I Need Some Help Taming My Amazon Parrot

[Guettopig]

So my family has had this parrot for about 10 years and I'm ashamed to say she wasn't given the attention she deserved. She is well cared for and healthy though, she does suffer from minor allergy issues though.
To get to the point, I've been meaning to tame my parrot and maybe get her to the sweet bird she used to be at a young age. She has taken a liking to me, but only me, I can pet her through the cage and she asks for my attention constantly but her being such a big bird I've been fearful of trying to take the next step and maybe open the cage door and feed her some seeds or fruit to get her more used to me and me putting my hand in her cage.
Could someone tell me what steps I should take with her to properly tame her and maybe one day give her some outside time out of the cage and introduce her to the family correctly?
Thank you very much in advance!!!

Written by a proud owner of a sweet healthy cockatiel

 

[Birdman666]

1. Birds that don't get handled do not stay tame, so assume she isn't.

2. If it were me, the first order of business would be to get her to the vet for a checkup and grooming... including a wing clipping.

3. I would handle this bird while wearing a long sleeved shirt. Take two small towels and wrap them around your arms. Then wrap that in an ace bandage to hold them in place. Then cover that with a shirt so that the bird doesn't even know they are there.

4. I would wait for her to come out of the cage on her own, because sticking your hand in there could be viewed as an invasion of the nest, and cause a defensive reaction. Step her up from the door of her cage, or the top of her cage.

5. I would open the cage door, and go back to basics starting with simple things like step up and no biting. Get her used to being handled again. Then see how she responds. Gradually try and get her to allow touching.

5. Once she responds to you and is tame with you, socialize her with other people.

 

[Guettopig]

I've started today with getting her to familiarize with me by feeding her her favorite treats, she doesn't mind at all me placing my hand slightly into her cage but since it's beein so long aince she was taken out of her cage she doesn't allow touching, she's not aggressive, just fearful. I'm going to try to avoid any grabbing her or taking her out of her cage for now so she doesn't see me as a threat to her. She enjoys vocally socializing with everyone in the family but only allows me to pet her.

 

[Birdman666]

I've started today with getting her to familiarize with me by feeding her her favorite treats, she doesn't mind at all me placing my hand slightly into her cage but since it's beein so long aince she was taken out of her cage she doesn't allow touching, she's not aggressive, just fearful. I'm going to try to avoid any grabbing her or taking her out of her cage for now so she doesn't see me as a threat to her. She enjoys vocally socializing with everyone in the family but only allows me to pet her.

EXACTLY. It's not aggressive, it's fear, and possibly some territorialism.

And it's going to take her awhile to remember what it was like to come out and enjoy that interaction with you. What's going on, and how it all works.

The more she realizes what you are doing, and what you want her to do, and the more that becomes a positive for her, the easier it will be to rehab her.

 

[Guettopig]

I've started today with getting her to familiarize with me by feeding her her favorite treats, she doesn't mind at all me placing my hand slightly into her cage but since it's beein so long aince she was taken out of her cage she doesn't allow touching, she's not aggressive, just fearful. I'm going to try to avoid any grabbing her or taking her out of her cage for now so she doesn't see me as a threat to her. She enjoys vocally socializing with everyone in the family but only allows me to pet her.

EXACTLY. It's not aggressive, it's fear, and possibly some territorialism.

And it's going to take her awhile to remember what it was like to come out and enjoy that interaction with you. What's going on, and how it all works.

The more she realizes what you are doing, and what you want her to do, and the more that becomes a positive for her, the easier it will be to rehab her.

As I keep working with her, when will I know she's ready to train or practice perching on my arm and have more physical contact with me?

 

[Birdman666]

I usually do that the same time I open the cage door.

Once she perches outside the cage, again, if you have protection on your arms from the towels, offer her a forearm to step up on, then walk around with her from room to room for awhile, and let her get used to the idea of perching on your arm.