Welcome home, Bingo!

[cnyguy]

Greetings to Bingo, and congratulations to Allee on adding an Amazon to the flock! Amazons are pretty special and it doesn't take long to be won over by an Amazon's personality. A warm welcome to the ever-expanding flock to Jack the CAG too.

 

[Kiwibird]

That pic of him peeping around the door is most adorable! He will have you wrapped around his talons doing his bidding in no time at all.

With the new photos, I'm completely convinced he is a YNA now. I would imagine YNA's have subspecies much like the BFA's and DYH's though I am not familiar with YNA subspecies like I am DYH and BFAs. Someone else may have further insight. Though I will say, to my understanding, many YNA's do not have much yellow on their napes until they are mature birds and it spreads with age. 8 is just entering puberty and around the age (many) amazons colors start to spread being sexually mature birds.

BTW- Are you certain he's male? Hot 3 amazon, male, 8 years old and 'polite' do not typically go together in the same sentence

Edit: I think I've identified why he strikes me as a YNA, he has a deeper green color to the plumage (or at least the photos show that way). YCA's I am seeing photos of only appear to have brighter green plumage the any YNA I've seen. I am, of course, purely speculating for fun here but I do know some amazons do have a deeper green with a more blue overtone while others have a more 'lime' green color. I am also seeing a lighter, more mottled beak on YCAs than YNAs. Oh, and the black edges are normal for healthy amazon feathers. Almost makes them look scaly, like the big modern day dinobirds they are!

 

[SailBoat]

BTW- Are you certain he's male? Hot 3 amazon, male, 8 years old and 'polite' do not typically go together in the same sentence

And, now we have all the possible members of the DNA Family confirmed! Well, at the very least, we know what family he is a member!

Regarding the 'Hot 3 Amazons!' After all, we suffers of this special group are so conditioned by their being that one tends to forget that we live happily in the mist of their control. Every now and again, one of the members' remembers and reminds the group of our fate. Hmmm, only the YNA is a member of this group!

The joy of defining Bingo's species keeps get more mysterious everyday!

 

[Allee]

Thanks, April! Here's a couple more pics for cuteness sake.





He wanted to come out just couldn't quite come all the way out the door yet.

Ummm, I was embracing the illusion that he was not a hot 3. So unfair, I have a U2 and a 6 month old golden retriever puppy already. I need a vacation.

No, I am not at all sure he is a male, remains to be seen. His manners come and go, he gets wound up morning and evening. He tells me, "turn it off", "turn it off", in the morning he says, "turn it up", "turn it up" (lights). Rumor has it he attacked his former owner twice recently, possibly provoked but I didn't see the attacks.

Any advice on perches, the bottoms of his feet have little pink spots, almost like he's been walking on course sandpaper. My guess is his perches haven't been changed out or moved in a long time, there were a couple of concrete perches, I took those out. Maybe some slender natural perches would help? I know Quaker feet and Too feet, Zon feet, I'm not so familiar with.

His appetite is not what I'd like it to be yet, we're working on it.

 

[SailBoat]

In yet another shameless recommendation of the Sticky Thread in the Amazon Forum, titled: "I Love Amazons ..." and, within that Thread is a Segment: "Getting To The Foot of The Problem." Remember to take a look at the pictures on the following page!

With Amazons, the want is to move them to larger diameter perches. And, to that point, the vast variation you have provided is heart-warming. As you watch him over the days to come. He will target a roosting perch and that perch will want to be at least 2" (50 mm) diameter at the very least, with natural variation.

Enjoy!

 

[Kentuckienne]

Welcome Bingo! Oh, he's so beautiful, Allee. I will be lurking every day to gets my closet Amazon fix...

 

[Ladyhawk]

That pic of him peeping around the door is most adorable! He will have you wrapped around his talons doing his bidding in no time at all.

With the new photos, I'm completely convinced he is a YNA now. I would imagine YNA's have subspecies much like the BFA's and DYH's though I am not familiar with YNA subspecies like I am DYH and BFAs. Someone else may have further insight. Though I will say, to my understanding, many YNA's do not have much yellow on their napes until they are mature birds and it spreads with age. 8 is just entering puberty and around the age (many) amazons colors start to spread being sexually mature birds.

