Help weaning Amazon, am I doing it right?

[iSancho]

Hello, I'm new to owning an Amazon (a parrot). The pet shop told me it's a Double Yellow Headed but I feel it might be a Yellow Crowned after all my readings. According to the shop it should be going on 15 weeks now. I got him at 8 weeks old which was a little over a month ago. I know I shouldn't have gotten him unweaned and I didn't know any better but they offered to clipped his wings and I did. After I got home with him and read up I know I shouldn't have but it's already done and I'm trying to move forward as best as I can. I absolutely adore Rio. I was told it was a male but I'm starting to doubt anything they told me. I was told to feed him twice a day which I did but after a few days I went down to 1 feeding because he was trying all the new foods (apples, corn, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, grapes) I offered him. Apples & cauliflower seem to be his favorite on certain days. But he started to cry all the time for food. Any time I stepped into the room he cried for my attention. After reading more about how Amazons will refuse feedings when it was ready it made me feel bad so I went back to feeding him twice a day for the last 2 weeks (once in the morning but not a lot & once at night). He flies to me just a little because his wings are clipped after he can't wait any longer for his formula which I'm feeding him Kaytee Exact. But I worry he's never going to wean off his formula. Is it because I clipped his wings and he's a little slower? He's no where near touching water. I tried to get him to drink it but he won't have it. I put it in a bowl and a water bottle. Maybe I've traumatized him with the spray bottle when I tried to spray him a little everyday for his bath and he's not happy. He doesn't fluff his feathers. I've read Amazons love to play in water, well not my Amazon. The closes he's gotten to trying his water was once I soaked his pellets and he ate it and drank the water afterwards. That was only 1 time. He hasn't done it again. His crop seems normal for the most part. There was a time I thought his urine was a little yellow & feared it was an infection and was close to taking him to a vet but I think it may be because he eats so much corn or the urine gets its color from the urate. Any feedback would be appreciated. Am I doing the right thing? He doesn't like to be caged up so most of the day he's on top of his cage where I leave pellets there now & he eats it before his feeding and after his feeding. I leave cooked veggies in his bowl inside his cage because ultimately that's where I want him to eat. His water bowl and water bottle is on the diagonal side of his cage which that side he does not wonder to but it seems to be the only place where I can put the water. Now that he started eating more of his pellets he eats less of his veggies. He use to love cauliflower and broccoli but now that he's back on feeding 2 x a day he's stopped. He loves corn and will eat that only but I'm afraid its not healthy for him. Here's a picture of him I took last week or so.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Hi there and welcome to the forum.

Your cutie pie as most definitely a Double Yellow Head. Young birds somewhat resemble Yellow Crowned, with the exception that the beak color of a DYH is much lighter than that of a YC

Did he come with paperwork? You said the store claimed he was a boy. If they had him sexed, they should have provided you with the appropriate paperwork to prove it.

As for the handfeeding part. They all wean at their own pace. Yes, at his current age he "should" be almost weaned, or down to one feeding a day, but no 2 birds are alike. How much do you give him at each feeding, and are you keeping track of his weight? I don't think he regressed due to having his wings trimmed.

Now is a GREAT time to introduce him to as many different foods as possible, and it's great that he's eating pellets for you. It is also important to socialize him properly. Introduce him to as many people as you can, take him with you whenever possible. Amazons LOVE to be the center of attention.

Does he have a play area away from his cage?

Welcome to Club Amazon...DYH are AWESOME!!!

 

[henpecked]

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like your doing the right things. I think you need to add weighing him to your routine , always helps when weaning or changing diets. I'd try adding a water bottle, young zons are quick to explore and will find it quick enough.Don't worry about him never weaning. It's OK to keep feeding him he'll stop before long.Before you know it he'll be a big bird.I'd keep offering new foods , mix his formula a little weak, add the water bottle, float a toy or favorite treat in his water bowl, and keep him flying. When trying to spray him with the water bottle,,, spray up into the air and let it fall on him, don't spray at him.

 

[iSancho]

Thank you for responding. No, he doesn't have a play area away from the cage yet but I'm on it. That's the next project. I had him with me in my office on a perch but for some reason he started to get uncomfortable and didn't want to sit on the perch anymore so I don't pressure him to be with me there. I need to get him away from his cage because when he wants to perch on my arm so I can pet him I have to be standing on a stool next to his cage. The things I do for my kid. ha ha.

The pet shop didn't offer any paperwork and I didn't think to ask and I knew you have to have a blood test to tell the sex. If they had paperwork they would have offered it. They have baby birds flying off their shelves so i do not think they care nor do they really know what they're doing selling unweaned parrots. They only showed me how to feed him formula but I learned most of everything from reading.

Good advice on the spray bottle I will try just spraying the air. And i love the idea about floating his toy in the water bowl. I'm starting to feel better. I will start weighing him and keep record. Thank you for all the advice.

 

[iSancho]

And will the yellow feathers grow down to his neck if he's a double yellow? Most pictures I see the feathers all down to the neck. Thanks.

 

[henpecked]

Yes, he will get more and more yellow with each molt.

 

[JerseyWendy]

And will the yellow feathers grow down to his neck if he's a double yellow? Most pictures I see the feathers all down to the neck. Thanks.

If you look at my avatar, that is a picture of my Quincy when he was about 3 or 4 years old. In my signature you see my DYH Sam, he's under a year in that picture.

It will take several years before your baby is fully colored.

 

[iSancho]

Your DYH are adorable. When do they stop making the baby clucking noise? I guess when they are weaned?

 

[JerseyWendy]

Your DYH are adorable. When do they stop making the baby clucking noise? I guess when they are weaned?

HA! Sometimes my 14 year old Yellow Nape STILL makes those noises, especially when we're eating something she really REALLY wants. Sam, on the other hand stopped making those clucking noises when he was about 7 or 8 months.

I want to clarify something really quickly because you posted in the "cage" thread. There is NO way your baby is having cage aggression yet. He's much too young. He just climbs high to feel safe and secure. You will see how much a perch/playstand AWAY from his cage will help once you can get one. They really make a world of a difference.