I've been noticing a lot of Blue front Amazons..........

[mtdoramike]

being advertised for re-homing on Craigslist and in local papers and such as of late. Most seem to be less than two years old so it can't really be the dreaded hormonal issues that you hear about with certain Amazon Species. I know Amazons can be a handfull sometimes, but still. I found 5 locally or semi-locally between last night and this morning. The Blue Front is one of my all time favorite parrots eventhough I have never owned one.

 

[Conurekidd]

Noise level. Somepeople assume there wonderful talking parrot will talk naturally.
But instead they pick up there natral woot and it's annoying. That's why we teach noises and phrases for them to yell. Other than that it's the biting. Zons have a really nasty bite.
IMO it's the worst bite out there. And just like dogs. People re home after one bite.
Amazons period are re homed. It just happens to be that blue fronts are bred more than any other species.

 

[Abzeez]

My blue front isn't that loud. He sings, because I taught him too, and I have yet to have any blood drawn. Knock on wood. He's really a great parrot. My first large parrot, and I adore him. He has such a great personality and besides his bout with spring hormones this year he is a love. I think these guys get a real bad rap.

 

[merlinsmom13]

Amazons can be problems w/o the hormones, the screaming, biting can be problems way b4 they are sexually mature.

 

[Weeegiewarbler]

I must have the quietest BFA... never yells or screeches. He was a biter tho'.... and jings that hurts. Last time he bit me (1st July, we'd just returned from holiday) it bled for over 30 mins, then the area became swollen & mildly infected for about 4 days.... I couldn't imagine life without him now. But I wonder how different that would be if he was a screecher.....?

 

[Conurekidd]

My blue front isn't that loud. He sings, because I taught him too, and I have yet to have any blood drawn. Knock on wood. He's really a great parrot. My first large parrot, and I adore him. He has such a great personality and besides his bout with spring hormones this year he is a love. I think these guys get a real bad rap.

Lol. Congratulations. Forum members usally train and have well behaved birds. But 95% the time amazons are disturbing, obnoxious, biteful, and for the most part the most aggressive parrot species. CAN BE WITHOUT GOOD TRAINING. I do belive they are misunderstood. People think there Easy and great first time pets. But there not. Essp bf, yn, and dyh.
They can pick up bad habits fast. It's the reason there the second most re homed parrot. If people knew about the cons. There would be less in shelters and re homes. It takes a real strong person emotionally to care for an amazon. Blue fronts just happen to be bred more. So theres more of them.
For me as an amazon person. Careing and fostering amazons. I see new ones all the time in the rescue because either hormones, screeching, or the one time bite. Iv never seen another species of parrot with more bad habits picked up. There alot of work. I love mine with the passion though. Sammy is everything to me. Looking fwd to the 50 years to come. But agree that they need more of an understanding. Not there cute nice and loving. That's 1 of 100 amazons unless trained properly. They need AND deserve alot. Not your typical parrot. These ones bite back haha.

 

[Abzeez]

What you say holds true to any parrot. I got the most bites EVER out from 4 GGC's. I find them nippy little parrots, and don't really care for them. My amazon, and many that I know are not what you make them sound like. They are great parrots, clownish, cute, loving, and in my opinion amazing.

 

[merlinsmom13]

Yes Bean & Merlin are perfect. lol When we brought merlin home, he was both a screamer & a biter. He had spent 2 months in a pet shop. He still hates kids, mainly 8-10 yr old boys. Wonder why?? I think if they are threated w/respect, they tend to have less problems.

 

[Pedro]

Well i have to agree with conurekidd. Amazons in the wrong hands just don't mix. I also love my zons & think they are wonderful. I don't have an issue with noise but i can get the odd bite. So what. Birds bite.

The thing is i think more breeders should screen prospective new owners before selling a bird. I ask so many questions & if they don't seem to be bothered learning how to care for any of my babies i refuse to sell to them. Simple. When i take on a pet be it dog, cat, fish or bird they all live out their life with me.

