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LaSignoraMusica
Bappie
Joined: 26 Feb 2005
Posts: 62
Location: The Netherlands |
The first amazon arrived today. His breast feathers look a little ruffled: because he was nearly bored to death he plucked his feathers every now and then, saying: "Ouch!" every time he did it. The lady who owned him, removed the feather from his cage, so that he couldn't chew on it. So sad, he had no toys at all, and was standing in a corner in the bedroom when I found him. He was so loudly asking for attention, that the lady couldn't stand it anymore. Making a phonecall was impossible...I already gave him a palm nut, juvenile formula and some pellets, but I suspect Tabu, my african grey, of having already entered Lorre's cage and stealing some of the food...She's getting naughty these days! |
Wednesday March 30, 2005 4:20 pm |
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Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10102
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Hey there!
That's great to hear..
You'll get his breast feathers ok, I have no doubts about that!
I think he'll be too busy with other things to touch his feathers..
Did you see Lorre eating the juvenile formula? Just wondering. As this is very good stuff to help Lorre recovering.
Give her a winged hug from me pls.
I have split the topic so Lorre has her 'own' topic. Or is Lorre a mister? |
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Wednesday March 30, 2005 5:05 pm |
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LaSignoraMusica
Bappie
Joined: 26 Feb 2005
Posts: 62
Location: The Netherlands |
They had no idea if Lorre is a "Mrs." or a "Mr.". They never saw him/her doing anything like creeping in a dark corner, although his/her late master made him/her sit on his shoulder and scratched teh bird's head. This bird has always been rather shy. Of course, this bird is caught in the rainforest some 50 years ago. But they didn't know much about taming birds, I fear. I just came home, and the birds were still awake. The Juvenile in Lorre's food container just seemed to be licked on, the pellets looked untouched, just like a piece of carrot next to it. So I filled the container with his/her own sunflower seeds. The bird didn't really eat after that. He just sat there, in front of the food, his right foot up in the air scratching in a strange way. Tabu was on top of the cage. So I closed the cage. Tomorrow morning I will throw the seeds away, and start all over again. This bird was used to eat potatoes and everything from his master's table. |
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Wednesday March 30, 2005 8:55 pm |
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Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10102
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What a sad story.. 
I am glad to hear that his juvenile seems to be licked on.. That's a good start, isn't it?
The pellets will follow.. No doubt about that!
Potatoes? Perhaps you can offer sweet potatoes? I have heard these contain more vitamins..  |
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Thursday March 31, 2005 6:20 am |
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LaSignoraMusica
Bappie
Joined: 26 Feb 2005
Posts: 62
Location: The Netherlands |
He just tried some Juvenile from my spoon, saying "Lekker, hè? ( isn't that delicious?)" He has also been ( by accident, because Tabu attacked him and I saved him) on my rope perch, and I used that to go outside with him. His wings aren't clipped, but after 45-50 years in a cage he can't fly anymore. At least: at this moment. Who knows what he will be capable of as soon as he recovered? |
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Thursday March 31, 2005 2:27 pm |
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Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10102
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Hi there!
Will you clip his wings? Or will you leave him this way for the time being? I'd be very cautious!
Great! So he is eating or at least nibbling from the juvenile? And he is obviously impressed by it.. He he he!
Is he less shy than Tabu when it comes to talking? |
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Friday April 1, 2005 8:31 am |
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LaSignoraMusica
Bappie
Joined: 26 Feb 2005
Posts: 62
Location: The Netherlands |
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This amazon had absolutely nothing to do. So he started talking, and thus drove his owner mad. It was impossible for her to have a normal conversation, especially at the phone. Yes, he's a good talker, and when he is nervous, he starts babbling like an idiot, especially when someone with a loud voice comes near. Well, that was yesterday. He's learning fast, and today the same person came in, and Borre made just a few little noises. Sometimes he whistles and sings, just because he likes it. Tabu sometimes talks because she likes trying out new sounds, and sometimes she uses it to manipulate. Tabu whistles when she has fun on the bicycle, or in a shop that she particularly likes. But she refuses to say anything on command! Well, it's her choice of course! She is already very obedient, gentle, a little treasure...And so is Borre! Today we went to say hello to the vet nearby, who knows a little more about parrots than the average vet, and Borre climbed on his shoulder, cheek to cheek with him, eyes half closed, and even lied down a bit! So sweet! |
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Friday April 1, 2005 5:13 pm |
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Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10102
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It's fun to read about Borre.. It's funny how they all respond on some stress factor in a different way..
