Rescue Amazon! A little help, please!

[TheSpoiledReckless]

Saturday night I enter a new pet store. A cozy little reptile store where I handle a few stunning burmese pythons and chat with shop staff before closing. A nice place...for reptiles. Not for the amazon parrot shaking quietly in a corner, locked inside a little parakeet cage atop a python tank. The shop staff took her in a few weeks ago from someone who dropped her off in an even smaller parakeet cage.
I was told she wasn't for sale since no one had come in that they felt comfortable selling her to but I left my name and phone number and they called me the next day. I brought her home Sunday night.
So enough story telling. Bonnie is an orange winged amazon (I ID'd her, pet store didn't know what she was) of unknown age, unknown history but wearing a round open metal band that suggest she was wild caught. She is very scared but comes out of her cage, eats out of my hands and loves unshelled almonds more than life itself.
She screams, is unhandable (Though a girl I know claims to know her from the pet store and that she is able to hold and pet her.) She talks some, though most of her words are unclear.
I have three other birds, a greencheek conure and two lovebirds. She seems very comfortable around the green cheek (Darwin) and always relaxes when she sees Darwin cuddling with me. I switched her over from seeds to organic dehydrated fruits and veggies (Dr. Harveys parrot food) with a mix of pellets that are all artificial flavor and color free. So she's eating well at least. Her new play top gym cage is arriving next Wednesday and I am picking out new toys for her.
The problem is that she cannot be handled. She shakes nervously constantly and screams every morning. I live in an apartment with a one pet only rule, but I have ten! So I need to fix this problem quickly, I have a gameplay but how has other peoples experiences been fixing screaming.
I know NOTHING of her history and therefore don't know what to expect from her, especially since she seems to be wild caught (Making me think she is in her thirties or so, since the import ban came into play in 1992)
She seems to want to be around Darwin but I am iffy about them since she is so unknown and Darwin is much smaller than her.
I'd love to get her trained well enough to come into the aquarium and join the other bird (A baraband parakeet) in teaching the kids about birds, she needs to be handleable by children though. I don't expect this overnight, but I'm hoping for it by the end of the year for both Bonnie and Darwin. She growls and makes monkey sounds when I get to close to her (within five inches) but doesn't try to bite.
Can anyone help with these issues??

 

[2greenconurestostart]

Welcome to the forum and a great place to come for information. Orange-wing amazons are wonderful birds! Thank you for rescuing him! I also have green cheeks but not amazons but many here do and will be a great resource for you. My first instinct is there is a lot of fear and its a new home. Also, have you taken him/her for a vet check (I cant imagine how hard this is if she can't be handled)? If not you may be able to get an avian vet to come to you. Be careful health wise with your current birds, there is usually a 30 day quarantine for new birds so your current flock is safe. I am glad she seems to like the other birds, they are probably a comfort after reptiles. check out this article...

Causes of Excessive Screaming in Pet Birds and How to Reduce or Prevent It

 

[2greenconurestostart]

also, the new cage and toys will help tremendously as she is probably fearful and without a proper outlet to chew or play. You are going to do great! I totally understand the living situation. praying that will not be an issue!!!

 

[Amanda_Bennett]

I rescued a Orange Wing Amazon hen about 20 months ago, she is 30 this year, wild caught and was severely miss treated in her previous home.

It didn't take Zilla long to become super, uber attached to me though. These little birds are hardy and affectionate! As long as you respect her and show her you care about her and her feelings she will come around.

On a side note, Zilla still growls at me, even when she has her foot up and wants me to pick her up, it's just a part of her quirky personality! So I wouldn't put too much stock in the growling, it seems to be a noise they like making.

If she loves Almonds so much start using them for treats, only give them when she is brave and does something you want her to do, or if she doesn't bite, or if she steps up on a stick (I would get a stick or perch and start training her to step up on it before you try getting her on your hand)

 

[TheSpoiledReckless]

