Introducing Stephen Squawking!

[BeatriceC]

Betty had her annual exam yesterday. While we were there, my vet asked if I'd be willing to take this baby. He'd been found as a hatchling and given to my vet, who saved his life and cared for him until now. He determined that he was unsuitable to be rehabilitated and released back into the wild (I can't recall why now, we talked about so much and that detail escapes me). We do have some wild/feral flocks around here, but it is unknown if he came from a wild flock or backyard breeder. He's weaned, but not fledged, and oh boy does he live up to the amazon stereotype of food lover. This little boy eats everything! He's not really tame, so we're working on that. I've never had such a young baby before, so this will be a new experience, but he's already settling in and seems pretty happy so far. We waited until this morning, when all his blood work came back, to bring him home, so he's still settling in.

 

[Scott]

What an amazing gift from Dr. J!!! He's handsome and looks like so much fun. Have you named him yet?

 

[BeatriceC]

Stephen Squawking, or Stevie for short.

 

[texsize]

He is very cute.
At his age I am guessing he is not all that noisy yet (Like Luna).

I watched or read something about how many of the babies from the wild flock's in your area and in San Francisco are stolen from the nest and sold before they are even weaned.
I am glad your little fella fell into the hands of someone capable of taking proper care.

I am curious why the bird would not be at least semi-tame. If raised from the time he was a hatchling, fed formula by a human he should be use to being handled.

Luna still does not like to be touched especially her feet but she has learned how to step up onto my iPad. She is also doing well with Merlin grooming and playing but I still can't house them in the same cage. Merlin is a little to feisty and immature.

congratulations on your new addition.

wes

 

[BeatriceC]

He's semi tame. He was raised in a vet's office so he didn't get as much attention as he would have with a breeder. And as his history is unknown, it's hard to say what happened. He'll let you towel him and doesn't mind hand going in and out of his space if they have food in them, but doesn't want to get directly up on a hand (a toweled covered hand is fine) and doesn't want to sit on a human at all.

 

[BeatriceC]

And I just got him to take an orange out of my hand after just a couple hours with me, so he's probably going to be quick to get from "not really tame" to fully tame.

 

[SailBoat]

Love the expression on his face. As if to say, nice snack! What's for Breakfast?
Lucking you! Tons of firsts and joys coming your way!

 

[Casper223]

Bea, he is an absolutely handsome young man!! An absolute picture overload of Handsomeness...... and I cannot wait to follow how he's progressing in your flock, and how well he does..... Thank You for sharing with us.

 

[Kiwibird]

OMG he’s soooooooo adorable. I may drop dead of cuteness overload at that little one.

My mom had a GCA for over 40 years and he was hands down the nicest, most laid back bird you could ever meet. Never bit, never yelled (unless you had walnuts), never got into any trouble, would go to anyone... just a really really good bird. Hope your little guy, once you’ve gained his trust, is equally as wonderful of a companion to you.

 

[BeatriceC]

This morning he consented to hop on my knee, but he's still not so sure about my bare hand. He's not attacking it, but he's still side eyeing.

 

[Scott]

The perfect name! Looking forward to seeing the results of your renown love and magic!

 

[BeatriceC]

The perfect name! Looking forward to seeing the results of your renown love and magic!

I am a tad bit nervous because I’ve nevet had a baby before and this one is *really* little. He’s only just weaned, and not fledged. Dr J said he’s about six weeks (I’d initially thought he was a little older, but apparently these guys wean a bit sooner than the larger amazons, which makes sense). I’m confident with my ability to handle grumpy rescue birds, but a baby is a new experience for me. So, like with every other new situation I’ve been in, I’ve thrown myself into learning all I can to give him the best life possible.

 

[Squeekmouse]

He's SOOOO cute!!! Congratulations!!!

We brought home Yoda and Trigger both when they were very very young. We finished weaning both. Not something I'd recommend, but I loved doing it.

Your new boy is gorgeous, I'm glad to hear he seems to be accepting you!

 

[GaleriaGila]

My favorite Hawking quote...
"I believe alien life is quite common in the universe, although intelligent life is less so. Some say it has yet to appear on planet Earth."
As another great philosopher, Joan Rivers, often mused (paraphrased)... "Can we squawk?"

