How to love an Amazon: Part 1

[Ray P]

Have you ever thought of having and living with an Amazon ?

Have you ever watched these high energy clowns of the parrot world in action, living and enjoying their life to its fullest ?

Have you ever watched them open their wins and see the many beautiful colored feathers through out their body with each species different than the next ?

Than you read about the dark side, the aggression, the unpredictability and now they are a turn off.

There is a bright side, but first there are some things you must do.

First, you must forget any preconceived notions that you have after reading about them.

Second, you must accept them for who and what they are and look for the bright side because there is one.

Its up to you to flip the coin over to the bright side.

The posts will be kept short as its still very difficult for me to talk about Cricket, but I feel that I must

[katana600]

Cricket taught us about patience, overcoming previous mistakes and about earning the devotion of a beloved companion. And yes Ray, I have seen young Amazons swinging, dancing, playing and just generally "monkeying" around. I have thought to myself, that would really keep a household gripped in the energetic world of loving an Amazon. What a way to remain, forever young.

Edited September 1, 2014 by katana600
Darned spell checker changed my words

[Timbersmom]

I continue to have a "yearning" for an Amazon. Timber is so needy and takes so much time that adding another bird worries me. I'm not sure he could handle the competition! However, if a situation presents itself and there is an Amazon needing a home I suspect I wouldn't say no...

[Muse]

Ray, I know the pain you feel. I feel it too, and it is unlike anything I have ever felt in my life. It amazes me that you are summoning the strength to share this information and help others despite the pain it is surely causing you. You are so kind and an inspiration.

 

I am very new to Amazons and am learning every day and appreciate you sharing your wisdom!

[Luvparrots]

I have two Blue Front Amazons and I really don't see where they are "aggressive". Have you had other amazons Ray. I thought Cricket was your only amazon and I had no idea she was aggressive Ray.

 

I have said that my male 6 year old zon Louie won't let me touch him and this is true on the most part. ( he was owned by a man whose females in the home were not kind to Louie after the man became ill) But Louie follows me around and goes in and out of his cage as I ask. He watches me and tries very hard to understand what I want of him and do it. My 33 year old female steps up nicely and does not bite. (owned since 2 until now 33) She was kept in her cage most of her life by her prior owners so we are working on learning to fly and sit on boings and perches at the windows. She is also a sweet zon. Not aggressive at all.

 

When you talk about aggression in Amazons Ray, it upsets me because you do it a lot. To me it is information like that that puts people off on zons, or other animals. I am just wanting to know if this is personal knowledge or something you have just read or heard. If it is something you have read than let it go and tell us about your gentle and loving Cricket not some poo poo from an article or book.

 

That's my two cents worth. It is wanting to know information Ray not a put down please understand that as my personal relationships with zons is a sweet and happy one. The one I want our members to know about not some hearsay. Zons are extremely happy, and carefree parrots in my opinion. Personalities that are very different from greys and very comfortable to be around.

 

Please understand what I am trying to say here Ray as I have always enjoyed your threads about Cricket and your relationship with her.

[Ray P]

Cricket was never aggressive in our home, but in the home before us they said she was.

I only point out the aggressive part because so much of what you read about zons seam to lead you to believe that they are.

Cricket was very loving, but from time to time she could be very head strong and that`s not aggressive by any means.

I was hopping that you with a younger and a older amazon could share any difference that you see between your two in reference to age.

I was told by a former member that you can`t compare amazon species because some are far more aggressive that others.

This may be true, but some people see the word Amazon and they link it to aggression and we both know this is not true.

With proper socialization we both know that life with a zon can be awesome and we each share our own relationship with our fids.

[murfchck]

We will be receiving an amazon in the next few weeks. I only saw this one for a short moment but he sure made an impact. He was a part of the surrender we helped with and bless his heart when they were getting ready to towel him he shouted that Albert was scared and Albert was freaking out. When he was in the carrier he said the same and added to let Albert out, he is scared. His name isn't Albert, lol.

