Agressive amazon

[xlh883]

Hello, I am new to the forum and I don't have much experience with amazons. I have a cockatiel that was practically hand raised and is a charming little bird. To make a long story short I fell in love with a Lilac Amazon at a pet shop. I looked so tame and well behaved at the store even with my wife so we named her Susy and bought it with a large cage. The moment we brought it home is when the problems started. She or he will not accept anyone near her. She will lunge at you and try to bite, make a racket like she was being led to the death chamber. I try to change her water and food and she gets very aggressive, another thing she will only stay on one end of the cage and if you approach her she will move to the opposite end and return when you go away. She bit my wife and created a deep gash same with me but not to that extent. I am at my wits end and i don't know what to do. Can you good folks guide me on this matter. Thanks, Larry

[Eurycerus]

Hi!

Michael has written up and put quite a lot of thought into helping people with problems just like you! You are not along and the people here are so helpful with the vast array of knowledge and experience they have.

Anyway follow Michael's guides. It will take, time, patience, and courage! Don't be discouraged. Although it may not seem like, it's likely that with time, you will form a good bond and things will settle down. My Senegal didn't have quite as many problems, but sort of similar. When I met her she was charming and sweet and day one she still was! Then the next day she attacked me multiple times, blood and very painful bites. I was so scared and didn't know what to do. I doubted myself too, but after some reading and some time away to build up courage to try again, we worked through it and she has only nipped since. It's been three or four weeks since the incidents.

How to teach a parrot to step up and come out of cage:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=227

Basic Taming:
http://trainedparrot.com/Taming/

Your parrot is probably just terrified, and angry about being uprooted and brought to a new place. I feel like that's why Nika was so vicious towards me. I also think she was testing me.

[marie83]

How long has she been with you? She may just be settling in still if you've got her sometime in the past month.
Just sit outside the cage and talk to her (or read if you don't know what to say) When she is used to your presence outside the cage try offering her treats through the bars. When she is comfortable accepting them through the bars try opening the door, don't put your hand inside though, just let her come to the door for her treat. Be patient and let her take her time, remember you have a lifetime with her. Don't try to touch her or make her step up to start off with, just let her learn you are not a threat.
Keep her favorite treats exclusively for training.

I would suggest reading Michaels taming and training articles if you haven't already, he gives amazing advice which you can use to help once your birds used to you being there, talking to her and giving her food.

Also ignore any screaming, no matter how hard it is on the ears. When she realises it doesn't get her anywhere she should quieten down but do be aware some birds are naturally noisier than others and there wont be alot you can do about it.

[dorp]

Just get rid of the amazon, they're not like other parrots.

[liz]

First thing you have to learn is to ignore dorp!!!

Is she from a pet shop or rehomed or rescued. It really doesn't make much difference at this point. Even if she came from a horrible place it is still the only place she knows.

I usually us kids as example such as adopting a child from a war torn country or an abused child.

I have Amazons. They are intelligent, thinking and imotional critters. Rambo came from a good home and we had met before. His way of adjusting was to check out the whole house and talk to everyone. He told us stuff and asked questions for a full 6 month before he was sure he could stay here. As noisy as he was, when the previouse owner came to visit, he got quiet and dissapeard. When I found him he was hiding in a box. He did not want her to take him home because my house had more fun.

Myrtle came from a horrible place. It was probably 3 months before I could walk up and touch her. She has been with me for a full year and I still can't touch her back unless we a wrestling.

A bird from a pet shop or breeder did not have as good a life as you are going to give it. You have taken it away from everyone and everything it has ever known. It is scared and does not understand why it is there. It is still waiting for someone it knows to come and rescue it.

They are afraid of hands. Hands can be bad to a little bird. Keep them behind your back or in pockets except when you have to work in the cge. Leave the door open to see if it will come out on it's own. If it does not then keep your hands below the bird when adding food and changing water. You can talk to it but don't look straight at it at this time.

[Polarn]

Well said Liz, ignoring dorps comments is lesson one on this forum, amazons aren't that different from other parrots, any parrot raised wrong or mistakenly reinforced in their bad habits will be little monsters. As for the aggression, besides handling the aggression do some research on not to reinforce biting since otherwise even if the true aggression is gone the biting may still be a rewarded habit.

[liz]

Remember that his cage is all that he can claim as his own. Even loving birds sometimes will run you out of their cage.

If he does not come out on his own for you to change food and water do it the way I have in the other post. And most important - DO NOT SHOW FEAR. Even if he grabs you and is bringing blood do not screem. If he does not let go on his own (and I have only had one bird like that) just cover his face with your other hand. He will let go. If you show fear you are reinforcing that all his has to do is bite and you will get away from him.

[dorp]

It's true, I am a little biased against parrots.

[nuttyone1]

I have an amazon and I must say either I have one in a million or they really are just like all other parrots. He does have stroppy times but you learn to recognise these and let him get on with it (kinda like a stroppy todddler). He has been with me for around 3 months now and like you I was totally unsure about what to do, I love that I have found this forum, (apart from the Dops comments) it has helped so much, he now lets me scratch him, comes up for nibbles on my neck, will step up on my arm etc.
I am not saying that it is easy, I was very nervous initially and that I think was my problem not Rodney's, and it does take time to get over this. My chair is next to his cage and has been since I have had him, and, following Micheal's advice, we have progressed far more quickly than I ever imagined. I honestly thought it would take about a year (not long in amazon terms).
So my advice would be follow the wonderful advice of the forums, ignore dorp, have lots of patience, perservere and you will be met with plenty of rewards from your amazon, I know I have