Activity Ideas for my BF Amazon

[sherylb]

Hello,

Can anyone recommend some training or activity books with ideas on interacting with Amazons? I play with my new baby...He is 15 weeks. I've had him for 2 weeks. He fears nothing and is already nosey and curious about everything. I notice he eats when he is bored. He does have lots of toys and a tree. I'd like to do some activities with him and training. He doesn't have a favorite treat yet since he's new to chop and pellets but he loves anyting I give him but no favorites yet. He steps up really well until he knows it's bedtime....he doens't like bedtime at all. Anyway, I'd like to know what other people do for activities to play and interact with their Amazons? Thanks

 

[Anita1250]

My Sam will be 37 this February. I have had him from 11 weeks!
He loves to play rough. He has a number of bells and rubber parrot balls with bells in them. We run around the cage and ring the bells, and he runs after us to grab each bell as we touch it. Then, we shake the rubber balls and he attacks them while the bells ring. Anything with a ringing bell is fair game. We also play catch. I ball up a paper bag and throw it to him. He then throws it back. We can do that for hours.

He also plays by himself. Again, he will hang upside down and attack the bells so they ring really loud. All the while, he is laughing or yelling Hello. He is a real character.

 

[Betrisher]

Now would be a good time to try potty training him (instructions here on the site). You could also begin target training in a very laid back sort of way.

Maybe teach him to climb a rope? An interest in ropes is a great thing for a parrot (not all have it) because it's one thing they can always play on and burn off steam. I began by dangling a rope in front of my bird and then gently picking her up with it when she'd latched on. Before I knew it, she was climbing and swinging joyfully on my rope! As the bird climbs up the rope, you can reach down and take hold of the loose end so you effectively have birdie on a swing between your hands. Don't you do the swinging: just let your bird discover and enjoy the sensation and he'll do the rest! As time went on, I eye-spliced a wooden ring to the end of Rosetta's rope and she was able to use that as a sort of swing/trapeze, depending on whether she hung upside down or not. That was a wonderful toy until she turned the wooden ring into matchwood. I'm looking to find another one.

Other ideas:
- If you can get paper cups, cupcake papers or the tiny paper cups they give medication in, you can put treats under some and not under others, letting your bird search and find the goodies.
- Wrap treats in paper packets and hide them (along with plenty of empty packets) in a basket of shredded paper or coiled rope or just stuff, leaving birdie to find his treats.
- I've just bought a whole lot of baby toys for my birds. The Alexes especially love the kind of toy that plays a sound when you press a button. Madge will sit for hours just pressing button after button and listening to the sounds. It gets pretty annoying, but she obviously loves it, so who am I to argue?
- cargo nets are fun, especially when free-hanging (ie. not against a wall). There are instructions in our DIY section.
- ladders are also fun. You can make one out of rope with beads or wooden dowels or you can make a traditional ladder with flat side slats and round dowels edged into holes. Bigger birds (such as your Amazon) really enjoy lo-oo-ong ladders. My hubby made a three-foot ladder for our Galah and he had a ball climbing up, down and around it. Until he ate the darned thing. Hubby has made a similar ladder for our corella and she's half-way through eating it atm.
- swings? You can either hang a loop of rope from the cage roof or make/buy a swinging perch. Or you can get a cane ring and hang that from the roof with the plastic interlocking links they make for babies.
- My birds enjoy fossicking about in their rummage baskets (just a wire plant hanger lined with cereal box cardboard and filled with small cardboard boxes, egg cartons, TP tubes, bits of bark and gumnuts from our trees and pieces of cut-up wood, which they like to turn into splinters.
- I don't know how Amazons play, but my corella loves baby rattles (and, indeed, anything that makes a loud noise). She races drunkenly around her cage with a red bangle round her neck and waving her red wooden maraca in her beak, looking like Carmen Miranda on steroids! I buy cheap plastic bangles from thrift shops and Rosetta goes through them at a disturbing rate. I don't know why she likes to wear them, but she does, so...
- just recently, I made a makeshift 'ladder' in the corners of both cages. All I did was harvest some inch-thick branches which had fallen from my trees and cut them into foot lengths. I gouged a notch out of each end and fastened them horizontally across the corners. The birds enjoy climbing these ladders rather than trying to climb the vertical bars on the cages.