In other words, he is going to be giving me a run for the money and i will be coming here for help! The sanctuary offered him to me, how can you say no when Albert is freaking out! She said he hasn't stopped saying that.

[Talon]

Okay, I LOVE that you had the courage Ray to start this thread. I feel it is a very important one. And yes there are many misconceptions when it comes to amazons, much like there is when it comes to greys. People think that greys are the smartest parrot out there, they expect it to talk and to perform tricks, and then sit there pretty on their perch when expected to. As us experienced grey owners know, that's not even close to how a grey behaves.

Back to amazons...Luvparrots, I u understand your post, but you must know that you are still in the very early stages with your newest amazon. It can take a couple of years before they show their true colors in my opinion. You also have a very calm demeanor as a person, a quiet household, and your birds feed off of that. They feel your calm energy and it keeps them calm. I wholeheartedly believer thats why your 4 parrots are so calm.

 

I on the other hand, have a calm laid back demeanor, am very patient, but my household has a lot of activity in it, sometimes pure chaois, I work full time , have 2 hyper small dogs who get very excited over any activity, 3 indoor cats, and 2-3 teenagers and friends and family who appear whenever. I have a busy lifestyle even tho I devote most of my free time to letting my parrots out as soon as I am home. I know that Nilah feeds off of all of that activity, cause she let's me know vocally.

 

 

She loves to show off, she will become possessive of me if anyone comes to the house to the

point of biting and of attacking a new person she sees as a threat to me. She spends most of her free time attached to me more times than not. She is sweet, gentle, loving and loves to rub against my cheek as she coos and hums to me. I adore her sweet gentle side, something she only shows to me. But she does have a difficult side to her. I can read it in her expressive eyes, so I handle her accordingly.

 

I think what Ray talks about is mostly the norm. Luvparrots, you are the exception, and I think as you read the Craigslist adds, the rescues, the pet for sale adds, you see many amazons as people think they are so pretty, they love to show off, sing and it is proven, the smartest parrot out there as far as mimicking you and teaching tricks quickly. but they do have a dark side, but if you go into understanding that, learn to read them, and allow them to be a true amazon as much as we can in keeping them contained in our homes, then they will be the sweetest, most devoted, loving parrot you could ever want. But YOU have to do your homework and not have expectations of them.

 

As we say many times, there is nothing else in this world like the love and bond an amazon can give you, and until you've experienced it, you can't imagine it. As trying, and you all know how Nilah can be a handful , as she is, I can't imagine my life without her in it.

 

P.S. as I type this with one finger on my ipad, because Nilah is crawling from hand to hand nibbling on my fingers...

[2birds]

The DYH amazon my family had throughout my growing up was a wonderful bird. She was never aggressive except towards one person and that was my sister. But then, my sister used to tease her, do things that she knew made her upset and scared her. She couldn't really go near the bird or get bitten. The rest of us could turn her upside down and rub her belly, give her scratches and basically do whatever we wanted around her and to her. She wasn't a baby when we got her but she was young (about a year old).

She was really a great bird and I don't recall ever being afraid of her. She sang songs, talked up a storm and screamed and yelled when she was in the mood. She also cooed, whispered and gave kisses. I don't know, whenever I read about the aggression in amazons that everyone talks about, I don't see it. But, my experience is limited to just two. A friend of mine currently lives with one and she's sweet as well.

[SRSeedBurners]

My Tigger was never aggressive and he was a wild caught. He was just a touch-me-not. But I could still grab hold of him, he would just whine, similar to the CAG growlie growl.

[kittykittykitty]

While my deceased husband was growing up in Brazil 70 plus years ago they had a rehomed Amazon that spoke German. He must have been wild caught. The stories told were of a very loving gentle bird with the man of the family but he could become very aggressive with other individuals. I think every bird has his/her own personality and it is up to us to respect that and still be kind, gentle, loving in our relationships.

