Coco the Parrot some advice please

[Alex_GT]

Thanks a lot for the advice i will steam them, today will be carrot and radishes, i have some do i will try

Thanks

Alex

 

[Ira7]

What’s going on with Coco!?

 

[Alex_GT]

Thanks a lot for ask, well Coco did not take a bath since forever, so I started to spray him 3 times a week, now the stuff that was blocking his right nostril disappear, he is improving what he eats today it was jalapeno pepper with carrots (the carrot was not a good success but he had some) he love the bananas he could eat bananas all the time but I am not letting so he don’t fix in one food.

Today I gave some seeds from my hand with his cage open and he came to take it from my hand so that is a big step. Now I have a question, after read a lot I am taking the decision to don’t clip his wings but will i be able to tame him with full wings?

Another question I have been reading that round cages are not a good idea and Coco’s cage is round and small I wanted to change it after the covid 19 situation (a few pet stores open) and I was thinking in buy a big cage but is it real that round cage are bad? Do I have to look for a rectangular cage? Even if is smaller than the round ones I have seen?

Thanks a lot for ask about how Coco is doing and thanks a lot for any advice

Alex

 

[Ira7]

Thanks a lot for ask, well Coco did not take a bath since forever, so I started to spray him 3 times a week, now the stuff that was blocking his right nostril disappear, he is improving what he eats today it was jalapeno pepper with carrots (the carrot was not a good success but he had some) he love the bananas he could eat bananas all the time but I am not letting so he don’t fix in one food.

Today I gave some seeds from my hand with his cage open and he came to take it from my hand so that is a big step. Now I have a question, after read a lot I am taking the decision to don’t clip his wings but will i be able to tame him with full wings?

Another question I have been reading that round cages are not a good idea and Coco’s cage is round and small I wanted to change it after the covid 19 situation (a few pet stores open) and I was thinking in buy a big cage but is it real that round cage are bad? Do I have to look for a rectangular cage? Even if is smaller than the round ones I have seen?

Thanks a lot for ask about how Coco is doing and thanks a lot for any advice

Alex

1) I hate round cages. I think they make certain birds crazy.

2) Get his wings clipped. 100% do this! It’s very simple to do, although I understand you don’t want to do it yourself.

As you’re hand training him, and he gets scared let’s say and tries to fly away, he will land on the floor. They don’t like to BE on the floor, and there you are to rescue him with your step-up fingers.

Many, many times, birds experience this “rescue” just once or twice, and they are now hand tamed!!!

 

[Alex_GT]

Thanks a lot for your answer I really appreciate your advices I wont buy a round cage then and as soon as the pet stores are open again I will buy a rectangular cage, one of those that you can open at the top so Coco could go out.

Today Coco have watermelon and banana he ate the bananas but he did not eat the watermelon.
Radish, watermelon, blackberries and carrots are the foods he did not take it at all but I will still trying those foods.

When I was around 20 years old I have clipped budgies and love birds wings so I feel comfortable doing it by my self, four or five primary fly feathers avoiding the blood feathers I will follow your advice and I will do it.


Thanks a lot for your help

Alex

 

[Ira7]

Thanks a lot for your answer I really appreciate your advices I wont buy a round cage then and as soon as the pet stores are open again I will buy a rectangular cage, one of those that you can open at the top so Coco could go out.

Today Coco have watermelon and banana he ate the bananas but he did not eat the watermelon.
Radish, watermelon, blackberries and carrots are the foods he did not take it at all but I will still trying those foods.

When I was around 20 years old I have clipped budgies and love birds wings so I feel comfortable doing it by my self, four or five primary fly feathers avoiding the blood feathers I will follow your advice and I will do it.


Thanks a lot for your help

Alex

Before you buy a cage, take a picture and post it here.

We have some real experts here on what makes a good or a bad cage, and also a DANGEROUS cage. Some of those top opening ones can be deadly, but I forget how.

Also, although many people like the top that opens, I don’t see the point. I have a separate playstand for him that I can move around the house.

Finally, don’t be impressed with cages that have those large seed catchers on all sides. Your bird is stronger than that and he can send food flying much further than they can catch it anyway. Next, they trap seeds and husks in the corner, making it necessary to remove them for decent cleaning. They take up a lot of room.

And Coco will soon learn to curse in both English and Spanish, when you bang your knee into its sharp corners every day.

I threw mine out, and keep one of those small rechargeable vacuums next to his cage.

