A LOL Moment..

[AmyMyBlueFront]

...with Amy..

I had to go to the Town Hall and pay my electric/water/sewer bill earlier. So I asked Amy if she wanted to take a ride,of course she did
It was a bit cool for this time of year (66 degrees) and it was raining pretty hard and steady.
I put Amy on my shoulder and stepped out the back door. The rain starts hitting her,and she shakes her head and booty,then spreads her arms out as far as possible,waving them and smackin' me in the head and face.fluffin' herself up and yelling all sorts of amazon gibberish,having the time of her life.

We made the rounds..One lady at the town hall asked if she could pet Amy,I said "I'm not responsible if you get nipped at :52:, Amy lowered her head allowing skritches. I think the woman left in another world lol.
Next stop was the donut factory,where I got a coffee and Amy got her plain munchkin. We sat at a table with friends for about 1.5 hours,and EVERYONE was talking to her,about her and how beautiful she is..made her Dad real proud .
At the local market,she sat on my shoulder as I asked her what she wanted.People were laughing at us when I was asking her if she wanted cherries or raspberries..mini dogs with beans or chicken drum sticks with smashed taters..corn nibs or sweet peas. I spent more money on food for THEM,than I did for myself lol

Everyone she met and interacted with today,were just blown away at how "friendly" she was/is.
THAT is what happens when you socialize your 'zon,my friends



Jim

 

[SailBoat]

And, that heavy knocking at your door is the Amazon Police! Amy's sweet nature has drawn attention, yet again. Year's of extensive work has gone into developing the belief that Amazons are Green Killers and will take on 'hits' just to keep trained to a sharp edge! And, in one swift trip around town Amy has displaced months of efforts.

Warm smiles Amy!

 

[wrench13]

Despite 'Boats misgivings, you 'n Amy are great ambassadors.

 

[LeaKP]

I love this! Nothing is better than showing off with reason with your bird. Amy is amazing! Wish there was video!

 

[Ladyhawk]

...with Amy..



Everyone she met and interacted with today,were just blown away at how "friendly" she was/is.
THAT is what happens when you socialize your 'zon,my friends



Jim

That's a great story and something to aspire to. You've obviously done your job and done it very well.

Here's a story with a less happy ending, but maybe not for Gabby. He ended up wanting only me and he had me. I was with him most of the time.

Thirty-one years ago, I socialized Gabby quite well. He was constantly being held by my college classmates on campus. I took him everywhere except to class, but after a few years, he became untrustworthy with strangers. Perhaps it was the fact he was a DYH and they are generally more excitable. After he drew blood on a stranger and did the same with a prof's daughter (right on the nose! Ouch!), I decided he couldn't be trusted with strangers anymore. He remained part of the family flock for several more years after that, but then became the quintessential one-person bird after my father died and he laid into my mother, scaring her away from personal interaction. He continued to be quite trustworthy with me. In order to keep him interacting with others, they would have to be willing to take some serious bites. The only taker was a guy who wanted to date me. I didn't feel the same way about him and after Gabby mutilated his hand, I decided to call an end to his attempts. What he really wanted was me, anyway, not Gabby.

Now I have a (probably) female blue front. I actually love the fact she is on the petite side. Wow! A one-hand, one-finger Amazon! She needs to be in that harness ASAP so she can be a star like Amy, but I don't want to botch harness training, so I'm trying to be very thorough before actually putting it on her.

You have done an amazing job with your Amazon and I want to see if I can replicate it! I'd like for Kizzy to be a star, too. She deserves every ounce of love she can get.

Is it customary to say, "Zons have more fun!" when ending a post? Amy had more fun! He's a bonafide star. The fact he is a male is quite encouraging! The general consensus is females are a bit easier. I hope that's true. She is already turning into a bit of a bratty Amazon, but I usually discover afterward she was thirty, hungry or simply tired. I think she needs a nap in her nest box every day until she's past the toddler stage.

We all sound like proud parents, don't we? There's nothing wrong with being a crazy bird lady / guy.

 

[Ladyhawk]

And, that heavy knocking at your door is the Amazon Police! Amy's sweet nature has drawn attention, yet again. Year's of extensive work has gone into developing the belief that Amazons are Green Killers and will take on 'hits' just to keep trained to a sharp edge! And, in one swift trip around town Amy has displaced months of efforts.

Warm smiles Amy!

At the risk of feeling even more guilty about Gabby, do you think I could have done anything more to keep him well socialized? I just didn't want to risk any more bites.

 

[wrench13]

Re; harness training. What I have done-- using a piece of pine nut, and adjusting the harness so that it is close to the dimensions that would be in effect once the harness is in place on Kizzy. Then holding the head loop open with two fingers, entice Kizzy to put her head thru the loop to get a proffered treat. At first you can offer the treat just at the opening of the loop, gradually moving the treat further and further away, so she must put her head further and further into the loop. Once there, gradually put her head all the way thru and drape the rest of the harness over her wings and body. That's why I would start with the harness in final dimensions. It desensitized Salty to be comfortable with the harness on. Some parrots take to the harness well, other have to be coerced and some never take to it. Btw, I've been working with Salty for over a year on this, and have only succeeded recently. He freaks a little bit, but no bloody hands , so I am ahead of the game, Jim, sorry for intruding on your thread.

