the rescue had available to sell to adopters. We'll be back to pick Henry up on Saturday... and it is going to be a VERY long week!

Henry is about 11 and has been at the rescue for only a few months. Her previous owners were supposedly her original owners and never let her out... they said she screamed and bit... and the rescue said they kept her covered all day and used her cage as a bookshelf! Of course the old owners fed her an all-seed diet too... no surprise there. After hearing about a decade of neglect, I was shocked that Henry was so friendly, quiet, and well-behaved! And bright... she clearly knew why we were there, and that she needed to charm both me and my partner.

Anyhow, that's my story of Henry so far! I do have some questions about Mexican amazons for those of you who have experience with them.

1. What are your Mexican red-headed amazons like? If you have other species, how would you compare them? Is it true that they are less moody and more cuddly than other amazons, in general? How would you compare the challenge level of keeping them?

2. What level of talking and mimicry ability does yours have? My partner was concerned Henry wouldn't be a very good talker, but I'd prefer a calm cuddler over a chatty-but-moody bird! (He wanted a CAG, but I convinced him he should get more experience with birds first.)

3. Is it true that they are sexually dimorphic? I am told by the rescue that Henry is female. I think they are judging by her plumage?

4. Any tips for when we take Henry home? We'll have about a 1.5 hour car ride, and I have a nice cat carrier. Should I put a perch in the cat carrier, or just line it with paper towels? I am worried about her banging around in the car.

5. Any tips for introducing Henry to our 16-year-old nanday conure, Jade? Henry gets along great with other birds of various sizes at the rescue, but it is Jade I am worried about being jealous and agressive! Jade's eye-sight is failing and she is not very confident, and she has always been an only bird, so I am not sure how she'll like a new family member. (She'd probably like another conure, but I wasn't able to find any her own age available for adoption... and I am not sure I tried very hard because I am not thrilled about conure squawk fest x2!)

Well--that's it for my long post! Thanks for reading!

 

[Karigan]

I don't have amazons, but you sound increadably luckey to have found her!

I brought two CAGs home two months ago, and after quarentine I just let them and my senegal get used to seeing each other in their cages. After a while they started calling at the same time, acting 'flockish'. Now I bring her over to them every day to stare at one another and they try to beak wrestle with her but I'm afraid to let them at it because they're 6 times heavier than she is.

Here's a few sites on your amazon

http://www.susanclubb.com/pdfs/amel.pdf
Living with a Red-lored Amazon « Peggy's Parrot Place
Choosing a Mexican Red-Headed Amazon - Page 1

 

[sarafigal]

How wonderful that you've been picked by the bird! Keep us informed, and post pictures!

 

[MikeyTN]

I never owned a Amazon before so maybe some of the Amazon owners would pitch in, you should really talk to Henpecked, she would know as she raises them too.

Most of the parrots are sexually dimorphic yes so it's not easy to tell their sex by their coloring. The rescue might of been able to tell IF she showed any signs of sexual behavior that give it away. When you own a variety of birds for a long periods of time, your able to sex them pretty good by their sexual behavior. None of my birds are DNA sexed but I know what sex they are by their sexual behavior. Plus I raise birds too....

If you can get a nice size carrier and lay a towel on the bottom, it's fine for them to just sit on the bottom for the car ride home. I picked up my ekkies and had them in a carrier for 4 hours ride home then another hour to put their cage together.

It is best for you to practice quarantine, it doesn't matter where you got the bird from or how much you trust them. Quarantine for at least 30 days in a different room apart cause the actual quarantine actually requires you to be buildings apart cause your still sharing the same air. But most of us are not able to do that so rooms apart would be appropriate because there's other stuffs they can pass on by feces, body contact, and such. A vet visit would be a good thing to do during this period as well to make sure she is healthy and all. Then you can introduce them after quarantine period is over.

