buffalokel: A little about me and my creatures

[Scott]

A deep apology from moderator Scott: I merged two welcome threads and accidentally deleted both! However, they remained in another browser and are reconstructed below. My apologies to new member "buffalokel" and those who posted!

Orginally posted by buffalokel:
I am vet tech, with 5 dogs, 5 cats, and one bird. I have an orange winged amazon. he is 15 years old, and is a rescue. I got him from a woman who rescues birds. he spent ten years in a cage prior to her rescue, I got him after about 3 months at her place. he is the most gentle chill guy, except very, very, suspicious and afraid of everything. His name is Elliott. I took everything slow with him but it's been 5 years and still won't step up. He won't just won't, took him 6 months to vocalize, a year to step out of cage. 2 years to let me scratch his head. He doesn't really play much with toys either. I bought him a rope perch and he never stood on it for a year, just crapped on it. If I try to introduce new perches by removing the old so all he has is the new and he straddled the corner of his cage for 6 hours. I know he would love bombing around the house with me if he just gave it a try. I tried the stick method...ha tried using one of his perches..he just runs away. I could towel him and force him but, I have come so far gaining his trust and don't want to go backwards.

 

[Scott]

Posted by Kentuckienne:

Howdy y'all.

There are some sticky threads at the top of the amazon forum that are a great place to start. Some here have worked with their rescue birds for years, especially amazons, before winning the birds trust. SailBoat has several great posts about amazons in general as well as some of his experiences working with rescues, and birdman666 has many posts about saving macaws that were left rot in cages that might apply. Keep up the good work, it will pay off.
__________________
Kentuckienne, the Amazonienne.

 

[Scott]

Posted by Sailboat:

Welcome to the Parrot Forums!

Please take the time to read the first two Threads in the Amazon Forum titled: I Love Amazons - ... and Understanding Amazon Body Language. Start with Amazon Body Language first! With your background, you should know or have heard most of what is part of the Thread I Love Amazon- ... But there maybe something in there that will help. It is a big Thread with numerous Segments from the front to the end of the Thread. FYI: Read them aloud to your Amazon, he will love it!

You have many of the basic interaction in place, but still need to develop a deeper bond to obtain Step-Up!

With Amazons, it is very important to start from a single point: It is NEVER the fault of the Amazon! It is ALWAYS the fault of the Human! By starting from this Vantage Point, you will quickly see what you are doing wrong and correct it!

Remember that Parrots do not always associate our hands with our heads and can develop a general fear of stepping up on them. When I am working with a Parrot that doesn't Step-Up, I commonly will hold my hands closer to my face and from the general face area move the hand to the head as you are currently doing and then slide down to a Step-Up position. The goal is to develop a trust with your hand, your face and his head and then generally in front of him!

Take the time to search though the Amazon Forum targeting general discussion of Step-Up training, etc... You will note the Search Button just below the Head of each Page, you will find it very helpful!

As you know, Dogs and Cats are very dangerous if they bit a Parrot. It is possible that just a fake attack could be enough to Stress Kill a Parrot. So, take great care! They can also cause some level of fear that will /can be seen as 'suspicious and afraid of everything.' Assure that your Amazon has a view of what is going on, but safe from your other Animals. If you have a camera like a GoPro set it up and monitor what your Amazon is dealing with during the periods that you are not there!

Again, Welcome to the Parrot Forums!

 

[Scott]

Posted by Flboy:

Welcome to you!

 

[Scott]

Posted by Luckyandjenn:

Welcome to the flock.

 

[Scott]

Posted by me:

Welcome to the forums, thanks for joining. Amazons can be challenging, with an upside of great reward once you "get" them.

My first parrot was a Blue Front Amazon, and he remains an enigma after about 32 years! The posts thus far contain and direct you towards an amazing brain-trust of information!

 

[Scott]

OK, the thread has been restored. Carry on!!