I've had my B&G macaw for a couple months now. She's never known how to step up. previous owners used a stick to hurd her in and out of the cage. Yesterday for the first time she actually said 'Step up' and put her foot out. She withdrew it as I brought my hand close, but it's progress.

From a terrified half plucked 16 year old bird to one that doesn't shivver and shake when I come by.... to one that knows the words and knows that she has to raise her foot...

She's going nowhere, she's already home.

I've had breeder Amazons that took time to come around as they'd never been used to that much human interaction.

I had to work with them every day, sometimes it seemed I'd be getting ahead and then the dreaded hormones kicked in and it was back to square one...

So we started all over again and they made great pets with time and patience... 

 

"My" double yellow head and "my" blue front are the funniest and most wonderful birds.  However, they bonded with my husband and my sons and they have never let me hold them or pet them.  "The boys" can go up to them and rub their noses all over those two 'zons and pet them and scratch them.  I don't care.  The 2 greys let me do that to them.  I tried for about a year, and still have tried off and on for the past 17 or 18 years, but they just love the guys.  I just enjoy them for what they are: the clowns of the bird world.  Actually, when one of them flies and needs picked up, they DO step up for me, but only on a stick.  No birds come with a guarantee that they are going to be "yours", but that doesn't mean they can't be wonderful pets. 

No amazons here, but I have a 13 year old male african grey that I haven't touched in several years. He was very frightened of me as a young bird. Then after a few years he settled down and I could hold him, dance with him, clip his wings and toenails. If anyone else was nearby I could snuggle him and lay my hand on his back. Then I had eye surgery and then later a heart attack. He became vicious. I haven't been able to touch him since without a severe bite. I take blood thinners so I can't risk the kind of bite he gives me.

But, he's happy and I'm happy. He comes out of his cage each morning and plays on his manzanita tree all day. I hand feed various foods during the day and then at 8 p.m. I tell him to go in his cage and he does. Always!! 

It has worked out OK for us. I would love to be able to pick him up but that will probably never happen so we visit without touching and there is no real problem.

I am the type of person who doesn't need the birds on me all the time. I have no birds who want to be cuddled and that's fine with me.

 

Keep working toward holding him because, in time, it probably will happen, but if it doesn't and you can stand to just enjoy watching him, keep him so you can be sure he has a good home and good food. Talking to them is as much fun to me as holding them.

Remember there are people who do not enjoy hugs, and dogs who do not, so why can't there be birds who are a bit aloof.

Annie

Patti, I've been thinking about this a lot and I feel that you know in your heart what is best for this bird.  Before things get more confusing for both of you, I would contact his previous owner and see if she will take him back and find another home for him.

 

The 'Amazon Aroma' is a bit off-putting for some folks and some folks love it.  But it is there and it will never go away, at times it is worse than other times.

 

I have a bird that can cuddle, but both of mine prefer not to be cuddle-bugs, that's the way they are and I never try to cuddle or pet them unless they ask first, or I will bear scars.  We have come to the understanding that they are birds and don't like petting and that's what I have my two dogs for...It's a reasonable arrangement for us.

 

If you make the decision to contact his previous owner, don't feel badly, all of us here will support you in your decision as we all want what is best for the bird. 

 

I used to believe that a bird should never be 're-homed' but over the years I've changed my opinion and have decided that if a bird doesn't fit our expectations/needs a rehoming should be done as soon as possible to avoid problems for the bird as well as the owner.

 

di

I've had Figaro weighing heavy on my mind also.

Patti some of us are just not meant to be Amazon people and nothing wrong with that�?unless you try to keep hanging in there and it will hurt Figaro’s chances to develop and eventually he will become withdrawn and issues arise�?/FONT>

I know you are a bit intimidated by him, don’t care for his smell and when he gets hormonal and it will come, he'll go through the masturbating episodes which would gross you out, quoting you, then at this early stage I would ask myself if this is what I really want or should I just contact the former owner and explain you’ve taken on more than you think you can handle�?/FONT>

We all have to put the birds welfare first over our own and this bird will need time and patience to forget his former owner who had him for all of his 13 years�?that’s a big adjustment in his life and it would be kinder she find a home with other amazons or a caregiver who is used to their ways�?/FONT>

I’m not saying anything to be hurtful, facts are facts and from an outsiders viewpoint it seems the best solution for Figaro�?

I’m not passing any judgment, only voicing concerns…�?/FONT>

 

Patti, after reading thru all the posts about Fig, it sounds to me like there are several issues that aren't working for you.  He's not behaving like you want him to, he smells in a way that you don't think you can live with, and the breeding behavior - which lasts for several months at MY house - is something that you are not going to like living with.  That kind of "goes with the territory" of an Amazon.  We love our Amazons smell, and as for the breeding behavior, we just say "there she goes again" and chuckle. 

I think if you take a sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle, and label the first column "positives" and the second column "negatives", your negatives are going to outnumber the positives. 

And that's okay.....you haven't had him all that long, and you have a good relationship with his former owner, and maybe it's time to talk to her.  Some things work out and some of them don't.  It's better to face facts before too much time drags on; better for everyone concerned.  It's not the end of the world. 

That's just a suggestion.  My only real advice to you is to be totally honest with yourself about Fig. You have such a nice setup in your home for your birds, and you are familiar with birds, and you sound like a smart lady, you totally love animals, that's for sure, and I know you'll be able to do the right thing.  Best wishes to you.

Everyone gave you such great advice.  If you really think you took on too much and know in your heart this might not work out like you expect then I would call the former owner.  If I were her I would think the world of you giving me the chance to find the right home for him.

 

But on the other hand if you can search yourself and see if you can devote the rest of your life to him even if he doesn't give back the attention you want then I would say take it slower.  I have a cuddly bird (CAG) but if someone else took him today and put him in another enviroment I bet he wouldn't be cuddly.  I would expect that they would have to work with him.  Remember they are not like dogs and think totally different.  Someone could take my dogs and they would be totally fine as long as the people loved them.

 

I owned a BF that was mean but at that time I had no idea how to win her over. There was no internet and I knew no one who owned parrots.  We lived fine together.  I loved her for all her craziness as an Amazon.  Unfortunately we had to put her to sleep after an operation.  I still wish I knew what I know now so I could have worked with her now.  But she was happy living the way we did without touching.  She was always out of her cage so I did have to learn to retrieve her if she flew.

 

I will give you another example of not touching.  My hubby has lived with 3 parrots and he is not into the touching part.  He loved them dearly but enjoyed them in other ways.  He had no need for touching.  But he spent time with them all day long interacting with them.

 

Like I said before call the former owner and talk with her.  She can help you more than you think and I bet she would appreciate it.

 

Indy