Introducing them together, you can do so by placing the cage to where they can see one another. Putting them together on the same play stand is up to you by you need close observation to do so and stop them IF anything were to happen. I really don't suggest it but I know some people do it anyways. Cause if they get into it, the amazon would probably win and it can be catastrophic. But I know how some small birds can be and they can be just as nasty. My Lory attacked a bird 3 times his size without hesitation and it was because they got out during feeding and I caught them in time because anything could happen. And the bigger bird was shaking bad and scared as she flew to me. My Lory is evil towards other birds.....

 

[LakeDesire]

Thanks for the tips all! You still recommend quarantine if both birds got clean lab results from the vet? Should I provide water on the car ride home?

 

[Aquila]

Amazons in general are pretty good talkers, though it varies between species. I used a big dog carrier to bring my BFA home, though it was only a 10-15 minute drive. I put a folded up towel along the bottom.

Generally my BFA is quiet, talking more since I've had him, mostly when I have food! I'm not sure how they compare to the Red-Headed Amazons, but I'm sure it's fairly similar. His personality might not come out for a few weeks, so don't be concerned about his behavior right away if he seems shy.

 

[KalJ]

I had a Mexican red headed and he was the most amazing parrot I have ever met!!!! I will never find a bird that comes close to him. You are very lucky, and how sad about her previous life! As far as I know they are NOT sexually dimorphic. Kal was not a big talker or player. He enjoyed foraging and would mimic noises, theme songs, etc. They are all so different though. He was pretty cuddly as well for an amazon . He never bit... Congrats on the new rescue, you are both lucky to have each other. Can't wait to see pics!!

 

[julya]

I have recently taken in a Mexican red headed, and he seems like a very nice bird so far. He switched over to pellets easily for me. He loves to walk around on the ground, but doesn't play with his toys yet aside from his bell. He doesn't talk much, but mumbles a lot and wolf whistles. He used to say 'hello' but seems to have forgotten. I did hear him say 'good boy' the other day but only the one time.

 

[MikeyTN]

Thanks for the tips all! You still recommend quarantine if both birds got clean lab results from the vet? Should I provide water on the car ride home?

I would still practice quarantine just in case cause you never know they might of missed something! There's really no need to provide water on the way home as long as he had food and water prior to the ride home. Most of the time they don't really eat nor drink during a ride with a stranger.

 

[henpecked]

Welcome to the forum. Thanks for giving an older zon a new home. Your off to good start by having the bird pick you. Re gardless of species , some are "talkers" some aren't. IMO he will very quickly indear himself to you and it won't matter. Maybe give him a apple slice for the trip home, he can get moisture from that if needed. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Kiwibird]

1. My parents have a Mexican redhead, and I must say, he is the most boring bird on the face of the planet lol! Their other 2 birds (double yellow head amazon and goffin cockatoo) are very playful, interactive, inquisitive ect..., but Barney just wants to go up to the top of his cage in the morning, sit there all day long, and go back in when the sun sets (and he's been doing that every day for over 40 years). He's also very gentle, hasn't ever bitten anyone, will go to anyone, he's just a mellow little bird. However, Barney is against the norm for zons. As a rule, amazons are a very boisterous, lively bunch who relish in being mischievous. IMO, amazons are the "frat boys" of the parrot world. For those who want a calm, quiet, low-volume pet, an amazon isn't for you.

2. None of my parents 3 birds have ever talked/mimicked any non-parrot noise (all over 40 y/o) but my husband and I have a BFA, and he says a couple words. We never deliberately trained him, he just picked up "hello" "hi" and a very garbled version of "I love you" all on his own. He likes to play the "whistle game" too, where we make half a catcall, and he'll make the other half. We also suspect that before we adopted him he had to have been around ducks or geese, because instead of typical amazon noises, he honks and quacks instead (perhaps he's just confused what species he is lol). Seriously, our parrot sounds like a Canadian goose!

