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

[Ladyhawk]

Big Day! Kizzy said her first word yesterday! Actually, she said it night before last, but said it a few more times again today: "Up!" She used it appropriately each time when she wanted me to pick her up.

 

[SailBoat]

At the rate she is going, she will be completing 1040EZ forms by January 2018! One smart little lady you have there.

 

[Ladyhawk]

Kizzy has a middle name now. I officially declare her name to be Kizzy Jade. She got her first misting with a spray bottle and loved it! I didn't get her too wet because it was time for bed. She is no longer content in her 20 gallon long aquarium. She's a big girl now, so I'm moving her into Gabby's old cage tomorrow.

It's a bittersweet moment. I love both parrots (yes, I still love Gabby), but I'm so glad they are different from one another. Gabby was a big boy, weighing well over 500 grams. Kizzy is a petite girl that is probably only two-thirds of Gabby's size, if that.

As you can see, her head feathers have grown in and she's a little beauty, even in her baby feathers.

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Beautiful baby blue front:

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Apparently blue-fronted Amazons rock that mascara! Gabby's eyelashes were yellow. I see just a hint of red creeping into her irises. There will be some kind of red / orange / yellow pattern by the time she turns one.

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She looks so little sitting on Gabby's portable perch.

 

[CKP]

She's gorgeous!! She looks so cute and little!

 

[Kiwibird]

Kizzy is getting to be such a big girl now Can't believe she is already perching. It's such a wonderful thing you've let us all watch her grow up from a tiny little thing.

And yes, the blue fronts love their 'makeup'. Even the guys rock eyeliner and lush lashes Just wait until those pupils turn pumpkin orange. Then they really pop against the black!!!

 

[SailBoat]

I'm guessing that Gabby's eyelashes were neutral (clear), without color. The yellow was more likely the head coloration reflecting. They are darn difficult to see unless you have the lighting just right. There had been some musing that DYH Amazons where Albino, since they have no color in their nails, beaks and eyelashes. But a true Albino would have no color in their feathers also.

The full family of Blue-Fronted Amazons have those full black eyelashes and when combined with the orange eyes - you know when you have been flashed!

What a Cutie!

Take care, you are likely going to start getting visitors dropping by! Just to say Hi! Yaaa, like Amazons can hide their emotions!

The larger perches will be great for her claws!


FYI: Based on the level of educational information and being just Too Cute! I rated this Thread as a Five Star Wonder!

 

[Ladyhawk]

I'm guessing that Gabby's eyelashes were neutral (clear), without color. The yellow was more likely the head coloration reflecting. They are darn difficult to see unless you have the lighting just right. There had been some musing that DYH Amazons where Albino, since they have no color in their nails, beaks and eyelashes. But a true Albino would have no color in their feathers also.

The full family of Blue-Fronted Amazons have those full black eyelashes and when combined with the orange eyes - you know when you have been flashed!

What a Cutie!

Take care, you are likely going to start getting visitors dropping by! Just to say Hi! Yaaa, like Amazons can hide their emotions!

The larger perches will be great for her claws!


FYI: Based on the level of educational information and being just Too Cute! I rated this Thread as a Five Star Wonder!

Yeah, I was looking at a closeup of Gabby's eyes and decided his lashes were yellow, but I really wasn't completely sure. Kizzy really does look like she should be a spokesmodel for Max Factor. XD

Here is Gabby's eye. What do you think?

 

[Ladyhawk]

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

OK, that explains the early fledging...LOL.

 

[SailBoat]

I'm guessing that Gabby's eyelashes were neutral (clear), without color. The yellow was more likely the head coloration reflecting. They are darn difficult to see unless you have the lighting just right. There had been some musing that DYH Amazons where Albino, since they have no color in their nails, beaks and eyelashes. But a true Albino would have no color in their feathers also.

The full family of Blue-Fronted Amazons have those full black eyelashes and when combined with the orange eyes - you know when you have been flashed!

What a Cutie!

Take care, you are likely going to start getting visitors dropping by! Just to say Hi! Yaaa, like Amazons can hide their emotions!

The larger perches will be great for her claws!

FYI: Based on the level of educational information and being just Too Cute! I rated this Thread as a Five Star Wonder!

Yeah, I was looking at a closeup of Gabby's eyes and decided his lashes were yellow, but I really wasn't completely sure. Kizzy really does look like she should be a spokesmodel for Max Factor. XD

Here is Gabby's eye. What do you think?

Regarding Eyelash color. DYH Amazons' have no color in their eyelashes. Because they are neutral (without color) they assume the color around them. In this case, its yellow. With the right lighting and angle, the clear eyelashes can be seen.