Wow! What a sweetheart he is! He obviously had a lack of attention.. He seems to thrive now.. Great to hear that!
Please keep us updated about your adventures with Borre.. Perhaps with some photos? |
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Saturday April 2, 2005 9:56 am |
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LaSignoraMusica
Bappie
Joined: 26 Feb 2005
Posts: 62
Location: The Netherlands |
Hmmm that little sweetheart proved to have had a partner-relationship with his late master. I spoke to Hooimeijer yesterday, whom I met at the Dutch Avian Symposium. He explained this behaviour as a lack of respect from the bird's side towards the vet, in response to an obvious lack of respect from the vet's side, by asking me: "Is he a nice bird?" Yesterday morning I tried if Borre would step onto my arm from his cage. He did, but bended forward and jammed his beak into my arm. Of course I pretended to feel nothing, and Borre chewed desperately on my arm, until I decided that it was enough, and I kindly asked him to step unto the rope perch. Which he did, and my arm was released...I took the birds upstairs for a shower, and spent some time massaging my arm in order to prevent bruses showing up. Later Borre stepped on the rope perch and enjoyed his bath. |
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Sunday April 3, 2005 8:16 am |
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Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10102
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Ouch! That must have hurt big time! Those amazons can bite sooo hard! Senegals can bite hard, but I bet those amazons are even better in this.
(I was bitten by my Senegal just some days ago, when I was nervous)
Nice of Borre to let you go 'on command'.. How's your arm now? |
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Sunday April 3, 2005 9:43 am |
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LaSignoraMusica
Bappie
Joined: 26 Feb 2005
Posts: 62
Location: The Netherlands |
Hmmm my arm isn't that black and blue...just a little wound where the upper part of his beak went in, and one or two little marks where the lower part went into my skin. A little blue, but not that bad...I met Dr. hooimeijer on the bird symposium, and he showed me HIS arm, with a much larger wound, also caused by an amazon. And I had a talk with one of the speakers, a professor from the veterinary clinic, and he already had seen that I own parrots. "Well, I won't show you my arms, they're just as bad" he said. "that's one risk of working with parrots!" Ok so I'm in good company! But I notice that I already start manipulating Borre, distract his attention when he wants to bite, making him step on the rope, from the rope on a towel, lay a towel over him and pull it back, making him get in or out his cage etc. |
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Sunday April 3, 2005 8:25 pm |
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danabird
Flier
Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 977
Location: Northwest Fla |
| Interesting Story |
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I'm home from work and not tired yet and thought I would catch up on the postings.
Alot about your bird sounds like with one of my amazons "Cleo". Some days I got bit and some days I didn't. I kept saying it was my fault because each time I misread the signs of Cleo getting ready to bit me.
One morning I went to take the birds out to the flight cage for a day in the fresh air and when i asked Cleo to step up she did but then as you said she just leaned over and lached onto my thumb and dug in with that bottom of her beak. I remembered reading that you aren't suppose to show that it hurts or yell or anything so I was really holding myslef back all the while tears ran down my cheeks. I put her in the carrier and she steped off. I took my hand and looked at it and knew I had a deep bite. I went into the bathroom and closed the door and cried! It hurt so bad.
Well after a few days this turned black and blue and red and really hurt. I started treating it with stronger medicine cause the nurses at work said it looked like a bad bite too. A few more days went by and my husband finally saw it and asked "How much longer are you going to let that bird bite you and leave scares on your hands?" I told him it was me and he told me I better do something or he and I would start having problems about Cleo.
