Independent Blue Fronted Amazon

[nikket3000]

Hi Everyone!
Last August my Fiance and I adoped a little boy BFA. Although he was supposed to be "my bird" my amazon fell in love immediately with my fiance. For the first three months my BFA would bite and scream at me and it was really heart breaking and discouraging. (I feel like because the breeder was a man, and based on my parrots reactions to others that he just prefers men) Bird is really friendly with me now that I have worked with him and gained his trust, but he still yells at me sometimes when my fiance is around and only lets my fiance give him scritches. He loves when we are in the room with him, but doesnt really care to be touched or handled. He does step up for just about anyone and I feel like he is a pretty good bird now, he is just very very very independent and not very cuddly.

I guess my question is: Is there anything more I can do, or is this just an Amazon trait, or my bird's personality. I dont want to push him too hard. I did get him used to being towled and touched all over, but he just doesnt seem to enjoy me, unless I am outside his "bubble" then he likes me lots.
Just making sure this is normal. I worry about him getting older and even more hormonal and territorial and how I might handle him then.

 

[roxynoodle]

Not all birds are cuddly, and it does seem to just be their personality. My conure is not very cuddly at all and I have had her since she was a baby. I just enjoy her for who she is. She loves to kiss and preen my hair and run around all over me sampling my clothing fabrics. Sometimes she will rub her face on me, and she lets me play with her beak.

 

[mtdoramike]

I thought ALL amazons were independant or at leasts the one's that I have been around were and not overly cuddly.

As far as the other part, sorry to say you are doomed and destined for a life of anonymity with your bird. They rarely flip flop from one to the other especially amazons from what I have read. At least you can take comfort in the fact that you can at least deal with the bird on a daily basis without getting bitten quite often this is the case with certain birds. Also Blue Fronted Amazons are one of the HOT THREE for hormonal issues so things could change for the better or the worse for you during hormonal changes.

You also are in a good position to tell your hubby that since YOUR BIRD has chosen him over you, that now you need to get one of your own. But get a different species like an Eclectus or African Grey or something along those lines.

 

[nikkiscriv]

I think Mike nailed it on the head. We have a Blue Front amazon, and he is exactly the same way. He lets me handle him and enjoys my company, but he will only allow my husband to pet him or love on him, and even then not all the time.

Amazons typically are more independent and not very cuddly. I think they also tend to have a gender prefernce, and like Mike said their preference doesn't seem to change. Although there are always exceptions to the rule.

Because our blue front so strongly prefers my husband, I recently bought an Illiger's macaw, which are known to be more affectionate and cuddly. So far it has worked out very nicely :O)

 

[nikket3000]

Thank you all! I definetly appreciate the relationship I have with him now. Only time will tell if his hormones make life harder on all of us.
Since he is now Hubby's bird, I am waiting on a really sweet Crimson bellied conure. She comes home in about a week.

We always wanted two birds, one for each of us, but Hubs wanted a macaw. He LOVES the amazon though. So do I, he is super funny, really really talkative and very enjoyable even if he doesnt cuddle. I will deal with hormonal rage if that comes up eventually. eek!

 

[nikkiscriv]

Yep, that's exactly what we love about our amazon too. They are so hilarious and fun to watch. They may not be cuddle bugs but they are still very, very entertaining