Hi all

[Teri]

Hello everyone, I stumbled upon this forum while researching information about an Amazon that was dropped into my lap 3 weeks ago.

Her previous owner can no longer care for her because he has to spend all his time at the hospital taking care of an ill wife. The bird was looking rather ragged and was stressed probably due to being left at home alone for long periods of time daily.

Anyways I immediately researched a healthy diet and placed the bird on it. I also made sure calcium and mineral supplements were available and regular bathing was commenced once the bird had been here a week. She was extremely nervous at first and would strike at anyone going near her but after several weeks of being approached calmly and talked to in a calm voice she is starting to relax and has reached a point where she seems to enjoy having the family around her. I have been letting her out for several hours a day. She won't leave her cage area which is fine but she does sit on top and climb around it. Her plumage has gotten smooth and is very vibrant however her lower beak has started pealing which brought me to these forums.

From what I have read it appears to be normal but I will keep a close eye on her. She is scheduled for a vet check next week and I will move on from there.

I am hoping to learn a lot from being a member of these forums that will benefit me and Abigail (amazon parrot)

 

[Mozzie]

Hi and welcome! I am glad Abigail found you. It sounds like she needs love. You will be amazed at how she will blossom after being with you for a while. We adopted a Blue fronted Amazon from a rescue. You would not even know she is the same bird now! It took a lot of time and patience, but she is so loving and sweet. It is a very rewarding experience. congrats and good luck!

 

[oled]

From what I can read you seem to be the perfect perrot owner !!
I also have a DYHA and for me he is just perfect. Good luck and welcome to this forum

 

[Rio Mom]

Welcome to our flock!

 

[cdog]

Welcome to the forum, it sounds like she is in good hands.

 

[antoinette]

Welcome, glad to have you joining us
Sure many experienced Amazon guardians, will assist you.
Browse around so much to learn and share with one another

 

[wenz2712]

Hello Teri, and welcome to the forum It sounds like you are doing a great Job with your new addition! What type of Zon is he?

You will probably find once he learns to trust you, he will be fine... It will take quite a while, but it sounds like you are doing all the right things... Just talk to him and sing to him, offer him treats etc... When he trusts you completely, you will have a friend for life

 

[oled]

Welcome again, forgot: LOVE TO SEE PIC:32:

 

[Teri]

Thanks everyone. You are all very welcoming and quite kind. I have had small birds before, a cockatiel and a rosella, so I know a bit about bird care but the larger bird is a bit more of a learning curve. I've also raised 5 kids so I do believe that helps as she reminds me of a 3 year old.

wenz2712 she is a yellow double headed amazon. Her head was completely yellow when I got her but the last few days she's gotten very light orange round cheek patches developing. Is this normal? I was told she was born in 1988 and purchased from a breeder in Montreal Canada.

An amazing thing happened earlier. I gave her a spray bath as always making sure the water was just a little bit warmer than room temperature (I do this every 2-3 days) This time she opened her wings to be sprayed and then climbed to the top of her cage, hung down and allowed me to spray her belly and the underside of her wings. When she was done I gave her an almond and chatted with her for 20 mins. She is now quite contentedly grooming herself.

I will be posting a perch question in the amazon forum as I have a few questions but believe I should post them in the correct spot so future users can find the answers if they have the same problem.

Thanks again

 

[terry52449]

Hi Teri and welcome. I fell into this forum the same way. My wife and I adopted an umbrella cockatoo in Feb. It was nice to have something to refer to as far as training and characteristics of our specie. I received a lot of great infomation here.
Cameo is a wonderful addition to our family especially knowing I have all this knowledge behind me.
Good luck with your Amazon, I understand they are fun to have.

 

[Sulphiria]

Welcome and congratulations on your new member.

 

[angiemw]

Hi Teri,
Welcome to the forum.
I'm new also, so I will pay attention to the information given to you in case I need it.

 

[Teri]

For those who asked here is Abby. Her colors are much brighter in this picture than they were 3 weeks ago. her chest feathers are still ragged and a dingy green but we are hoping that will fix itself in her first molt with us.