Well to make a long story short Cleo wanted to be with my sun conure Sunny and so I decided to let them live together along with a cockatiel we had named Buddy. They all 3 lived in this really big cage I have. One of those big King Cages. Well she stoped biting and I never had a problem with her until Sunny died.
After Sunny and Buddy died I had to put Cleo outside to live because she screamed so bad and wasn't eating and would put her head under her wing. I think she was greiving for those dead friends. Well I bought Ramsey and now Cleo and Ramsey are friends and live outside in the flight cage. I hate to say it but when I have tried to get her to step up she will not do it anymore. She won't let me scratch her heard either. I sorry if she is mad at me but I had to make some changes before I relly got hurt bad and couldn't use my hands. I am a CNA at a nursing home so I have to use my hands all the time. Cleo and Sunny are in the phots along with Cleo and her new friend Ramsey. I'm just sorry that it didn't work out so she could stay in the house. But my husband sid at least she got a large flight cage and another amazon friend and he thinks she is happy with that.  |
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Monday April 4, 2005 6:30 am |
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Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10102
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Hmmm no easy job to be an avian vet I guess!
But then again, they get to meet all kinds of wonderful birds!
Nice to hear about the way you work with Borre! |
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Monday April 4, 2005 8:05 am |
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LaSignoraMusica
Bappie
Joined: 26 Feb 2005
Posts: 62
Location: The Netherlands |
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This morning Borre stepped rather easily on the rope. I played the "towel game" with Tabu as an example. She feels so happy when I compliment her about how clever she is! After Tabu it was Borre's turn, and I could nearly wrap him up as a package in the towel. I quickly unwrapped him, made him lots of compliments and asked him to step on the rope, which he gladly did. Today there was a lot of stress, because of the neighbours, who are still determined to get me out of my house. Now they had problems with the dog. But the weather was fine, and I thought it would be good to get some sunshine with Borre. So I asked him to step on the rope from the top of his cage. And he did it! I took him outside, but didn't dare to take him too far, however, because his wings aren't clipped yet. Since yesterday he discovered that he is still able to fly! We arrived back home safely, and there he got some Juvenile formula. He nearly hummed while eating, and soon he ate his pellets as well! Hurray! So Borre's really getting there! And now his wings have to be clipped... |
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Monday April 4, 2005 10:55 pm |
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LaSignoraMusica
Bappie
Joined: 26 Feb 2005
Posts: 62
Location: The Netherlands |
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Danabird, I saw the pics of your amazons. You're lucky to have a large flight outside. Yes, as soon as birds are forming groups, or couples, tehy start communicating as birds. Parrots are genetically exactly the same as they are in the wild, that is: not domesticated. When we are working with a bird, we work with a wild creature. Parrots that bite, do so for various reasons. Mostly because they feel insecure. They defend their position, to keep others at distance, or they try to control the situation. Insecurity can be caused by change of situation, stress etc. Borre was used to nothing bu sitting in or on his cage. He developed some partnership with his old master. He used him as some living perch, and didn't really have respect for him. He let him scratch his head, and when he fell off the cage he let him pick him up from the ground. He bit the others in the house, who were obviously yelling at him. When the master died, the bird felt attached to the brother of his late master's wife. So another more or less partnership. Now I'm teaching the bird to feel secure without any partnership with me, but with mutual respect. I'm doing training games to make him bite less hard. My african grey Tabu was already very gentle, but becomes even more gentle because of teh games.
Cleo had some nice relationship with Sunny, but seemingly not really a partnership. She still had some relationship with you. Before that it seems that she also had insecurity problems. Now it seems to me that Cleo and Ramsey are really partners, and scratching the head is an intimate gesture in teh birds'world, something you do to your partner. They accept you in their territory, but don't really interact with you as pets anymore. This is exactly the reason, why Dr. Hooimeijer advises to have just one pet amazon. So I stick to Borre...Thanks for the story, BTW, this was very interesting to read! |
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Monday April 4, 2005 11:12 pm |
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