Looking for advice - 27 year old Blue Fronted Parrot

[starlady77]

Hi there, I am Sandy. Next week I am being given a 27 year old Blue Fronted Amazon parrot that has resided in her cage, outside in the backyard at a residential elderly living home. I offered to take this parrot as I noticed when I visited my mother in law over the course of 3 years that Gina hardly ever gets any attention. They only feed her seeds and veggies/fruits, the latter on occasion if there is some left over from making dinner for the old folks. Her cage is extremely aged from being kept outside for 27 years. They only drape a sheet over her cage and she's kept out there in extreme cold and extreme heat with just the sheet to protect her. I have only had budgies in my life so I am way out of my league here with the bold move to adopt Gina. If anyone can please help me with some advice on a really good organic food to buy her, treats, toys, new cage, I'd be very grateful. I've scoured the internet for these items I will be needing, but to be honest it's overwhelming to read all the links that come up when you search for good food and housing for parrots. I have a room that will be Gina's, she will be able to be outside her cage and have freedom if she so chooses. My husband is going to fix it so that she has a lot of branches to walk on (he's extremely handy with building stuff), but now after reading on internet I see that parrots are wood chewers and you have to be very careful what wood you buy or it might be toxic to the bird. Please everyone, throw stuff at me, I will read every post you send me. I don't even know how I am going to transport Gina to my home. I was looking at bird carriers for her to be in my crossover in transit to my home, and her icky cage will be trucked separately. I will have to clean that old cage with pressure hose and dry it before I will put her in it again at my house. Thank you everyone, wish me luck. I am super excited about bringing Gina into our family. She has an insane maniacle laugh, wolf whistles like nobody business, and says "hello Gina", and a few other repetitive sounds like an opera singer. I hope I can make Gina happy and healthy with the help of the good people at the Parrot Forum. By the way, the home consists of myself and my husband and 2 Havanese that are 5 and 6. Gina will not be around them, she has her own room. The dogs are barkers and I don't want them to scare her.

 

[Kiwibird]

Welcome and thank you for recognizing a less than ideal situation and being willing to take this sweet baby on. Blue fronts are great birds, very intelligent, very capable of forming strong bonds and females tend to be the 'easier' gender temperament wise. My BFA isn't a talker either, though I *wish* he'd make those beautiful 'opera noises' you describe. Those are normal amazon noises and very melodic and beautiful A few things to address your concerns/questions:

A 27 year old cage that has been exposed to the elements all that time? I cannot even imagine the condition. With the exception of stainless, cages generally need replacement every 10 or so years. So unless it is a stainless steel cage (in which case it is absolutely worth cleaning), it's time for a new cage! Don't even bother washing her old one, have a nice new one all set up for her upon arrival and take the other one straight to a scrap metal place for recycling. Don't worry about her having never had a different cage, she's going to be experiencing a lot of changes joining your home and it's best everything 'new' happens at once IMO. Get them used to the new flow of things right away. This is the cage my blue front has and it's a great size for a large species amazon with lots of room, though there are many different styles of cage to choose from if this one doesn't appeal,(dome top, flat top, top with a play-gym etc...) but do try to keep any cage you choose in this general size range. Remember, BFAs are large, active parrots and need a lot of room to be active! Even one who has a lot of out of cage freedom will still likely spend a lot of time in their cage. https://birdcages4less.com/page/B/PROD/PA5710
I also recommend just biting the bullet and investing in a bird backpack now, as eventually you'll be wanting to bring her out on walks or to the park with you and your dogs, running errands etc... (all VERY good activities for a birds mental health), but if cost is a major consideration with all the supplies you'll be needing, any small cage will do for strictly transporting her home/to the vet etc... My mom transports her amazons to the vet in a "parakeet" cage. As long as they fit comfortably through the door and can physically turn around in it, a transport cage can be small since they won't spend much time in it. Just be sure if you get a small cage to put an appropriately thick perch in it for an amazon. This is the bird backpack we have and it is AWESOME to get my bird out and about in and buckles into the car easily (also never any problem carrying him on public transport in it either). This is our 4th year with it and it's holding up great: https://www.celltei.com/products/pak-o-bird-modified-medium-for-congo-african-greys.html They also have a newer and more affordable option, though I'm not 100% sure on sizing for an amazon so you'd probably want to contact the company and check: https://www.celltei.com/products/birdie-gogo.html

