New to Forum

[MCCADS]

Hi - I am brand new to the forum, and have a question. In the past, I previously owned Quaker Parrots. One from being newly weaned, to an aggressive one that I picked up at the Humane Society. I currently just adopted a Blue Front Amazon, who I was told is approx. 5-6 months old. The breeder sold her to a family with kids and other birds, and she was not socialized properly. I have had her a little over a week now. You cannot pet her or touch her - she growls at your hand. I can, however feed her treats by hand. She will come out on top of her cage - and spends time playing with toys - she even already speaks a few words. My questions are as follows: how do I get her to trust my hand and know that I'm not going to hurt her. My gut instinct tells me she has the capability of being a great loving bird, however my other birds were not near as large or had as big of a beak as she has - and I'm really nervous about getting bitten. My second question is: when she's out on top of her cage - and she spooks - she flies off and runs into things - and I'm afraid she is going to hurt herself. Any suggestions? Thank you!

[liz]

Welcome to the forum.

I rescued a 1 year old BF Amazon Myrtle in March, I think. She was skinny, dull and scared.

She is not as socialized as Rambo but has progressed.

Key "Myrtle" in the search for how she has done.

[MCCADS]

I read somewhere to towel a bird, then hold them in the towel and scratch the back of their neck, etc. so that they realize you mean no harm. But on the other hand, she starts getting upset when she see's a towel, as I have had to use it a couple of times to get her back into her cage.

[Michael]

NOOOO. Do not do this. This is the worst advice someone could possibly give you. It just makes the bird that you will harm it by forcing it into a towel and being held against its will. Take a positive reinforcement based approach instead. Teach the bird to come to you because it wants to and not because it has to. Only used the towel in a very positive way or you can kiss toweling goodbye. Here are some articles I wrote about these things that should help you:

http://TrainedParrot.com/Taming
http://TrainedParrot.com/Toweling

[MCCADS]

She will come to me but as soon as she see's my hand, she growls and backs up. I have been trying to use my hand alot to give her treats, even so much as putting small crumbs on my fingertip so she takes them from there. I am worried more so about her when she gets spooked and flies across the room - and crashes - that she's going to hurt herself. Any advice on this? Thank you! This forum is awesome!

[Michael]

I hope she isn't clipped?

[MCCADS]

She was already clipped when I got her last week. Is not good to keep her clipped so she doesn't harm herself?

[liz]

Myrtle was affraid of hands. She was probably forcefully pulled from her cage which was the only security she had. I did find out that she was not affraid of faces. Faces couldn't hurt her. She would make noises to me when we were nose to beak.

She still doesn't want me to reach for her and I can only pick her up if she needs me. When she comes to me I can use my hands but only when she comes to me.

[Cage Cleaner]

My guess would be that the kids were little monsters to this bird

[MCCADS]

I'm just truly hoping that I got her at a young enough age to turn the ill effects she has had on her life up to this point around to something positive - LOVE!

My Quaker parrots always had their wings trimmed. Is it not good to trim the Amazon's wings as well, to keep her from flying? She is totally running into things and I'm so afraid she's going to hur herself!