Introducing: Freddie, my new pet parrot

[ms_tayb]

Hello all!

I just got my 1st parrot on Sunday from my god father and I'm clueless on everything concerning him. His name is Freddie and according to my god-father he is 3 years old. That's Freddie in my avatar pic btw, if anyone can tell me if he is indeed a green-cheeked amazon or not I'd appreciate it. I took him to the exotic bird store today for grooming because his nails were wrapped and it turns out one of them is broke and he has to go to the vet to get it taken care of . Every time I try to go near him he yelps really loudly and stretches his feathers. I just need some tips on how to get him to cozy up to me and my family (boyfriend and 3 daughters) The lady at the bird store told me that he looks old, so idk. I try talking to him as much as I can and tomorrow hopefully I'll go get him some new toys. In the coming weeks I'll try to purchase him a bigger cage so that he's more comfy.

[zazanomore]

Welcome!

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Welcome! There is a lot of good information here. It also wouldn't hurt to get a solid reference to have on hand at home. I like Gary Gallerstein's "Complete Pet Bird Owner's Handbook". You can get it on Amazon.

Is he stretching his wings out, or fluffing his feathers up? What does a "yelp" sound like? Although not universally popular here, I think Barbara Heidenreich's books, both of them, do a pretty good job of explaining and showing pictures of parrot "body language".

If he is, in fact, uncomfortable with you, the "Taming and Basic Training" section of this forum has a lot of relevant discussions and pointers to articles which address that very issue.

Parrots are big investment of time, but they are pretty cool companions!

[jade_my_one_love]

Welcome to the site Freddie is indeed a Green Cheeked Amazon. I'm sorry to hear about his nail problem, and I hope all goes well for him. As for tips to get him to cozy up to you and your family, its going to take some time. Make a daily routine, and set aside time specifically for Freddie, at least ten minutes. During these times, have a conversation with him, not repeating words too much. And when your around his cage and your doing something, tell him what it is your doing, and explain it to him. They love this kind of interaction. When your eating something, show him what it is, and leave some of it (if its not a no-no for birds) in his cage or food dish. Wait a few days before you put any toys into his cage, and give him time to adjust in his new home. Everyone in the house hold should pay attention to him, and if he acts nervous, just give him a lil space.

Also make sure you always keep him a happy bird. Get some fresh fruit and veggies in the morning, as most birds in the wild like to forage, and just a seed diet is unhealthy. Do NOT let him eat any of the following,
-Avocado,
* Alcohol – There are several known cases of accidental consumption. Alcohol can depress a bird’s organ system and cause death.
* Avocado – The skin and pit of this fruit have been known to cause cardiac distress and heart failure.
* Caffeine – Coffee beans, coffee grounds, tea and soda. The effects of caffeine can cause cardiac distress, hyperactivity and possible cardiac arrest.
* Chocolate – Chocolate will induce vomiting and diarrhea in a bird, but more importantly, it will affect the central nervous system and eventually cause death.
* Dried beans – Uncooked beans can be a choking hazard but they also contain a toxin called hemaglutin.
* Fruit seeds – The seeds from apples, cherries, peaches, apricots and pears can contain trace amounts of cyanide.
* Mushrooms – Mushrooms are a type of fungus and can cause digestive upset and even liver failure.
* Onions, garlic and chives – Very small amounts are ok, but excessive consumption can cause vomiting, diarrhea and other digestive problems.
* Salt – Too much sodium can eventually result in death due to dehydration and liver malfunction.
* Tomato Leaves – Stems, leaves and vines of the tomato plant.




But other than that just make him feel like he is a part of the family, and eventually he will learn that YOU are his flock. Always give him time out of the cage, and when you do put toys in, switch them around every now and again so it doesn't get boring for him.

And if you want to get him to talk more, and want to teach him some words, say it with enthusiasm. Make it something fun for him, so he will want to do it as well. This is the key to any trick at all, verbal or physical.

I hope any of this will help you, and if you have any other questions, feel free to ask Its going to be an adventure for you and your family, as your first bird is an amazon. They make wonderful pets, and if you get bit, don't be mad at the bird. You have to pay attention to his body reactions and especially his eyes. Birds are just like people, and they all have their bad days. You will most likely get bit from time to time, so do not take it personally.

