Welcome to Coco my newly adopted YNA

[ftlaudmom]

I have had Coco for about a month and a half now. I'm not sure how old he is but the store owner said he was about 3 which seems right because he is very hormonal (i think). I had gotten Shaggy the owa from the same store but we weren't a good fit so the owner made me a trade for this guy and I'm very happy so far. he loves women and I was told he hates men but that hasn't turned out to be quite true. He only acts up when my son is around. so far he's learned to target and to wave and spin and we're working on the fetch. He absolutely loves his training sessions.

As far as the hormonal thing goes he does things that I am not familiar with so I have to assume it's sexual. He regurgitates sometimes when I get close and also sometimes if he gets excited during training. Im slowly working up to having him sit on my lap but he tries to lay on his back in my lap and then starts to bite at me so I don't do that often because I'm not sure what that means and I don't want to encourage it if its bad and spoil our fledgling relationship.

He is a very nippy bird when he's on my hand so I try to put him down as soon as he starts to do that. Id love if someone could tell me if they have an amazon that likes to lay on their back and we what that means. is he playing or is that a behavior i should discourage.

I don't find him to be trustworthy enough for a shoulder so we're not going to try that.

 

[SailBoat]

Consider reading the first Thread in the Amazon Forum (Highlighted in Light Blue) Understanding Amazon Body Language. I would recommend that you read it several times each day and aloud while sitting next to your Amazon. The goal is for you to learn /understand Amazon Body Language and for your Amazon to become more comfortable with you.

 

[jhsatx]

Does it ever crawl up your shirt,(outside) and play in the back of your hair like a water fall?

I put it in it's cage when it acts weird.

I have had Coco for about a month and a half now. I'm not sure how old he is but the store owner said he was about 3 which seems right because he is very hormonal (i think). I had gotten Shaggy the owa from the same store but we weren't a good fit so the owner made me a trade for this guy and I'm very happy so far. he loves women and I was told he hates men but that hasn't turned out to be quite true. He only acts up when my son is around. so far he's learned to target and to wave and spin and we're working on the fetch. He absolutely loves his training sessions.

As far as the hormonal thing goes he does things that I am not familiar with so I have to assume it's sexual. He regurgitates sometimes when I get close and also sometimes if he gets excited during training. Im slowly working up to having him sit on my lap but he tries to lay on his back in my lap and then starts to bite at me so I don't do that often because I'm not sure what that means and I don't want to encourage it if its bad and spoil our fledgling relationship.

He is a very nippy bird when he's on my hand so I try to put him down as soon as he starts to do that. Id love if someone could tell me if they have an amazon that likes to lay on their back and we what that means. is he playing or is that a behavior i should discourage.

I don't find him to be trustworthy enough for a shoulder so we're not going to try that.

 

[texsize]

When my YNA lays on his back it usually indicates he wants to play.
I work his feet with my hands and tickle his tummy.
You need to be careful doing this because they get overstimulated quickly and go from playing to biting quickly.
texsize

 

[jhsatx]

Over stimulation, well said.

 

[ftlaudmom]

He does try to crawl up my clothes but I stop him right away. I don't trust him near my face. The first week i got him he stepped up to a female friend of mine and ran right on to her shoulder and nailed her in the face. He didn't bite her but he sort of just jabbed her with his beak. It happened so quickly before I could stop her. So now I'm very careful with visitors.

Im n nw sure if he's ever going to be a shoulder bird and that's OK. He's very entertaining and generally pretty gentle otherwise except when he's excited.

 

[GaleriaGila]

I like your attitude, FtLaud! Very tolerant and open. Understanding that you have a beautiful, somewhat alien, amazing creature in your care. Not a HelloKitty or a Scoopbydo. I've given up on some expectations and thus gained a lot of peace. This place has helped.

 

[ftlaudmom]

Here is the first video of Coco. I took him outside in his sleeping cage so he could come out and get a bath. He usually really enjoys getting misted with the garden hose. I normally don't take him out of his sleeping cage by hand so I thought I'd try to do it on video. THis is also my first video upload so I'm not sure if I'm even doing it correctly so here goes.

[ame="https://youtu.be/tL_7yOMGYYw"]YouTube[/ame]

 

[ftlaudmom]

We're still getting to know each other and so we're doing short stints on my lap. He tries to come up to my shoulder but I don't allow that as I don't yet trust him. He's very playful and unpredictable so we're taking it slow. The first few times he got on my lap he tried to flip over on his back and that seemed to really be exciting for him so he started to nip. I could tell if I allowed it to go on I could end up getting bit pretty hard due to his excitement. I don't let it go that far any more so we're doing short lap visits so he learns how to be well behaved when he's with his human. I've been listening to you guys and I'm assuming he is testing his boundaries as you suggest so that's why he has very short visits right now. He is so darn cute though! I really want him to be able to hang out for long periods and maybe even be relaxed. That would be the ultimate!!!

