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Fully Fledged
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Unique Amazon ParrotsLearn more about this intelligent bird speciesBy John Geary
When people conjure up the image of a parrot, it often takes the form of a saucy, green-feathered imp riding around on a pirate’s shoulder. In other words, they picture an Amazon parrot. While Amazon parrots rarely ride around on pirates’ shoulders these days (indeed, allowing an Amazon on the shoulder is generally not recommended), these birds do have a reputation for being saucy and impish. Amazons are very intelligent, outgoing birds. They can be a real challenge, however, and they are not for the faint of heart, nor do they usually make good “first birds”... Read the rest of the article here>>
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Just Hatched
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| Is my Amazon hypersexual or a normal Amazon? I couldn't figure out how to post this. So I'm replying hoping to get some input from someone has Amazon expience and expertise. We've had a darling double yellow since she was 6 months old; she's now 15. Her behavior changed two plus years ago when she had an egg; now she picks her feathers and has a very long hormonal period, about early spring to fall-winter months. Are we doing something to encourage her hypersexual behavior or is this normal for Amazons? There are no other pets and she thought my husband was her mate for many years; now she'd settle for either one of us. We had her worked up by a vet for the picking until the next step was xrays and thousands of dollars exploring possibilities for a cause which we were assured would not necessarily stop the picking behavior-- it having been well established by then. We are about to explore the feather picking proucts. We were using an aloe product that the vet said to stop spraying on her but to apply it to the skin. We haven't been able to do that since May as my husband has been recovering from surgery and it takes one of us to hold her and one of us to apply it.
Lois
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Feather Fanatic
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Her behavior changed two plus years ago when she had an egg; now she picks her feathers and has a very long hormonal period, about early spring to fall-winter months.
Did you take your zon to an avian vet? Did the vet check her blood levels? Did he check for parasites, fungi, or bacteria? Did the vet do a skin biopsy? Did the vet check for allergies? Does she have plenty of toys to destroy? Does she receive natural direct sunlight (not through a window or screen) or have full spectrum lighting? Does she receive a varied diet that includes a variety of fresh foods and pellets? Does she get plenty of exercise? (either actually flying, or you forcing her to flap her wings until winded, every day?) Does she get frequent bathes, at least three times a week? Does she have a way to forage for food and treats?Are we doing something to encourage her hypersexual behavior or is this normal for Amazons?
I've heard a recent knew theory that feeding warm foods can cause a bird to become hormonal... so if you feed warm foods, try feeding them cold or room temp from now on. If she receives any sunflower seeds, I'd suggest removing them from the diet... if at all possible, lower the amount of fat she gets. Do you keep petting to the head area only, or do you pet her in other places that may result in what is known as 'mutual preening' between mates? Do you change around her cage at least once a week, moving all toys and perches to new locations? Maybe even changing around the room she lives in and moving the cage? Does she get at least 12 hours of sleep each night? You may need to increase to 14-16 hours of sleep (16 being for stubbornly hormonal birds). I'd appreciate a picture of the cage. When your zon is displaying hormonal behavior, what is your reaction? What do you do? When she starts laying eggs, what do you do with the eggs? What is your zons reaction?
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