Red-Lored Amazon Food AMOUNT: How much?

[Si429]

Hello! I have a red-lored amazon that has come into my life recently and I am doing a lot of work to build a good relationship with him/her. It's lived a solo life for 20 years with no human contact eating sunflower seeds and some odd moon-shaped pellets that he/she tosses in their water bowl. This makes me think he/she doesn't like them. They did the same with some pellets (Lafaebers? Lafebers? Lebefers? Something like that) that I got them. They just won't eat them and toss them in the water bowl--lol. But they will eat Avi-cakes! (I give them 1-2 per day)

So, I'm noticing he/she is eating his own poop sometimes and stays for a long time around his bowl- even sleeping on it. I am slowly introducing vegetables to their diet but I do not know the correct amount of food to feed this bird. Like, one cup of vegetables per day only once? Two half-cups twice a day? How much and of what should I feed the bird daily? Someone sent another member's chapters on RLA care and gen info but I can't get to the chapter on feeding.
Help please Thank you.

 

[SailBoat]

Welcome to Parrot Forum AND, the Amazon Sub-Forum!

Please take the time to read the two huge Threads at the top of the Amazon sub-Forum. They are a wealth of information regarding Living and Loving Amazons!
Within the I Love Amazon, Thread is a recommendation for an Amazons Diet!
With a Health Diet in place, there is no need to 'control' how much you provided only that it is a Fresh. We change out and freshen our Amazon's bowls through-out the day.

Your Amazons past diet and age combine to wanting a 'New Parrot' examination by an Avian Vet ASAP, as I would want a full-spectrum blood test which should include Heart and Liver chems. Also have a DNA test completed at the same time.

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Older Amazons and a Rescue as Well. Their progress maybe slow, but their joy as they open-up is worth every moment!!!

 

[SailBoat]

FYI: Misting an Amazon should only be done by Misting into the air above your Amazon, allowing it to 'rain' down upon him/her. You will find that with time, your Amazon will be far more accepting of getting wet this way.
Never, Mist directly at the Parrot, especially in the face!!

 

[PrimorandMoxi]

couple of years ago I adopted the grumpiest RLA.
ABBA was in her thirties and had a few rough spells throughout her life.

She bonded to me and she was my sweetheart.

It was distressing cause she was eating her dropping too.
It was as if she knew something was wrong, something in her diet...

After some time her cloaca prolapsed and vet said not much we could do for her and we put her to sleep. She was suffering, but I sure wish I got a second opinion. I was bawling, heaving my chest, over the top wailing like a babe in the vets office and still cry, like now, when I think about it.

Something about that bird. And having her for such a short amount of time not being able to care for her seemed like such a waste...

sorry I have been completely unhelpful to you, but I dont think a parrot eating its pooh is just a nasty habit and might mean something is off.

yesterday I tested positive for covid so I am in a woe-is-me state of mind.

 

[SailBoat]

Huge Amazon Feather Hugs, Dear Friend and know that the Prayers are already coming your way. Take a deep breath and suck-it-up, after all you have Amazons to care for!!

FYI: It appears that the weakness of the Vaccines and the continued casing-off of ever new variations will assure that 'everyone' will get a chance to have this virus!! Just welcome yourself to the ever increasing numbers of individuals that have had and will catch this Virus!

 

[Si429]

couple of years ago I adopted the grumpiest RLA.
ABBA was in her thirties and had a few rough spells throughout her life.

She bonded to me and she was my sweetheart.

It was distressing cause she was eating her dropping too.
It was as if she knew something was wrong, something in her diet...

After some time her cloaca prolapsed and vet said not much we could do for her and we put her to sleep. She was suffering, but I sure wish I got a second opinion. I was bawling, heaving my chest, over the top wailing like a babe in the vets office and still cry, like now, when I think about it.

Something about that bird. And having her for such a short amount of time not being able to care for her seemed like such a waste...

sorry I have been completely unhelpful to you, but I dont think a parrot eating its pooh is just a nasty habit and might mean something is off.

yesterday I tested positive for covid so I am in a woe-is-me state of mind. View attachment 42317

Thank you for sharing your story and experience. I will be mindful of this as I care for this RLAmazon. Your birds are beautiful and may the one who passed RIP in bird heaven <3

 

[Si429]

FYI: Misting an Amazon should only be done by Misting into the air above your Amazon, allowing it to 'rain' down upon him/her. You will find that with time, your Amazon will be far more accepting of getting wet this way.
Never, Mist directly at the Parrot, especially in the face!!

Thank you so, so, so much for this advice. That frankly had not occurred to me to spray above them. I noticed their "E-SQUA!!" cry (a loud ass squak when they're unhappy) when I sprayed in front of them...my silly self just thought: let them see the item and what it does at a safe distance. Well, they weren't having it. I shall try the above spray method this week...I just hope they don't see the little bottle I'm using bc/ that sets them off. Thank you also for your above info and advice. I'm on it now

 

[wrench13]

Re: the spray bottle, sometimes it is merely the color of the spray tip that can set them off. We had one with a red tip, and Salty hated that one. I found one with a blue spray tip, and he is totally fine with being sprayed now. If the tip is one of their "flash' colors ( the color of their normally hidden under feathers) it can set them off. Think about it - a big white 'thing' with a flash color, it's understandable to us, but a parrot will have no idea what this thing is.

 

[Si429]

FYI: Misting an Amazon should only be done by Misting into the air above your Amazon, allowing it to 'rain' down upon him/her. You will find that with time, your Amazon will be far more accepting of getting wet this way.
Never, Mist directly at the Parrot, especially in the face!!

Thank you so, so, so much for this advice. That frankly had not occurred to me to spray above them. I noticed their "E-SQUA!!!" cry (a loud ass squak when they're unhappy) when I sprayed in front of them...my silly self just thought: let them see the item and what it does at a safe distance. Well, they weren't having it. I shall try the above spray method this week...I just hope they don't see the little bottle I'm using bc/ that sets them off. Thank you also for your above info and advice. I'm on it now

Re: the spray bottle, sometimes it is merely the color of the spray tip that can set them off. We had one with a red tip, and Salty hated that one. I found one with a blue spray tip, and he is totally fine with being sprayed now. If the tip is one of their "flash' colors ( the color of their normally hidden under feathers) it can set them off. Think about it - a big white 'thing' with a flash color, it's understandable to us, but a parrot will have no idea what this thing is.

Thaank you for your suggestion! I have a feeling it's the color blue that sets him off as it's happened with another blue item too.