Amazon Advice Plz

[AnimaLover]

Hi, i joined the forum today as i am trying to gather as much information on Blue Fronted Amazons.

Basically im looking into getting a baby which is hand reared (currently still being hand fed as hes not ready for another 2 months) and very well socialized with people of all ages, household noises and other animals.

The things concerning me are:
1) the internet/books give conflicting information about the Amazons tempermant.
2) sexual maturity, Amazons turning physco
3) the noise. Some sites/book say they are relatively quiet, others say they are very loud..alot.

Ive spoken to breeders also who cant agree. One will say they are very good pets but loud, another says they are loud first thing in the morning but to prevent it cover the bird up. They are only loud when bord.

So i figured as well as reading about them id ask people who have or do own them. I do feel some breeders do not tell the truth as they just want money. Just want to make the right decision for the bird and myself/family.

Any help will be very well appreciated

 

[Ecclipse]

Hi there, I dont own an amazon but have owned an African Brown Headed parrot and now a lovebird. I have owned a couple of lovebirds and they have all been very different. One was quiet and used to chirp and chatter quietly and tamed easily and was very affectionate. The other was loud and quiet nervous but was handreared and came from the same breeder as the other one. My lovebird now is by far the busiest of all the lovebirds I have owned and chatters and sings to her hearts content. She screeches when she wants me but otherwise she is a very well behaved bird. The reason Im telling you this is because it varies from bird to bird. If you want a handreared baby thats great but it will be up to you to give it the attention and training that it needs. Any parrot will screech if they are bored or stressed and you need to spend quality time with the parrot as well as stimulating it with toys etc. when your not there. I have heard that their charactor changes when going through maturity but have never experienced it because I have never owned one. With my African Brown Headed parrot he used to screech until I started teaching him how to talk - lol, he only talked when I wasnt in the room but in the mornings he used to have very serious conversations while I was getting ready for the day. His screeching stopped when he starting talking.

Parrots can be loud but if you train them properly they learn how to behave and there are people on this forum who can give you first hand advice on training. Owning a parrot is a wonderful experience, they become part of your life and show love and emotion towards you. Rosie, my lovebird will never talk and doesnt have the brain capacity of an African Grey or Amazon but she still gets alot of attention and is in a routine that makes her feel secure.

Parrots temprements can be altered because of something traumatic or by how they are handreared and you need to ask yourself whether you have enough time to give to the parrot because if you do you can guide and train them how to behave and learn to work around anything that crops up. You will never be able to stand up and say that an amazon wont or will be loud and the same applies to their time of maturity, it will depend on the parrot and how you raise it.

I hope that this helps, I learnt first hand that what I read on the internet about lovebirds was not on par with the different characters I owned, none were the same.

 

[cnyguy]

Welcome to the Forum! There does seem to be a lot of conflicting information out there, about almost everything related to parrots. I am a big fan of Amazons, and lived with a Yellow-crowned Amazon for 40 years. In my experience, Amazons are generally friendly, but not necessarily cuddly. Like most parrots, they're very intelligent and sensitive, and very curious about everything that goes on around them. They are usually excellent talkers-- Blue-fronts are known for being among the best. Amazons can be moody, perhaps a little more so than some types of parrots, but in all my years with one, it was never a major problem. Amazons can indeed be very noisy, but again, no more so than a lot of other kinds of parrots. Of course, every parrot is an individual, with a unique personality, and may not conform to what is considered "typical" behavior for that type of parrot.

 

[izmail1215]

Hello I am glad you waited till its weaned. I just got my first amazon last month. He is a 5 month yellow naped amazon I was told a boy but who knows. He was also hand raised and fed. After 2 weeks he got VERY loud but it was ok, got it under control. Babys dont really screem in the morning or dawn that happens later on.

he will make "babble" sounds cause he is still a baby but it gose away his voice might not sound clar but again, its a baby

my amazon (sam) loves to get his head rubbed he will fulff up his head for me.

At first he will bite but only a nip to "test" who is boss dont react or pull away. I had bought a birdtricks.com dvd the stop biting one I am so far loving the dvd it helped a lot. Dont give him a seed diet. my amazon eats ZuPreem meadim to large pellets. feed it pellets. use seeds as a reward.

amazon or my dose poop like every20-30 minutes. you gotta have a big cage they LOVE to climb my amazon climbs everything he can find. most amazon dont like to be touched on there back but it vareys.

you got to have lots of toys and perches in his cage.

i hope i helped.
amazons can sing too
try to target train it you can find videos on you tube.