 

[Scott]

I just think it is so cool to take Amy on the rounds and have such a fawning audience! You are both awesome goodwill ambassadors!!

 

[SailBoat]

And, that heavy knocking at your door is the Amazon Police! Amy's sweet nature has drawn attention, yet again. Year's of extensive work has gone into developing the belief that Amazons are Green Killers and will take on 'hits' just to keep trained to a sharp edge! And, in one swift trip around town Amy has displaced months of efforts. Warm smiles Amy!

At the risk of feeling even more guilty about Gabby, do you think I could have done anything more to keep him well socialized? I just didn't want to risk any more bites.

Could you have done more, very likely!

Now, it is more important to understand that you did not have this resource way back then. This group of Amazon Friends that steal time from their Amazons too share what they have learned from their small to huge errors and pass it along so that we do not have to live with that pain. Whether that pain is physical or mental.

Remember, we learn from what not only worked, but what didn't, and what we learn from others who have.

 

[Inger]

And to tag on to Mr. Boats - we do the best we can with what we've got. If you had known differently, you'd have done differently. Don't beat yourself up for providing a bird with a lifetime home!


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[Anansi]

Love this story of your trip around town with Amy, Jim. I've gotten as far as taking Maya for short walks around the neighborhood, but she has become more disenchanted with the harness, again. Guess I let discipline slip during the colder months, so back to the drawing board.

But your story is an inspiring one for getting Maya back on that wagon. Still trying to get the harness on Jolly past the head loop at all, but he still believes it's trying to eat him! Sigh...

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

The harness thing......sighhhh... I know there is a lot of folks here who think it's cruel/birdie abuse on having your fid with short sleeves. ( wings clipped for those who don't understand my odd way of referring about "the kids")
Amy never fledged...that was MY fault..28 years ago I didn't know much about that stuff,so Amy has always been clipped,except in the winter when she doesn't go out anywho.
She has made maybe three or four sad attempts in her years with me.
She WALKS every where though lol..down the hall to the kitchen,across the living room to get in this room,and of course my shoulder or her perch stick.
I don't think not flying bothers her. She goes every where with me. She seems very happy indeed when we are out and about. Still...I watch you tube vids of BF's/'zon's free flying,even watching Kizzy flapflapflapping to Ms LadyHawk, puts a knot in my belly because THIS is what birdies were made to do! FLY!!!!
I feel I have cheated Amy out of her basic fundamental right..to do what she was born to do...




Jim

 

[Anansi]

Don't beat yourself up, Jim. 28 years ago there were a lot of people who didn't know much about the importance of fledging. Heck, there are a ton of people who don't know much about it now.

Thing is, you've always striven to give her the best life you could with what you've known at the time. And that's the best any of us can hope to do for our birds. Believe me, you have no idea how badly I wish I knew back when I got my cockatiel years ago what I do now. I got some things right, but there are a few other things I'd have done much differently. But like I said, it's what you know at the time. know what I mean?

 

[Inger]

I will second what Anansi said. I had a ringneck a dozen or so years ago and I did almost everything wrong. He came to me with problems, I had no idea how to help him, he got worse, and eventually I rehomed him. The only thing I did *right* was not feed him a seed diet. His diet wasn't GOOD, it just wasn't 100% seed.

I often feel guilty about poor Pee Wee. Had I known any better, he might have had a much better life. But I didn't and I'm sorry but I can't change it.

Bumble, on the other hand, has it pretty good thanks to all the help I've found here.


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[Ladyhawk]

I will second what Anansi said. I had a ringneck a dozen or so years ago and I did almost everything wrong. He came to me with problems, I had no idea how to help him, he got worse, and eventually I rehomed him. The only thing I did *right* was not feed him a seed diet. His diet wasn't GOOD, it just wasn't 100% seed.

I often feel guilty about poor Pee Wee. Had I known any better, he might have had a much better life. But I didn't and I'm sorry but I can't change it.

Bumble, on the other hand, has it pretty good thanks to all the help I've found here.


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I once had to re-home a Senegal parrot I'd had for 11 years because she was viciously aggressive toward Gabby. We had a love triangle and I couldn't resolve it. I felt SO guilty. I still feel guilty. Once she had a home, I felt so guilty, I never contacted the new owners. It's not that I didn't care. It's that I cared very much and still failed. Maybe if I'd had a good bird forum back then someone could have helped me figure it out. Or maybe my little Senegal would have had to be re-homed anyway. I don't know.

I don't talk about her much because of how sad and guilty it makes me feel. I'm sure I did something wrong. If I'd been on a forum like this, someone would have mentioned something I was doing or not doing and I would have re-thought the problem. Maybe Darla would still have been re-homed, but earlier, before the serious problems started. Or perhaps she would still be with me now. I don't know. I tried to banish memories of her, but lately I've been watching bird videos. Sometimes I see Senegals and I remember all the cute things she used to do. I hope she's still OK. Maybe I was right that she needed to be in a home where she was the only pet.