It's been my experience that the very best toys for my birds are the ones I make to satisfy what they seem to want to do. Expensive bought toys usually just sit there and are rarely used, but my home-made ones are really popular. My best advice is to watch your bird and see what he enjoys to do most. If he likes to make a racket, get him noisy toys. If he likes to climb, get him ladders and interesting perches. If he likes to swing, get him ropes or hang swings for him. Probably the best toy you'll ever give him is your time. Start teaching and rewarding him now and you'll lay a great foundation for a well-behaved and self-motivated bird.

 

[Kiwibird]

Congratulations on your young BFA! How fun! Mine is around 21 now (adopted at 10 y/o, so never knew him as a baby) and he’s still full of energy, nosy, curious and into everything�� Trait of the species. They are very intelligent birds.

While most amazons will eventually learn the rules of the house, as they are flock birds and want to fit in/be accepted by their flock, they don’t typically do as well with trick-type training as other species. Or more accurately put, aren’t as eager per say to learn what they think is a pointless skill. The best activities for interacting with amazons, IMO, is simply finding ways to include them in your daily activities. They are hugely driven to want to fit into their flock, so that can always be used to your advantage. For example, my bird enjoys nothing more than a clean, empty pen “shell” (ink and any small parts removed) if I’m writing or drawing or a clean toothbrush handle (bristles removed) if I’m getting ready, or hand him a wet measuring spoon to mess with while doing dishes (any toy for him must be wet when dishes are being done since all my “toys” are also wet. Obviously). He wants to “mimic” our behaviors because we are his “flock”, even if he doesn’t quite grasp what is being done. When sitting on the couch with us, we bring a few small foot toys with us and hand him one every so often. He especially enjoys flinging the toys and watching me retrieve it for him (who’s trained who here?).

And of course, he plays by himself too. My bird is not a big chewer of wood and prefers small objects he can hold in his foot and explore with his beak. I keep a few small plastic baskets and bowls around his cage area full of oversized beads and buttons and tops and those big plastic screws etc... He also likes foraging puzzle toys. The poster above says her BFA really loves bells so he has lots of bells (mine could care less about bells). Some will love toys they can chew up and destroy. You need to try your bird on all kinds of toys to see what he likes best. They do have preferences!

I also strongly recommend having some kind of portable perch so your bird can be wherever you are and stay close by, but, you know, not necessarily terrorizing whatever your doing lol. I also recommend stick training as a MUST, as in, he learns to ride on a stick as well as on you. A plain old wood dowel cut to 24” in length works well for this task. Keep it as part of your routine, so he never feels it’s a punishment or anything. This will serve you well come puberty in a few years when he is hormonal and needs to be moved without risk of biting. They can’t really help when they feel when hormones surge as it’s better to prevent bites than address them after the fact. A stick provides a good solution for transporting an angry, hormonal bird.

 

[SailBoat]

Truly great advise provided above...

And, yes, they truly do want to be part of what is going on, to be part of the family (flock). We have a perch in near every room and our Amazon will fly from room to room as we move about. Yes, everything takes longer when your Amazon is part of the process, but that is also part of the joy of being family.

Amazons are all different in what they enjoy. Building both their ability to play with you and on their own is very important.

For an idea of what you can involve your Amazon in, see this Thread in the Amazon Forum: Right now Salty is.....

The more you include your Amazon, the more enjoyment everyone will have.

Please, also read to your Amazon... They love it!
Also, read both Sticky Threads at the top of the Amazon Forum and come back to them often as they will only improve your Loving and Caring for Amazons (and other parrots).

Enjoy...

 

[sherylb]

Thanks sooo much everyone!! Wonderful advice that I will use ! He is 15 weeks and already loves the shower, gets on the counter with me when I make salad because he loves spinach! He’s sooo nosey! He’s very playful and loves when I sing to him....he will be singing I’m sure!! He’s so different than my quaker and IRN but I love them all!!

 

[Anita1250]

Oh yeah, I forgot the singing. My Sam is the only being in the world who appreciates my singing. I cannot carry a tune, but he loves it! I sing to him all the time, and he bops and dances while I do. What fun!

 

[wrench13]

Amazons are capable of doing some amazing things. Playing pool. Riding a tricycle. picking the Kings out of a deck of cards. Playing piano. Play with your baby now, and get into a routine with him, a routine that includes a structured time for learning. They LOVE to learn new things.

Saltys latest video.

[ame="https://youtu.be/EBUAsXLQFCo"]https://youtu.be/EBUAsXLQFCo[/ame]

I'm in the process of teaching Salty to read. Yes, read.