 

[AnimaLover]

Hi all, thanks very much for your advice. I guess the one major thing that 'scares' me is the possible noise. Its more of the neighbours im worried for lol. How loud is loud, ive tried to find sounds on youbube of screaming without much luck. Maybe im not looking hard enough or i missed it somewhere.

This may sound silly but if the bird goes on a screaming fit, will shutting my windows help spare my neighbours

I cant really say i have owned a noisy parrot, my 2 Maximillians were quiet most of the time. I did have them out alot, almost all day unless i had to go out. Im at home full time so will always have company. Just hope it doesnt get bord of me :09:

 

[SharonC]

Hi...When I was researching Amazons while trying to make a decision,some of the info "scared me silly."

They can be loud...Fred can be heard on the street, when my windows are open. However, such loud outbursts are shortlived for Fred. I can't imagine that the neighbours would be bothered unless you live in an apartment or similiar.

I haven't seen any pyscho behavior yet..I'm not sure if Fred has reached sexual maturity yet. I have been bitten, but not attacked. Once you learn how to read your bird, you can avoid a lot of problems.

cnyguy has summed it up nicely...

 

[AnimaLover]

Hi all, well after reading your views and doing alot more research im alot more worried now than i was before. I have found sooo many horror stories that its scary. Very few things i have read say nice things about Amazons. I have to be careful for my kids too as my youngest is 2, eldest 7.

I have been considering other options such as a Caique due to the smaller size. Tbh though, ive even read horror stories on them

 

[SharonC]

I read all those horror stories as well. Fred is a YNA, one of the "hot three""...

My experience which is rather limited is...Amazon horror stories are maybe exaggerated, and I'm wondering if Amazons deserve the reputation that they have. I do think you need some bird experience, and there is certainly a need to research... I'm thoroughly enjoying Fred, and I don't find him to be particularly "difficult". I think maybe, Amazons are less forgiving of human error...

That said, I don't think an Amazon is the right bird for small children. Probablity of human error is high with kids, and the bites do hurt...

Have you considered a Lineolated Parakeet? Big parrot behavior in a little body...

 

[JawzX]

a Linnie, or an Alexandrine? My alex is very polite with her biting, and failed to draw blood even at the vet's office. I have seen her break hardwood beads in half with a single bite and take chunks out of apple branches, so I know she could proably remove a finger if she wanted. But even in her most angry/frightened state she only bites hard enough to hurt really badly.

Alexandrines are also not fussy eaters, hardy and not prone to illness, relatively quiet, extremely curious and love it when there is ativity in the house... Well that's my Ms. Prissy Beak anyway...

My girlfriend has a red-lored Amazon, he's definitely more moody and a little less predictable than my Alex, and I don't think I would trust him around small children. He's a sweety most of the time, and generally morre demonstratively affectionate than Ms. Beak, and actively seeks out afection and scratches, even rolling on his back to play and get scritches, but his mods change quiclky and when he's not happy bites can happen quite suddenly.

I love Cody the Fat Green Chicken, and so does almost everyone who meets him, but I don't think his kind is an ideal kid bird.

 

[AnimaLover]

Hi, just thought i would update you. Unfortunately i decided not to buy the baby Amazon as i felt after more research i was not ready

 

[SharonC]

I'm sure you did the right thing...you know in your heart what you're ready for.

 

[Bobby34231]

Though it's a bit sad I have to say Kudos to you for not acting out of impulse, doing your research and realizing that this species and situation were not right for you at this time, keep the faith, it may take awhile, but you'll know when the right one comes along, good luck and thanks for letting us know how things have gone

 

[Spiritbird]

I volunteer with a rescue org. and frankly the two types of parrots that are mostly turned over are Cockatoos and Amazons, especially the males. It takes a very experienced person to handle thesse birds. All parrots can be noisy. My TAG Rosie has her moments and has learned to mimic the smoke alarm. I am in an apt. too. By the way there are lots of birds needing homes that have no issues or have been rehabed. Please consider an adoption. Thanks

 

[nofearengineer]

AnimaLover, that was a very wise decision you made. Not because amazons are bad, but because you realized maybe you weren't up to it.

I had a Congo African Grey, and he was a handful. I know for a fact I did not need any more of a bird than him. Amazons, macaws, and cockatoos were just too much of a physical challenge (for me, others love them to pieces). Those beaks are major crunchers!

But keep in mind, parrots are very smart, as far as animals go. And with intelligence, comes individual personalities. While certain species on average behave a certain way, there are always some that buck the trend, and you might get a very quiet amazon, a very cuddly African Grey, or a holy terror parakeet. You have to be prepared for anything, and it's a lifelong commitment.

You are doing the right thing an taking your time. I wish more people would do that. Salute!