Does your Amazon....?

[MissyMe83]

Enjoy a head/neck scratch or are they just not the touchy/feely types? I've had violet for just over a week and she's doing great. Im no longer intimidated by her size or beak. She's not even nippy with me,but I was wondering if wed ever have the type of relationship that Tate and I have? Any input appreciated!

 

[wenz2712]

I am glad Violet has settled in I find that Codie only likes scritches on her terms! which is usually 1st thing in the morning and before I cover her at night! She will quite happily sit with me, all the time if she had her way lol but does not always want to be petted!

 

[lizardsmells]

Kazi does, but it took some time before he was ready for them. Now he loves them, but only when he wants them. Be patient with Violet. It sounds like she's doing great. She'll surprise you one day by asking for a scritch, I bet.

 

[WharfRat]

The wife can pet the Zon's at any time and I mean any, me..........once in a blue moon :20:

 

[MissyMe83]

That's encouraging! Thanks guys

 

[melissasparrots]

A week isn't much. It took me about 3 weeks before I could really pet Ellie my adult female that I rehomed when she was 13 years old. Even at that rate, she usually had to have been out for 30 minutes or so to get all the strutting around and obnoxious noises out of her system before settling into a couple minutes of scratching. Most of her chicks are a little better. I ask if they want scratches and if they put their head down or tilt thier cheek up, then its a yes. All mine like a little bit of petting other than my old male who I don't pet because I like my fingers in one piece and he wants to remove any body part he can attach himself to.

 

[Kiwibird]

Every parrot is an individual, and as an animal of higher intelligence than most, you should respect what your individual amazon feels comfortable with affection wise. Overall, no, amazons are generally not know to be the most touchy feely parrots. Most are perfectly happy interacting with you from a distance, but of course, there will always be exceptions of amazons who love being petted and touched (past stepping up). My mom has a green cheek amazon who will literally lay feet in the air as you hold him like a baby, and you can pet him and scratch him and he just eats the affection up. Her double yellow head and my blue front are more "typical" amazons- you can touch their feet when they step up, and perhaps sneak a pet here and there, but generally they don't enjoy being touched on their body. They would rather "flirt" from a distance (and you can still have a great bond and interactive relationship with your parrot even if it doesn't enjoy being touched). While I won't recommend or suggest you try it with your bird (a BIG risk of injury), I personally trust my BFA enough to get kisses from him, and while he doesn't want to be petted, he is a big fan of gently clamping my lip and licking it. As I said, this is dangerous, and there is a big risk of a bite to the lip, so I would wait until you have a very very good bond with your bird if you ever do attempt to get kisses from it.

 

[Adinafloyd]

My nape would sit for as long as I would scritch her. She adored head and neck scritches, wanted em every nite before I put her nite nite..

 

[SpringCottageParrot]

Casper loves a cuddle

Cuddle time by DSdriver, on Flickr
But only with Margaret, I am a second class citizen in this flock.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I believe that patience is the key word. I am very fortunate to be able to do anything and everything with my female 13-year old Yellow Nape Hunter. I got her when she was just under 4 months, and she's always been quite "physical", wanting affection, wanting to be close.

When Sam came into our home 7 weeks ago, he was a shy 8-week old DYH boy, who actually lashed out at me when I needed to hand feed him for the first time. Well, he didn't know me from Adam, and he was simply afraid. By now he allows me to do just about everything with him and thoroughly enjoys head and neck scratches. I don't take them for granted, however, and don't know whether he will continue to enjoy all the handling as he gets older and will eventally mature.

I talked to Sam until I was blue in the face, but he listened, watched and learned to trust me. Not overnight....it took numerous weeks.

Hunter can be handled by everybody in the family, but Sam (so far) is only comfy with me.