We adopted an amazon!

[ravvlet]

So, some of you all might remember how I originally posted about considering adopting a 30 year old amazon parrot, but deciding against it because of her health issues and ending up getting a cockatiel instead.

We still have and love Cricket, but we ended up reconnecting with Kirby's (the amazon's) owner and it turns out she was still in need of a home - her original owner (the girlfriend) ended up leaving her at the house she was living in and no one there had bird experience. (She IS aware that I am adopting Kirby so that's not an issue!) The owner before that had her since she was hatched but sadly passed away - but apparently she took Kirby EVERYWHERE, and she came to me with an aviator harness and a really adorable bird hoodie. According to her current owner she was fed a lot of bread and I'm not sure if it was "bird bread" or regular bread or what.

He described her to us as a "mean bird" so when we went for a second visit I honestly expected to get nailed, and brought along a variety of treats as well as a stick for targeting so I could better examine her (she has at least one lipoma as well as a smaller mass below her keel and on her neck), and so I could weigh her. Well, long story short, she stepped up on my hand and let me pet her!

My partner was so touched watching her interact with me that we decided then and there that we really wanted to take her home - her current situation was pretty dire (seed diet, filthy cage and only a couple threadbare toys). So the next day I rented a uhaul and after a good pressure washing and a LOT of scrubbing was able to bring her home and set up her cage.

Today was her first full day home with us, and she's already eating vegetables and trying out her pellets as well as playing with a couple of her toys. She's still very sedentary and we have a vet appointment in the morning to build a treatment plan for the masses and her weight problem (she clocked in at a slightly unbelievable 560 g, and she was supposed to be a Blue Fronted Amazon - but I suspect based on her coloring that she is actually an Orange Winged). She also doesn't fly and doesn't currently accept treats from my hand. Not sure why.

Unfortunately I think she had her fill of me today because after tolerating pets and even stepping up a few times she finally tried to nail me tonight when I went to check in on her and ventured a scratch - but I think I was pushing too hard and plan to back off! I'm just so excited/hopeful/nervous.

We're keeping her as seperate from Cricket as possible but he knows she is in the house and did figure 8s around the living room in dorky excitement.

Any advice about amazons with weight issues, handling issues or her species in general would be awesome. I am re-reading the I Love Amazons thread again. Oh! And treat ideas would be amazing. She may just be scared of hands, so I plan on trying the ones I've already tried again (walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds). Apparently she was being given whole peanuts but I believe those can have some kind of fungus that is dangerous for birds.

edited for clarification!

 

[texsize]

Can you post a picture?
I can tell a Orange Wing Amazon at 50 paces LOL.

 

[ravvlet]

Sure can! Thanks texsize Sorry in advance cos they're wet chicken pix, I took them after her bath this afternoon. The rest I have have cage bars in the way as she's been settling in.

 

[bug_n_flock]

Oh yeah. That's an orange wing. Cute'r than pie, too.

 

[fiddlejen]

Awwwwwww! :04:

 

[Laurasea]

Read the blue sticky at the top of the Amazon forum by sailboat lots of good info there!
Congratulations, and thank you for stepping up! I think I see hope and happiness in her eyes!

 

[ravvlet]

Thanks everyone! Fingers crossed that her vet appointment is not ALL bad news. I am trying to keeps my expectations very low.

As an aside, is this an appropriate addition to her diet?

https://christineschopshop.com/products/chop-shop-daily-maintenance-for-medium-to-large-birds

We love the daily maintenance for small birds for our tiel who tends to run underweight, but I am worried about the nut and carb content of this stuff for a 'zon who's got weight issues.

 

[bug_n_flock]

I took on a "47" year old Blue Front a few years back. She was chronically underweight, had a messed up beak, arthritis so bad she could hardly open and close her toes. Blood work came back normal, and vet said she was probably older than what I had been told.



I only had that angel for about 10 months, but every. Single. Day. Was made all the better for having Crayon. Sweetest bird in the world, I miss her so very much. A stroke took her from me. I have never regretted getting Crayon, despite only having her such a short time. I am richer for having known her. <3



Here's hoping the vet has some good news for you guys.

 

[Scott]

Congratulations, looking forward to new chapters of her story!

 

[ravvlet]

Well, it took me 20 minutes to get her out of the cage but we did make it to the vet! She stepped up pretty as you please for the vet and she gave me some tips on how to better handle her. She got her nails done and a fecal/throat swab as well as bloodwork and a DNA test, and we removed her band. It was an open steel band that might actually be an import band - the numbers were FKM 212.

Her throat was a little pale and slimy and her vent was irritated so we will probably be looking st some kind of infection and possibly a vitamin A deficiency. Her heart sounded good and it turns out she is clipped but is molting and has new flight feathers coming in. We are going back Saturday for an x-Ray to check out her heart better.

She has several subcutaneous fat deposits - a big one under her tail in front of her vent, another one behind her vent that is smaller and more like a large skin tag, and one on her neck.