BTW- Are you certain he's male? Hot 3 amazon, male, 8 years old and 'polite' do not typically go together in the same sentence

Edit: I think I've identified why he strikes me as a YNA, he has a deeper green color to the plumage (or at least the photos show that way). YCA's I am seeing photos of only appear to have brighter green plumage the any YNA I've seen. I am, of course, purely speculating for fun here but I do know some amazons do have a deeper green with a more blue overtone while others have a more 'lime' green color. I am also seeing a lighter, more mottled beak on YCAs than YNAs. Oh, and the black edges are normal for healthy amazon feathers. Almost makes them look scaly, like the big modern day dinobirds they are!

Yup, I agree. Bingo is a yellow nape who is simply a bit of a late bloomer. Based on his bone size and breadth of head, I'd say he's probably a male, but to feel more sure of this, I'd like to see a longer, flatter head. His is a bit on the round side. Not quite "obvious female" round, though. I'd still lean toward male, but the only way to know for sure is to have him / her sexed. Another problem with guessing sex is the huge range in sizes of yellow napes. I've seen some that were nearly as big as mealy Amazons. Others were much smaller. A guess as to Bingo's sex would be a more accurate guess (is there such a thing?) if we knew his background and parentage.

Thirty-one years ago, I had a summer job at a pet store with lots of baby / juvenile napes. We had a bunch of very well-behaved youngsters. There was a big, fat one named Tubby who would let anyone handle him. You could pick him up any which way, even by the belly, and he was extremely tolerant. I don't know Tubby's sex. I believe he was two years old and still very sociable. With some Amazons, the serious behavioral problems begin with the onset of puberty. If this bird is late getting his or her yellow nape, he / she might be developmentally delayed. If so, Bingo is still a child. If he's still late after some good nutrition, you might want to have a CAV do some blood work.

Looks like you hit the Amazon lottery. This fellow really does look good-natured.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Fabulous pics Allee and see you have weaved your magic with his cage, such a lucky bird.

 

[riddick07]

Kelly's favorite perch is a cholla cactus perch. His feet used to hurt him more before he got one if anyone remembers that lol. He did sit in a small cage on a single perch for 20 years so I think the variation in texture and the wider diameter help him a lot.

 

[wrench13]

I am sticking with Mealy. The size will tell, mealy's are that much bigger then the average YNA

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

I have not personally seen a Mealy,but I have seen a couple Napes. The darker green,width/length of yellow on Bingo's head,even the brownish eye color,strikes me as a YN...soooo...that's where my vote lies





Jim

 

[Kiwibird]

Already dictating when his highness prefers the lights to be turned on an off? Only an amazon Those pics of him checking things out? He won't be shy about leaving his cage for long. His natural curiosity/naughtiness will get the best of him (before the end of the weekend is my bet) I'm guessing his appetite won't take long to return either. They are pigs, winged pigs. And do not fear the hot 3 label! Yes, they do tend to get more hormonal than smaller amazons but the vast majority of the horrendous reputation attached to being a hot 3 zon stems from humans not handling hormonal behavior properly and/or a lack of understanding of the changes their maturing parrot was going through. If you can handle Poppy being hormonal, this little fellow should be a cake walk Hormonal cockatoos still take the cake when it comes to "difficult". Not sure if you've stick trained your other birds, but all amazons should be stick trained for hormonal times of year and days they become overly stimulated. Keeps the peace when they aren't feeling so peaceful

Feet wise, the bottoms of the black footed zons can be slightly pinkish and not be damaged. The skin is a little lighter in pigmentation on the bottom pads of the feet, but the scales should look healthy and not be worn or raw. If they are in fact damaged, once they heal up you may want to give him a single sand perch back in a lower position in the cage. Kiwi doesn't sit on his just to sit there too often but he does go over to it after every meal to wipe his beak and it keeps his beak trim. Perch wise? I offer a variety from very thin to very thick and theres not a perch in his domain he isn't regularly on. In the jungle, they'd be on surfaces from the thickest branch to precariously hanging by one foot off a pencil thin twig to get at a snack. Variety in perch sizes is key! He also enjoys his corner platform as well.