 

[wrench13]

'Boats, you are an amazing, endless pit of ... parrot information. Clear eyelashes, indeed! I would bet a substantial sum of money that not 1 in 1000 DYH owners know that. And Kizzy is a pretty young lady.

 

[SailBoat]

Thanks Al! But as you know, the secret is: Its all about having great sources.

 

[Inger]

Kizzy is beautiful! I can hardly believe she's the same baby you started with. Watching birds grow up is fascinating-thanks so much for letting us share it with you.


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[AmyMyBlueFront]

Kizzy is getting to be such a big girl now Can't believe she is already perching. It's such a wonderful thing you've let us all watch her grow up from a tiny little thing.

And yes, the blue fronts love their 'makeup'. Even the guys rock eyeliner and lush lashes Just wait until those pupils turn pumpkin orange. Then they really pop against the black!!!

Indeed!! even Amys doc once mentioned "ooohhh what pretty/long eye lashes...wish mine were that nice" lol



Jim

 

[Ladyhawk]

It's crunch time! It's time to wean, fledge and get used to a cage. Wow! That's a tall order for a petite baby blue front. We're both worn out! I just tucked her into the cardboard box in the 20 gallon long, which she only uses for sleeping now. I'm dog tired!

I had planned to clip Kizzy's wings, but now we're doing flight training three times a day. How in the world did this happen?

My short list for a new bird was 1) a Congo African grey or 2) a blue-fronted Amazon. I decided not to get a CAG because I didn't want to deal with feather-picking. Still, I had an idea based on the baby greys I sold. This is highly unscientific, but I noticed that the babies allowed to fly did not pick their feathers. I've been thinking about this for a long time. I know that some of the plucking is due to physical ailments, but there's a huge psychological component, too. Greys are very sensitive birds, so they're sort of the canary in the coal mine when it comes to feather-picking and its root causes.

My theory is this: If you clip a grey, you take away one of his options in a flight or fight scenario. Add any stressor and the bird feels helpless. He probably can't fight whatever it is that is making him upset and now he can't fly away from it either. In frustration, he resorts to feather picking. This makes sense. I would love to see the data on this. I'm sure some flighted birds pluck, too, but I have a hunch they don't do so as often as flightless greys.

If I got a grey, I planned to allow him or her to fly, but if I got an Amazon, I would clip for safety. Well, that changed when I saw how sensitive Kizzy is. I took just the tiniest bit off her toenails and we both ended up crying. Later that same day, at just seven-and-a-half weeks old, she took her first short flight. She was so happy with herself! She waggled her little tail, made a happy noise and looked up at me as if to say, "Wasn't I just a BIG eagle, mommy?"

Oh, geez.

All this time, I've been telling her "big eagle" when she flaps her wings and now that she was able to do the very thing all that flapping was for, I was going to take it away from her.

I had to think about it for a couple of days. Every time she flew, it scared me half to death, but clipping her would ground her during the time she was supposed to learn to fly. And it can't be undone, at least not for a very long time.

I sought information from prominent people who fly their birds. They assured me Kizzy was learning from the crash landings. At her age her bones are flexible and her mind is ready. If she is ever going to learn how to fly, now is the time to take that risk...and it is risky. I know that. I've seen how risky it is first-hand. I still can't deny Kizzy her right to fly.

So Kizzy and I are doing flight training three times a day in the relatively safe bedroom, which I pad with blankets every morning to keep her safe. At first I tried very short flights from a close perch or person, but she kept taking off in various directions, so I canned that idea. Now I stand on the opposite end of the small bedroom and try to gently catch her when she checks against the wall. She hasn't quite learned to stick her landings. She keeps trying to perch up high where there's nowhere to perch. Still, she's a good candidate for flight training. She's lighter and more aerodynamic than Gabby. She was getting lift from her wings before she turned eight weeks old. Her tail feathers are still growing and she might need a couple more days on the flights and still she flies with relative ease.

In the living room and kitchen, she tries to fly to a perch I set up in the place I hand-feed her. She stuck the landing once and landed in the nearby sink twice. Once she overshot the perch and landed on her hand-feeding supplies. Even though it scares me to death, I keep encouraging her.

Kizzy is so sensitive I have to be careful about everything. I made a mess of introducing her to her cage. I thought she would amuse herself with the toys inside, so I just put her in and when she got upset, I let her fuss for too long. That was the wrong way to go about teaching her. Now I have to take two steps backward so we can go forward together. Today, I set her down and immediately picked her up from every perch in the cage. I let her hang out on top. She's picking at solid foods so if she settles down on one of the inside perches, maybe I can feed her bits of something yummy and pet her head.

