flirty amazon

[ACE209]

Well as some of you are aware I just purchased a beautiful BFA. Shes very sassy and very hormonal right now. She was fed grapes peanuts and the worst mix of seed I have ever seen by hartz. At one point I do believe she was on a pelleted diet owners described it as fruity cereal. Diet recommendations please. Thx in advance.

 

[Kiwibird]

This is an unusual time of year for an amazon to be hormonal. Typically they experience hormones in the late winter/early spring as the days get longer. However, hormones can be eased by a consistent schedule of day/night (use a dark cover and don't take those covers off until "wake up time" even if you hear her up and moving and have a strict bedtime too, even if she's not tired. She WILL adapt to her new schedule), lessen fruit intake (the sugar!) while upping low sugar veggie intake, do NOT touch her wings, back, belly or underside (those are sensual areas on a parrot), increase shredding toys and IGNORE outward hormonal behaviors while encouraging more acceptable behaviors. And be aware SOME female amazons will er (no polite way to put this) masturbate. IGNORE IT. Turn your back and leave the room. If she's a bird who does this, you may not be able to stop it but you surely don't want to encourage it or in any way show your approval/interest! Female amazons are not particularly prone to laying and accompanying problems, but since she is new to you, do watch for the symptoms of egg binding and if she does start laying, consult your AV on what should be done (dummy eggs, dietary changes/supplements ext...).

As for diet, amazons are opportunistic omnivores who eat primarily fruit, nuts and seeds in NATURE. Since we can't provide them all the things they naturally eat, they benefit from a varied diet heavy in fresh foods. I *personally* feed Kiwi lots of fresh produce, Volkmans fancy soak and simmer Volkman Seed Company, healthy table food, various bird-friendly baked goods and Vitakraft Menu Parrot Food (a blend of seeds, dried grains/fruits and some pellets, he gets 1/8cup a day during the day ago snack on after he's eaten his healthy food) Vitakraft® Menu Parrot Food | Food | PetSmart.

We also always have little "additions" for variety. We recently started adding Goldenfeast Gardenflora blend in his cooked grains mix, he gets other random Goldenfeast mixes (we buy a different "flavor" as they run out), and I also recently bought some Goldnfeast Goldn'Obles as foraging treats (they are little cheerio-shaped pellets, and I've been using them like edible beads in his toys).

Converting her to a healthy diet could be easy or hard, thats up to her Just be sure she's eating enough. Many birds drop weight dangerously quick because they refuse to eat new foods. As you convert her, mix in whatever "staple" food you plan to use (pellets or a cooked mix) into her current seed mix, and gradually drop the ratio of old food to new food

 

[ACE209]

With the soy it doesn't make hormone problems worse?

 

[Kiwibird]

It's never seemed to affect Kiwi adversely, but he's a male. Maybe it calms him down some I'm actually not sure if parrots produce or are affected by the same estrogens as we are (?), they may have an entirely different set of hormones (?). Pellets are always an option too if your concerned about diet. Too much fruit seems to have an adverse effect though during his hormonal phase. I will say, the first few years we had him his hormones were the stuff of nightmares (we adopted him when he was about 10). He was extremely aggressive, extremely defiant and did outright humping/mating displays multiple times a day (pretty much any time he saw you looking at him). Ignoring it as much as possible really helped in the long term. I think he realized those behaviors did not get attention or positive reactions.

I also think amazons have the worst hormones their first few years or being sexually mature (kind of like teenagers). If you can make it through those tough years, I think their levels stabilize a bit and they learn how to deal with the feelings and learn what does and does not yield them attention (that is kind of an assumption, so anyone who has fact to suggest otherwise is welcome to correct me).

 

[ACE209]

For the sake of only shopping for 1 brand I'm planning on getting kiwi on zupreme. Natural and fruit pellets along with nutraberries. I know some folk have issues with artificial flavors and such but oh well. Since sherlock is on this diet and has been thriving for 5 years I think I'll stick with it. She is already eating it so no worries on transitioning her. Trying to find veggies she likes so far nothing. Also tried kale and spinach both a no go. She did however attack my coke can which probably means she has had soda in the past... not good. I'll be spending more time with her tomorrow outside the cage. She seems extremely interested in coming out of the cage and wanting to interact both exciting for me. Crossing my fingers hoping I didn't bite off more than I can chew. Also I read zons can be aggressive towards other bird species when hormonally charged is this true? Makes sense fighting over nests n such. Thanks again guys.

 

[ACE209]

Oh and I asked about her laying before but she never has which is good I guess. We had a chronic egg binding cockatiel when I was a kid I remember every spring and fall we had to take her to deliver her baby as my mom said lol.