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newparrotmom
Egg
Joined: 15 Oct 2005
Posts: 1
Location: Raleigh, NC |
| New Parrot Mom! |
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Hey all!! My name is Abby! My husband and I just recently (like yesterday) adopted a Yellow Naped Amazon! A lady that brings her pets to the clinic I work at - decided to find a home for her bird. I don't really know much about her other than the bird used to be her mothers bird - and I believe she is about 40 years old. She hasn't been allowed to go outside of her cage for about 6 months  Her beak needs dremeled and her nails need a trim - but she is already talking to me and singing. The only issue I am having is stepping up - she seems really apprehensive to let me touch her - I know that this will take some time - but I was wondering how much time. She is a sweet bird - and we are very excited to see he be happy and spread her wings! Any help that you could give me - would be wonderful!!! I am completely a dog person and have NNOOO clue about birds! Thanks!!! |
Saturday October 15, 2005 7:23 pm |
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Demeter
Flutterer
Joined: 13 Aug 2005
Posts: 152
Location: Southern New Jersey/Near Philly |
Welcome to the forum, and this is a great place to start for information. Firstly, I would like to warn you, birds are addictive 
It would take 500 hours to type up all the information I have gotten from books and the internet....and I am pretty new
Definately do alot of surfing the web for info along with read many of these forum topics, tons and tons of great info.
The only kind of "real" info I can give you is.....alot of patience, especially if the bird is not used to being handled, it will take time, but once you get that special bond, there are no words to describe it. Good Luck with your new amazon, you'll love it! |
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Saturday October 15, 2005 11:30 pm |
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Chaquita's Mom
Experienced flier
Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 1028
Location: Pennsylvania, USA |
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Hello Abby! Welcome to the forum! Your story is almost identicle to mine! Chaquita came from a loving home, but unfortunately did not have much time with her and I have no clue as to how long it has been since she was out of her cage till I got her. The only handling she had was head scratches . They kept her fed and her cage clean. She didn't even get spritzes. AND she is around 26 years old. She's passed hands a few times but the people I got her off of had her for about 11 years. I heard she used to all kinds of things, like go on bike rides and stuff but everyone got too busy.
Anyway, she came into my life about 4 months ago and she's doing great!! I personally think that when they are as old as our birds, they've out grown some of the wilder behaviors like younger birds. They're more set in their ways and mature a bit. Chaquita is pretty laid back. She doesn't throw her food all over the place and isn't as destructive as most other birds and doesn't have a problem with bedtime. She's seen a lot and experienced a lot and doesn't get shocked when something changes.
Now, in just our 4 months, she steps up without me even telling her too, I can pet her back and chest, grab her beak and hold it, she showers with me, gets spritzes (she used to be terrified of getting spritzed because previous owners would full stream her as punishment to shut up ), she sits on my shoulder, lets me give her kisses on her back, I can physically pick her up and turn her upside down, the list goes on...........
I would have to say, give him about a week to start stepping up. I'm sure he is familiar with this command, he just needs to get familiar with you. It could take longer. Oh, BTW, Chaquita is a YNA too And I was a first time parrot owner, with excessive research.
You may want to give him a breed select diet. A lot of people have access to Harrisons pellets. I feed Chaquita Kaytee Exact Organic. Don't change his food overnight, do it gradually. An all seed diet is very unhealthy for the long hull and your bird isn't young. So you definately want to feed him right! He has anywhere from 20-40 years left With proper care and nutrition. Let your avian vet do some bloodwork on him to see where he stands on health and possible nutritional ailments. Offer fresh fruits and veggies. He may not touch them right away, give these time too. Just keep offering in different forms. Spritz him daily, change food daily and water. Toss out day old food. Keep cage free of poo.
I hope this helps you out for now. Please keep in contact with us with progress and questions! You can check out Chaquita's diary  |
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Sunday October 16, 2005 1:02 am |
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Fluffy Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10063
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| Re: New Parrot Mom! |
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Hi Abby,
welcome here!
Congrats on your yellow naped amazon!
What do you mean with 'touch her'? Do you try to pet her?
Perhaps you can stick to stepping up? Some birds don't like scritches.. They mostly like to hang around with their human companions..
Do you have photos? You can add them by making a diary page or homepage..
