Blue Front Amazons

[tiger2]

Hi,
I have 2 BFA's both 1 year old, a male and a female, not related. They share a very large cage and are out all day playing. They seem to get along most of the time but at least 2x's a day they will go at it. Grabbing each others feet, like arm wrestling, or grabbing the others feet with their beak, never breaking the skin or causing blood. Is this a game? Sometimes it seems like a knock down drag out fight. I was hopeing they would bond together, he likes to try to preen her face, she seems more aggressive to him. They do get time away from each other when they get crazy, but she will call to him when she can't see him. It's a love hate thing they have. I have had him since he was 5 months old and her since she was 6 months. She came about 2 months later to our house. Yoshi is very loving and loves to sit with me, Zoey prefers my daughter which is fine. I was hopeing you could give me more insite on this behavior. Thanks!
Judi

[kensbuns]

I would say they are either playing or into some kind of mating ritual. Amazon males are very aggressive to their mates. Kind of like abusive men lol!!!

[tiger2]

Thanks Ken, I'm glad thats all it is.They are constantly supervised and at least once a day I seperate them for alone time with me. She is the aggressive one though, I thought maybe he annoys her. :aiwebs_01 LOL! Thanks again,
Judi

[Joanie Doss]

I have 2 BFA's both 1 year old, a male and a female, not related. They share a very large cage and are out all day playing. They seem to get along most of the time but at least 2x's a day they will go at it. Grabbing each others feet, like arm wrestling, or grabbing the others feet with their beak, never breaking the skin or causing blood. Is this a game? Sometimes it seems like a knock down drag out fight. I was hopeing they would bond together, he likes to try to preen her face, she seems more aggressive to him.
********
Yes, Amazons do play this way. They also do a form of play fighting called
Beak Fencing that I talk about in my book "Can You Speak Parrot?". Amazons
can play like two puppies and have a great time. However.......the problem starts when they become sexually mature. Then, long time male friends may
suddenly become too rough with each other. If it is a male and female, the male becomes extremely rough when the female is not ready to breed and he is. The males have been known to kill the females when this happens. As long as neither is sexually mature, there should be no problem with their
rough housing. Do monitor them carefully when they become sexually mature.

Joanie Doss
The Amazing Amazons
http://www.parrothouse.com