Hormone Changes

[Merlee]

At what age does an amazon stop going through the hormonal changes in the spring?

I would love to get a rehomed dyh who does not go through this. I am looking for a magic number while reading CL ads. It was so wonderful not experiencing it with my rehomed yellow nape who is 27. Wish I could say the same for my macaw. lol. He is 12. How long until he is done too?

 

[SandyBee]

Well Bosley is 35 and still goes through it, but it is not too bad.
Mostly all Bosley did was a mating dance and got a little more aggressive towards my hubby.

 

[Merlee]

Hmm. If yours still goes through it, maybe I was just lucky. lol. I didn't notice any changes with mine, but then this is the first spring I have had him. I guess the true test will be next year.

 

[SandyBee]

I asked the rescue when I got Bosley and they all continue to go through it, it's just the intensity changes as they age. Again Bosley wasn't too bad at all, but he must of been a bugger when he was younger LOL

 

[ShellyBorg]

I have a friend with a 42 year old female amazon who goes through it every year. You don't see a huge difference, just a little louder!

 

[MikeyTN]

Eternal PMS cycle....

Yes it keeps going, it doesn't end....

 

[henpecked]

I have a 43 yr old hen who wants it all the time. She's a hussy! AM is the worst if i've been gone for awhile. She goes though "phases" may last a week or two or could last for months. IMO If they've never been " romantically involved" it doesn't last long and "passes" quicker as they age. But if they ever have a mate or lay an egg it seems to be a larger part of their life. It's like "if you don't ever use it" you don't miss it as much. And "vice -versa" if you know what i mean.

PS i have 40 yr old breeders who are as dependable as the sun and moon.

 

[Merlee]

From what I know of Judy's past, he was living in a single bird household all his life so I guess that explains everything. I guess he has lost his Mojo. lol.

 

[Pajarita]

They never stop. Birds don't go through menopause, they continue producing sexual hormones all their lives, the only difference is that females eggs (not the actual egg they produce but the eggs produced by their ovaries) become more and more unviable so less real eggs are produced until they stop. But it also depends on the species, macaws, which are low hormone birds, have been found to have shrunken ovaries when old. But, when you talk about sexual hormones, if you keep them to a solar schedule and reduce he protein in the winter, they don't produce them all year round, only in spring and, precisely because they don't produce them all year round, they don't become frustrated by it so it's not bad at all. I never have a problem with the hens (even when they lay -the oldest one that lays is 32, I have one older but the poor thing is wreck health-wise), only with the wild-caught males because they become extremely protective of their hens and nests.

Another thing to take into consideration on this subject is whether the bird is wild-caught or domestically-bred because the wild-caught are infinitely healthier and stronger than the ones bred by people and always live as well as produce offspring much longer than the others.