 

[Scott]

The perfect name! Looking forward to seeing the results of your renown love and magic!

I am a tad bit nervous because I’ve nevet had a baby before and this one is *really* little. He’s only just weaned, and not fledged. Dr J said he’s about six weeks (I’d initially thought he was a little older, but apparently these guys wean a bit sooner than the larger amazons, which makes sense). I’m confident with my ability to handle grumpy rescue birds, but a baby is a new experience for me. So, like with every other new situation I’ve been in, I’ve thrown myself into learning all I can to give him the best life possible.

Well, you know Dr. J has full confidence in your abilities. Last sentence is proof!!

 

[BeatriceC]

He willingly got on my hand last night! This morning he wasn’t as thrilled with the idea but didn’t protest too much when I had to take him out to clean out his bin and weigh him. This is progress. Betty, my red lored wants to mother him, so she’s constantly going to his bin to hang out (supervised). I think watching me handle the big birds is helping a lot for him to figure out human hands are ok. My vet said since everybody has had infectious disease testing and they’re all negative it’s not a problem to have them in the same room intermittently.

Also, on the topic of why he’s not tame even though he was raised in a vet’s office. In addition to what I said before, I’ve been reminded me that the original goal was to get him rehabbed and released into one of the wild flocks. It wasn’t until last week that they decided that wasn’t going to be possible with him. So for several weeks they were handling him as a wild bird, which means limiting human interaction to just what’s necessary to keep him fed and healthy.

 

[Casper223]

He willingly got on my hand last night! This morning he wasn’t as thrilled with the idea but didn’t protest too much when I had to take him out to clean out his bin and weigh him. This is progress. Betty, my red lored wants to mother him, so she’s constantly going to his bin to hang out (supervised). I think watching me handle the big birds is helping a lot for him to figure out human hands are ok. My vet said since everybody has had infectious disease testing and they’re all negative it’s not a problem to have them in the same room intermittently.

Also, on the topic of why he’s not tame even though he was raised in a vet’s office. In addition to what I said before, I’ve been reminded me that the original goal was to get him rehabbed and released into one of the wild flocks. It wasn’t until last week that they decided that wasn’t going to be possible with him. So for several weeks they were handling him as a wild bird, which means limiting human interaction to just what’s necessary to keep him fed and healthy.

Bea, that really makes a lot of sense, and speaks volumes about your Avian Vet as well, obviously he was trying to do the right thing for the bird, and at the time evidently it wasn't a consideration to home this baby with a human family. So he's still very young, and yes he's going to need more patience and rewards, but I fully believe your quite capable, as Scott said earlier your last sentence spoke volumes about you!! (in throwing yourself into learning all you can) I guess the greatest question from me, is still why he couldn't be re-homed back into the wild. I mean obviously from the untrained eye, he looks so good, and so healthy, and for him not to be able to return to the wild is hard to understand. Although in watching a seminar not long ago, I listened to an Avian biologist describe much to my absent thought, just how tough the wild actually was. In foraging for food, to predators, to so many dangers, things we just don't think about on a daily basis, For these birds to have human companionship is a good thing, but also a bad thing also, as many times they don't get what they actually need, that they readily find in a wild environment. I guess the compromise, is the wild environment, without the dangers..... One last thought......feel free to ignore..... He rally reminds me of a "Pedro"..... Si Señorita!! lol Love the picture Bea......

 

[BeatriceC]

He’d told me why he changed his mind about rehabbing back to the wild but we talked about so much that day that I honestly cannot recall. I do plan on asking him next time I see him in person. I try not to bug him on Instagram DM’s any more than I have to. And his personal cell phone number is for life or death emergencies only. But he’s a very well respected avian vet, so whatever his reason, I trust that it is solid.

I want to take him in for a weight check next week. My scale is doing wonky things so I just ordered a new one, and I like to go in with new scales and make sure they’re giving me the same weights as the vet scales, so I will need to do that as soon as the new one arrives.

 

[BeatriceC]

He is quickly adjusting! He's still timid, but after thinking about it for a minute, he'll step up on my hand.

 

[Inger]

He is quickly adjusting! He's still timid, but after thinking about it for a minute, he'll step up on my hand.

He’s beautiful [emoji3590][emoji3590][emoji3590]


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