As for actually getting her in a transport carrier/cage? Have the staff move the cage into some kind of enclosed, indoor room or space so she doesn't fly away the second that outdoor cage is opened and someone gets in there trying to get her. It is possible she'll step up and it'll be no issue but it's equally possible she'll be scared out of her mind and make a break for it. Have that happen in an indoor space! Fist option would be to see if she steps up for anyone at the place and have them move her from old cage to travel carrier. If not, try seeing if she'll step up to a stick. Get a 1 1/2" thick dowel from any hardware store and cut it down to roughly the length of your arm to the elbow (this will also be important to have once she's home, as you train her). See if she'll step on it for transfer, lots of infrequently handled birds are less frightened of a stick than a hand. If not, try enticing her into the carrier with a tasty treat. No luck? Last resort will be to bring an old towel with you, not too big and preferably of a neutral color. Brush up on how to towel a bird because it may be the only option to get her into the transport. She will forgive you, eventually Be as gentle and calm as possible during the process. They feed off our vibes, do not be scared or she'll be scared! ALL of these options MUST be tried indoors only!

Our amazon is totally "free range" but still spends a good chunk of his day in his cage of his own choosing (even closes his little bird door behind himself). If no one will ever be in the bird room except to take care of her, have a play stand or something in the family room so she can join you. If you get a backpack, that would be suitable too to protect her from the dogs if you can't kennel or put them outside/another room for her safety, but she needs somewhere she can safely hang out around her new family. She may be shy at first, but if you do it right, she won't be shy for long! Amazons are VERY social and like to hang out with their human "flock". Once they get to know/trust you, they do not like isolation and really want to be in the middle of the action all the time. Be sure you set things up to be conducive to her being able to be around when everyone else is home and hanging out She can have her independent play time when everyone is at work/school or otherwise busy during the day.

Food wise, I just feed my bird on primarily human food (prepared specially for him so no salt, sugar etc...). Much cheaper than "parrot food", no worrying about the low standards for pet food safety VS knowing human food safety is taken MUCH more seriously. I'd argue it is healthier and more interesting for him as well (imagine eating vitamin fortified, unflavored, dry cereal every meal, which is effectively what pellets are. Blech!). Human grade beans, grains, fresh produce and nuts... comprise about 80+% of my birds diet. He also gets a high quality seed mix for daytime foraging. I do not leave a big dish of food for my bird all day (though he always has a water dish). He gets a morning and evening meal, each removed after he's finished eating. I portion to be just a little more than I expect him to eat so we have little food waste (parrots do NOT need a half full dish of food, it's just WAY more than they can eat at a setting!). He gets treats to forage during the day, but just enough to be a snack and not for him to fill up on. This encourages him to eat everything provided in his meals, as amazons can be picky eaters and mine is the president of the picky eaters club. Vet says he's in excellent health for his age (about 20). My mom's been feeding her 40+ year old parrots in a similar fashion all their lives and they're both in excellent health for their ages and eat just about anything you give them. There are some foods that are toxic to parrots, like avocados, onions, mushrooms, chocolate etc... Familiarize yourself with bird-safe and toxic to birds foods.

Speaking of food, if you have ANY non-stick cookware, bakeware, small appliances, oven liners etc... they MUST be gotten rid of and replaced with PTFE/PFOA free or your home is not safe for a bird. Doesn't matter if she's in another room, "teflon toxicosis" is real and kills thousands of birds every year who's owners thought they'd be the "exception" who could keep using non-stick for whatever reason. The fumes are odorless, quickly spread through an entire house and do not affect humans or dogs or other larger pets. Parrots simply drop dead from it and often after you've been cooking with non-stick for a while around them. Just takes one time for it to overheat, go in too hot of an over etc.. and the bird is dead in minutes. NOT worth it. If you can't give up non-stick, you aren't the right home for a bird.

Lastly, line up an appointment with an avian specialized vet. You're dogs vet may "see" birds but is simply not experienced enough. Find an avian specialist. I wouldn't say theres a particular rush since she sounds to be in generally good health but it's a good idea to have any new bird get a wellness exam and in as a patient in case you do have an emergency. I'd say within a few weeks of her being home, she should visit the vet.

Hope this all helps and best of luck! I think you're going to love having your new avian overlord

 

[GaleriaGila]

Welcome! You're my new hero. Thank you for doing all ths...
Some great input from the Kiwi house.
We have some serious Amazon lovers here, as you already see, so you'll be in good company. So many exciting things to explore... diet, caging, toys, play, bonding...
How about some pictures, please? I bet we will really enjoy following this wonderful new adventure.
I'm so glad Gina is with you, and so very glad you're sharing her with us!