 

[SailBoat]

Several catch-up questions:
- When feeding dark food, like Blackberrys just note it down. It will take several to have a change in color. The point is, if you have a black to red poop, you can check back.
- Clipping Wings: The goal is to have them flap down (glide down) 'safely' to the floor. An error in wing feather clipping and your Amazon becomes little more than a Dropped Rock! I cannot stress enough the dangers of getting it wrong!
- Cages: In the same area that one can place a round cage, a square cage provides great room for the Parrot. A Rectangle cage provides greater left to right space that allows your Amazon to fully open its wings and even flap them. IMHO, targeting a cage with a fully height front door allows you far more room to bring your parrot out and back in. It also allows easy of access to the interior of the cage. The flat top with a play area is also a wonderful use of space and an additional perch area. FYI: Have your Amazon help in unboxing, placing out the parts, assembling the cage, and then added the interior perches, plus the interior and exterior chew toys. By doing it this way, your Amazon will simply move right in!

NOTE: Cages that allow the top to open up can turn into a death trap for a Parrot when (not if) the devise that holds the top open fails and traps your Parrot.

Enjoy!

 

[wrench13]

Hi Alex. Something to try if he refuses a given veggie. Try different presentation. Carrots - try big chunks, little chunks, steamed and mashed or little strips. My Salty likes a whole carrot, hung from a perch. And be persistent. Let him see you eating the veggie with lots of pleasure ( MMMmmmm YUMMY sounds), because they do learn from us.

 

[Alex_GT]

Hello my friends, well thanks a lot for your advices, when the pet stores will open again I will take pictures of the different options to buy the best cage I can, I love how the open top cages look but if they are dangerous they are out of the question.

Well Coco is doing great, I have been reading a lot and I am trying to give him the food with more vitamin A that I can for now he is eating melon, chili pepper, jalapeno pepper, banana, mobin, carrot (but he does not eat it steamed or cocked he only accept the raw carrot), mango and watermelon. I have not luck with hardboiled egg, I try it because I have been reading that the boiled egg is great for them so I am not sure if I will try again or not, I get the food from the refrigerator and give it to him, is it ok? Or I have to warm it?

He is been really tame with my daughter she can touch him between the cage bars, but yesterday he let her pet him with the open cage if he chooses her how I do to avoid him to be aggressive with other people? (He is not aggressive but afraid of people but I have been reading about his hormonal state) she is only petting him at the head.

My other sons are 4 and 6 and they are very noisy and he does not look uncomfortable when they are around if he is eating or anything, he continues his business.
Well about his cage cleaning I am keeping him with food all the time and I Clean his poop once a day but he is getting a lot of insects so I want to clean the cage bars with what can I use since I cannot get him out for now? Vinegar? Just water? Can I place newspaper at the bottom of the cage?

Sorry for so many questions, I really appreciate your advices an opinions thanks a lot for that, he has another attitude and I don’t know if its my imagination but his feathers look better.

Alex

 

[Ira7]

1) It’s totally okay for him to eat most vegetables raw. I don’t steam his carrots. I steam other stuff because I think it makes some of them more palatable.. like corn, asparagus and brussel sprouts...and some you HAVE to steam in my opinion because they’re too tough, like beets, sweet potatoes, tunips, yams, etc. I think steaming the corn makes it and other veggies sweeter.

2) Archie didn’t touch his first two hard boiled eggs. Now, he loves it, and you reminded me to boil one up now! I cook it fresh, just cool it down in the freezer or fridge, and cut into 4s. I’m like 99% sure it’s okay to give him a pre-cooked one that’s been sitting in the fridge for a few days, but I’m paranoid about possible bacteria and always make it fresh. I only give it to him every few weeks anyway; I’m nervous about giving him too much protein like eggs and chicken wings. That doesn’t mean I’m right, so maybe you can tell ME how many eggs is too much. And no, I don’t warm them. Close to room temperature or a little cooler.

3) If he’s really hormonal, he would also go a little nuts with your daughter at times. As far as being afraid of new people, that’s a matter of him being exposed to new people in the correct, calm way...but you didn’t “fail” if this doesn’t work. And think about it:

Don’t you teach your kids to be wary of strangers too!?

4) As far as your boys go, if Coco is going about his business with them running around going wild, I think you’re okay for now. Try to teach the boys to stop every once in awhile, and individually, slowly walk closer to the cage (not too close) and talk calmly to him. (Not the two of them at the same time.) This will just take time.

5) The battle of the bugs. I’m in Florida, so I’m susceptible to the same problem you have..

