Question about Amazon personality and getting along with a Grey

[modrummer]

Hey everyone!

My wife and I have owned (or been owned by) our Congo African Grey (Storm) for about 3 years now. She is 7 years old.

Lately we've been wanting another bird of about the same size, partially as a friend for Storm to chat with, partially because we both just love birds.

We are leaning towards an Amazon.

Storm and the Amazon wouldn't share the same cage, just the same room of the house, and I'm hoping that eventually we can have them both out together in the living room with us when we are home.

Are there any particular species of Amazon I should be looking for that tend to get along better with other birds? Or at least be not as aggressive, easier to handle?

 

[LordTriggs]

well you've come to the right place to ask about amazons!

Sailboats and kiwibird will no doubt already be typing away haha

from what little I know of Amazons a yellow shouldered Amazon much Like Salty owned by wrench may be a good species to look for. Of course as I'm sure you know all birds have different personalities and while a species seen as more aggressive an individual may be more open than an individual from a more loving species

just make sure you have the time money and willpower to keep working if they don't get on, or get on to a point where they shun you

 

[wrench13]

You'll want similar size birds. Yellow Shoulder Amazons run from 280-320 grams. How big is your Grey?

 

[modrummer]

You'll want similar size birds. Yellow Shoulder Amazons run from 280-320 grams. How big is your Grey?

It's been about a year since I weighed Storm, but I remember her being a little over 400 grams. I'll weigh her again tonight to double check.

What is the reason for wanting them to be close in size? I mean besides like the obvious size difference between a Grey and a Conure or something. I figured that any Amazon is within an acceptable similar size range, or is it important to make sure they are as close in size as possible?

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Amy (Blue Front) came along after I had Smokey (TAG) for about a year or so.
Smokey was an "only bird" at the time and was about 2.5 years old. Amy was about 4 months old.

Amy wanted to be best buds with Smokes,but Smokes wanted NO PART of it.
Even though they were out of their houses at the same time,I had to keep a VERY close eye on Smokey.
One time Smokey walked up behind Amy and pulled on Amy's tail feathers,making Amy holler,as Smokes beat-feet back to her own house LAUGHING all the way!
The next time (and LAST TIME) Amy and Smokey went beak to beak..I thought Smokey finally accepted Amy,and Amy screamed once more.
Smokey bit Amy's tongue,requiring 5 stitches

That was the last time I let them interact. Smokey was just super jealous of Amy. But then again,every bird has their own birdonality..just like us hoomans



Jim

 

[wrench13]

Similar size so there is no Big bird/little bird syndrome. The little bird usually looses.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Similar size so there is no Big bird/little bird syndrome. The little bird usually looses.

Amy was bigger than Smokey..and Amy lost lol





Jim

 

[modrummer]

Amy (Blue Front) came along after I had Smokey (TAG) for about a year or so.
Smokey was an "only bird" at the time and was about 2.5 years old. Amy was about 4 months old.

Amy wanted to be best buds with Smokes,but Smokes wanted NO PART of it.
Even though they were out of their houses at the same time,I had to keep a VERY close eye on Smokey.
One time Smokey walked up behind Amy and pulled on Amy's tail feathers,making Amy holler,as Smokes beat-feet back to her own house LAUGHING all the way!
The next time (and LAST TIME) Amy and Smokey went beak to beak..I thought Smokey finally accepted Amy,and Amy screamed once more.
Smokey bit Amy's tongue,requiring 5 stitches

That was the last time I let them interact. Smokey was just super jealous of Amy. But then again,every bird has their own birdonality..just like us hoomans



Jim

Thank you for sharing, that insight is really helpful! I'm really hopeful that the birds can get along outside of their cage, but I guess I have to be willing to accept that that might not be possible BEFORE I adopt an amazon and find out the hard way.

When you brought Amy into the home, did you always make sure Smokey got special attention so she knew she was still your bird? Like take Smokey out first, feed Smokey first, etc... or did you try to treat them both equally?

 

[Birdman666]

CAGS are flock birds. Amazons are pair bond birds. They have a different flock dynamic in the wild.

Depends on the bird.

My CAG was raised from an egg with Amazons and Macaws. So he's fine with all of the above. Plays/messes with my RFM. Buddy bird with my LCA and my Pan Am.

My Lilac Crowned Amazon is so bonded with my CAG that you cannot cross the room with one bird, and leave the other behind.

Those two can NEVER be separated. (Which I put in my will. They go together.) My LCA would lose her mind.

But there are no guarantees.

