Adoptive Family of Two Amazons

[shellmel777]

Hi everyone! I am new to the forum and new to owning birds. I will try to make my story as short as possible. Any help and advice you may have as your read through would greatly be appreciated.

I have always wanted birds (just ask my husband....he was getting tired of hearing it lol) Sadly, a friend of ours passed away and her husband asked if we'd take them (Rodney is a male YNA and BeBe is a female BFA). She had inherited them from her parents who passed away and they moved them here to New Mexico from Pennsylvania. They are both around 25 years old. So after much research and preparation, we got them last Sunday. I know that Rodney and BeBe are probably still feeling the effects of being shuffled around. BeBe is the passive one, she has not spoken, just purrs, coos, screams (sometimes) when Rodney screams too. Rodney started talking almost immediately when we got him home. He says, "Hey Bird," "Hey Baby," (or Hey BeBe....we're not quite sure), "Rodney," "What 'cha doing," and "Hello." Yesterday Rodney said a full sentence, and I couldn't quite catch it but it sounded like he was saying, "There's something about blue eyes." The previous owner told us he sings "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," but we have yet to hear it.

They are both sleeping through the night in uncovered cages without a peep. They both seem to be eating just fine. We are using the seed/pellet mixture the previous owner gave us supplemented with organic spinach, apples, grapes, bananas, etc. BeBe loves to take food from us and grapes seem to be her favorite. Rodney does sometimes, but most times when he takes food from us he drops it, usually into his bowl. I have mist showered them twice and they love it.

They both have come out of their cage on their own and hang out on top. Rodney loves to go to BeBe's cage and she sticks her head out for him to come over and "love on" her. Every once in a while they have a little spat. lol They cannot be put in a cage together, and we have not let them out at the same time. The main question I have regarding this is I have heard that you are never to let them come out on their own? Does anyone have an opinion on this?

I am concerned that they will never warm up enough to step up or even to let us pet them when they are in their cage. They still nip at our fingers, although Rodney every once in a while and with some slow movements, will let me rub his belly. Once I rubbed his beak and his head, but not for long. BeBe will not let us touch her at all. Could this be a territorial issue? Or am i just being impatient and need to give them more time to get used to us?

Thanks everyone for "listening." I know this is going to be a learning experience for all of us. We already love them so much and are so glad they are now a part of our family.

Shelley

[Pajarita]

I don't know where you heard that you are never to allow them to come out on your own because, as far as I know, it's the best way of doing it - I would NOT recommend putting your hand inside an amazon's cage. Now, you can't free-feed them seeds or give them such a small range of produce. If this is the way they've been eating all along, they most likely have liver damage by now (zons cannot consume that much protein/low fiber) so I would strongly recommend you take them to an avian vet for a complete check-up with CBC, avian chemistry panel AND bile acid test.

Don't touch their bellies or backs, just their heads, nape, cheeks and under the beak. Keep them to a solar schedule (up with sunrise, to bed with sunset) to avoid them getting aggressive due to sexual frustration (long days and high protein make their bodies believe is breeding season all year round). Believe me when I tell you that you do NOT want to deal with a sexually frustrated male amazon!

Now, you are going through the honeymoon stage (when they don't attack) but it will end so I suggest you utilize this time to take them to the vet, start them on a good diet and get them used to their schedule (like when they come out and for how long).