 

[noodles123]

Hiding stuff in coffee filters, climbing activities, foraging toys that you can find online, screw-type toys might interest him but not sure if you want to teach that skill lol! You could work on color matching, sorting etc...I have heard ice-cream cones (the flaky, non-sugary kind that is kind of foamy) can make great foraging holders for things. More or less with dotted cards (has to touch the correct answer to get the reward)...basketball, songs...

HARNESS TRAINING!!!

 

[Betrisher]

I'm amazed at Salty's abilities! He's a STAR! Please add me to his fan club (wonder if he does autographs?). XX

 

[sherylb]

I'm so impressed and I want to teach my Finley these things. I've had him almost 3 weeks. He still a little fearful of new surfaces. How do I go about teaching? He doesn't have a favorite treat yet.

 

[SailBoat]

IMHO "Teaching" really doesn't happen until your dear Parrot has a Trust In You! And, the very first thing on the list should be "Step Up" everything starts from there and can move forward from that point! It is also where one comes back to when a issue arrises.

My very first Amazon eat my fingers for what seemed like months, until one day, she lifted my finger and stepped up on the other finger. To this day, I think that she, in the end, felt sorry for me...

 

[wrench13]

Right you are, 'Boats,StepUp is the first lesson. Sheryl thats the first thing to teach Finly, and its thee one command that has to be heeded, every time you request it. Fun tricks like in the video I always allow Salty refuse it if he dosen't want to do it, but Step Up is one that has to be almost a reflex when you ask him for it. As far as training treats I use shelled pine nuts, get them in the local supermarket, and cut them in half or thirds. Most parrots LOVE them. Basically you 'bribe' him to step up, holding the treat in one hand and the other hand between the treat and Finley. Treat and verbal praise (very important) every time he dose it, and then wean him off the pine nuts for this command. Its the one that should become almost a reflex when you ask himfor it, because you may need to remove him quickly in an emergency or if the area heis in is dangerous like in the kitchen when someone is cooking.

To get Finley comfortable in his newhome,take a stroll with him to all the rooms in your house. Shor him what mirrors are, let him tap his beak on them, same for windows. Play explorer with him.

When you are playing with hin keep aware of his temperment, Amazons get into "Overload" when they get excited and when they get to that point they can get bitey quickly. If he does, put him immediatly on a chair back and walk away,with no eye contact for a minute, no more ( or he will forget the lesson). He willl quickly learn that bit9ng is a no no.

There is so much good info in this forum you can really get essential stuff starting with the stickys at the top of the Amazon subforum here, Amazon Body Language is one, and I Love Amazons (by Mr Sailboats himself) are keys to a great relationship with your healthy, well behaved and loving Amazon. Pick a quiet time in you home, and read them out loud in a gentle voice while he is in his cage. For some reason they love being read to.

 

[sherylb]

This is all so good!! I do take him into other rooms. I take him in the shower with me. He steps up on my most of the time except when he thinks it's bedtime because he doesn't like bedtime OR being in is cage. He wants on his tree most of the time. He is only 16 weeks and doesn't have a favorite treat yet. He likes ALL food, anything I give him!! He is amazing and he loves when I sing to him. I will do the reading too! Thank you !!

 

[sherylb]

I may have started a bad habit??? I let him and my other birds out of their cage in the morning....they are all clipped. Finley is out of his cage until bed or when I have to go out of the house. SHould I have him in his cage more??

 

[Kiwibird]

I may have started a bad habit??? I let him and my other birds out of their cage in the morning....they are all clipped. Finley is out of his cage until bed or when I have to go out of the house. SHould I have him in his cage more??

I don’t see why you’d want him in his cage more if he behaves while out? My BFA is “free range” during the day. He is only in his cage overnight and only then so he can be covered so the lights don’t keep him up. Been doing that for years. We don’t even put him up when we leave the house (though I understand that may not work for all birds/situations).

 

[Birdmom12]

I think captive foraging for their meals is one of the best activities/stimulation you can give a bird. Working their minds and feeding as much of their natural instincts as possible helps keep them healthy and happy.

 

[LucyBird]

I laughed every time I heard his laugh. He is the best! Makes me want to quit my day job and stay home with my bird all the time. I'm looking forward to showing Lucy some of Salty's videos to inspire her!!

Amazons are capable of doing some amazing things. Playing pool. Riding a tricycle. picking the Kings out of a deck of cards. Playing piano. Play with your baby now, and get into a routine with him, a routine that includes a structured time for learning. They LOVE to learn new things.

Saltys latest video.

https://youtu.be/EBUAsXLQFCo

I'm in the process of teaching Salty to read. Yes, read.