[Inara]

My Elliot (DYH) was a wild caught, totally freaked out biting screeching mess who wound up in a pet store where he killed another bird. He was sold to some guy who kept him for about perhaps a month then dropped him off in a cage in front of the pet store. The pet store asked me if I wanted him (I used to haunt the pet store several times a week to see and talk with the birds there, but was a young teenaged mom alone and could not afford the (at that time 350 dollars) for a bird). I said, "I can't afford him, a cage, etc." and they said the meant they wanted to *give* him to me to get him out of their store.

 

I went home with him that day, named him Elliot (after Elliot Gould) and saw how freaked out he was about the cage, and just everything. So I went out to my back yard, cut down a large tree branch, took an old coffee table and used a hole saw to cut a hole in it to put the tree branch in, lined the table with papers, stripped off all the leaves from the branches, put it in my living room and let Elliot out. He went immediately up as high as he could go, where he lived out most of his life.

 

His story is much more long and complex, but suffice it to say that he never did talk, but would give me the sweetest chirps (sort of like rolling your Rs) imaginable and eventually loved showering while on my shoulder with me, and was so gentle he would groom my eyelashes and eyebrows. However, I was never ever able to have him step onto my hand. He was so terrified of hands, gloves, and cages that I used a small branch to have him step from his tree onto, then from there he eventually would happily climb up my arm and onto my shoulder where he was very content to just hang out with me until he decided he was ready to go home.

 

He survived wild football parties during football season (it was the 70's and I was in my very early 20s), he survived my children growing up with boys in and out of the house, wild parties, rock and roll, and tons of people coming and going. He never showed aggression to anyone, but he stayed completely out of reach and would rear back, spread his wings, shove his head forward and give out this loud "rawrk a rack" sound in warning if people closed in on his comfort zone. He ignored most people, was fine with the dog, eventually had a little cockatiel buddy named Samuri that he would actually feed tidbits to, but preferred to keep at foot's distance, and would sell his soul for a bite of a nacho flavored Dorito.

 

He was the first bird love of my life, and taught me so very many things -- about overwhelming fear (his), about fight or flight (his), love, patience, and unconditional acceptance (both of ours). He was/is my only experience up close and personal with a 'zon, (so I can't speak about Amazons as a whole) and he was my friend through young motherhood, through jobs, bills, college, teenagers, and the loss two long lived dogs. To this day, I tear up whenever I see any Amazon, and force myself to look away from the many Craigslist ads.

 

Each bird, like humans, shares much with others of their species and has a predisposition for certain traits. Genetics plays a part, but environment enhances or inhibits temperament and traits. Each bird, while sharing commonalities, is as unique as their environment, their people, and their entire lifetime of experiences.

 

Ray, this is an excellent thread, and is one that is encouraging us all to share the many facets of these wonderful birds.

Edited September 3, 2014 by Inara

[Talon]

Inara....all I can say, is WOW! What a beautiful story and quick synopsis of such a beautiful bond you had. Bless your heart for understanding this precious soul and giving it the best life possible. You never gave up,and I am in awe...

[kittykittykitty]

What a wonderful relationship!

[Timbersmom]

That's a beautiful story Inara! Thanks for sharing

[JeffNOK]

When I first starting researching parrots with the idea of purchasing one, the things I read scared me away from Amazons. Ray is right when he mentions how often aggression is talked about. Males in particular were characterized as being untouchable after the hormones kicked in at 5 or 6. I suspect that many articles are intentionally written to discourage parrot ownership. The horror stories about phobic plucking greys were also numerous. This forum has been a wonderful eye opener for me in terms of life with Amazons. I now would welcome the opportunity to live with an Amazon if the stars aligned just right. I have come to the opinion that horror stories happen when people are unprepared for life with a parrot. When the proper education, dedication, and love are present life with any species of parrot can be a joy for all involved. Cricket, Nilah, Louie, Kiki and others have been wonderful ambassadors and educators.