orange winged

[leah9798]

I was given an orange winged amazon, I believe he is still young but had some questions about his behavior. He is pretty much cgae bound and scared of hands and was never taught to step up but he is very sweet if you pet him through the cage bars. I never though I'd ever own an amazon after reading all the hormonal problems but I fell instantly in love. I can't tell if he likes me or not, I think he does but he seems to get excited when I go over to him? He calls for me when I leave the room and hunches down and moves his wings like he wants to fly to me. When I walk over to his cage he says hello and spreads his neck out really long with his eyes dialating then he'll come to the bars and fluff up for a scritch and I'll start to rub his head and then he will start trying to beak my fingers or go over to a toy and start playing a little rough with that and then come back over to me and ask for scritches again. I had him out last night for a little bit and was in a beaking frenzy it looked like, all over me, beaking, rubbing and dragging his beak really fast and all over but moving from spot to spot really fast too. Kinda hard to explain but almost like he had to cover every inch of my body as fast as he could LOL He doesn't bite now but I definitely don't wnat to encourage it but it seems like all he wants to do is beak me. I'm new to amazons and was hoping someone could help me understand this behavior. Thanks

[Monica]

I'm not sure as far as the beak behavoir goes, though it does appear as if he has fallen in love with you! You may want to bring him out more often and have him with you as you do some household chores!

[Dayna]

Watch out for those eyes dialating! It could mean different things. Either I am really excited, or I am going to bite you. And it could even mean both at the same time. I would not handle an amazon whilst the eyes are flashing a lot. You might want to go to the amazing amazons wesite. I think the lady's name is Joanie Doss? Can't remember for sure, but if you go to the expert's section, she is the expert for amazons.

[Casa Amazona]

Yeah, she's the one (Joanie Doss). Dialated eyes and fanned tail feathers indicate an excited Amazon. As Dayna says, this can be either good or bad. Based on your description, it sounds to me like your little one is crazy about you. The problem is that Amazons can go into overload even from happy excitement so quickly that it's always a good policy not to handle one in this condition. When mine get this way while I'm already holding them, I very quietly return them to either a playstand or cage, all the while keeping an eagle eye on THAT BEAK. Not that I could stop them, of course, because they're so quick. LOL. Congratulations on taking this little one in -- I absolutely adore Amazons and believe that you have many years of wonderful friendship out ahead of you.

[leah9798]

Thank you for all the replies. I will check out Joanies site also.

My mom was over today and he reacted totally different to her, I don't think he liked her :aiwebs_01 , he doesn't flare his tail with me but he was doing it to her. I could see the difference in his behavior but I do think he does get a little overexcited around me, do you think this is something I will need to worry about in the future? I think he's young eneough that he hasn't figured out how to bite yet luckily but I don't understand why nobody took the time to teach him to step up. I was changing the paper yesterday and he peeked his head out the door and gave me a kiss, very sweet. :icon_mrgr

I was also just curious how amazons are normally around other birds, do they usually show jealousy? I'm just waiting for his bloodwork to come back before I involve him more plus I wanted to take it slow the first few days so he could adjust a little bit.

Thank you Joanie! :aiwebs_02 He's already a joy to have, I had no idea they could be so affectionate, I've always read negative things about them and never ever researched or considered having one since and I'm just so taken back by how quickly I fell in love with him, a litlle weary about what will happen when he reaches maturity but I'll worry about that when and if it happens and just be prepared for it. Leah

[wildirish]

Our zons do the same things. Sunshine hates me and fans taht tail and glares!!! Galahad on the other hand pinpoints and makes happy noises. Sunshine nibbles all over hubby and snuggles up to him. Sounds pretty normal for a zon...lol!!!!

[The Outlaw]

Welcome to my world! You are the recipient of the famous Amazon "crush". My YNA did the same to me the very first day I had her and its never changed. You are very, very fortunate for they are among the MOST loyal of all the parrots. AND, additionally, Orange Wings are considered really choice birds. Congratulations.

THE OUTLAW

[kensbuns]

Yes I agree. Allegra does the same thing with me. You really want to be careful however should someone approach you or touch you while you are with your new baby. Amazon's will fight to the death for their beloved and they love hard and wild and forever. Congratulations. Please listen to the rumors about amazon rage. Relax and enjoy your bird. Learn his body language and limit stimulation to 15 minute intervals. Its works for me an Allegra. I keep him out 15 minutes but him back on the gym for cool out and get him again for 15 minutes.

[leah9798]

Thank you everyone!! You are all making me feel so much better. All I've been doing is researching and now I remember why I decided along time ago not to get one. There is so much negative out there about them I was starting to think I took a meat grinder into my home.It's nice to read the positives and I'm so happy that it seems like he likes me! Thank you Outlaw I've read many times about the crush your gal has on you but never thought it would apply to me. LOL

It seems to me that he enjoys attention here and there and loves to be talked to but doesn't want to be doted all over for extended periods of times. Does that sound about right? Part of the reason I took him in because I have read that they aren't as needy attention wise as some of the other birds, Do yo all find that to be true? Thanks again Leah

Originally Posted by kensbuns

Yes I agree. Allegra does the same thing with me. You really want to be careful however should someone approach you or touch you while you are with your new baby. Amazon's will fight to the death for their beloved and they love hard and wild and forever. Congratulations. Please listen to the rumors about amazon rage. Relax and enjoy your bird. Learn his body language and limit stimulation to 15 minute intervals. Its works for me an Allegra. I keep him out 15 minutes but him back on the gym for cool out and get him again for 15 minutes.

[Topher]

Not sure if this is correct or not, but when I first got my zon I read that when they rub their beaks all over something, it's like they're telling you "this is my branch". mine does this on my fiance's arm all the time (she is his favorite) and on his playstand perch, for no apparent reason. Not to wipe food off of his beak, or anything like that.

I was also really worried about bringing home a 'meat grinder' at first- especially because since he bonded very quickly with my better half, he was quite beaky with me at first (read: BIT ME ALL THE TIME!)

we decided that I would be the one to do all the fun stuff (showering, wake-up in the morning, etc.) and Nikki would do the not fun stuff. It's worked wonders- now Verde LOVES both of us. No more biting on me at all, he even begs me for scritches every once in a while.