Pending her x ray though the vet seemed confident she could be re flighted and weaned into a good diet while losing weight!

 

[ravvlet]

Oh, also she finally managed to bite me. I got her to step up and I didn’t get ahold of her feet so she climbed up my arm. I thought she was fine but I guess she either wanted down or was overstimulated because she bit my upper arm and left a nice bruise - then hopped off the the exam table and sat there chattering and pinning.

It turns out right now her favorite “people” is my toddler - she kept asking her for pets and giving her kisses through the cage bars. I guess that’s not a bad thing, although I don’t plan on letting the two of them interact extensively.

 

[ravvlet]

She looks so pretty in the sunlight!

 

[texsize]

You have a beautiful Orange Wing Amazon.
I still miss my Plumas.

 

[Anita1250]

I had an OWA for many years. Rocky passed away about 5 years ago at 48. He was a gentle, sweet bird. He used to have a lot of bravado and would try to scare everyone. If you called his bluff, however, he would run for the hills. What a really nice bird he was. I hope your OWA is a great bird for you too!

 

[ravvlet]

Thank you for all the kind words! She is opening up to me more and more each day and is such a lovely bird. Our cockatiel is insanely jealous so I convinced my partner to let me have her bigger desk since I work from home so I can fit his little java tree on it and he seems content.

Meanwhile, Kirby's cage is a dome top, but according to her last owner her original cage had a play top and she loved to sit up top and hang out with everyone. I wanted to preserve that but I also like the space the dome adds for more shredding and foraging toys (she has tried a couple of them but hasn't explored all of them yet, I assume that will take time since she's never had them before).

Our long term solution is to buy a floor stand with a big java tree - one suited for macaws because much like in the I Love Amazon thread she has some foot issues from perching on small dowels (we got rid of every single dowel perch in her cage today, yay!) so I think she'd benefit from some XL perching.

But for now...

My original idea had been to go get some furniture-grade PVC and build a playtop that arched over the top of the cage, but A.) Home Depot doesn't carry it in store and is out of stock online and B.) I worried the regular perch diameter would cause the same problems she was having with the dowel perches, even with added vet wrap!

She really loved it and got crazy excited - body forward, wings out, happy noises and begging for pets. I want to add at least one more of the XXL rope perches somewhere since it's got the widest diameter and her feet look the best on it, and I'd also like to see if I can't find some longer ones of the sisal variety.

One last bonus pic, I decided to draw her for my first entry for inktober! I'm doing Cricket the cockatiel for today's and will pop that over in the 'tiel forum.

 

[Squeekmouse]

Oh my goodness what an amazing story! I honestly teared up as I read this. And your drawing is nearly as beautiful as your kind heart, just incredible!

Thank you for rescuing Kirby.

 

[SailBoat]

Thank-you for bringing your beautiful Orange Wing Amazon home! Yup! texsize can ID an OWA!

Please also take the time to read: Understanding Amazon Body Language as it will help you greatly in understanding what your Amazon is attempting to communicate.

I would recommend that you totally avoid peanuts and sunflower seed as they are very high is protein and contribute to issues with fat.

If you are or plan on taking weight samples of your Amazon at home. Please assure that you zero the scale and target only taking weight samples first thing in the morning prior to providing food and water and after your Amazon's first poop of the day. This will assure you of a trackable weight that can be monitored.

Again, thank you for providing this dear Amazon a Place to be Loved!


Amazon's Have More Fun!
FYI: Love your Art!

 

[Flboy]

These are the beginnings of a great love story!

For those new to parronthood, your upfront costs are obviously high! You apparently have an extremely thorough vet! All those tests are pricey! But for a mid life bird, important! And you aren’t holding back on any needs!
If you could share what this ‘free’ adoption is running, it can help someone avoid getting in over their head!

Very minor point, the egg shaped hangers, large side down! Narrow side down can trap a foot and leave your baby hanging!

 

[ravvlet]

Oh shoot! Thanks for the hanger tip, I will fix that. Also, we have eliminated peanuts completely but I will pull the sunflower seeds as well, we only had them hidden in her toys to encourage use at this point.

Assuming you mean the cost of her vet appointments etc, this is the breakdown so far:

• Kirby and her cage - $200
• New toys and perches - $230
• CBC, Fecal & Throat swabs, DNA sexing, nail trim, removing open steel band, full avian exam - $330
• Pellets - Harrisons and TOPS - $50ish
• X-Ray estimate - $160
• Microchip, should we decide to do it - $50? Bit foggy on this one

No such thing as a “free pet”! I didn’t include other costs like the cost of the uhaul for her cage etc

Edited for formatting

 

[wrench13]

Very minor point, the egg shaped hangers, large side down! Narrow side down can trap a foot and leave your baby hanging!
__________________
..David..


Thanks for a very good safety tip, David. I have to check Saltys toys today to make sure the big end is down.