She had lost three tail feathers the first few days she was with us but those are also growing back in quite nicely

Here is a second picture of just her head. Can anyone see the very pale orange circle on her cheek where her ear is? Does anyone know what this is? It has started appearing in the last week or so.

 

[Enjru]

I can't see the pale orange feathers. Has Abby been to see the avian vet and if so, how long ago was it? Does she have any existing illnesses that you know about?

What kind of diet was she on before, and what kind of diet do you have her on now?

Does she have any red or orange colored toys or perches?

If you have ruled out:
a) staining from colored foods, toys and perches (by giving her a good and thorough drenching in the shower),
b) blood and body fluid stains from injuries, ulcers, ear infections, etc (by taking her to the avian vet for a check up),
c) systemic illnesses (by taking her to the avian for a check up),
then, her feathers could be discolored from stress, neglect and/or sub-optimal nutrition (while these feathers were being formed), perhaps while she was still at her old home, or perhaps during the transition period while she was still adjusting to her new life in her current home. Does she have stress bars on any of her feathers?

 

[Enjru]

Hmm...if I look at the computer screen from the bottom right at an extreme angle, the patch covering the ears and next to the nostrils look dark, as if moist. Is there a discharge?

 

[Teri]

She sees a vet twice a year. I live in a remote northern area an avian vet is not available without driving 6 hours south. She has no orange toys. her diet is the same she has been on for 20 years. She was in rough shape due to stress not diet. She has the same orange spot as this parrot I just found in the amazon photos for this forum here

More baths! - Parrot Forum's Gallery

And this one although not as dark yet as this picture it seems to be getting darker http://www.youschi.se/Events/Events_2006_3/Oratrix.jpg

Here it is again in another bird. http://imgc.classistatic.com/cps/poc/120225/887r1/3441df7_26.jpeg

.

 

[Enjru]

I *think* what I see as dark greyish yellow, you see as orange...

Those dark patches are the ear coverts. These feathers covering the ear are often slightly different in shade compared to the surrounding feathers. Unless these feathers on your parrot are also moist, making them look dark (which would suggest an ear infection discharge), I wouldn't be concerned.

 

[Teri]

I'm not concerned as the feathers are not damp. I checked after your post just to make sure. I am mainly curious. The picture is not a good one I will have to get a better camera. What I am seeing in person is a definite light orange circle of feathers very similar to the images of the other birds I posted.

I have started researching these parrots and have already found out that there are two subspecies with different characteristics. And that all three types have been sold as pets in north america. I have asked the previous owner about the spot and he has said it was much more pronounced when she was young and a deeper orange color which started to fade out when she was about 4-5 years old. He also stated that her entire head has always been yellow but at one point she had very little red at the top of her wings. He says as she has gotten older the red has spread across the top of her wings. He has pictures of her from 20 years ago and will be dropping copies off in a few days so I can see them.

He passed the bird to me as his wife is in hospital, and has been over a month now and that he was spending a great deal of time there which meant the bird was alone all day. Apparently the bird was becoming stressed it's feathers were becoming ragged so that is when he started looking for a home for her as his attention is entirely focused on his wife right now.

She has been with me for just over 3 weeks now and I have researched heavily about diet, living quarters, baths etc. For the last week or so her feathers have been starting to look much better now and the spot on her cheek has started showing up.

I was merely curious as to why she would have this orange spot. Like I said earlier I will try and get a better camera and will take a picture in another week or so.

 

[Enjru]

You're right! In Rosemary Low's book, Amazon Parrots, in her description of the DYHA, she writes:

...Some birds (usually males) have the yellow feathers of the nape margined with red... (page 164)

On page 165, there is a photo of 5 DYHA's together, and the one on the far right has an unmistakeable patch of reddish orange feathers over the ears.

Your DYHA must be one with these distinctive genes!

 

[Teri]

Thank you that is exactly the type of information I was looking for