She still loves to be petted and snuggled. Today my nephew and his friend dropped by and Kizzy let both of them pet her. She let them touch her because I said it was OK and she trusts me.

I have never raised a parrot this sensitive. Perhaps it's because she was the only bird in the clutch. Perhaps it's genetic. Perhaps it's both. Perhaps it's due to something of which I'm unaware. At any rate, we're both learning Kizzy 101 and I broke one of the most important rules: "Thou shalt not freak out the Kizzy bird!" I think I can undo the damage, but it may take some time. I guess I fall firmly in the "comfort them; don't let them cry" camp of parenting. Kizzy will become more independent when she's ready, but only if she feels confident in me and the decisions I make for her.

"May luck protect fools [me?], small children [baby Kizzy?] and ships named Enterprise." - Commander Riker, "Contagion," Star Trek: The Next Generation

My geek is showing. :22: :smile004:

P.S. I hope those who clip will respect my decision. Those who do not clip: Can you point me toward resources that will help me keep Kizzy safe and teach her what she needs to know. We are working on getting her used to the Aviator Harness, but I'm going slowly because Kizzy is so very sensitive. We can usually get her head in the harness with no fuss, but I don't want to move to the next step until I can do it 100% of the time. I got a small, which is suggested for blue fronts. It will fit, but the hole for the head is a bit of a tight fit. I am thinking about getting the next size up and then when she is trained, trading it in for another small (backup).

 

[SailBoat]

It is never to early to teach safe flight paths by walking them with her. And, along the same lines, it's never to early to teach hard surfaces by moving to them softly running into them and tapping on them. Next is to provide /teach turning, landing and generally avoiding hard surfaces like walls, doors, windows, mirrors, pictures, etc...

Introducing new things can be done with easy if with time things slowly finds itself working into her area and then limited contact and finally full interaction.

Tour the room and home often as part of flight path training in introductions to everything. Opening the World up around her! Work at her rate and you will be happy as she begins to more rapidly takes comfort with new things.

The goal is a steady stream of new things that do not over load her, but keeps her engaged and interested.

Please remember that Plucking is a multifaceted, complex occurrence with numerous drivers. Yes, you clearly hit a big one, but there is also medical drives and other emotional drives. Plus, they can combined to confuse matters even more.

Enjoy the road!

 

[Ladyhawk]

It is never to early to teach safe flight paths by walking them with her. And, along the same lines, it's never to early to teach hard surfaces by moving to them softly running into them and tapping on them. Next is to provide /teach turning, landing and generally avoiding hard surfaces like walls, doors, windows, mirrors, pictures, etc...

Introducing new things can be done with easy if with time things slowly finds itself working into her area and then limited contact and finally full interaction.

Tour the room and home often as part of flight path training in introductions to everything. Opening the World up around her! Work at her rate and you will be happy as she begins to more rapidly takes comfort with new things.

The goal is a steady stream of new things that do not over load her, but keeps her engaged and interested.

Please remember that Plucking is a multifaceted, complex occurrence with numerous drivers. Yes, you clearly hit a big one, but there is also medical drives and other emotional drives. Plus, they can combined to confuse matters even more.

Enjoy the road!

Yes, I know feather-picking has multiple causes. In some cases it's almost 100% physical. My thinking is that being flightless magnifies the severity of any stressor. It's not just the stressors; it's the stressors plus physical health plus inability to fly, plus who-the-heck-knows, etc.

Thanks for the ideas regarding Kizzy's education. She sucks at landings right now, but she isn't even nine weeks old and that's to be expected. She started heading for the doorjamb above the door because she could at least get her claws around it, so I put my hand up there, instead, and now she is landing on it more often than not. I watch her pull up, stick her feet out and clutch my fingers. Finally, some good landings! I praise her for every try, but especially when she sticks the landings. "Kizzy, come!" is what I'm using as a command. If she needs encouragement, I tell her, "Kizzy, be a BIG eagle!" and she'll take off almost instantly. XD I'm being careful not to wear her out.

Since she is flying, I think she needs two hand-feedings a day for extra energy and extra nurturing. This is all very new to her. We're learning together about flighted birds and their requirements. We're also learning that there is such a thing as a sensitive Amazon, at least in the baby phase. As an adult, she may be different, but right now, she's as sensitive as any African grey I ever raised.

I think I will wait until she is landing really well on my hand and then lower it just a bit to see if she can adjust. At some point, I will want her to fly to my hand at various heights. Then we'll work on turns, etc. I will take it at Kizzy speed.

