Need some help with my aggressive amazon

[Terry57]

Hi all,
I need some advice about my orange winged amazon. My daughter got him from a yard sale a couple of months ago and was able to find out some info about him. He was in a cage that was 18X18X24, and he had lived in there his whole life (7 years). He had not been out of his cage for 2 years.He couldn't even open his wings, and the bar spacing is 1/2 inch so he has a big scrape on his beak from trying to get around in there. He had 1 small toy and was on an all seed diet. His name was R rated, so we changed it to Slater immediately after we got him. His owners had bought a vacation home at the beginning of the summer, so he had been alone in the house for 4 months except for them stopping by to dump seed in his bowl in the morning. I have no idea how he kept his sanity. We got him a big cage after we got him and added lots of toys and assorted perches (the only perch he had before was a concrete perch.)
We brought him home and he took to my husband immediately. He is able to handle him and Slater comes right out of his cage for him. As for me tho, Slater hates me. He lunges at me whenever I get close to his cage (which makes feeding time fun). I leave his cage door open all day but he won't come out unless my husband is home. His previous main caretaker was a woman, and I am wondering if that has anything to do with his behaviour towards me. He is incredibly smart and talks to me during the day, as long as I keep my distance. I sit and read to him and that is ok, again, as long as I am nowhere near him. I have grown afraid of him as he has bitten me several times. What can I do to make this better for him? Is there hope he may come to accept me? We changed his food slowly and he is now eating pellets and fresh foods.

 

[Birdman666]

1. It might have something to do with you, but more likely than not this is one of those "Amazon Crush" things...

Amazons are pair bond birds. In the wild, they pair up, and maintain that pair bond for life. In captivity, they tend to do the same thing, only with a person.

Your husband is this bird's person...

WHICH, GUESS WHAT?! MAKES YOU THE OTHER WOMAN...

Did I mention that Amazons are jealous birds?!

So that is part of the dynamic.

A much, much larger part of the dynamic is that this bird has neither been well socialized, nor well trained. And was/is cage bound. Which means that the usual amazon "protect the nest" instincts apply to "his territory" i.e. the cage, and he will be more aggressive around it.

When you work with the bird, do it in another room away from the cage where there is nothing to protect.

Working with the bird around hubby can, and most likely will, get you bit.

So another room away from the cage, and away from hubby.

With Mr. Towel at the ready.

And this bird should be clipped... at least until he is tame.

 

[Terry57]

We did get him clipped after we first got him and it did help him to settle down. I never thought I would become the other woman
I will definitely try to get him into another room, but am wondering how to get him out of his cage if my husband isn't here. Any ideas?
Thank you so much for your help, at least I know what's going on with him now and look forward to the day when he realizes I love him too

 

[Birdman666]

He'll come around. They just need to be handled.

Hubby will probably always be the favorite person, but properly trained, these guys will interact with anyone and everyone.

Have you tried wrapping a thick towel around your arm, and stepping him up on the towel?

 

[Terry57]

I haven't tried that but will right now. Keeping my unbitten fingers crossed that he will come out!

 

[Birdman666]

If he won't, then use the towel on him... THAT'S YES!

Bird, I love you, but you are not in charge!

Then, once he gets over the shock of that message, you can give him a choice.

Show him the towel, or step up nice.

He'll step up.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Thank you SO much for giving him a good home, for giving him a chance at a happy life!!!!

You surely did a wonderful thing by bringing him home. I can't even begin to imagine what the poor bird has been through. SO much neglect.

You could also try using a dowel or other hand held perch and see if you can get him to come out that way. Just be aware that he "may" run right up the dowel/perch and try and get you. :54: In that instance have the thick towel ready and hold it in front of him while you quickly and safely put him on a playstand far away from his cage.

We'd LOVE to see some pictures of your Slater boy.

 

[Terry57]

Ok, so that didn't really go as planned. He completely panicked when he saw the towel and started throwing himself into the bars. I couldn't even get ahold of him to get the towel around him as I am afraid he is going to hurt himself. I tried the stick perch as well but he is still just panicked and slamming into the cage bars. Should I force the issue or let him calm down a bit first?
Thank you, Wendy, for your kind words..I really appreciate that and all I want is for him to live the life he should have had all along. I am going to try to figure out the picture thing and get one up here.

 

[Terry57]

 

[Birdman666]

Ok, so that didn't really go as planned. He completely panicked when he saw the towel and started throwing himself into the bars. I couldn't even get ahold of him to get the towel around him as I am afraid he is going to hurt himself. I tried the stick perch as well but he is still just panicked and slamming into the cage bars. Should I force the issue or let him calm down a bit first?
Thank you, Wendy, for your kind words..I really appreciate that and all I want is for him to live the life he should have had all along. I am going to try to figure out the picture thing and get one up here.

I had to force Sally to come out of the cage at first. Same reaction.

Open the cage door. Back off see if he comes out on his own. Then put your body between him and his escape route, get him to fly down to the floor.

Once on the floor, he will probably WANT to be picked up. Just watch your fingers.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Terry, if he is in complete panic mode, I wouldn't force the issue. Let him calm down first and then slowly, VERY very slowly try again. Will he take goodies from your hand without trying to remove your digits?

If you have problems posting pictures, here is a great tutorial for you.
http://www.parrotforums.com/technical-support/6287-how-post-pictures-3.html#post323308

 

[Terry57]

Ok, cage is open and he has stopped panting so hard. I will just keep on talking to him to see what happens and maybe try to bribe him to come out with a goodie. I really appreciate all y'alls help and will keep you updated!

 

[JerseyWendy]

HA! Never mind the tutorial, you got that figured out right away.

What a BEAUTIFUL boy your Slater is!!! And what an AWESOME cage you've given him!!! He must surely think he's in heaven now.

Birdman's idea of letting him come out on his own and then either closing the door or putting yourself between the door is a good idea.

 

[Terry57]

He will take treats from me, all the while calling me names. He has quite the cursing vocabulary! But I can handle namecalling, as long as his beak is too busy to bite me.

 

[Terry57]

Aww, thank you Wendy, I think he is beautiful too. And it was thanks to the tutorial that I was able to get his pic up
He is now eyeing the door, but still hiding behind a toy.

 

[JerseyWendy]

He will take treats from me, all the while calling me names. He has quite the cursing vocabulary! But I can handle namecalling, as long as his beak is too busy to bite me.

BAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!! That's hilarious!!! AND sad at the same time....goes to show you what type of people cared for him before you (or not)

 

[Terry57]

I know, and the fact that his name was one of those words says it all. He starts his sentences with "I'm an ___", etc. So sad. He is now saying Slater, and yesterday he actually sounds just like me when he said hello, which was awesome. We are trying to add acceptable words to his vocabulary and it is working some. Only thing is, my hawkhead has picked up a few of the naughty words

 

[Jumpingtadpoles]

I will never get over some peoples decisions.....
Thank You for rescuing him from a living torture chamber, gosh