Update Mealy and Yellow Front?

[Giggleagain]

I have the opportunity to adopt either an older male (over 20 years) MA or a "younger" male YFA whose age I don't know yet. Both of them were offered to me by people who think I will give them a good home.

I have met the YFA who was given a temporary stay of execution by someone with a big heart, but they can't keep him for lack of space. His owner wanted to have him put to sleep! According to the people who have him now, he attacks the cage the second they walk up to it, screeching and launching himself at them. They thought of me because I seem to look and sound very much like his previous owner (so I've been told) and he didn't react the same way when I walked up to the cage. Initially it was clear he was terrified and stressed because of the new environment he was dumped in, but he eventually stopped clinging to the far corner and came over to my side. I talked to him for a while and then left. I plan to visit him daily next week, if only for a few minutes.

The Mealy I have yet to meet. He belongs to a woman giving him up because her doctor thinks her auto-immune disease is connected to her parrots (she also has a GCC). If she does not get any better once the birds are gone, she will probably take it back, but that is not a problem for me. She should get him back - I know I would if I were in her situation.

What are the pros and cons of each?
I've done some research, but I trust you all so much because of your experience, and I would rather make a decision based on your experience than on generic articles on the internet. You guys just are the best!

 

[JerseyWendy]

The Mealies I've encountered were all very relaxed and easy going, but when they screeched, it was ... ahem...VERY loud, just like their size.

YFA are incredibly smart, and just as hot tempered as a DYH or YN can be. Their mimicking ability is fantastic, too. I would not call them 'laid back', however.

Would it be impossible to get them both? :54:

 

[Birdman666]

Mealies are one of the mellowest zone out there....

Napes are big personality hot 3 Amazon's and this one is clearly cagebound...

 

[Giggleagain]

The Mealies I've encountered were all very relaxed and easy going, but when they screeched, it was ... ahem...VERY loud, just like their size.

YFA are incredibly smart, and just as hot tempered as a DYH or YN can be. Their mimicking ability is fantastic, too. I would not call them 'laid back', however.

Would it be impossible to get them both? :54:

Wendy, you're just as bad as my son when it comes to talking me out of a bird, aren't you?

I've got a very laid back Quaker (Pea) and a not laid back-at-all Quaker (Clover). Pea is definitely my boy, and Quaker is a little lady who likes anything male in this house but will yield to me when Birdman666 measures are applied. We're having lots of Clover burritos lately, this hormone season is a bad one.
I know loud, my German Shepherd is 10x louder than my quakers when they're flock-calling. Lana sets my nerves on fire when she tries to convince me it's time to PLAY BALL. NOW. RIGHT NOW. DO YOU HEAR ME??? Did anyone ever say Quakers are loud? No they aren't.

Hot tempered I am too. I get it. Clover is. We manage.

Would it be impossible to get them both? Nothing is impossible, but NO it would not be wise. Would it be awesome? YEAH, but I don't want to get in over my head. (I'm rather short). Clover still plucks and always will. Sweet Pea is a lot better than he was 4 months ago when I got him, but he still slashes himself for no reason when he has the opportunity. I have to think of them both and my time is not my own because I work full time and the dogs have to be walked also. I haven't found the way to stretch my 24 hours into 48 (if anyone has, please send me the recipe), and I don't know if I really, I mean REALLY am going to be the home everyone else thinks I will be for these birds (oops for one of these birds, whichever it might be).

Don't put ideas into my head Wendy. It really doesn't need more.

 

[Giggleagain]

Mealies are one of the mellowest zone out there....

Napes are big personality hot 3 Amazon's and this one is clearly cagebound...

How do you explain his behavior during my visit? Was he simply totally freaked out at the amount of activity around him and his new surroundings? The activity in the room honestly was too much for me also, I wouldn't blame the bird for acting crazy, but he didn't - and the people who had him insisted that his behavior with me was totally opposite of his behavior when they approached his cage. This is the main reason that I want to visit him on a non-Saturday when I can be alone with him and observe his reaction to my touching his cage in serene surroundings (if you call being surrounded by 20 bird cages "serene"). At least there won't be 5 people in there cleaning cages while we have our second date.

