What a ride!

[overtherainbow]

Hello! We were given a bonded Amazon pair (I think they are yellow napes) about 2 years ago. They are NOT friendly, but they will take food from my fingers. From what I was told, they've been mistreated and neglected. I don't know how old they are. Honestly, I've had no experience with Amazons, but I knew I could at least give them a forever home and a better life than they've had. We didn't know they were male and female, but we soon found out. They had a baby this spring! We was born approximately April 1. He came out of the nesting box June 5. I've kept him with his parents, but have been handling him as much as I can.
The issues I'm having are, he is eating food, but still eating from Mama. Im assuming I need to separate him if I'm going to get him to bond with me. Correct?I f so, when do I know the right time?
Also, the male is kind of mean to the female at times. He will "peck" at her and the baby forcefully sometimes. They have a cage, but it's open and they get free range of a whole bedroom for them. That's been the case even before the baby came. I've tried to read and watch videos on the behavior, but there is mainly info on tamed Amazons and not pairs.
Any advice is greatly appreciated! I'm happy to be here.

 

[texsize]

welcome to the forum.
Would love to see pictures of all those amazon cuteness.

Never raised Amazons (not yet) but did raise 2 clutches of Cockatiels.

I am a little unclear about the age of your baby.
It sounds like he (going to go with HE in this case with gender unknown) is in the process of weaning.

My understanding of raising baby parrots is with cockatiels .
You want to start handling them when their eyes open.
about 10 days after hatching.
Every day you want to handle the for 10/15 minutes.
get them use to your voice and your gentle touch.
it’s not necessary to feed them to make a bond with them.

I had a male/female pair of amazons that the male would get aggressive when I placed a nest box in the cage.
I had to remove the nest box.

Do keep a close eye out for the parents possible abuse of the baby.
My cockatiel parents started plucking the babies of my second clutch and I had to separate them.

 

[overtherainbow]

Thank you for your advice!
I've been handling Frankie (goes with either sex right? ) every day. He's getting better and better! I'm fairly sure he is about 4-5 months old now. He's a cutie!

 

[texsize]

He looks adorable..
I am hoping my pair of green cheek amazons can/will have babies but…..
I can’t even find a place that sells amazon parrot sized nest boxes.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

He looks adorable..
I am hoping my pair of green cheek amazons can/will have babies but…..
I can’t even find a place that sells amazon parrot sized nest boxes.

You should build them a box or order one online. Maybe a box made for Barn Owls or Wood Ducks would be good.

 

[LoveOfallAnimals]

I don't have any advice on your issue, but that baby is so stinking cute!

 

[overtherainbow]

Update! I have the Mom and Dad in their own cage again, and Frankie is fully weaned! He's still very attached to his parents, so my next step is to move the parents or Frankie or of the same room. He may warm up to me better, but he's pretty good about stepping up and letting me hold him.

 

[texsize]

I am no bird expert.
But I would not recommend trying to separate Frankie from his parents without reason.
I think he will make that separation in time on his own.
Corvids in the wild, the offspring normally spend the first 1/2 years with their parents.
Learning where to forage food at what time of year and helping feed the next generation.

My Cockatiels the parents, once the chicks had fully fledged and left the nest seemed to have little interest in ….. staying close friends.

I just would be afraid of forcing a separation before it happens naturally.

I am sure breeders must do this all the time but

 

[SailBoat]

Amazon's are social Parrots that maintain long family connections with Parents, and other members up to 7 or more years in the wild.

As stated above, there is no reason to separate as long as either parent is not abusing the young one.

You asked about the age of the parents and it would be common for their first chick to be born at or above 12 years of life or older.

 

[overtherainbow]

Thank you guys for letting me know that! Should I have not put Frankie's parents into their cage, away from him? They're in the same room, but if he needs contact with them, I'll let them free range in their room together again. Is this the correct solution? This is hard stuff! Frankie is still very attached I can tell. He hangs out on the parents cage most of the time. I was just told that in order for him to "bond" with me, that I needed to remove him from his parents. I'll do whatever is best for them!