3. You cannot tell the gender of an amazon by looks. There is no visible difference between males and females. You would need to have him DNA tested, unless "he" laid an egg ha! Most people don't go to that expense, they just assume the bird is a boy or a girl. It really doesn't matter since you aren't breeding him, and I assure you a bird doesn't care if it gets pink/blue toys in it's cage or called a boys name if it's a girl. My parents have always "assumed" on their birds genders, but we were told Kiwi had been DNA sexed as a male when we adopted him, not that it mattered to us.

4. Invest in a small, travel cage. It's a one time investment, and you can find one cheap. We found one in a thrift shop for $10(gave it a good hosing down before use, of course). It has a single perch, and is no bigger than a cat carrier, just more suited to traveling with a parrot. Our bird loves going on rides, and he actually grabs onto the bars with one foot while making corners, stopping ect... for balance. A parrot wouldn't have that option to stabilize itself in a cat carrier. Plus, with a cage you can weave the seatbelt through the bars, and buckle him in "just in case". We had a nearly 5 hour drive home with Kiwi (it naturally started heavily snowing, so we had to go really slow the whole way), but he took to being in the car like a fish to water.

Best of luck to you!

5.

 

[LakeDesire]

Thanks again for all the tips, everyone! I don't know if I will have time to track down a used travel cage this week, but I will keep an eye out for one in the future. I do have a small bird travel cage for my nanday conure that I got at PetCo, but it is really flimsy and has a tiel-sized perch, so I don't think it would be very comfortable for heftier bird.

I agree that a parrot doesn't care what gender we think it is! I never had Jade (my nanday) sexed... somedays she is a girl, some days she is a boy! Pink used to be a boy's color a hundred years ago anyhow.

On to my next question, which may be more controversial: to clip or not to clip a new bird? Henry is flighted right now, but not a very agile flyer due to being locked up for 11 years. The rescue offered to clip her before we adopt, and I am thinking that might be a good idea for starting out until Henry learns where the windows are in our house.

 

[Karigan]

It's all personal preference. Some think that cliping a new bird is safer because of the new environment. My birds all wanted to fly into windows and mirrors at first... so I clipped them. Some people think that clipping makes the bird more reliant, but that is a poor reason for doing it, as they can become all the more fearful instead. It does make it easier to keep them on training perches though.

Then there is the school of free flight. Some think clipping wings is akin to cutting off a dog's back leg. There is no better choice here, it just depends on what you think.

 

[henpecked]

I wouldn't clip unless you find a good reason to do so. Good luck with your Green Cheek, that's what i call them.

 

[Kiwibird]

I've been on both ends of the clipping issue, and I really think it depends on the bird. My parents parrots are flighted and turned loose every morning and get free run of the house until bedtime (unless no one was around or someone was cooking). I grew up with 3 flighted parrots, and it was a great thing for them, but the house was pretty bird proof and everyone in the family was used to putting toilet seats down, putting up potentially toxic/dangerous items (glue, pens, knives ect...) plus, the birds were completely used to their environment, where everything was and all 3 were excellent fliers. When my husband and I adopted kiwi, he was technically "flighted" (had his flight feathers) but had not been allowed out of the dog carrier he was stuck in for 5+ years, and we were informed he had never been properly taught to fly. It broke my heart to do so, but for his own safety, we had him clipped within days of bringing him home. We were worried since he was inexperienced with flying in an entirely new situation that he'd get spooked, instinctually attempt to fly and harm himself. For him, it's been a non-issue since. Not once in 5 years has he ever attempted to fly (I don't think he understands what his wings do), plus he really enjoys coming outside in the summer, which we can do without him having to be in a cage. For his own safety, we keep him perpetually clipped (just in case he ever does decide to give it a go), but it doesn't seem to bother him one bit not being a flighted bird. He's actually become the most amazing climber, and has 0 problems getting around on foot. He can climb up just about anything, my husband actually caught him the other day scaling the dresser by hooking his beak on the lip of the drawers! He's every bit as "devious" as a flighted bird, and certainly doesn't rely on us to move him where he wants to be. You can't underestimate an animals abilities to compensate for a "disability". After only knowing flighted birds, it really did break my heart to clip Kiwi at first, but seeing how well he has done as a non-flighted bird makes me feel better about it. I realize now that for some birds, flight may not be a requirement to them being happy and well adjusted.