How hot is HOT? I think I need to find out Button's age (that's the name of the YFA). I've read so many posts saying that male's tempers are worse than females, but I can't swear that I've had an experience with a female amazon or a male amazon. The amazon I had when in my 20's was named ROSIE and I miss her still, but back then there was no DNA testing so I don't know whether Rosie was male or female. She/He was the most amazing Amazon ever, but I don't know what kind she was. It was too long ago. I only re-homed her because I was leaving the country and could not take her with me. Even back then, that country did not allow exporting native birds. Not even legally.

What do you think about adopting both the mealy and the YFA, Birdman? Would this be trying to have the cake and eat it from both sides at the same time?

 

[JerseyWendy]

Ok, ok, ok....didn't mean to sound enabling in the least. :54: :32:

If you truly wouldn't mind possibly returning the Mealy (IF the lady finds out the birds were not the cause of her autoimmune disease), then I'd go for the Mealy.

 

[ZephyrFly]

Why not take in the mealy, see how things go with the previous owner and keep the people with the YNA informed that you're interested but currently tided up. If she wants the mealy back then talk to the other about the YNA again ??

 

[Flboy]

..........I haven't found the way to stretch my 24 hours into 48 (if anyone has, please send me the recipe)....

Meds, lots, often!

 

[Giggleagain]

I wish I could update the Thread Title and just say "Update Mealy and YFA" instead of adding this and hoping someone will know there's an update in here

So here's the update: the Mealy mom can't make up her mind on whether she wants to rehome or not, and after hearing what the people who know her have to say, she would have probably been too loud because apparently all she does is scream all day.

The YFA turns out not to be a YFA but a YNA. I read the "instruction book" or "bible" her previous owner left behind for her future parents. That owner was not only OCD but AR at the same time. Among her instructions are detailed drawings of cage bars, each of them numbered, showing which toy must hang where because otherwise the Zon won't sleep. Exact times the water must be changed. Exact location where the foot toys must be on cage bottom. Exact order in which treats must be given. Veggies are "treats" by the way, and only on day 5 and 6 of the weekly schedule. Main food: bananas, apple chips, animal crackers, sunflower and safflower seeds. Hrmpf: veggies given as treats are lima beans and corn. Nothing else. It goes on and on and on and absolutely nothing makes sense to me.

So I'm looking for a cage, because this oh so concerned former parront SOLD the cage her bird is so used to that it can't possibly have ANY changes in it's life. Very logical, right? I had the opportunity to visit 3 times already. The bird is shy but follows me with the eyes. Every time I move away and talk to the other amazons it says "Hello mother", until I turn back towards it, then leaves for the other side of the playstand. Rinse and repeat. I saw it yesterday in the cage. There was no aggression whatever when I touched the cage, opened the door, stuck my hand in, toyed with the food dish, or offered a treat (but he didn't take it). He just moved away from my hand.

I'm going to give this a fair try and hope to get help from you when I need it. I'm sure I'll get on your nerves with all my questions and problems. For now....I just had to tell you what's next on my agenda. I hope Clover and Sweet Pea won't take it badly. I already promised them that they'll still get as much attention as they get now. I'm going to take Flboy's advice and take lots of meds to stretch my 24 hours into 48

 

[KBEquine]

Now that you have made a decision I have to say that I love that you are giving the YNA/YCA a chance. As you already know, sometimes a parrot's issues are a reflection of its former human's issues.

Our first amazon arrived because my husband wanted a parrot who talked [and the best way to guarantee your parrot talks is to adopt one who already does]. Unfortunately for my husband, the parrot preferred women. I preferred Greys, but the amazon didn't see that as an issue. Hence, I've got an amazon who adores me [and my husband ended up with my Grey who prefers men].

Just like the wand picks the wizard, the parrot picks the human.

