Finally decided on a amazon...

[ScooterMcTavish]

^^
Don't disagree with you that an Amazon can be trained, and the right Amazon could be better than some other birds. However, I think we all know who loses when there is a serious disagreement between a parrot and a child.

Speaking from my right now experience, one question I'm asking about Roo is "How would I feel if she permanently scarred my daughter"? If we see her aggression is only fear from a new home and it goes away, great. If she continues to aggressively try and bite people, then we have a hard decision to make.

Hey as long as someone is willing to live with the worst possible outcome to their child that the parrot could do, all the power in the world to them. But they should consider the following question:

"If the parrot did _______to my child I would have to give the parrot up."

Willing to live with whatever you put in the blank? What are the odds of what you put in the blank happening?

 

[2greenconurestostart]

Good fun on your quest for a 'zon. I've become rather fond of our DYH in the 3 months we've had him, though am glad that we waited until our kids were teenagers before getting him.

Like the others, I would agree 'zons are beaky. In our quest for a parrot, we met a large variety of species, with the 'zons by far using their beaks more than the others. This isn't just for biting - it included playing, climbing, etc.

Since they use their beaks as actively as they do, and they are prone to excitement, you and your family will get bit. Depending on the day (and the moment) it may be a pinch, a blood blister, or a bloody wound. Monty adores me, yet he drew blood on my thumb yesterday when he got excited by a pen in my hand and went to go get it. Mrs. Scooter got it in the lip the other day because Monty had seen something he didn't like and bit her.

Just some food for thought as you go looking for a bird. I love my Amazon but would also not recommend one for anyone with small kids. Small kids (despite what we tell them) like to touch things. Amazons like to bite when touched. Bad combo.

Thank you Scott. My kids are 10, 7 and 6 and yes, especially my youngest is super headstrong and as much as I tell her, listening is 50/50. I wonder if it helps to get them as a hen? I am sure the same challenges arise. There is a rescue with a ton of seniors (they call them, they are 18+ years).

 

[2greenconurestostart]

I think you can train both the bird and the kids. A parrots can and will draw blood under the right circumstance so I don't think a zon is any worse choice than a mac or too or any other species.

Thank you....I do come back to this as every bird is different. We love Rotts, and everyone has similarities but are different. It's funny I have these big dogs and never think about them biting but those beaks I give far more respect to.

 

[2greenconurestostart]

^^
Don't disagree with you that an Amazon can be trained, and the right Amazon could be better than some other birds. However, I think we all know who loses when there is a serious disagreement between a parrot and a child.

Speaking from my right now experience, one question I'm asking about Roo is "How would I feel if she permanently scarred my daughter"? If we see her aggression is only fear from a new home and it goes away, great. If she continues to aggressively try and bite people, then we have a hard decision to make.

Hey as long as someone is willing to live with the worst possible outcome to their child that the parrot could do, all the power in the world to them. But they should consider the following question:

"If the parrot did _______to my child I would have to give the parrot up."

Willing to live with whatever you put in the blank? What are the odds of what you put in the blank happening?

So true. That's one of those things that would haunt me forever as it was ultimately my decision.....

 

[thekarens]

The problem is that question is valid for every parrot, unless you plan on sticking to tiels and budgies. My sennie can and will draw some serious blood under the right circumstances and she's pretty small. Everyone has seen my Zoe and how mushy she is, but one day she got startled and would have given me a serious eye injury if I hadn't been wearing glasses. So the question should be whether you should have parrots with children or whether you should allow them to interact with your bird, not which species. I personally never let my kids get near my birds when they were little, but I'm not opposed to others doing that because everyone has to decide for themselves what is best.

 

[wrench13]

Yah for the YS decision. At the moment, Salty is trying to sing "Little Brown Jug" ..and we only sang it maybe 10 times to him. Good luck.