I'm not going to tell you what you should do when you bring your new friend home, but given his inexperience with flying, you may want to consider clipping as an option in the beginning. If it really makes him unhappy, the good news is, his feathers will grow back and with a long enough time in between for him to become familiar with his new home. If he isn't bothered by it, it could open up new opportunities for him to experience his environment (such as freely going outdoors, or learning new skills to compensate). Best of luck to you!

 

[Aquila]

My BFA also has no idea what his wings do! I've been trying to teach him to fly, but I don't know if it'll ever happen. The most he can do is glide to the floor, and even then he sinks pretty hard. (I teach him over my bed so he gets a soft landing.)

That's funny you say that about the cat calls, Kiwibird. My BFA seems to only do the first half! Only once in a while can I get him to do the full thing.

 

[MonicaMc]

If you are willing to help him learn how to fly (again?), then I would recommend allowing him flight, but taking extra precautions that he doesn't escape. The only way he can become a better flier is to practice! If he hasn't had much exercise, then his muscles may have atrophied and he'll need to build them back.

As far as windows go, when he's comfortable, take him around the entire house tapping on the windows and allow him to touch the windows himself. This may help him understand that there is a barrier there. You can also deter flight into windows by placing decals or curtains/shades across the windows while he's out.


I would recommend giving him a while to settle in before encouraging flight, if you decide to go that route.

 

[LakeDesire]

Thanks again, everyone!

I would prefer Henry to be flighted but worry about training my housemates to close the toilet seat and not to leave the unscreened window open. Fortunately it is winter so I'll have months for them to get used to Henry being flighted before any windows stay open! But: how about the hot stove? I don't want to lock Henry up every time someone cooks!

 

[Karigan]

That's one of the reasons by birds aren't flighted yet. My house is open concept, with only the basement, bedrooms and bathroom closed off. The kitchen, dinning room, and living room are all in one big unwalled space, so I worry about them being able to fly into the kitchen... If yours is sequestered with even an doorway, maybe (and please tell if anyone's tried this) put party streamers down so that it interrupts his flight path. I'd be curious to see if that would discourage him.

 

[merlinsmom13]

I have a 6 yo male 'green cheek' mexican red head. Merlin is wickedly clever, & seems to like to play jokes. He has a big vocabulary, just words he's picked up from us talking to him. His talking isnt really clear like some of the other 'zons, but I always know what he's saying. He also has the ability to put words in context, "bad bird" & "Here Dawg" became "Bad Dawg". He does seem a bit jealous of my attention to other animals, so I have to be careful about interaction.

He's really quiet for the most part, has his loud moments in the am & pm, but not a screamer. He's cage free except to go to sleep, & fully flighted. I think that he's pretty satisfied w/his life. He's very bonded to me & will call for me if I'm away for awhile.

I have made severe problems for myself w/his diet :-( We've been on a diet makeover since May 2011. We've had improvements, but still have a way to go before I'm satisified that he has a good diet. Honestly after years of multiple animals, I find Merlin the most stubborn animal I've ever encountered.

I would recommend his species, he's a loving fun little guy. I would never call him cuddley. He does like head scratches & beak kisses.

He will lounge on his perch more than he should, we have birdy exercise sessions. I try to play w/him & encourage him to climb about on his stand & boing.

We've only had 2 hormonal years so far & he wasnt too bad. I'm hoping it continues like that. Your guy must be past the worst of that, so may not be a concern for you.

Congrats on your new bird, I can't wait to see pictures