Hi everyone
I am new to this forum and have a question about preening
I have a yellow naped amazon parrot which i have had for two months he constantly preens himself when out of his cage i have a climbing frame on top of his cage which also has toys hanging and foraging toys which he plays with occasionally but most of the time he preens he does not feather pluck but with constant preening is making himself look ragged any advise / tips would be great
Welcome to the Parrot Forums!
Preening is a natural activity of Parrots and there are a number of reasons of why, where and when they preen. Other than how long you had your Amazon, you do not state how old he is since age also plays in on this as well.
The most common reason that Parrots preen outside of the cage is the issue of room. There is no concern of making contact with the side of the cage, which could push them off balance.
The natural range that Amazons come from assures that rain is fairly common, from at least a couple of times per week to daily. So regular bathing is an important part of their experience and need as the rain cleans their feathers of a light natural 'dust' that helps the feathers to flow across each during flight.
You do not state how often your Amazon is receiving a good rising /bath. Since your parrot is new to you. His bathing practices are likely unknown and how he will react to the different methods. I recommend starting with a 'Misting' bottle first. It is very important to find one that provides a 'very fine' mist. The goal is to dampen the Amazons, not knock him off his perch.
NEVER Mist directly at the Amazon's Face! Never! At first, Mist up into the Air above your Amazon, creating a light fog above your Amazon that then falls gently upon him. Some Amazons will open their wings the first time, others do so with time and a developing comfort level with you. Its a good idea to place towels under the perch, since there is a high likelihood of water getting splashed about.
As I had state, its the first time with you, so he will either love it or not.
Once, you provide his age, we can look at specific age related issues that may play into this activity. But, since bathing is a common reason, I started there first.
Enjoy the Wonderful World of Amazons!