The food and the mierda are the main problems, so unless that’s getting on the bars on the side of the cage, those bars aren’t the big problem. It’s the crap in the bottom of the cage, the perches, and the little nooks and crannies between the cage top (the bars) and the cage bottom (the tray.) And food crap on the FLOOR, which is why I previously pointed out the importance of a small rechargeable vacuum sitting right next to cage. Vacuum that crap up ASAP and often. Only takes a second with that small vacuum.

I use newspaper in the tray, and I also have a grate. Since I have both, I can remove the tray and take it to backyard and hose it down, and now Archie still has the “bottom” of his cage there as the grate.

I just use a little dishwashing liquid, and sometimes spray it with a little disinfectant like Lysol, but not often. I then hose the Lysol off, but the dishwashing liquid by itself does a good job...I think.

I put the tray back in the cage, and now remove the grate and clean it the same way. For the grate, you want one of those BBQ cleaning brushes that has metal bristles and a metal scraper. When that mierda wraps around the bars and dries, it’s impossible to get it off without scraping. It’s like cement.

And getting back to food, Wrench is right! I thought about this same thing by accident:

Don’t cut everything into the same size! Give him little pieces and bigger chunks for him to “explore” and play with! And when bringing him his food, you or your daughter, get all happy and excited, like you’re about to play a game! Tilt the bowl before you put it in, show it to him, and say, “Mmmmmm, Coco! Comida! Mira, Coco! Fresas!”

You’re doing great!!!

And oh, one more thing:

If you see a cage with a top that opens which you really like, just don’t open the top!

 

[Alex_GT]

Hello everybody a little update on Coco and his progress, well I clipped his wings and that totally change his attitude he is more docile, well I am aware that is not because the wings clip, but since now we can open his cage door hi is coming out by his self, he did not go too far form his cage but he is coming out, now he let me to pet his head, not as much as he does with my daughter but he is letting me do it.

The vet (not an avian vet since here there is no really avian vets but he has some experience with parrots since he assist the at the local zoo) come here for a visit, he told me he can’t perform a blood test because the labs are closed (covid 19 situation) but he definitely has a vitamin A deficiency because his right nostril is blocked again and his red feather under the wings look dull, he told me to continue with the foods change and try to give him carrot every other day (so he don’t get bored about it) and the red hot chilly pepper, the bell pepper and the jalapeno pepper (red not green) since they are a major vitamin A source, with all the fruit and veggies he is taking and as soon as we can we are going to perform him a blood test since is the only way to know if he needs a vitamin A shot or vitamins supplementation or with the food change will be enough.

Well I am happy since those foods are well accepted by Coco, except for the carrot, he is eating it but some days raw, some days steam and some days passed by a food processor, he eats it but I have to change the presentation every day, he is eating melon too, strawberry, watermelon, banana (he goes nuts about bananas) and I tried egg again without success.
Two days ago it was the first time since he is here at my home that he screamed when the doorbell rings I am so happy because well parrots are supposed to scream, but he was like a very sad bird and he did not performed any noise, now he is saying some words (well with baby voice, not clear but I am assuming he is going to be clear with time), and now he screamed well not really load but he does it!!!

About the bugs, thanks a lot for the advices I will clean the bar cages no one had cleaned it since forever, I am changing the newspaper twice a day and taking out the food bowl when he finish it and I less bugs there are still a lot, I don’t know the name in English but they are tiny black bugs like a little dot that come when you let the fruit for a few days unattended.

One last question, here we started the rain season yesterday with a really heavy rain, and as far as I read with them he has to start to molt so is there any advice about molting?

Well thanks a lot for any advice you could give to me and I thanks again all the help I am getting here.

Alex

 

[Ira7]

Thanks for the update!

1j Did you try those tiny baby carrots?

2j Did the vet confirm the species?

3) You’re right about the screaming! Good sign!

4) During the molt, he isn’t going to want his body touched at all, and he can get real cranky if you try. They’re all itchy and sensitive. When feathers come in, you’ll notice that TWO equal feathers come in at the same time! The one on the left side of his body, and its matching counterpart on the right side! (Isn’t science cool?) He also might sleep more; it takes a lot of energy to grow those feathers.

5) How were Coco’s nails? And was the vet able to get a weight?

6) I wish I knew which vegetables were good for Vitamin A AND are safe for parrots, but I stunk at high school science. Aren’t sweet potatoes high in A and D?

 

[Alex_GT]

Hello, thanks a lot for your answer, well I did not try the baby carrots but I will buy some the next time I will go to super market tomorrow I will try zucchini so I hope he takes it.