 

[LeaKP]

Oh my I am sending Gail, you are my hero too. I’ve not had the blessing of having an Amazon but the ones I’ve learned about here on the forum have me smitten to the point of wanting one! Please keep us posted on how things progress.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[starlady77]

Hi Kiwibird. Thank you ever so much for all the time you spent to write all the information to share with me. All of it is very appreciated. I went to visit my girl today (and mother in law, lol) and I cannot wait until next week to get her. She will let me put my hand in the cage and rub/pet her wing and gently under her wing. She bows her head all the way down and her tail sticks straight up and she makes these funny little noises when I rub her. I can only guess it feels really good to be rubbed and someone paying attention to her. I can't wait to shower her with love. I like what you wrote about feeding her how you feed your birds, veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds. Frankly I was concerned about how she would take to changing her diet to pellets. Do you ever steam certain veggies, or do you give them raw? I steam organic green beans for the Havanese and those are the only treats I give them besides steamed organic sweet potatoes. I will get pictures and figure how to add them to my next post. Please be aware the cage and inside cage is going to disturb you, but I don't want to rock the boat and piss them off saying anything. After next week Gina's life will be so different with my family.
Again, you are wonderful to share so much with me and give us your time.
Sandy

 

[starlady77]

Thank you so much for the kind words. Yes, pictures will be coming soon as I can get her over to my house and settled in. Cross your fingers all goes smooth with transferring her over here.

 

[starlady77]

You are too kind, thank you. I'll let you know how it goes with Gina and you can make the decision to finally get one. I say if you've been smitten with the Amazon, go for it.

 

[SailBoat]

From the many Amazon Snobs of the Amazon Forum, Welcome to Parrot Forums!!!

As a quick one regarding the new cage: Look for a cage with a full height front door!!! BirdCages4Less has an exceptional number of cages with this feature. It is my go-to first requirement of a new cage with the bigger the better as the second.

Knowledge Base: Welcome to one of the largest family of Amazon Lovers around!!! Basic Reading; Sit next to your Amazon and read out-loud in your kind-hearted voice, Amazons Love to be Read too. What to Read to your Amazon, several times each day until you understand like a first language: Understanding Amazon Body Language! This Thread is found at the top of the Amazon Forum and is highlighted in light blue!!! This will be critical for you to understand the basics of what your Amazon will be communicating to you! I cannot stress how Important it will be for your to learn Basic Amazon Body Language ASAP!!!

The second Thread is: I Love Amazons - ... You will find that this 'huge' Thread contains over thirty segments that will address many of your questions regarding Love and Living with Amazons. This huge Thread is designed to pick and choose the information your need when you need it!

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Amazons! The Place Where Amazons Rule!

 

[Scott]

Welcome to the forums, Sandy! Kudos for giving Gina a literal new lease on life. You've received such wonderful information, I'll chime in with a few forum links you may find helpful. We have a large Amazon contingent, so you'll have an excellent support system!

http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/amazons/54250-amazon-body-language.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/new-mem...friendly-warnings-keep-your-parrots-safe.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...7-converting-parrots-healthier-diet-tips.html

Good luck, feel free to ask questions!!

 

[starlady77]

A big thank you to you Scott. Everyone is so nice on this forum. I was just wondering around the massive internet trying frantically to gather as much info I could quickly so I could transition Gina next week and thankfully found this forum. The people I am getting her from cannot tell me a thing about parrots. Gina was a gift to a registered nurse. Gina is 27 and I know that 21 years of her life was spent alone in her cage in the backyards of various houses that the RN purchased for her home health care for the elderly. I don't believe the RN put the time into learning and understanding what it really meant to be a parent to a parrot. I don't think anyone should be giving another person a bird. That is a highly personal decision that takes an extreme amount of commitment. Gina basically was thrust into the care of all the employees of the home, and that means 21 years of new faces as there is always turn over in that type of environment. I know these people mean well, but basically as I see it, she was severely neglected, not abused, just tolerated. From what I have seen, they feed her whatever and uncover her in the morning, cover her at night, period. The filth at the bottom of the cage is horrible. I have cleaned her bowl and gave her fresh water in the hot summer so many times. I am a little scared by what I am taking on, but I couldn't live with myself leaving her there in such filth and bad food choices. You and the previous people giving me links and encouragement have meant the world to me and given me the faith I can do this. Thank you again Scott. I will definitely post some pictures of my girl next week when I take possession of her.

