Buddy is 24!!!!!

[Taw5106]

Yes, we learned more about Buddy today and it was pretty neat. Sunday we went to a family fish fry and Buddy came up. A family friend said that Buddy had been with an ex-relative before his previous owner I got him from. Well I found her on Facebook and sent her a message with his picture. She replied immediately and she said she was amazed that Buddy was still alive but she was so excited. I asked her for his age and if he had been DNA tested. She contacted her father because he had Buddy prior to her, well he got excited too. He was the one that got Buddy when he was a baby and said he's 24.

They have been sending Buddy's pics around their family like discovering a lost relative. Now as for his sex, they said he's male but did not confirm if that was concluded by testing so I am still going to pursue that. I also asked about why they rehomed him. They said he's bipolar and was difficult to handle. That sounds like an amazon, lol, but it also sounds like they didn't have knowledge or experience with amazons and didn't know about their personalities.

So with Buddy being 24, is that considered middle age, or old? The family didn't know amazons can live to an average of 60 years either. Oh and I'm the FOURTH home for Buddy but the last. He's not going anywhere.

 

[Birdman666]

80+ is average, unless the diet is messed up.

Winston Churchill's DYH amazon is still alive. He's 106!!!

 

[Birdman666]

Lila is 41. We are either her fifth or sixth home.

(She doesn't talk, and she doesn't allow touching. So she wasn't what they expected. But she's a very sweet little bird, and can be really funny at times.)

 

[Taw5106]

They have been asking all kinds of questions. They can't believe he's so "tame", that's the word they used. I feel they may ask to visit him, they are really curious about him. As for "tame", I explained a little about amazon behavior and how he interacts, how we allow him to play on his play top, he comes out and visits with us, he's been going with us when we visit family. All new to them.

That is amazing about Churchill's DYH. I guess with his new diet we are adding years back to him.

 

[Birdman666]

Yeah. Actually you are.

Fatty liver disease, and vitamin A deficiencies will kill them by the time they are in their 20's if they are fed poorly.

Pecker, my BFA, died at age 38 due primarily to 35 years of bad diet... (This is a bird I WISH I could have had to age 100+. My most bonded bird ever, and you see how bonded my other birds are, so that's really saying something!)

 

[Birdman666]

They have been asking all kinds of questions. They can't believe he's so "tame", that's the word they used. I feel they may ask to visit him, they are really curious about him. As for "tame", I explained a little about amazon behavior and how he interacts, how we allow him to play on his play top, he comes out and visits with us, he's been going with us when we visit family. All new to them.

That is amazing about Churchill's DYH. I guess with his new diet we are adding years back to him.

It would be interesting to see his reaction to his former owner...

Just don't let them "guilt" you into giving him up!

 

[Taw5106]

No they can't do that. He's mine and he's not going anywhere. I have no problem saying no when it comes to animals. I even told Husband that if we ever split, no animals are going with him. And if he said it was either Buddy or Husband, I'd say "Bye Husband". I am curious as to how they would respond but I'm not putting an invite out there.

 

[kq_fan]

Wow congrats! He should live another oh 64+ years!!! Awesome!

 

[Terry57]

How awesome that you were able to find out so much info about Buddy!
I bet they are excited to hear he is alive and doing well
My DYH is between 50 and 60, and I would love to know more about her history.

 

[Kiwibird]

What a handsome young man Buddy is I would say 24 is still young for a zon. Figure that when properly cared for (which he will be from here on out), they live just as long as we do. Would you consider a 24 year old "old"? My parents bought their GCA in 1972 or 73 as an unweaned baby. He's always had genetic issues, but even he's still pretty healthy despite looking rather ratty (due to his medical issues, not his care)! They got the female DYH soon after and she was wild caught as a mature adult, so she is at LEAST 45 and strong, healthy and not going anywhere any time soon I think the oldest amazon on record was something like 110.

 

[RavensGryf]

That's really great that you have personal connection with the original owner, so were able to get the info. It's nice to know that info, but many times real age is just a guess with rehomes. Amazons are one of the longest lived parrots. I've always read that especially about Amazons and Cockatoos.

 

[Taw5106]

Here's the whipper snapper after his bath, lol.

 

[Kiwibird]

Awww.... I bet he smells...*just* like a wet parrot:52:

Buddy is such a cutie pie! Did he love his bath or hate it? His look is rather unreadable there.

 

[Taw5106]

He is loving baths and yes he smells like wet parrot but it's not as strong as the first shower he got. I ask him if he wants to take a shower but he doesn't act like he knows what that means yet. But when we get in the shower he will run under the water, spread his wings, turn to catch the water under his wings. Yes I am still doing a group shower. He looks at the shower perch like nope, I prefer your shoulder. Oh and he sings and whistles in the shower. I'll purposely turn the shoulder he's on out from under the water, putting the other shoulder under the water. He will run to the shoulder under the water, spread those wings and start chattering happily. And then I repeat the shoulder turn to watch him run back to the water.

I learned that he used to get showers but it was by putting his cage in the tub with him in it and turning the shower on mist. They would position the cage so he could go under the water but step out from under if he wanted to.

The pic is a still shot from a video I took of him. His little heater fan was on and he was spreading his wings to catch the air. I turn it on so he can warm up and dry. I've been trying to tape him doing his dance in front of the heater but he will stop when he sees me coming. I will catch him and record him because it's funny, lol.

And thank you for calling him a cutie pie, Husband would not agree, lol. I really enjoy Buddy.