Woah! So many awesome responses. Thank you guys!
On a side note, if there does come a time when I cannot care for her or if her behavior issues become to severe (Unlikely, but if I am threatened with eviction from my apartment or she poses serious danger issues to other pets in the house this may become the case. But I sincerely doubt it would ever come to this. She doesn't seem aggressive so far and likes the other birds and I intend to start training to stop the scream immediately) Than I will do everything in my power to find her an awesome forever home where she could fly and be loved and doted on for the rest of her life, however long that may be. I would ever pay shipping and insist on weekly updates, what can I say. I'm a bird mommy for sure, they are 100% my feather babies.
But right now, sans extreme circumstances, she is currently residing in her forever home. And we are happy to have her as a part of our family.
As far as an avian vet, thats a bit complicated. I'm a full-time college student and I work 16 hours a week on top of that. I only get paid for eight of those hours. I don't have that much money, all of it is being poured into setting her up. Also, there are NO avian vets anywhere near me. I believe the closest is 2 hours away, and my car is so badly broken it only makes it about twenty minutes (Just enough to get to school and work) before shorting out and stopping. I have a few minor health concerns, and if any seems like they really bother her or threaten her health or quality of life I will do anything I can to get her seen by a vet.
Her feet seems very dried and cracked and she sneezes ALOT (I believe this may be a result of the humid environment of the reptile store) thats really all I'm worried about.
I'll post so many pictures of her as soon as she is settled into her new cage.

 

[TheSpoiledReckless]

FYI she is in quarantine. Same room as the other birds (Can't be helped) But not let within two feet of them yet. Not for a month.

 

[Birdman666]

Way too big for Darwin. Don't know how aggressive she is yet.

Amazons can be territorial, and can go after other birds in their territory. You don't know her well enough yet to risk that.

 

[BIRDIGIRL]

You will do great with her...small steps one at a time and as you work together daily the bond between you will grow and before you know it you will be her special person. I have a white Fronted Amazon which I got almost 9 weeks ago now . The White Fronted is even slightly smaller than the Orange wing. My Mr Biggles came from an aviary and just like yours was happy to eat out if my hand on day one. Watch out for any wheezing. If she seems any way poorly to you then a veterinary visit is a must Im afraid to determine what it is and what treatment is needed. Hopefully its just as you say the air that has her sneezing a bit. Also though I dont know much about reptiles I do know that some of them carry salmonella so before you introduce her to any of your birds I would try to ensure she was not carrying Salmonella and is completely healthy. I would start saving up for a veterinary visit for its a saving you will always need to hand just in case the occasion should ever arise. I hope all goes well for you regarding your home situation and that you get to keep her. Also when she gets her new cage she may move in immediately or she might not want to go into it at all and may prefer to stay in her smaller cage and if that happens its normal and after a few days of you allowing her to explore the bigger cage she will be happy to take up residence there and enjoy the extra space and toys and you can use the almonds to entice her if she is slow in moving in to explore the new cage. Orange Winged Amazons are not noted to be great talkers. I hope you enjoy her company for many long happy years to come and well done you for rescueing her. As I am a first time Amazon owner my above advice is based mainly on things I have read rather than from experience ( though I have experienced the need for a veterinary visit and treatment with Mr Biggles ) but I thought the little bit of knowledge Ive gathered might be helpful to you.

 

[SailBoat]

If you haven't read the first Thread in the Amazon Forum " Amazon Body Language" please do so. You will find it very helpful in understanding what your Amazon is try to communicate to you.

 

[JerseyWendy]

If you haven't read the first Thread in the Amazon Forum " Amazon Body Language" please do so. You will find it very helpful in understanding what your Amazon is try to communicate to you.

Ditto!! Here it is, just click on it. http://www.parrotforums.com/amazons/54250-amazon-body-language.html

 

[Birdman666]

I'll help more with this when I become a functional human being again... right now I'm just completely spent.

 

[TheSpoiledReckless]

Thanks a bunch guys!
I read the amazon page you guys suggested, very helpful. Unfortunately Darwin was out cuddling with me in bed while Bonnie slept on top of her cage (Fast asleep for over an hour, out like a light, dead to the world). I turned my back for a single second (I really do know better at this point, parrots will be parrots) and Darwin took off to dive-bomb a sleeping Bonnie's head. Bonnie woke up horribly confused and disorientated with a green cheek conure hanging off the side of her head trying to rearrange her face. Cue screaming and squawking and pillow being thrown between them.
I snatched up Darwin, the naughty little bird and plopped her in her cage where she was scolded mildly and told she was lucky to still have two feet. Bonnie was profusely apologized to and received treats in apology for Darwin horrible and unwelcoming behavior. The two have since made up and talk to each other quietly all day. Thankfully no one was hurt. Unfortunately, Darwin lost all privilege to have naps with me while Bonnie was out, which has severely cut into her lovey-dovey time with me.
Bonnie's screaming training is actually going fairly well, she only screamed twice today and has still not bitten anyone. She comes and goes from her cage freely and is starting to feel more comfortable in her new home despite her spat with her neighborhood conure.