 

[starlady77]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. So many things you brought to my attention I hadn't even realized I needed to know. What a wonderful forum and amazing people willing to help and share information like yourself. You have helped me so much. I have a lot of reading to do and I need to prioritize my learning because I have such a short amount of time left before I get her next week. I find out Tuesday when I can have her. Not sure if the owner's husband is selling her to me or if they will give her to me. Doesn't matter, I am not leaving Gina there a minute longer than necessary. Bless you for all your help, I couldn't have been guided any better than by you all on this forum.

 

[Scott]

You are so welcome, Sandy. Giving a bird as gift is indeed a dubious proposition unless the recipient is thoroughly aware of the long commitment! What you describe is benevolent neglect of the worst kind, to a very sentient being.

I would suggest you lock in the details of transaction, as people are sometimes fickle. You'll need to balance the speed of whatever deal is made with your readiness. There is certainly no enthusiasm gap on your part!!

 

[Kentuckienne]

Kiwi covered most of the bases, so I can only add a couple of things. First, thank you! Thank you for having mercy on the dear thing.

When she bows her head, she probably is asking you to scratch the pin feathers on top of her head. Birds can't reach these feathers to preen the sheaths off, and they get itchy. Just gently rub the feathers against the direction of growth until you are more comfortable with doing the preening yourself, and you will make a friend.

I like Harrison's pellet diet. It's organic and I trust them. They have lots of excellent info on their website about converting birds to a healthier diet. If it were me, I would start her on high potency adult medium (medium size pellets, extra nutrition) and then after some time transition to Adult Lifetime Medium. Our bird LOVES the pepper flavor of this pellet.

It's a good idea to have a transport carrier on hand in case there is an emergency. Plastic dog kennels work very well. You don't need a very large one for an amazon. There is a wire door on the front that is easy to open and close, a solid top and bottom, and holes on the side so the bird can see out but still feel protected. Chewy.com is a good site to shop for these - they have sales, and can give you advice about size. You also want some stainless steel food bowls that you can attach to the crate inside. Not so big a deal for short trips. With parrots, it's good to get the bowls that kind of snap or twist in place, because they love to pick them up and fling bowl and all to the floor. Same with water. You want stainless steel for any metal, because some of the plated metal has heavy metals that poison the bird.

The plastic crate is good to keep handy, with the bird's and your info taped to the top, in case you need to bolt for any reason. We have to go to the basement for tornado warnings. Some people keep a pillowcase in the crate or nearby - if it's a real emergency, a fire or quake, you can just grab the bird in the pillowcase, tie it shut, and get them to safety instead of looking for the crate.

You can find an avian vet in your area (hopefully) at aav.org - and it would be good to set up an appointment early on, to find out if she has any health conditions, nutritional deficiencies, infections, etc. that need treating. And being established with a vet is really, really important in case there is an emergency.

Also ... cages are expensive, and if you can afford a new one that's great, but Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, LetGo, NextDoor and other local websites are good places to look. Be sure to ask why the cage is for sale ("bird died of beak and feather disease is a red flag"), inspect it for rust or flaking metal, and clean/disinfect it before use. I've seen $500 macaw cages for $100 bucks on some sites. Stainless steel is best, powder coated is next best (make sure it isn't flaking) and galvanized or plated metal is right out.

Sailboat has lots of great info about Amazons, if you read through his posts - especially the stickies on the Amazon forum - you'll learn a lot. And Birdman666 wrote a great post called "The big beak-o-phobes guide to macaw beaks" in the macaw forum that isn't just for macaws.

There are some excellent books out there. I particularly like "The Second Hand Parrot" as a good overall introduction to parrot ownership of rescue birds. And "The Dummies guide to Parrots" from the Dummies series is also surprisingly broad in scope, easy to understand, and helpful.

And come back often to tell us how it's going and post photos! Thank you again for doing this, and good luck to you both.

 

[starlady77]

Hi Scott, thanks again for the new info. I think "The Second Hand Parrot" sounds right up my alley, I will be sure to look for it on Amazon.com
I tried and tried to upload a picture of Gina I took today and for the life of me I cannot figure out how to upload jpeg onto the forum. I have had extensive experience on computers and too many programs to count, but dang I cannot figure out where to upload. I tried to use the "insert image" button on the quick reply message window, but go nowhere. Can you direct me to an info page on Forum, or perhaps if it's really easy tell me where to click and I'll find it? Thank you, Sandy

 

[starlady77]