 

[xreinx]

Ive found that a lot of people dont understand their animals, and adopt thinking that its going to be "perfect" right off. I try to explain to them that they need to work with the animal for it to become the perfect pet and that perfect is never going t be PERFECT... a lot of people arent willing to do that.. so about 60% of the time dogs/cats/birds come back to the shelter after about a week, and the people say they arnt what they expected them to be.

birds bite. cats jump on counters. Dogs bark. They ALL need to learn, and it should be done gently. people dont like the "teaching" part, they want a ready made pet "out of the box" so to speak.

I was given a warning by my boss when I told a women to go by a toaster when she told me she wanted a puppy that didnt chew, bite, jump or bark and was house trained. the same people go out and buy a bird, expecting it to be "perfect". its hard to resist asking them if they want it gift wrapped or just in a bag.

 

[Weeegiewarbler]

Ive found that a lot of people dont understand their animals, and adopt thinking that its going to be "perfect" right off. I try to explain to them that they need to work with the animal for it to become the perfect pet and that perfect is never going t be PERFECT... a lot of people arent willing to do that.. so about 60% of the time dogs/cats/birds come back to the shelter after about a week, and the people say they arnt what they expected them to be.

birds bite. cats jump on counters. Dogs bark. They ALL need to learn, and it should be done gently. people dont like the "teaching" part, they want a ready made pet "out of the box" so to speak.

I was given a warning by my boss when I told a women to go by a toaster when she told me she wanted a puppy that didnt chew, bite, jump or bark and was house trained. the same people go out and buy a bird, expecting it to be "perfect". its hard to resist asking them if they want it gift wrapped or just in a bag.

I agree with you totally. The majority of issues with animals is ignorance on the owners side. Like you said, they want the "perfect pet", and oops... animals like folks, aren't perfect. Well pardon me for animals having personalities, intelligence, curiosity, attitude.... and all this has to be guided and honed in order to allow the animal to fit comfortably within the home. This obviously takes time and effort, and I'm hard headed on this front, if you can't be bothered investing either in your bird, dog, cat, hamster, horse.. (whatever).. don't even contemplate getting one!
I have a husky - dogs reputedly known to be runners - he has never ran away, and can be let of the leash and returns when called... it's called TRAINING... I invested time, effort and love, and it's paid off in spadefuls.
The same will be true with Calli-parrot. Our journey is just starting, but the returns and rewards .. for US BOTH... so far have been wonderful.
Pets/ Companions are not toys or ornaments to be dismissed when you're bored. You really do have a relationship with them... and that takes effort. And it's this lack of effort that causes rescues to fill up with "difficult" animals.
We need to educate people more.

 

[Conurekidd]

I'm confused. I feel like I'm being told I'm wrong about amazons.
I'm not gonna quote on what. But fact is amazons are MORE PRONE to pickin up horriable habits. There the species I work with. And its facts. Yes any parrot can pick up bad habits. Any. But amazons are not to be adopted by just anyone. They CAN BE cuddlelly loving and clownish parrots. But it's sad to say most Arnt. People (like said above) have to be willing to train there bird. And in the wrong hands a zon turns to a monster. I never ever give out the positives on parrots prone to bad habits. Amazons are some of the most colorful parrot and people will adopt because of color. Not knowing the risks.
I'm so very happy your zon is perfact. Sam is too. But do I go around telling everyone that. No. That could be a mistake to someone reading this thread and thinking "well if hers is like that then I can make mine like that". And anoter bird is in the shelter.
Yes. All parrots carry this habit. But why are toos zons and macaws flooding shelters.
Because they exhibit this Behaviour more than others. There for leaving us at square 1.
They are the "you must be dedicated to this bird" species. I'm so happy you have a well behaved amazon. But if your gonna state the pros. Follow with the cons please. People can't think amazons are great pets. Because truth is there not if there in the wrong hands
I call em the "pitbull parrot". There ment for certain people. Not all.

 

[xreinx]

you have a better way with words then I do. thankyou for the post.