BUT "our" amazon was advertised as a Yellow Nape. The seller [craigslist] was enthusiastic about how her friend-the-yellow-nape-breeder said this guy's feathers were SO different from other Yellow Napes . . . I took one look & wondered how a breeder missed the fact he was a Yellow Crown.

Enjoy the bird AND the journey.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I wish I could update the Thread Title and just say "Update Mealy and YFA" instead of adding this and hoping someone will know there's an update in here
........
I'm going to take Flboy's advice and take lots of meds to stretch my 24 hours into 48

I changed the title for you.

LOL @ taking lots of meds!!!

No worries about ever getting on anyone's nerve. Ask away! Looking forward to seeing some pics of this YN once you get him home.

 

[Birdman666]

Napes are huge personality birds, and if it's calm now, at this time of year, then he's probably pretty mellow.

 

[Giggleagain]

I changed the title for you.

LOL @ taking lots of meds!!!

No worries about ever getting on anyone's nerve. Ask away! Looking forward to seeing some pics of this YN once you get him home.

Thank you so much Wendy, I'm so glad you did! As far as the nerves go, I'm getting really cold feet and if it weren't for all the parronts here my feet by now would be frozen and I'd run the other way. I already feel overwhelmed by worry and don't even have him yet.

 

[Giggleagain]

Napes are huge personality birds, and if it's calm now, at this time of year, then he's probably pretty mellow.

From your mouth to God's ears Birdman! I hope he is as calm as he seems to be, though I'm afraid it's a bit of shyness at this time. Or maybe he's just sizing me up and forging a plan on how to "get me good" later on. I saw him again today and he called me back every time I turned my back on his cage, but moved away every time I approached. I have the feeling we'll have to take this slowly with each other. I will post some more about him later today or tomorrow.

 

[Giggleagain]

I've been writing post after post (in my head) about the exciting new addition to my flock. There are so many subjects I would like to share/write about, that I'd fill the first page of the new threads without a problem. All by myself!! However I'm very much into self-control and I hate to be pushy, so I'll just give you a very abbreviated version of everything I found out, pondered, felt, discussed, researched, and decided during this last week.

His name: Buttons. He calls himself Butt Butt and I'm going to have to do something about it because during my visits I found myself saying "Hello Buttface" and that's just not going to work

His history: mainly seed diet mixed with heavily died pellets that smell like fruit loops. Yuck. Barely any veggies and fruit.

His cage: the old cage was way too small and rusty. It was found to be unfit to house anything living. I looked around for a slightly used one, but there were only clean and painted-over well used cages available. The "painted-over" part was unacceptable to me so I went and bought a new one. So much for a free amazon
The new cage is ..well... NEW and BIG, specially compared to what he had.

I didn't really think I'd have a question already but it turns out I do: Do I really show up with a medium dog crate to pick up a YNA? Do I put newspaper in it? A towel?

The date I get him: ****** T O D A Y ******
I should be jumping in the shower and getting dressed to get on my way, but know that I just have to enjoy this anticipation just a bit longer. Isn't anticipation at least half as good as good as getting "it", whatever "it" may be? I love the HIGH feeling of anticipation and I'll stay high as long as I can Besides, Saturday is in-depth cage cleaning day and I want to get that done before bringing home Butt. See how that name doesn't work?

No need for bubble wrap today. I'm doing the twist all on my own !

 

[JerseyWendy]

WOO-HOOOOO!!! OMG, how exciting!!

Yes, you can pick Buttons (aka ButtButt, aka Buttface) up in a cat crate. He'll be all right. And yes again, put down some newspaper for him (you could put newspaper over a towel for softness), and if you can, you can put a perch, too. That would mean you'd have to put holes in your crate on each (of the short) sides, and then screws. He'll be fine without a perch, too, though. Amazons are incredibly resilient.

How many hours before you leave?

You are awesome for getting "Butt" (LMAO) a brand new cage! I'm sure he's going to appreciate that a whole lot!

Please, PLEASE share some pics with us when you get him home safe and sound, ok?

 

[labell]

How exciting for you, I can't wait to see pics of Mr Butt

 

[Doublete]

Good luck you must be so excited!