Whoops, Kentuckienne, I inadvertently posted that thank you (although I do thank you Scott) to Scott. That "Second Hand Parrot" book sounds like just the book I need. And, it was to you I was asking the question of how to post photos. I read that you'd like to see photo of Gina and I took a few today and couldn't upload. All your advice is greatly appreciated. I cannot wait until the day I can be a good parrot owner and not have to ask questions and read about what to do and not to do. It makes me feel so worried I am going to do something wrong. Then I re-read all of the wonderful posts you all send to me with advice and I can tell it's an ongoing, loving thing to be the parent of a parrot. Just like with children, we can expect the unexpected at every turn and with each year they grow older. Thank you again for your valuable advice and time. Sandy

 

[Scott]

I tried and tried to upload a picture of Gina I took today and for the life of me I cannot figure out how to upload jpeg onto the forum. I have had extensive experience on computers and too many programs to count, but dang I cannot figure out where to upload. I tried to use the "insert image" button on the quick reply message window, but go nowhere. Can you direct me to an info page on Forum, or perhaps if it's really easy tell me where to click and I'll find it? Thank you, Sandy

Posting pictures: http://www.parrotforums.com/technical-support/6287-how-post-pictures.html

While the mechanics are logical, the source may be an issue. Members have a very limited storage space on the PF mainframe. Supporting Members have roughly double, but still minimal. Best bet is a free hosting service such as Imgur. Photobucket was once the "go to" source, but they now charge significantly!

 

[starlady77]

I finally got to bring Gina to my home yesterday. Is it normal for a parrot (she's 27) to stop talking after being moved to a new home environment, new family? This morning I uncovered her and brought her some fresh cut fruits, a couple of peanuts and seeds. She wasn't interested in eating and she isn't talking anymore. She let me put my hand in the cage and I pet her wing and under wing, top of head and she did her little cooing and wiggling that she usually does when I love her, but she won't talk. After the move yesterday she still said hello, laughed maniacally, and said Gina, but late last night and this morning she's quiet. Please tell me, is she okay, is it normal for parrots to become quiet because they change owners and surroundings. Is there anything I can do besides talk reassuringly to her and pet her to make her feel comfortable? I am going to a bird store today to buy a new cage. I decided to transport her yesterday in her own huge wrought iron cage because it would reduce stress to be in her own surroundings until she got settled in. Should I wait to put her in new cage for a few days. I just want to hear my happy girl again and I want to be doing the right things to help her adjust. Thank you anyone and everyone to responds.

 

[SailBoat]

It is very common!

Just set a comfortable chair next to your Amazon and Read out loud in a pleasant voice. Amazons' love to be read too. Read from the Amazon Forum the first two Threads in light blue: Understanding Amazon Body Language and I Love Amazons - ...

The goal is to provide a comfortable starting point!

 

[Kiwibird]

I finally got to bring Gina to my home yesterday. Is it normal for a parrot (she's 27) to stop talking after being moved to a new home environment, new family? This morning I uncovered her and brought her some fresh cut fruits, a couple of peanuts and seeds. She wasn't interested in eating and she isn't talking anymore. She let me put my hand in the cage and I pet her wing and under wing, top of head and she did her little cooing and wiggling that she usually does when I love her, but she won't talk. After the move yesterday she still said hello, laughed maniacally, and said Gina, but late last night and this morning she's quiet. Please tell me, is she okay, is it normal for parrots to become quiet because they change owners and surroundings. Is there anything I can do besides talk reassuringly to her and pet her to make her feel comfortable? I am going to a bird store today to buy a new cage. I decided to transport her yesterday in her own huge wrought iron cage because it would reduce stress to be in her own surroundings until she got settled in. Should I wait to put her in new cage for a few days. I just want to hear my happy girl again and I want to be doing the right things to help her adjust. Thank you anyone and everyone to responds.

Glad she is home Her behavior is very normal. It would actually be more unusual if she didn't have a more "subdue" attitude for the next week or 2 as she adjusts to her new home.

Personally, I would've had the new cage all setup as soon as she arrived so all the changes came at once. Since you did opt to bring her home in her old cage, you can go the standard route of introducing a new cage by setting it up right next to her old one and letting her check it out for a few days. If she has any favorite branches or toys or non-perishable treats, put all of them in the new cage and kind of start stripping down the old one. The goal is to make the new cage seem more appealing than the old one so she decided to enter it on her own terms. Open up the cage doors on both and see what she does. Being an amazon, you may find once you get the new cage set up with more favorable perches, toys, treats etc... she wants to come check it out of her own volition right away. If that is the case, get that nasty old one out of there ASAP before she has the chance to change her mind!

Congrats on your new addition and welcome home to Gina!

 

[Scott]

Welcome home, Gina! A subdued demeanor is absolutely normal for such transition. There is a "honeymoon" period of sorts, Gina is assessing her environment.

You may find this thread helpful: http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html