It's (probably) a girl! Introducing my new baby BFA

[Ladyhawk]

Wow,wow every time you post a pic or video of Sierra, i see some more development of her feathers and her attention span seems to have increased. Won't be long now until she is in a proper parrot cage!

Yes, I need to clean Gabby's old cage thoroughly and install some Dri-Dek on the grate until she's used to climbing and perching. She's getting a lot of hand-me-down toys from her big brother. And I do mean big. He was a big male double yellowhead and I'm pretty sure she's going to be a rather petite female blue front. I'll do a DNA test as soon as I think she's ready, but I already bought her a hot pink carrier and I'm leaning toward buying her a hot pink Aviator Harness to match.

Even though Gabby's illness was metabolic and therefore not contagious, my mother and I threw out anything that couldn't be disinfected. There's still quite a selection. Sierra will appreciate many of those toys more than Gabby did. As Gabby aged, he became a connoisseur of bells and vegetable-tanned leather. He usually left everything else alone.

I'm completely in love with little Sierra. She's been the perfect baby bird. Due to the fact I had a few pairs of African greys and Senegals in my twenties and early thirties, I got to play with lots of baby parrots. All baby parrots are sweet and innocent, but this one has me completely enraptured. I already love her so much it almost hurts.

I really need to go through your entire thread about Salty. I've watched a few of his videos and I love him. He's so smart and has the funniest laugh. You're very good with him, so patient and kind: the perfect parront. I've never been around yellow-shouldered Amazons. Is his species allied with yellow napes, double yellowheads, yellow crowns, etc.? Or is he in his own unique branch? Now that I've seen how cool yellow shouldered Amazons can be, I'm curious about his species.

 

[Ladyhawk]

I didn't feel well today, so I didn't pick up the camera. This little bird is maturing at an incredible rate. I let her perch on my hand today and she took it in stride. She constantly wants to snuggle under my chin and we had two long snuggle sessions. So far, she's very cuddly.

She's going to be petite, perhaps a full 100 grams lighter than my big male DYH, Gabby. But that's good. Different is good. I want to remember Gabby for who he was. It scares me that the memories already seem to be fading. I miss you, Gabmeister.

 

[SailBoat]

I would not go as far as to define her as petit as of yet. Her species of the Blue Front family can push 450 g. without anyone getting excited about her being on the heavy side. Whereas, a nominate Double Yellow-Headed Amazon would be big at 550 g.

Enjoy those cuddles as they are in so many ways heart warming.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Amy's last weigh-in at her doc's was 482g's...the porkiest she has been was 506



Jim

 

[Ladyhawk]

I would not go as far as to define her as petit as of yet. Her species of the Blue Front family can push 450 g. without anyone getting excited about her being on the heavy side. Whereas, a nominate Double Yellow-Headed Amazon would be big at 550 g.

Enjoy those cuddles as they are in so many ways heart warming.

My male DYH had such heavy bones and a large beak, always weighing well over 500 grams. This little one is going to be small-boned and most likely petite, judging by her frame. But she's not done growing yet, so we'll see.

At this point I would be shocked if her DNA tests come back as anything but female. I'm so sure, I bought her a hot pink carrier and matching Aviator Harness. If I'm wrong, my face will be hot pink, instead. We'll see.

 

[SailBoat]

I would not go as far as to define her as petit as of yet. Her species of the Blue Front family can push 450 g. without anyone getting excited about her being on the heavy side. Whereas, a nominate Double Yellow-Headed Amazon would be big at 550 g.

Enjoy those cuddles as they are in so many ways heart warming.

My male DYH had such heavy bones and a large beak, always weighing well over 500 grams. This little one is going to be small-boned and most likely petite, judging by her frame. But she's not done growing yet, so we'll see.

At this point I would be shocked if her DNA tests come back as anything but female. I'm so sure, I bought her a hot pink carrier and matching Aviator Harness. If I'm wrong, my face will be hot pink, instead. We'll see.

Interesting, our DYH Amazon was recently judged (none competition, Judge training event) and he was classified as a petit to medium build and weighted in a 505 g.

I'm not voting against you, but I hope that you kept the receipt just in case. After all a Boy named Sue (Johnny Cash) in a pink carrier, that would be unfair!

Take a good look at Kiwi and Amy, those guys are a a good general picture of that species of the Blue Front family.

Enjoy!

 

[Kiwibird]

Weights can be deceptive! Kiwi is an "average" 420 grams for a BFA, but doesn't actually look all that much smaller standing next to my moms big 550+ gram wild caught female DYH. They are actually quite similar in length, with Kiwi having a noticeably longer tail. The big difference is BFA's are a more streamlined bird where DYH's are build like linebackers. Or put another way, DYH's tend to have a greater circumference than BFA's

 

[Kiwibird]

Oh ya, thought of your beautiful baby girl when I saw this If Kiwi were a girl, I'd be very seriously tempted to upgrade his army green one to pink!

 

[Ladyhawk]

Oh ya, thought of your beautiful baby girl when I saw this If Kiwi were a girl, I'd be very seriously tempted to upgrade his army green one to pink!

They come in pink??? Mmmm...Pak-o-Bird...gurgle gurgle gurgle.

I want a Pak-o-Bird SO BAD!!! Tell me how you like yours. I think I asked in another thread, but I lost the thread. They look so cool. I have a feeling my little girl would be Pak-o-Birded everywhere that didn't throw me out.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Oh ya, thought of your beautiful baby girl when I saw this If Kiwi were a girl, I'd be very seriously tempted to upgrade his army green one to pink!