Again, thanks! I think we need to pull up the blinds and learn about windows.

I have a lot of chronic illnesses. Kizzy's needs are forcing me to be active. My core is more toned so my back is hurting me a little less. My stamina has improved. I know I need to use the Neti pot every day to keep from getting a sinus infection. I can't get sick because Kizzy needs me.

 

[Ladyhawk]

I was thinking things would get easier once Kizzy needed fewer feedings and could entertain herself in her cage, but my decision to keep Kizzy's wings intact has changed that. Now we have so many things to learn! I need to habituate her to the Aviator Harness so she can receive proper socialization. I need to habituate her to the cage, which is going to be ten times as difficult because I screwed it up the first time. (See my last post.) I need for her to learn how to fly safely in the house and land on approved areas. I need for her to learn how to fly safely to my hand. I need for her to learn how to eat solid foods on her own. Because she's not in a situation where she can observe other birds, I've had to fill in that role by actually "hand feeding" her bits of solid food and eating in front of her. She's doing well, but I supplement with formula when I think it's necessary. She's burning more energy than a non-flighted bird. She's a bit on the thin side, but that's OK for now because she needs to build up stamina and flight control. That's another thing: I need to make sure she doesn't get too thin or too fat and wean her at the same time. What a balancing act!

Probably I won't be posting as much. I will try to remember to take photos and videos when I can, but right now Kizzy is taking most of my time. This is yet another cautionary tale to tell prospective bird owners. Kizzy does not like her cage. Kizzy does not yet know how to fly safely. Kizzy is not yet wearing a harness. All those things mean I am staying in my apartment with Kizzy 100% of the time and that she is sitting out on portable perches where there aren't enough toys. We play with foot toys, but she should be learning about all kinds of toys.

I've decided to accelerate harness training so we can go out and get her properly socialized. I've watched a lot of videos on training a bird to use the Aviator Harness, but due to Kizzy's sensitivity, I've been going very slowly. She needs to be accustomed to it ASAP, so if you have any suggestions on how to safely speed things up, I would appreciate it. Oh, she's now more playful than cuddly, so rewarding her with cuddles won't always work. She's becoming a fine young Amazon.

-Exhausted Amazon Wrangler

 

[Ladyhawk]

I genuinely think Kizzy enjoys flying, but she's started "bargaining" with me. If I have to say, "Kizzy, come!" three or more times, she looks at me and says, "Up?" meaning I should come and get her. XD XD XD. I try not to wear her out, but I don't think she quite understands why I'm interested in getting her to fly where I want her to fly.

 

[Ladyhawk]

Today, Kizzy learned how to fly a short distance back to the perch. When we get close, I give her a tiny bit of momentum (she can refuse to fly if she wants to with no ill effects) and tell her, "Kizzy, perch!" She's only missed the perch once when she was aiming at it.

As long as I keep my hand at doorjamb height, she nails the landing nearly every time. She gets confused if I lower my hand or hold it in a different orientation. Today she even landed on top of my head. XD Any port in a storm, I guess.

Despite the scares and the huge amount of training needed, this is actually fun! A parrot in flight is at her most beautiful.

To make it safer, we have a lot of work to do. Kizzy must learn how to maneuver in flight. She must learn to come when called. She must learn safe flight ways. She must learn to fly to a perch on command. She must learn about windows (not the OS that crashes more than she does). She must learn to wear the Aviator Harness. I must learn how to train her to do this before I can even practice putting it on her. For her sake, perhaps I should either find or make a toy parrot so I know what I'm doing before I subject her to the same procedure. Most of all, Kizzy needs to learn how to fly down. Her instincts tell her to go up, up, up!

Today she landed on the equipment I was using to heat her hand-feeding formula. Luckily, it wasn't too hot, but now I have to suck it up and confine her to the 20 gallon long when I'm making formula. I hate doing that to her. She's been watching me heat formula since she was three weeks old. Now that she's flighted, there's no other way to keep her out of danger. Sorry, Kizzy. Safety, first.

This is a wonderful bird. Wish us good luck during this arduous training process.

 

[SailBoat]

Toddler proofing a room and then a series of rooms and then the house! The joys of childhood!

When working on landing on you arm, remember that its basic target training. Start where she is comfortable and shift up and/or down in small changes in elevation. This way she will associate landing on the arm and lock it in! With time, variation in elevation and location can be built in.

There are a ton of things that they are learning at the same time! So, don't get overly crazy that it takes a bit longer to to shift landing spots.

Remember that you will be looking back on these times and they will be fond memories! Times that pass far too quickly!

Enjoy!