[ame="https://youtu.be/zN_RPPUr0a8"]Coco Yellow Nape Amazon hanging out with Mom - YouTube[/ame]

 

[henpecked]

I don't think any of the behaviors you describe are hormonal. The regurgitation is common even with clutch mates at a few weeks of age. It is a common bonding tool, and is just that in your case. He will probably do it with other folks he meets. The playing while on his back is also common with amazons. You will have to be careful about him be coming over stimulated and biting too hard but that will improve with age and bite pressure training. You need to let him know what pressure is too much and what is acceptable with you. The best news from your thread is you are setting limits. Very important in teaching your zon how to live in our world with a human. You need to be the leader. Most folks who have issues with their zone do so because the bird feels he's in charge. You're doing a great job. Congrats on your new life long companion. BTW, socialize, socialize, socialize.

 

[wrench13]

Salty is so different from the hot 3 amazons, even though he is an amazon, but the rolling onto his back is definitely a playing thing. When he does that the trick is to never leave fingers in his mouth for long, or he tends to go harder and harder. When he gets a finger in his mouth, I let him play with it and then tickle tummy, or feets or even rub his head, and it distracts him. Of course the whole time , I am telling what a terrible bird he is, and what a velociraptor he is becoming, etc. In other words keep all of him busy, not just the beak. And plenty of breaks too, or he becomes over stimulated, too. But Salty loves his play time with me, and is starting to play the same with my wife. Coco look like a nice bird and seems to like you.

 

[Jerseyjeff62]

I would be so afraid to let Gracie out of her cage outside without a harness or something, this summer seen so many posts of parrots that flew away.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Here is the first video of Coco. I took him outside in his sleeping cage so he could come out and get a bath. He usually really enjoys getting misted with the garden hose. I normally don't take him out of his sleeping cage by hand so I thought I'd try to do it on video. THis is also my first video upload so I'm not sure if I'm even doing it correctly so here goes.

YouTube

Amazon "grunts" lol... Amy does that a lot


Jim

 

[Scott]

Coco is a beauty! Love the videos, they clearly show why folks are so attracted to amazons!! As others have said, review the body-language thread, take things slowly, and be guarded against Coco perching on your shoulder! That is a position best reserved when near total trust has been earned!!

 

[ftlaudmom]

Coco's been doing great and I have a new video of his first tricks which I'll upload shortly. I need some help though with his relationship with the stick. He was clearly stick trained when I got him as he stepped right up with no problems. But here's the problem. He sleeps in a smaller cage indoors since his outdoor cage is not safe. He doesn't ever want to go willingly into that cage and tends to get a little aggressive and nippy when he knows it's bedtime so I use the stick to transfer him there. so now he's starting to get angry when I approach with the stick and bites at it but does eventually step up. I don't want to cause him to fear the stick but he has to be safe at night so I'm not sure how to proceed without making him more and more fearful of it. Any help would be great.

 

[ftlaudmom]

Here's my little guy (or girl not sure).
[ame="https://youtu.be/Db_LLF6M_4g"]Coco the Yellow Nape Amazon doing his first tricks - YouTube[/ame]

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Amazon's just love to please their humans.
And what a handsome/pretty guy/gal Coco is.

LOL'd at the waving and turning around also. Great job!


Jim

 

[ftlaudmom]

We had a good night last night with just a little resistance to the stick. I brought him in and he hung out with me in the bathroom while I got ready for bed. He's not been in that area of the house much so it was new and he seemed interested in all the new stuff around.
After that we went to the kitchen and he watched me get his dinner ready. No training just chilling. He seemed anxious to get to his pellets in his cage - i only give him his pellets in the cage - so I offered the stick and he gave a couple little nips but overall not too aggressive then he stepped up so I could transfer him for dinner and bedtime. All in all a little better than previous nights. I think I'll have to spend some playtime before bed so it's not such a negative experience. I'll try and video it tomorrow and fingers crossed it goes as well.

 

[ftlaudmom]

I'm going to continue this thread rather than create a new one for each announcement or question. Coco has been doing wonderfully with everyone in the family except my son. They're still not friends yet. However I need some advice for how to move forward from a pretty bad first bite. I thought I was a good body language interpreter until a couple of weeks ago. Coco had climbed down from his stand and walked over to me on the sofa. He looked like he wanted to come up so I put my hand down for him to step up and without visible warning gave me avery intentional and bloody bite. I reacted minimally of course and used the stick and put him in his cage immediately. since then he's only been handled by the stick. I want to handle him again but for some reason I'm fearful. I would appreciate words of encouragement so we can move forward again.