They come in pink??? Mmmm...Pak-o-Bird...gurgle gurgle gurgle.

I want a Pak-o-Bird SO BAD!!! Tell me how you like yours. I think I asked in another thread, but I lost the thread. They look so cool. I have a feeling my little girl would be Pak-o-Birded everywhere that didn't throw me out.

LMAO...ah yes,Homie and his gurgle..lol.

I might be very interested in one for BB..he should go places with Amy and I,not fair keeping him home while we have fun...even with the sleeves on his arms just shortened,I wouldn't take him out...he is so light and still can catch a little air...can't get any height but still can go a few feet..he developed good muscle tone in his arms in the short time he has been able to flapflapflap.



Jim

 

[Kiwibird]

https://www.celltei.com/products/a-...-travel-carrier-for-a-congo-african-grey.html

Kiwi practically lives in his in the summer (no joke). He loves going out with us! TBH, while I am harness training him to be able to come out on our balcony and stuff, even once he's comfortable on it, I still plan to use the POB in public. Keeps him safe from dogs, kids, general idiots etc... and prevents incidents where someone tries to touch him without permission or a kid tries to pull his tail or something and gets bit. Kiwi loves being in public, but I don't trust him not to bite strangers especially strangers who don't know how to approach a bird. I also live in a "dog friendly" area and seriously, some of these dogs around here appear to have never been obedience trained and will jump all over anyone and their owners just don't seem to care. I like a nice stainless mesh barrier between him and the world! Also gives him a place to poop that isn't on me and it can be buckled into the car

 

[Ladyhawk]

https://www.celltei.com/products/a-...-travel-carrier-for-a-congo-african-grey.html

Kiwi practically lives in his in the summer (no joke). He loves going out with us! TBH, while I am harness training him to be able to come out on our balcony and stuff, even once he's comfortable on it, I still plan to use the POB in public. Keeps him safe from dogs, kids, general idiots etc... and prevents incidents where someone tries to touch him without permission or a kid tries to pull his tail or something and gets bit. Kiwi loves being in public, but I don't trust him not to bite strangers especially strangers who don't know how to approach a bird. I also live in a "dog friendly" area and seriously, some of these dogs around here appear to have never been obedience trained and will jump all over anyone and their owners just don't seem to care. I like a nice stainless mesh barrier between him and the world! Also gives him a place to poop that isn't on me and it can be buckled into the car

Oh, I totally understand all those issues! I started using nylon mesh carriers because people who don't understand birds would try to poke their fingers into the "normal" carrier. A pet store employee who was supposed to help me clip Gabby's wings attempted to have her fingers shortened by poking them into the plastic carrier. There was some weapons-grade stupidity going on at that store, so long story short, Gabby's wings didn't get clipped and I vowed never to return. After Gabby's death, I did return because I missed parrots so much. Unfortunately, I saw one of the employees hit a greenwinged macaw on the beak and claim, "It doesn't hurt him." I had to leave before I hit the employee on the beak and claim it didn't hurt him...despite the odd angle of his nose and the twin streams of crimson dripping from his chin onto his shirt. (Hey, I can't do it in real life. Let me have my fantasy. )

Well, it's official. Somehow, I have to find the money to get one of those Pak-o-Birds for my BFA. I'm still looking for names because this is the decision of a lifetime. May she live a long, healthy and happy life.

 

[Ladyhawk]

This footage (except the still at the beginning) is all from today. I do have more photos and footage that fills in the gap. Maybe I'll get to it someday.

Kizzy is learning how to use her footie (she's left-footed, apparently) and practicing her BIG EAGLE!!!

[ame="https://youtu.be/9SYjuULEtW0"]Kizzy the Baby Parrot: Using Her Footie and Being a BIG EAGLE! - YouTube[/ame]

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

WOW!!! She got soooooooo big since your last post! Has all her clothes on!
So freakin cute!!



Jim

 

[SailBoat]

Someone's got her Blue-Fronted on and is wearing it Well!

Amazon's Have More Fun! And, some are just better at showing it!

 

[Kiwibird]

WOW! She looks like a proper blue front now. And boy did she ever hit the genetic jackpot with the blue genes. Lots and lots of blue on her! Kiwi is just now getting a splash as he approaches his 20's, he looked more like a DYH with a black beak when we got him at 10 y/o.

Super cute to watch her learn to use those massive uncoordinated feetsies. Never really thought about how much coordination that must take a bird to learn/develop to hold and manipulate something with one foot and stand on the other. She's going to be a big flying eagle soon enough lol. Just wait until the first time she big eagles across the room

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Well with all this talk about POB's,and seeing how well Saltys' is made first hand,I am reconsidering...for BB! lol...I don't know if Amy would like one,to be honest. All her life she has been "free" to move about when we go out on adventures. I whole-heartedly agree,it would provide protection and safty from "those" types of people who have no common sense,and would allow ME better mobility.

I wonder,the next time we visit Al and Salty,if Salty would allow Amy to "try it on for size" lol....





Jim

 

[Ladyhawk]

Snuggles in the car with Kizzy. She had her first trip to PetSmart (in a carrier so the doggies couldn't get her).

[ame="https://youtu.be/T57oq7LnhDU"]Ladyhawk Loves Kizzy the Baby Amazon Parrot - YouTube[/ame]

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Wow...if someone who hasn't been following this thread saw one of Kizzy's last photo's and that last video,I don't believe that they'd believe it is the same baby . Like my ex father-in-law would say about James,my son..." growing like a bad weed"





Jim

 

[SailBoat]

Wow, that video needs a Cutie /Sweetness Warning!