Advice please!! Adopted a Female Northern Mealy Amazon

[SweetRose25]

Hello everyone!

I need some advice please! I just adopted Azul, she’s a female Northern Mealy Amazon and she wasn’t abused I don’t think but definitely neglected when it comes to human interaction. We flew out to California from Tennessee to get her last weekend and then drove back as we couldn’t take her on the plane. So she definitely had a scary move! she’s terrible sweet and will step up if forced to (she didn’t mind too much to step up for her previous owner[a teenage boy]) She’s quite scared if I get too close but will let me walk up to her cage now without backing up. How do I gain her trust or form a better bond as she’s only ever bonded with the other birds her owner had. She’s not interested in treats that I’ve tried yet. She does eat but it seems she’s just not crazy over food like I’ve read other amazons are. She didn’t get enough nutrition at her old place(he said he only gave her a handful or so of seeds mixed with some fruit a day) but she won’t touch any fruits or veggies that I’ve tried..(I feed her Higgins Safflower Gold Parrot Blend) what can I do to make her more comfortable and trust me? I sit beside her cage most of the day and talk to her.. and play instrumental music for her since she likes it so well.. any and all advice is greatly appreciated! (It can be other advice too that might be helpful!) I want her comfy in her new home!
Thanks in Advance!

 

[SweetRose25]

Hello everyone!

I need some advice please! I just adopted Azul, she’s a female Northern Mealy Amazon and she wasn’t abused I don’t think but definitely neglected when it comes to human interaction. We flew out to California from Tennessee to get her last weekend and then drove back as we couldn’t take her on the plane. So she definitely had a scary move! she’s terrible sweet and will step up if forced to (she didn’t mind too much to step up for her previous owner[a teenage boy]) She’s quite scared if I get too close but will let me walk up to her cage now without backing up. How do I gain her trust or form a better bond as she’s only ever bonded with the other birds her owner had. She’s not interested in treats that I’ve tried yet. She does eat but it seems she’s just not crazy over food like I’ve read other amazons are. She didn’t get enough nutrition at her old place(he said he only gave her a handful or so of seeds mixed with some fruit a day) but she won’t touch any fruits or veggies that I’ve tried..(I feed her Higgins Safflower Gold Parrot Blend) what can I do to make her more comfortable and trust me? I sit beside her cage most of the day and talk to her.. and play instrumental music for her since she likes it so well.. any and all advice is greatly appreciated! (It can be other advice too that might be helpful!) I want her comfy in her new home!
Thanks in Advance!

Oh and she’s only a year old!

 

[GambotheGreyt]

Hello everyone!

I need some advice please! I just adopted Azul, she’s a female Northern Mealy Amazon and she wasn’t abused I don’t think but definitely neglected when it comes to human interaction. We flew out to California from Tennessee to get her last weekend and then drove back as we couldn’t take her on the plane. So she definitely had a scary move! she’s terrible sweet and will step up if forced to (she didn’t mind too much to step up for her previous owner[a teenage boy]) She’s quite scared if I get too close but will let me walk up to her cage now without backing up. How do I gain her trust or form a better bond as she’s only ever bonded with the other birds her owner had. She’s not interested in treats that I’ve tried yet. She does eat but it seems she’s just not crazy over food like I’ve read other amazons are. She didn’t get enough nutrition at her old place(he said he only gave her a handful or so of seeds mixed with some fruit a day) but she won’t touch any fruits or veggies that I’ve tried..(I feed her Higgins Safflower Gold Parrot Blend) what can I do to make her more comfortable and trust me? I sit beside her cage most of the day and talk to her.. and play instrumental music for her since she likes it so well.. any and all advice is greatly appreciated! (It can be other advice too that might be helpful!) I want her comfy in her new home!
Thanks in Advance!

Personally I would recommend checking out BirdTricks channel on YT. Others may have other suggestions.

Additionally, check out the Amazon forum here and most definitely the diet forum.

It looks like you've gotten a good start!

Good luck and congrats!

 

[wrench13]

SO you are obviously not a newbie with parrots, so I will just remind you that you need to let her settle in at her pace. At a year old, she is still a moldable lump of clay, pre-pubescent and unsure of her own self. Don't push to hard on the bonding thing, I'd concentrate more on getting her into a heathy diet and letting her inner parrot flourish. When she starts to get curious about things, thats the time to be the 'parent' and show her the wide wonderful world waiting for her.

She is beautiful!!

 

[Kentuckienne]

The best way I’ve found to get the parrots in my life to eat new foods is to eat the food myself. Chicks learn what foods are safe to eat by watching their parents, and usually won’t eat anything the parent doesn’t eat. Get a piece of something you like, put some in the food bowl, then sit and eat it yourself making yummy noises.

When I did this with Gus (B&G) he looked at me, then eventually sidled over to the bowl and looked at the food. Looked at me, touched his bill to the bowl. Looked at me, touched his beak to the food. Looked at me, picked up the food and dropped it again. Repeat repeat repeat. Finally looked at me, chewed a bit of the food. Finally he ate some.

Start with something you genuinely like because you will be eating it for a while. You can gradually add less enticing foods. I had to work to get him to eat pistachios and those are now his favorite thing.

The Harrison’s Bird Food website has very good advice for introducing parrot’s to healthy foods, along with good health and first aid info. Recommended.

 

[LoveMyFids]

Hello everyone!

