Aging of Amazons

[Boki]

I adopted two Amazons and was told that they were both 25 years old. After having them for 4 months, I am starting to believe that one of them is a bit older, maybe 35 years old. I am hoping to hear some advice on the following questions:

1) What does one notice as their Amazon gets into their mature years or do they always act young? I am having a problem believing that they do not age like other animals?

2) Are there any sure fire ways to determine age? I got these birds from a sanctuary that rescued the birds so they don't know the ages either.

3) I am now thinking parrot toys to stimulate them does not really work as they get older. It is as if my birds look at the new toys every month and are telling me "What am I? A kid?" So what does one do for the birds as they get older to stimulate interest? I do see this. The female DYH (Marcy) does work on trying to get the male BF (Mac) to learn to speak. In addition to her private lessons she gives, she watched with keen interest as I see Mac and me working together. Mac is trying.

 

[ChristaNL]

I really love the way you go about this.
I do not know amazones very well, so I leave your first two questions with the experts.

(elder parrots are supposed to have more scaly feet - rougher scales, like us humans get wrinkly hands/ but I am not even sure about that- it is how my first grey got 'dated' by the CAV "he has roughisch feet so at least 25 y. old")

If they get bored with their toys..you just have to "up their game" - I can buy foraging toys in different difficulty catagories - not saying you have to do this, but if they are bored wit "just sitting and shredding" make them something they have to climb on/ hang from to be able to shred stuff ( it can be simple like a small cilinder of mesh).

I admit is is also something I dread (bored birds because 'they have seen it all')- because I am not a very creative thinker (a touch of autism and all ) but the great thing about internet: people love to share ideas (bless them)


There a a boatload of ideas in the DIY-section here, have you tried those?

 

[SailBoat]

Consider reading the two Sticky Threads at the top of the Amazon Forum. They are highlighted in light blue. The Thread Titled: I Love Amazons - ... contains over thirty segments that will likely have answers to many of the questions you have regarding Amazons.

You have had these two Amazons for awhile and what progress have you made with them since your earlier Threads and Posts. Have you tried the different recommendations offered in the I Love Amazons - ... Thread?

Understanding that you are starting from a position of Amazons that are very shutdown in their interaction, especially with toys and that everything is on a schedule of months and years, and not days and weeks.

Age of Parrots is very hard to define once they become a bit older (younger than what yours are currently). Have you taken them to an Avian Vet yet? Their hands-on compared to our guessing, even from good photos is a much better source for determining age. Their age is much more a physical thing than their activity level. A healthy active 45 year old Amazon is very difficult to compare ages too a 35 or even a 25 year old.

 

[Scott]

My amazon is probably almost 40 and shows no outward signs of age. Two of my Goffins are documented to be in their early 40s and show little apparent difference compared with their offspring. The female has some visible arthritis in her toes, and their vet has noticed some with the male.

An older bird in good health is functionally virtually indistinguishable from the young.

 

[Anita1250]

My BFA is 35, and I have had him all of his life. He has surely slowed down over the years. He still plays crazy, but less often. And he does have really old feet. The vet always comments on them! Scaly and white. He looks the same, if not a bit chubby. He is around 550 grams, which is good for his build. He is very tall for a BFA, almost 12 inches long. My vet says I should get ready for another 30 years!