So yes the Vet told me he is definitely a YNA here in Guatemala there is two subspecies, one belongs to the south of the country and it has just a few yellow feather at the Nap and the other one come from the north of the country, there they have mixed with the ones from Belize and Honduras (because we have borders with them) and they have a lot of yellow, with time Coco will have a few more yellow feathers but that will be all the he has, well I am not disappointed at all I started with him green and I love the way he looks.

Yes, the sweet potato I am not finding it at the super market or the market but I still looking for it, the sweet potato is the vegetable with more vitamin A I did a little Google research and sweet potato has more than the carrot, the more yellow, orange or red is the fruit or vegetable the more Vitamin A it has, the soluble vitamin A (like Sweet Potato) or the Beta Carotene (Like Carrot) and the body transform it into vitamin A but of course I am not only giving him it.

Coco´s nails are long he wanted to trim them but he looks so stressed with a little manipulation, so we decided that when the Covir-19 crisis pass we will run blood tests and weight him (and trim the nails but I am thinking to do it by myself).

The good news is he did not charge me he told me “well I came here look at him and gave you my best guest since there is no way i can be conclusive about how is his health without tests”

Well coco is taking fruit well (Except Mangoes) so I am put more effort in the vegetables.

Thanks a lot for the molting advices, I am assuming I will look some of this in a few weeks, our rainy season has just started (may to October).

Thanks a lot for the advices like always are helpful

Alex

 

[Ira7]

I think Archie might be the same species as Coco.

He just turned one last week, and has like no yellow at all yet. I have no idea when the yellow is supposed to appear. Also...

In another thread, I read about a Yellow CROWNED Amazon, with two subspecies, more from South America. I’m all confused now.

Does Coco have any BLUE feathers at the end of his red feathers?

 

[Alex_GT]

Thanks for your answer, well let me tell you what I have found out about the subspecies, according to someone’s the main specie is the YCA and the YNA is a subspecies of this one and they are divided in another subspecies also, distributed from the south of Mexico to South America the ones that came from the Atlantic has more yellow at the nap, darker beaks and darker feet, the ones from the pacific (the are just at Guatemala and El Salvador) has more like bone colored beak, gray feet and less yellow at the head and natural hybridization occurs but is not common since they are geographical separated by thousands of miles, but in captivity there is a lot of hybridization, some breeders hybridized them and does not care about the subspecies and the good breeders don’t do it.

Since archie has just 1 year (as far as I understand) is normal for him to don’t have any yellow feathers yet, wait for around 4 to 6 years (it could be as soon as 2 years and too far as 10 years), take in consideration that when he gets old he will get more yellow (according to his subspecies).

Another interesting fact is that they are not green, they are a mix of blue and yellow (of course if you mix blue and yellow you will get green) but in them the pigments are separated and that mix make us look at them green, so they have a pre disposition to get a lack of blue pigment in some parts of the head and there is when you start to look the yellow feathers according to the species or subspecies, so a rich vitamin A and beta carotene diet is going to make them has more Yellow pigments (of course if the subspecies has just a 2 or 3 yellow feathers that will be all that he is going to get).

About the blue feathers, at the wigs he has red feathers and the blue feathers, the primarily wing feathers are blue and red (the blue ones are dark blue and the red are dull red according to the vet because the lack vitamin A).

At the head he has some kind of blue shadow I can not say blue color is more like a shadow or some kind of blue iridescence but at the photos it looks green because they are not really blue.

Well I took all that info from a google research I did you can find even the yellow distribution of the head according to the subspecies, hope this help to get some clarity about the topic.

Alex

 

[Ira7]

Thanks for your answer, well let me tell you what I have found out about the subspecies, according to someone’s the main specie is the YCA and the YNA is a subspecies of this one and they are divided in another subspecies also, distributed from the south of Mexico to South America the ones that came from the Atlantic has more yellow at the nap, darker beaks and darker feet, the ones from the pacific (the are just at Guatemala and El Salvador) has more like bone colored beak, gray feet and less yellow at the head and natural hybridization occurs but is not common since they are geographical separated by thousands of miles, but in captivity there is a lot of hybridization, some breeders hybridized them and does not care about the subspecies and the good breeders don’t do it.

Since archie has just 1 year (as far as I understand) is normal for him to don’t have any yellow feathers yet, wait for around 4 to 6 years (it could be as soon as 2 years and too far as 10 years), take in consideration that when he gets old he will get more yellow (according to his subspecies).