[ms_tayb]

Thanks for the awesome feedback, I was breezing through the different topics in the forum while I was waiting for my boyfriend to get off of work and learned a few things. When I got home I sliced up some of an apple and fed it to him through the cage and surprisingly he ate off the 1st piece while I held it but after that he snatched them out of my hands. I believe its because of all the motion and excitement coming from my 3 daughters. I feel like he is limited because of his nail and I'm going to do some calling around tomorrow to try to get that taken care of, at the moment I'm not working with much finances so I have to make due with that I have. I do want to get him some toys but I don't even know what I should start off with. I got him a bag of food by kaytee and it's a fiesta mix, so far all I've seen him eat out of it were the peanuts and walnuts so I'm guessing he doesn't like it very much. You mentioned fresh fruits and veggies in the morning, about how many times a day should he eat and how big of a portion? I usually fill his little trays up with water and food and it doesn't look like he drinks much water. I've been using cold faucet water, should I use bottled water? I also left his cage open for a little while to see if he'd come out but again I think the childrens movements keep him in his cage. I wrapped my arm in a towel and stuck it in the cage to see if he'll step down onto it he looked as if he wanted to he lifted his leg up and pretended to step down but then pulled back and moved to the other side of the cage.

[captwest]

Wow, you've got an amazon, yes a GC or Mexican, i wouldn't recommend them as a first bird however they're great pets, you need to research them and how to keep them healthy and happy, becareful with the kids as they normaly are too loud and active for a bird like an amazon to be comfortable with although amazon adjust better than most other large parrots to stressful situations, please feel free to ask stupid questions, as i for one will be happy to help anyway i can . Richard PS you need to get him on a good pellet food and fruit/veg, also watch his fat intake, they love fatty foods but suffer from something called fatty liver disease, {keep seeds and nuts to a minuim and things like butter, french fries etc to only special occasions }

[ms_tayb]

Thank you Richard and I will surely take you up on your offer because I need ALL the information I can get.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

[quote="j
* Dried beans – Uncooked beans can be a choking hazard but they also contain a toxin called hemaglutin.[/quote]
Phytohemagglutinin, I believe this is only a problem with kidney beans and their close relations, which also shouldn't be used in a sprouting mix or served soaked When in doubt, check it out.

* Mushrooms – Mushrooms are a type of fungus and can cause digestive upset and even liver failure.

A mushroom IS a fungus, but there is nothing inherently wrong with that. They are very nutrient dense, and those that are not toxic to humans are not toxic to birds as far as I know. They appear on a number of "good to feed" lists, but it is hard to get and keep them truly fresh. We should not eat mushrooms that have gone slimy or otherwise off either, though. Since they readily spoil and become contaminated, I avoid them for my birds, but if I grew my own, I might feel differently about it.

[Giantmoa]

I wrapped my arm in a towel and stuck it in the cage to see if he'll step down onto it he looked as if he wanted to he lifted his leg up and pretended to step down but then pulled back and moved to the other side of the cage.

heres on article on how to pick up a parrot: http://trainedparrot.com/index.php?bid= ... b+Methodsl
and there are more articles around on training, ect.
good luck! amazons are one of my favorite parrots

[jade_my_one_love]

Your very welcome! And as for the veggies you can do it once a day, or twice a day. And as much as he will eat of it, a couple pieces of different items would do great. For toys I suggest bells, My two birds love their bells to death. Another thing for entertainment that you can do is play music for them, both my Hahn's Macaw and African Grey [especially they grey] LOVE music, and like to try to sing and dance along. If he is lifting his leg like he looks interested in stepping up, I would suggest being just a little bit more pushy towards it, showing your not afraid and lifting it right underneath him and tell him to step up in a kind, but stern voice.

You'll need to start teaching your daughters that they CANNOT make fast movements around Freddie, as this definitely makes them nervous. A lot of birds don't do well with kids for this reason. Also try to get them to control how loud they are, as that cam distress the bird as well. Another thing a lot of birds enjoy are cartoons, as they have about the brain of a small child up to 5 yearsold.

Is there anything else at all that you have questions on? Birds take a lot of time and effort, but their most definitely worth while!! What my mother and I told people who bought birds from us, your not just buying another pet, your purchasing a relationship that will last forever!