What is he doing?

[Florem]

Hi guys!
I'm currently a fosterhome for a blue fronted amazon. His last home haven't been great and I'm working towards the former owner agreeing to replace him. He's a great bird and during the past ten days, he's learned how to step up and enjoys sitting on my head and grooming my hair.
In the mornings he's usually quite slow and then plays with his foraging toys I made him, but today (the day I have to go to school for two hours) he's SUPER active!

What is this pacing back and forth he is doing?

I've uploaded a short clip of his behaviour

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bqewaxand1anbc7/Video 2017-10-03 07 36 15.mov?dl=0

 

[Florem]

Aaand now he's doing this

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zm75x20q9tixdbd/Video 2017-10-03 08 20 18.mov?dl=0

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Looks to me that he is just settling in and being groovy pacing back and forth maybe he wanted to get down on the floor and explore. How old is he?
The head bobbing could just be his way of being himself. Amy does that at times when she is content. I wouldn't be too concerned.



Jim

 

[LordTriggs]

just through that description is sounds like he wants some attention and play time!

My conure would run back and forth bobbing his whole body up and down, even jumping on the spot to grab my attention

 

[Florem]

Thank you guys for replying!

AmyMyBlueFront - he's about ten, eleven

It makes me really happy to hear that he is happy. I care for him deeply, he's a great bird. I read that it could be an aggressive body language, the strutting, but I find it hard to tell without any form of comparison. But he did it while he seemed happy so I suppose that was the reason

I've been thinking about something else aswell. He's made such great progress since he got here and it's my first time interacting with an amazon. He's afraid of hands and that's something we've been working on, slowly, that hands are okay.
But today I realized that maybe it's bad to practice him when he have to move in a couple of weeks? I'm afraid it will be harder for him if our bond is growing stronger and stronger?
What do you think?

 

[LordTriggs]

I'd say work on your bond above all else, make it so you're trusting and he likes to be with you

as for the move itself try clearing out a room beforehand and putting him in there, then the chaos can go on with him being away from it all, try to spend a bit of time with him on the day when you're taking a break. Make him and his stuff the last things to go to the new house. Then stick the cage in a quiet spot there for a bit whilst you chaotically sort out the main room he'll be in. All about avoiding the stress as much as possible!

with aggression and all that it's a bit of a learning curve, everyone's zons here are all a little different try reading through this http://www.parrotforums.com/amazons/54250-amazon-body-language.html it may give some more insight. But really the ultimate way to know what's aggressive with their posturing is at the sharp end of the beak! I think it's safe to say all the zon owners here have been nailed by theirs and it was a significant lesson about their companion

 

[Florem]

Well, the thing is that he's not going to live with me later on. I'm just an emergency-home.
His owner (the mom of one of my friends) was put into prison and left the bird all by himself, hoping that her friends or relatives would come by to feed him from time to time.
I couldn't bear seeing him like that, so I made the arrangements needed to take him home with me.
I think the ideal solution would be for me to find him a good replacement home where he can live forever and I'm trying to come in contact with the owner to see if she agrees with me. She's supposed to go back home in about three weeks.
It's a really strange situation for me, and for him, but we're trying to make the best out of it.

 

[LordTriggs]

definitely stranger situations out there. It would be ideal if the owner could agree to let them go somewhere else as I assume there's some sort of rehabilitation thing or parole type thing out of prison so of course a lot of her time is going to be eaten up with going through that

 

[Florem]

I don't think that those programs are in use in Sweden, at least not when it's such a short time inside. But other things eat her time up.
When he was living there, he was constantly playing with his brass bell, and everyone thought it was cute. But since he came here, he haven't played with it in the same obsessive way and I honestly think it was a behaviour caused by stress and lack of stimulation.

So, I should continue bonding with him in the way I have been so far?

 

[CKP]

Sounds like it would definitely be better if he could go to a new home, given that he doesn't sound like he gets much attention or socialization and her idea was for a friend to stop by and feed him. He needs more interaction and attention than that.

The pacing looks like he was just ready to play and wanted to get down, as stated above. Whenever our Zon wants off his playstand he starts to pace and ironically make the noise our refrigerator makes when it closes (that is the first noise he ever picked up here, as annoying as that squeak is!!)

The head bobbing looks like excitement. Try some music out, we like to dance and do the head bob in our house haha! I don't read any aggression out of either of those two behaviors.

Thank you for taking care of him! It makes me so sad to see birds that aren't given their due diligence by their owners.

 

[Florem]

Thank you CKP. Next time we will dance together

I feel the same way, that's why I had to persuade my landlord to let me keep him here a while, even though I should focus mainly on school.
I feel highly attached to him after just ten days and the thought of him moving makes my heart ache quite a bit.

 

[Kiwibird]

That first video is what we call the t-rex lurk. BFAs, proudly being close relatives of T-Rex like to practice their dino stalking and lurking regularly The second video he looks like maybe he'd like something. A ride maybe? Were you eating anything or did you have an object that could be perceived as an interesting toy?

 

[Florem]

Haha I see!
No I was running around and putting on makeup. I'm starting to think that maybe he can see the connection between makeup and me leaving?

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Gee you sound like a very caring step mom! No chance in you adopting the poor guy? He'll get used to you and his "new" home and then all of a sudden,whoosh...off to a new place.
For only having him 10 days it seems to me he is liking where he is now




Jim

 

[Florem]

AmyMyBlueFront - Thank you, I'm doing my best and always do a ton of research when I'm caring for animals. They are so very precious.
I would like to keep him but I live in a tiny student flat and the only reason I have so much time for him right now is because of an ongoing project that I can work on from home. I've also noticed that the bird Ebbe, is highly jealous if I bring anyone over.
It makes me very proud to see that he likes me, but also sad for his sake.