 

[henpecked]

As a young child i grew up with macaws and amazons. My 3 kids grew up with macaws and amazons. I don't recall any traumatic accidents that left bad scars. Sure a few scars on hands and arms but nothing that traumatized anyone or left them disfigured. Early socialization and common sense seems to have served us well. Of course most of the birds were clippped and we didn't carry birds onour shoulder. Maybe having parents who were well educated about parrots helped also. The biggest draw back that i recall was parrots learning to cry like babies, lol.

 

[Kiwibird]

A little late to the party, but I think you've made a GREAT decision in getting a zon. They are fabulous birds and not much bothers them when they are well socialized and raised/trained properly. Most even like the noise and 'chaos' of children in the home

I grew up around 2 amazons. The female DYH decided I was HER baby the moment I came home as a newborn. She was so docile she would sit on my crib as a baby and as I grew up, that bird was attached to me like velcro. She was oh so tolerant and patient with me learning how to properly handle and interact with her. The other zon, a GCA, isn't super people oriented, but is still as sweet as can be and has not a single mean bone in his body. Loved those amazons growing up. Worst I got from either zon was maybe a pinch, they never bit to draw blood. I also grew up with a G2. He gave me a few nasty bites, but in those instances, I had directly disobeyed my parents and was reprimanded for bothering him as he was not so fond of kid antics like the zons were. I think properly educated children and properly trained+socialized parrots *can* be a great combination. I'm sure your kids may get a pinch or bite at some point, but even if/when it happens, it can serve as a learning experience about proper interactions and bird behavior instead of turning into some great trauma for the child. At least that's what my parents did when the cockatoo bit me- explained to me why he had done so and what I could do so he didn't do it again.

 

[pavlovspup]

We have an amazon male and children. Have had no problems. Gizmo is shy and trusts me the most for head scratches, etc. He doesn't enjoy being handled otherwise. The kids give him treats, carefully, but never try to pet him or handle him. This seems to work well-they don't over-approach or threaten him and he gives them the same respect.

We have other birds that are more approachable for the kids, although they really don't handle any of them--more interact with them through giving treats, talking, singing and dancing, etc.

 

[Kiwibird]

^^

Speaking from my right now experience, one question I'm asking about Roo is "How would I feel if she permanently scarred my daughter"? If we see her aggression is only fear from a new home and it goes away, great. If she continues to aggressively try and bite people, then we have a hard decision to make.

Hey as long as someone is willing to live with the worst possible outcome to their child that the parrot could do, all the power in the world to them. But they should consider the following question:

"If the parrot did _______to my child I would have to give the parrot up."

Willing to live with whatever you put in the blank? What are the odds of what you put in the blank happening?

These are very good and valid points. Every parent has a different set of values and a different tolerance for what they feel is 'acceptable' or not. There is no right or wrong answer, just what each parent(s) feel is best for their own child.

One of my earliest memories is running around screaming for my dad with a certain cockatoo hanging off my face. I was all of 3 and had tried to pick up Alfie without permission or supervision and he latched onto my cheek like a gila monster and had to be pried off. Yes, it left a large wound. That was not the last time Alfie bit me badly growing up either. My dad still has him long after I grew up and left home. I have a few small scars from that bird, but obviously didn't turn out being fearful of birds I'm not sure I'd have been prepared to handle Kiwi when we first adopted him had I not been, ahem, desensitized to being bit for blood. My future kids will grow up with Kiwi and I'm sure will get a chomp or 2 along the way and I'm not overly concerned. However, some parents would find that wholly unacceptable for a companion animal to bite their child and if you do, that should be a big factor in choosing a species of bird or if a bird is even right for you.

 

[itchyfeet]

Yup. The kids handle the parrots both here and next door (SC2). As owners, my inlaws and I know what each parrot can and can't tolerate, and we pass that onto the children. The children know which parrots they can work with and which ways. There has been the rarel bite, followed with first aid and a gentle discussion/reflection as to what happened and why. Generally we can spot the boundary pushing. The children will go back to the birds on their own accord, by choice - we don't force the birds on them or them on the birds. They're 5 & 7. The bigger parrots have probably been around for the last 18 months or so really.