 

[modrummer]

Thanks for all the information! So with my goals in mind (basically a loving bird that will get along with me, my wife, and hopefully our grey eventually), are there any particular species of Amazon that I might have more luck with than others?

I was planning to adopt an Amazon from either a local rescue or craigslist, both to save money and to hopefully help out a bird that could use a permanenet home, however I realize I would have better luck with a baby. This is probably a dumb question, but are there less expensive options for adopting a baby Amazon than the $1000+ breeder price?

 

[Birdman666]

Thanks for all the information! So with my goals in mind (basically a loving bird that will get along with me, my wife, and hopefully our grey eventually), are there any particular species of Amazon that I might have more luck with than others?

I was planning to adopt an Amazon from either a local rescue or craigslist, both to save money and to hopefully help out a bird that could use a permanenet home, however I realize I would have better luck with a baby. This is probably a dumb question, but are there less expensive options for adopting a baby Amazon than the $1000+ breeder price?

Pan Ams, lilac crowned, red fronted, BFA... my personal favorites.

Frankly, with all the amazons I have had over the years... and I've had at least 8 fosters and 4 permanent additions - I just realized I have never once in my life actually "paid" for an amazon. Every amazon I have ever owned, trained, or fostered - every single one - was someone else's throw away bird...

I never stopped to think about it before, but that's actually kinda sad...

 

[modrummer]

Thanks for all the information! So with my goals in mind (basically a loving bird that will get along with me, my wife, and hopefully our grey eventually), are there any particular species of Amazon that I might have more luck with than others?

I was planning to adopt an Amazon from either a local rescue or craigslist, both to save money and to hopefully help out a bird that could use a permanenet home, however I realize I would have better luck with a baby. This is probably a dumb question, but are there less expensive options for adopting a baby Amazon than the $1000+ breeder price?

Pan Ams, lilac crowned, red fronted, BFA... my personal favorites.

Frankly, with all the amazons I have had over the years... and I've had at least 8 fosters and 4 permanent additions - I just realized I have never once in my life actually "paid" for an amazon. Every amazon I have ever owned, trained, or fostered - every single one - was someone else's throw away bird...

I never stopped to think about it before, but that's actually kinda sad...

Great! I have always loved Blue Fronts so I know that is near the top of my list.

Wow, that's incredible! How did you find those birds that needed new homes (besides obviously working for a "foster" place)? If I could give a bird in need a good home, that sounds like a win win! Lower cost up front for me, and help out a bird that needs a loving home.

 

[Birdman666]

I did parrot rescue for a long time. Amazons get dumped a lot, usually for cage bound, or hormonal reasons.

People don't understand what they are dealing with, then they get bit.

Also, oddly enough, when you have a happy, friendly, out and about amazon, like my red lored...

Put it this way... when you take your dog for a walk, no one generally comes up to you and says. Nice dog. I've got one of those too... You want him?!

When you take your amazon or your macaw out and about... oddly enough... I've been given several amazons and a macaw... (the macaw was referred to as "that thing. As in get THAT THING out of my house... )

I quite literally took my macaw out for a walk, and ended up rolling a big cage and a B&G home. Only took a few weeks to rehab that one.

Did I mention "IT" BITES... that is another thing. Parrots are always an IT!

"Well when was the last time you let it out of it's cage, or handled it?"

"We don't let it out of it's cage. IT BITES!!"

Yeah. "Problem bird."

Okay. I'll take "THAT THING" off your hands... see if I can work with it.

 

[Birdman666]

Kiwi actually came from Henpecked on this board...

She's the perfect amazon. Someone bought her, and the novelty of parrot ownership, basically wore off, I guess.

We love her!!! She's part of our family now... couldn't give her up for anything at this point...

Pecker, my BFA was being left by the dumpster at the local grocery store when I came rolling up with my spoiled rotten amazon riding on the handlebars of my grocery cart....

Don't do that. I'll take her.

Most bonded bird I ever had. They were gonna leave her to die!

 

[Ladyhawk]

Similar size so there is no Big bird/little bird syndrome. The little bird usually looses.

Amy was bigger than Smokey..and Amy lost lol





Jim

My Senegal had Gabby completely cowed. It happens. Gabby could be people-aggressive, but when it came to other birds, he didn't know what to do.

 

[LordTriggs]

don't deny a smaller parrot with "napoleon syndrome"!

Birdman you say that it's sad you didn't buy the majority of parrots you've had over the years but reading those couple stories they sound far from sad stories to me! they all found happy homes all thanks (literally) to you!