 

[SailBoat]

Lots of 'beliefs' out there, but in reality what matters is how much you two are accepted into the group (family)! Continual to work with 'them' and that all important 'bond' relationship. I.E. their trust that when ever their Humans are around life is good and safe!

Just to play against the other advice you are receiving, Two Words! Separation Anxiety!!

 

[wrench13]

He is a real cutie.

i think it depends on your eventual decision on Frankie. Are you planning on keeping or adopting him out?

 

[overtherainbow]

He is a real cutie.

i think it depends on your eventual decision on Frankie. Are you planning on keeping or adopting him out?

I'm keeping him . I've grown pretty attached, hence my issue with his parents. It seems the more he is with them, the less he likes me!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I'm keeping him . I've grown pretty attached, hence my issue with his parents. It seems the more he is with them, the less he likes me!

Baby Amazons in the wild may stay with their parents for years after weaning but you don't want Frankie to be as wild as his parents. Frankie is just adorable (just look at that cute face!) and still very young, and since your goal is for Frankie to be your companion pet bird, now is the perfect time to start developing a strong bond with him away from his parents. I would separate Frankie from his parents completely and keep his parents in a different room as far away from Frankie as possible so he doesn't hear them or see them. If you keep Frankie with his parents or near them he will not grow up to be the bird you want him to be.

Get Frankie a nice big cage of his own filled with lots of Amazon appropriate toys and keep him in the room where you spend the most time. Begin spending a lot of time with Frankie, as if you just adopted him from a breeder, doing day to day things like playing with him, talking to him, teaching him to play with bird toys, and just hanging out watching TV, etc. Get Frankie accustomed to perching on your hands and forearms. Find out what his favorite treat is and reserve that treat for a training reward only. Learn to read his body language (very important). Keep him off your shoulders until later when you are pretty sure he won't bite your face or ears. Train him to sit on a t-stand without immediately jumping or flying off to the ground or to you. I wish I had done this when I adopted a baby Goffin's Cockatoo- he wouldn't sit on a perch stand at all and it was a real pain in the neck for me, but my fault ultimately. Beyond this advice, I'm not any sort of expert on Amazon parrot behavior, body language and training but several PF members are, and you should take their advice and recommendations beyond this. Good luck with Frankie!

 

[overtherainbow]

Baby Amazons in the wild may stay with their parents for years after weaning but you don't want Frankie to be as wild as his parents. Frankie is just adorable (just look at that cute face!) and still very young, and since your goal is for Frankie to be your companion pet bird, now is the perfect time to start developing a strong bond with him away from his parents. I would separate Frankie from his parents completely and keep his parents in a different room as far away from Frankie as possible so he doesn't hear them or see them. If you keep Frankie with his parents or near them he will not grow up to be the bird you want him to be.

Get Frankie a nice big cage of his own filled with lots of Amazon appropriate toys and keep him in the room where you spend the most time. Begin spending a lot of time with Frankie, as if you just adopted him from a breeder, doing day to day things like playing with him, talking to him, teaching him to play with bird toys, and just hanging out watching TV, etc. Get Frankie accustomed to perching on your hands and forearms. Find out what his favorite treat is and reserve that treat for a training reward only. Learn to read his body language (very important). Keep him off your shoulders until later when you are pretty sure he won't bite your face or ears. Train him to sit on a t-stand without immediately jumping or flying off to the ground or to you. I wish I had done this when I adopted a baby Goffin's Cockatoo- he wouldn't sit on a perch stand at all and it was a real pain in the neck for me, but my fault ultimately. Beyond this advice, I'm not any sort of expert on Amazon parrot behavior, body language and training but several PF members are, and you should take their advice and recommendations beyond this. Good luck with Frankie!

You've answered my question and helped me so much! This was my dilemma with his parents. I knew he would never want me over them. . I've already got him stepping up easily on my finger and I spend time everyday with all of them. They love listening to opera, and Frankie dances and screams in delight! I love watching them. I got him a nice big cage with toys that he loves!
Thank you again!