Please follow the link below to find out how!
http://www.fluffies.org/en/viewforum.php?f=32
I hope you'll stick around on this board.. I'm sure you'll find out that parrots are wonderful creatures! |
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Monday October 17, 2005 1:06 pm |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6672
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
Hi Abby 
Welcome to the forum & to the amazing world of companion birds & their parronts! I'm sure you're going to love it! |
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Monday October 17, 2005 1:13 pm |
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Parfie
Fledgeling
Joined: 14 Oct 2005
Posts: 387
Location: Prineville, Oregon, USA |
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Welcome to you and your new Fid! (Feathered kid)
Make sure to have plenty of patience.. if the bird is 40, you have no idea for sure how many homes it's had or if it's had any maltreatment etc...... be patient.... talking, singing etc.. is a sign of 'comfort' .. they are ok in their environment.. just maybe not with you yet.
The stick idea is great - if you take a dowel and gently push it up under the tummy in front of the feet, it can cause the bird to step up. Make sure you use the words Step Up and then reward if they do it - have some Sunflower Seeds (unsalted) on hand to do this.
Amazons do not generally like to be touched on their backs or wings and usually only liked to be 'scritched' around the head/neck area. Some are better than others about this... my YNA allows me everything.. Lucy my DYH will allow most everything - back/wings out, and Babe DYH will allow almost nothing (the tard - I worked with him when he was a baby, but he doesn't like it AT ALL!).
Sometimes they are just intimidated by us huge creatures compared to them.. get on your knees and ask her to step up - so she thinks she's in the superior position.. then slowly work your way up from there.
Another option is - if shes' in a portable cage.. take that cage to a quiet, well lit room. Sit on the floor with her in her cage and then open the door. Talk softly and gently to her and wait until she comes out of her cage. See if she will step up then. Sometimes with the cage on the floor (assuming it's on a cage stand or table or something) they are anxious to be higher and will do most anything to get there - including your hand! Please wait at least 2 weeks til you try this method of trying to get her to step up. This one is last resort.. as you WANT her to be comfy in her surroundings and taking her to a diff room that she's not seen before is another 'stressor'.
I always say 'Come're'... then Step Up to my fids.. so they know while I'm approaching that I'm going to be asking them to step up when I get it open. Great thing too - they have a chance to go potty - get a drink or food or whatever, before they come out! Just don't be suprised later when they say "Come're Mama" Wanna Step Up? Or my personal Fav - Wanna come to Mama?
They aren't like the pets we all knew growing up - dogs, cats..etc.. we wanna get em out and snuggle up to them and have them instantly love us.. and with the fids it's just different and the most BASIC rule is TRUST and when you have that - you'll be GREAT with your new FID - GRATZ to you and hubby and Welcome here again! |
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Thursday October 20, 2005 5:03 pm |
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Chaquita's Mom
Experienced flier
Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 1028
Location: Pennsylvania, USA |
Chaquita let's me pet her all over. I'll place my hands against her wings and kiss her back and wings. She lets me rub her belly, feet and under her wings. She's quite tolerant of being touched. |
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Friday October 21, 2005 12:34 pm |
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Parfie
Fledgeling
Joined: 14 Oct 2005
Posts: 387
Location: Prineville, Oregon, USA |
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Many are CM A lot of it is to do with trust.. I have noticed that it seems different in male zons vs females - they just aren't as tolerant in the cuddly area.
I just wanted to make sure our poster knew she couldn't get her to step up and then expect to cuddle cuz that takes work and trust... especially with her bird not being able to be out of the cage for 6 months!
It sounds like you did a great job with Chaquita I am so happy for you both, I think they are wonderful Billie will let me touch her all over.. under the wings.. and legs and all that.. And she'll coo when I'm givin her lovins and go to sleep Lucy is a no go for back/wings because her previous owner accidently broke one of her wings trying to give her a wing clipping... he was really good and gentle, the towel just got caught the wrong way Otherwise she's good about letting me touch toes and feet and chest and head.. but the sec I go near the wings, I get that opened beak saying 'you better not Mom'. Okies. Babe (M) is the least tolerant of them all - he just doesn't want a whole lot other than head scritches, and while I raised him to be touched all over - he does not care for it at all!
They each have their own thing, and while I agree it's in how they are raised, Billie and Babe were both hand raised by me, and Billie was my first - so I was obviously quite a bit more experienced (I had fed numerous other kinds of birds and raised them etc...) before Babe, and so I knew 'more' of what I was doing with him and he turned out the most 'off' out of all the ones I have. I have 'yet' to figure this out. Someday... he too shall come around I'm a persistent Mom! heh |
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Friday October 21, 2005 3:58 pm |
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