 

[modrummer]

I did parrot rescue for a long time. Amazons get dumped a lot, usually for cage bound, or hormonal reasons.

People don't understand what they are dealing with, then they get bit.

Also, oddly enough, when you have a happy, friendly, out and about amazon, like my red lored...

Put it this way... when you take your dog for a walk, no one generally comes up to you and says. Nice dog. I've got one of those too... You want him?!

When you take your amazon or your macaw out and about... oddly enough... I've been given several amazons and a macaw... (the macaw was referred to as "that thing. As in get THAT THING out of my house... )

I quite literally took my macaw out for a walk, and ended up rolling a big cage and a B&G home. Only took a few weeks to rehab that one.

Did I mention "IT" BITES... that is another thing. Parrots are always an IT!

"Well when was the last time you let it out of it's cage, or handled it?"

"We don't let it out of it's cage. IT BITES!!"

Yeah. "Problem bird."

Okay. I'll take "THAT THING" off your hands... see if I can work with it.

That is awesome, and also sad. I'm glad you were around to save those few parrots, and it makes me wonder how many others are being abandoned like that. I have an open craigslist posting in my area offering to give a good home to anyone who can't care for their parrot anymore, but so far all I've gotten is hate mail and people claiming that I just want free birds to flip and sell for money or for breeding (which obviously is not the case).

Well, the search continues. I'm not in a huge rush, this may be the last large bird I add to our family (famous last words) so I want to make sure it's the right bird for us as well. But if I come across a bird in need of a loving home, it will be extremely hard for me to turn it down.

 

[LordTriggs]

horrid to think but there are people who do exactly that modrummer, I see ads like that constantly and I do have to think that something odd is going on whilst hoping it's legit.

I don't understand why people don't take them to a rescue center to be honest. People understand if it's too much for those who become overwhelmed and they're going to be far less judgmental of you if you bring a parrot into a rescue than if you're seen dumping them next to a bin (pretty sure the police will judge you a lot less too)

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Amy (Blue Front) came along after I had Smokey (TAG) for about a year or so.
Smokey was an "only bird" at the time and was about 2.5 years old. Amy was about 4 months old.

Amy wanted to be best buds with Smokes,but Smokes wanted NO PART of it.
Even though they were out of their houses at the same time,I had to keep a VERY close eye on Smokey.
One time Smokey walked up behind Amy and pulled on Amy's tail feathers,making Amy holler,as Smokes beat-feet back to her own house LAUGHING all the way!
The next time (and LAST TIME) Amy and Smokey went beak to beak..I thought Smokey finally accepted Amy,and Amy screamed once more.
Smokey bit Amy's tongue,requiring 5 stitches

That was the last time I let them interact. Smokey was just super jealous of Amy. But then again,every bird has their own birdonality..just like us hoomans



Jim

Thank you for sharing, that insight is really helpful! I'm really hopeful that the birds can get along outside of their cage, but I guess I have to be willing to accept that that might not be possible BEFORE I adopt an amazon and find out the hard way.

When you brought Amy into the home, did you always make sure Smokey got special attention so she knew she was still your bird? Like take Smokey out first, feed Smokey first, etc... or did you try to treat them both equally?

Smokes was an odd ball lol..she was a wild caught,when I took her in for her wellness check the CAV estimated her to be about 6 months old. Smokes was my first "real" parrot...having been owned by a budgie when I was a young teen.
She never became touchy-feely and hated hands ( I'm just guess coz she probably got ripped out of her nest by some big monster wearing gloves)

I usually fed her first,said HI to her first..let her out of her house first and gave both of them equal attention. I know she loved me. She would sit on my shoulder for hours as I played on the computer. She'd gurgle in my ear,bang her beak on my forehead,regurgitate on me try to take my glasses off.

However,Amy did do one positive thing for Smokey. When Amy came to live with us,she was eating everything. Veggies and fruit and pellets. Smokey only ate SEED and growled/ran away,from anything else...until she saw the "new green thing" taking food from my hand,and eating good things.
It took maybe six months and all of a sudden Smokes was eating anything she could get her beak on..her favorite being chicken leg bones (she'd literally rip one from my hands) and..ummm..cheese doodles..


Jim

 

[LordTriggs]

Smokey sounds like she was an interesting bird. It's good to see that wild caught trade is almost snuffed out now. Clearly Smokey loved you in her own special way

It's crazy how much a rival bird can make a stubborn bird change their ways (get those stuffed parrots people!)

now you say she was still young but considering she was a full 7 years older than myself and I can assure you I feel anything but young!