Being a zon, you also may want to consider offering him a Manu clay block. I'm pretty sure the rest of your flock thus far have been old world parrots who do not naturally eat clay (right?). Manu clay is something amazons (and many other new world parrots) ingest naturally, it's full of important minerals and also aids in keeping the beak trim. Kiwi goes nuts over his and doesn't just rip it up like he will cuttle bones.

 

[Kiwibird]

There was a big, fat one named Tubby

This almost made me spit my coffee:44: Someone named their amazon Tubby. I see this person knew their bird well:33:

 

[Anansi]

A big welcome to Bingo! It is probably already dawning on him that he has hit the Lottery, as he (and Jack) have scored one of the best parrot households on the planet!

And I'm with April, from the looks of it his curiosity will get the best of him in no time. I bet there will be pics of him all nuzzled up with you in no time.

Oh, and as for his Hot 3 status... for a woman who managed to get through to - and form a loving bond with - a bird that started off as angry and hard to manage as Harry did, even a Hot 3 'zon will be a cakewalk. You've got this, Huckleberry.

Keep those pics coming!

 

[Ladyhawk]

I am sticking with Mealy. The size will tell, mealy's are that much bigger then the average YNA

I've been around both and some yellow napes are very, very big...almost as big as a mealy.

If I'm wrong, I will donate five bucks to an avian charity. Everyone wins.

 

[cnyguy]

Maybe Bingo would like the Booda Comfy-perch type of braided fabric perches. George the YCA liked his (and he was fussy), and QP Ralph and Scooter the CAG both like theirs (Scooter enjoys pulling hers apart too, which Bingo might also find a fun pastime ). A variety of thicknesses and textures is alway a good thing-- maybe cholla, or different natural wood perches.

 

[texsize]

He (or she) looks like a YNA except for one thing. I think there is too much yellow on the top front of his head and too little on his neck.
If he was a young YNA I don't think there would be so much yellow on the top of his head.

Bingo is a beautiful bird whatever he turns out to be. I am partial to YNA's because of MY Bingo but my head is telling me not.
I have no experience with Mealy amazons so I don't know about that.
texsize

 

[Ladyhawk]

Google "mealy Amazons" and notice the contrast between their white eye ring and green coloration which is a different shade from that of yellow napes. Bingo doesn't have that much of contrasting eye ring and he is the correct shade of green for a YNA.

Another two cents. XD

If I'm wrong, which charity do you recommend?

 

[Allee]

Thank you for all the great tips on perches, Folks! April, thank you for mentioning manu clay, you're right, that's a new one for me, I will offer him clay A.S.A.P.

This debate over Bingo's sub species is lots of fun, I love puzzles. I think a friend may have found the final answer, she's a pro at parrots and Jeopardy. I am close to convinced I know Bingo's true identity, just for fun, I'm adding a Poll.

One more clue, my guy has pale gray feet.

 

[Kiwibird]

Now that you mention it, I have changed my mind and am convinced he is just a really large budgie:30:

I have done a good deal of research into that clay and over the years ever since I first saw it in a bird store. Information keeps shifting regarding the reasons behind why scientists suspect they eat it (nutritional value, detoxification value, aids in digestion etc...). I know Kiwi seems judicious in how he consumes his and a block lasts a really long time with him just nibbling here and there on it, I would assume when he senses he needs whatever benefit it is he gets from it. Here's an interesting read from the Smithsonian and to my knowledge, one of the most recent new speculations into the reasoning behind parrots eating the clay. It's certainly counter intuitive to what any good bird owner might expect given the current information regarding parrot diet. IMO, that could be important for pet parrots from this part of the world who are deliberately given low/no sodium diets in providing them with self regulating sodium and mineral intake in a healthy/natural way. Interesting read, hoping more research and concrete answers happen at some point

Why Do Hundreds of Macaws Gather at These Peruvian Clay Banks? | Travel | Smithsonian

Bingo's wild cousins!
[ame="https://youtu.be/-7BUbracwXk"]Parrot Clay Lick at Napo Wildlife Center, Ecuador - YouTube[/ame]