Another interesting fact is that they are not green, they are a mix of blue and yellow (of course if you mix blue and yellow you will get green) but in them the pigments are separated and that mix make us look at them green, so they have a pre disposition to get a lack of blue pigment in some parts of the head and there is when you start to look the yellow feathers according to the species or subspecies, so a rich vitamin A and beta carotene diet is going to make them has more Yellow pigments (of course if the subspecies has just a 2 or 3 yellow feathers that will be all that he is going to get).

About the blue feathers, at the wigs he has red feathers and the blue feathers, the primarily wing feathers are blue and red (the blue ones are dark blue and the red are dull red according to the vet because the lack vitamin A).

At the head he has some kind of blue shadow I can not say blue color is more like a shadow or some kind of blue iridescence but at the photos it looks green because they are not really blue.

Well I took all that info from a google research I did you can find even the yellow distribution of the head according to the subspecies, hope this help to get some clarity about the topic.

Alex

Great job!!!

 

[Ira7]

Alex, look at the photo below. I took this photo a few days ago.

See how both feathers come in at the same time?

 

[wrench13]

Hi Alex, you are making good progress! The hot peppers are the Vit A rich ones. red chilies, and habenaro peppers are a big part of my Salty's diet, and he loves them. Yams are same as sweet potatos (almost) and hve the same nutrients. If he is molting, a cooked chicken bone will give some extra protien to help build new feathers. Eggs too, but boiled not fried. Also some finely crushed egg shells can be sprinkled on his food to supply needed calcium. Bone, eggs and egg shells maybe every 2 weeks. Yellow napes are usually fantastic talkers and singers, just talk to him like youwould a baby to learn how to talk. Hold foods up and say their name to him, he can learn to ask for what he wants.

 

[thowedh]

Hi Alex, you are making good progress! The hot peppers are the Vit A rich ones. red chilies, and habenaro peppers are a big part of my Salty's diet, and he loves them. Yams are same as sweet potatos (almost) and hve the same nutrients. If he is molting, a cooked chicken bone will give some extra protien to help build new feathers. Eggs too, but boiled not fried. Also some finely crushed egg shells can be sprinkled on his food to supply needed calcium. Bone, eggs and egg shells maybe every 2 weeks. Yellow napes are usually fantastic talkers and singers, just talk to him like youwould a baby to learn how to talk. Hold foods up and say their name to him, he can learn to ask for what he wants.

I had a blue backed parrot, got it from a local owner which is cant handle it anymore. She usually eat some seed (sunflower, canaryseed, milet). Here in my place i gave her some extra food like some tropical fruit that available her. My question is can i gave her red chilli to her? What the worse case if he eat that?
Thx before

Sent from my Redmi Note 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Ira7]

Hi Alex, you are making good progress! The hot peppers are the Vit A rich ones. red chilies, and habenaro peppers are a big part of my Salty's diet, and he loves them. Yams are same as sweet potatos (almost) and hve the same nutrients. If he is molting, a cooked chicken bone will give some extra protien to help build new feathers. Eggs too, but boiled not fried. Also some finely crushed egg shells can be sprinkled on his food to supply needed calcium. Bone, eggs and egg shells maybe every 2 weeks. Yellow napes are usually fantastic talkers and singers, just talk to him like youwould a baby to learn how to talk. Hold foods up and say their name to him, he can learn to ask for what he wants.

I had a blue backed parrot, got it from a local owner which is cant handle it anymore. She usually eat some seed (sunflower, canaryseed, milet). Here in my place i gave her some extra food like some tropical fruit that available her. My question is can i gave her red chilli to her? What the worse case if he eat that?
Thx before

Sent from my Redmi Note 5 using Tapatalk

Red chili peppers are fine. And the hotter the better. They love it.

Don’t give too much fruit, because it’s too much sugar. Vegetables are better, but ask here first because SOME vegetables are very bad for birds (onions, avocados, garlic, mushrooms, rhubarb and others), and some fruits are very bad too, like anything citrus (oranges, lemons, etc.) and the seeds of certain fruits like apple, because they have cyanide.

To start, feed your bird ALL kinds of peppers, carrots, sweet potato (steamed), fresh corn (raw or steamed), beets, broccoli (steamed), turnips and parsnips (steamed).

Of course, don’t give him the food when it’s hot.

For fruit, apple (no seeds), pineapple, grapes, cherries (no pits), banana, mango, pear, strawberries, pomegranate...just about everything.