adopted 25 year old Amazon - lots of questions

[mcmalott]

I have recently adopted a 25 year old yellow crowned (I think) Amazon from a elderly friend of mine. I live with my husband and 3 children and we all adore him - Lamont (my friend does not know if he male or female but decided he is a he and named him lamont....) however had taken for the most part to me - I am guessing because I am the primary care giver and at home with him the most. A positive is he started talking to me the same day he moved in with us and has had no temper tantrums (he did have these with my friend).

He knows 5 or 6 words and some noises like whistling, the telephone and opera singing etc. I would like to teach him more words? Is he too old to teach new words? If not, how do I go about this?

I do let him out of his large, toy/perch filled cage during the day and while we are having dinner. He comes out on his own but I use a perch for him to step up on when I put him back - yes, I am afraid of him biting me as he has bitten someone who he did not like to the point that she probably needed a stitch or two!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. This is my first parrot and I am so excited that I want to do everything I can to make him happy and at the same time have the bird that I dream about.

[liz]

Myrtle does not take naps in the afternoon like the rest of my group so I put YouTube on for her. She is a BF Amazon so that is what I key in.

[liz]

It just dawned on me that you said 25 year old.

Rambo (he looks like this icon) is 20. He has been well stimulated over the years and is very outgoing. It is my guess that yours has not been stimulated. He has more words than he is using because he had no need to use them. You will find that he will soak up knowledge for a while and all of a sudden let you know what he can say. I found Rambo sitting in a corner talking softly. He was practicing new words before he used them. Your kid is like a 6 year old that has been supressed. Just keep feeding him info and give him enrichment objfects that he has not experienced before. Give hm a Cheerio or animal cracker. He is late but has the ability to catch up.

[Cage Cleaner]

How recently did you adopt this bird? I would give it at least a month or two to determine the bird's true personality.

In the beginning, birds will act differently, and likely present very little by way of behavioral issues because they are getting used to their new environment. Some will be more quiet, as well. I think it's much too early to judge whether your bird has been suppressed/repressed or not. Unless you've had the bird for 2 months (maybe more, due to the fact that it is an adult amazon of 25 years), the bird is still in the watching and learning phase, where he is taking in the new home and establishing how to deal with the new place. If he's been at his old place for most of his life, he is likely slightly traumatized as well.

So, what I am trying to say is that you shouldn't count on the lack of temper tantrums, especially since you know he has had them in the past with his original owner. However, you can take the time right now to establish that you are in charge, and that the bird absolutely is not. Set up expectations early, and of course, let him know that you love him.

In addition, the basics is a well-formulated pellet diet (not seed), preferably organic and of course dye-free. Drinking water and bath offered every day, spray bottle perhaps if preferred. Otherwise shower with him. Lots of toys, including foraging toys as well as chew toys, toys with moving parts, foot toys, and preeners. Natural perches, not dowels because the latter can harm the bird's feet.

Make sure the cage is large enough. I see many people stuffing conures into 24x24" enclosures, and some even smaller, thinking that it's big enough. A conure (aratinga) should have 30x30"min, and they will use every inch.

For an amazon I could see myself buying a 30x40" cage roughly because they are an even bigger bird. Make absolute sure that the bar spacing isn't too narrow, and make sure that the bars are thick enough to prevent being chewed in.

Lots of out of cage time. Get a tree stand or other play stand where the bird can hang out with the family for most of the day. Try to aim for about 6 hours/day out of the cage. Try to aim for 2 hours of direct interaction per day.

Those are the basics. I may have missed something. If so, others can add to it. Any questions, post again.