I need some advice please! I just adopted Azul, she’s a female Northern Mealy Amazon and she wasn’t abused I don’t think but definitely neglected when it comes to human interaction. We flew out to California from Tennessee to get her last weekend and then drove back as we couldn’t take her on the plane. So she definitely had a scary move! she’s terrible sweet and will step up if forced to (she didn’t mind too much to step up for her previous owner[a teenage boy]) She’s quite scared if I get too close but will let me walk up to her cage now without backing up. How do I gain her trust or form a better bond as she’s only ever bonded with the other birds her owner had. She’s not interested in treats that I’ve tried yet. She does eat but it seems she’s just not crazy over food like I’ve read other amazons are. She didn’t get enough nutrition at her old place(he said he only gave her a handful or so of seeds mixed with some fruit a day) but she won’t touch any fruits or veggies that I’ve tried..(I feed her Higgins Safflower Gold Parrot Blend) what can I do to make her more comfortable and trust me? I sit beside her cage most of the day and talk to her.. and play instrumental music for her since she likes it so well.. any and all advice is greatly appreciated! (It can be other advice too that might be helpful!) I want her comfy in her new home!
Thanks in Advance!

It takes a while (sometimes a few months) until a new bird really settles in to a new home, new sights, sounds, people, etc., so just be patient & keep doing what you are doing. A daily routine will also help (ie. feeding, cleaning, etc. at the same time daily), because birds like consistency. As far as the food goes, that will take time too, as a lot of birds that only have been fed 1 or 2 things won't be immediately interested in new things. Eating the item (piece of veg or fruit) in front of them can help (as stated here in another comment). Another thing that works for non-veggie eaters (I just did this myself for a bird who was not interested AT ALL in any veggies or greens, but would eat pellets & seed) is I bought some organic freeze dried greens & veggies online & put a TSP. of them in w/the pellets daily. This was after fresh veggies were untouched & thrown away for over a month. She started eating the freeze dried veggies after a couple days & discovered she liked them. It also gave her the opportunity to get used to the new flavors of fruits & veggies. In about 2-3 wks. she started eating her chop & the veggie kabob I give her. Granted, some is just chewed up & thrown down, but I see she's actually eating more of the fresh as time goes on. I'm still giving her the dehydrated as well, since she seems to like it a lot & to supplement what she may not still be eating fresh. FYI: freeze dried still have quite a bit of nutrients as fresh, so it's still good for them. In awhile I will gradually stop the dehydrated, as it's a bit expensive, which is the downfall of it. It worked though, so it's a good trick to try for those birds who aren't used to fresh fruits & veggies.

 

[SailBoat]

So, you have one of the largest Amazons in the Family Amazona! Congratulations as this specific species is to say the least is Rare!! I am guessing that you received little to no paperwork regarding its hatch date, breeder, the individual that sold you this Amazon??

A one year old, female, Northern Mealy Amazon, without paperwork is likely stolen or black marketed and brought into the US across the open Southern Boarder. This species is highly sought after and can be valuable if someone knows what they have. If that is true or likely true, you need to be setting down a paperwork trail of ownership by developing a paperwork trail of ownership by having your Mealy seen by an Certified Avian Vet, ASAP. As part of that 'New Parrot Examination' I would strongly recommend that you have your Amazon DNA Sexed and have a microchip installed to lock in ownership, as right now, you likely have zero record of ownership!

Please read with understanding the two Threads at the Top of the Amazon Forum as they will provide you with a strong back ground of caring, understand and working with your Amazon! Reading them to your Amazon is a great way to develop that all important trust bond! The Understanding Amazon Body Language is a foundation document and commonly defines Hard Wired Amazon Body Language that begins to set in during the first 2 to 7 years of an Amazons life. At this point, it will provide you a heads-up as to what is coming.

Mealy Amazons are considered; The Big Sweethearts of the Amazon Family!

A Peanut (ground grown nuts) and Sunflower seed diet is deadly for Amazons as well as a non-flighted Amazon.

Come back with more specific questions!!

 

[SweetRose25]

Thank you all for your advice and suggestions! She doesn’t want to step up even though she doesn’t act scared(unless I try to get her to step up inside her cage then she growls at me but never bites). I’ve had all my other birds since they were weaned so never had a problem with them not learning things or being fearful or stubborn so it’s quite different! I got her from a teenaged Latino boy who had gotten tired of her and thought she wasn’t as exciting as his other Amazons(blue fronted and yellow naped).He seemed to either not know she was special or didn’t care She had been kept in a small parakeet/cockatiel cage with two other cockatiels poor baby had no room to hardly turn around! So no I don’t have any papers for her .. if I take her to a vet will they take her away beings as I don’t have any documentation on her?? All I have are my texts to the previous owner about purchasing her..
Thanks in advance!

 

[SweetRose25]

And yes she’s an absolute sweetheart

 

[SailBoat]

Since, you are deep in the Eastern center of the USA, no one will likely even ask about prior ownership as Black Market Parrots are still fairly uncommon in your area. Your Parrot is likely 10 months 'or' 22 months old based on normal hatch dates of Mealy Parrot's in North America.

I would not discuss where or how you came about you Parrot, as that just brings questions you do not need or want to answer. If pushed, Indiana is a good source choice.

As she becomes more comfortable with you and your home, she will begin joining in!

 

[SweetRose25]

Since, you are deep in the Eastern center of the USA, no one will likely even ask about prior ownership as Black Market Parrots are still fairly uncommon in your area. Your Parrot is likely 10 months 'or' 22 months old based on normal hatch dates of Mealy Parrot's in North America.

I would not discuss where or how you came about you Parrot, as that just brings questions you do not need or want to answer. If pushed, Indiana is a good source choice.

As she becomes more comfortable with you and your home, she will begin joining in!

Thank you so very much for your advice!