need advice!!!

[cherriesanglea]

okay i have a dyha (double yellow headed amazon) female and just bought a dyha male to mate she nor he is friendly so i want them to mate so i can have a baby as a pet, but i have no clue what to start feeding her or him how to get her use to him so they will mate, he is already trying to mate with her but she seems like shes just not having it, any advice on that? also whats the best type of nesting box to get and whats the best thing to put in the nesting box for the eggs? And how do i mantain proper humidity for the eggs to hatch? thanks Angela

[huntress]

certain species like certain boxes - google nest boxes for Amazons to get the idea. Humidity can be controled by the parents and make sure they get plenty of misting baths. As for getting along - that takes time and its up to them....are they old enough??

[cherriesanglea]

sweetie pie is 5 and shooter is closer to 6 so as far as i know they are old enough? do you know about how many babies they have at a time? thanks angela

[cherriesanglea]

also if you could offer ideas on a way to make a brooder instead of buyin one for the babies or is this something that is really needed for the raising of the hand fed babies? i know that the babys have to be kept at temps. of 98.6 F -91.4 F lowering the heat as the babies get older, i was told to use a cardboard box, with a metal hooded lamp with a 40 to 60 watt bulb but i did some research and they said not to use cardboard, any ideas? thanks angela!!

[huntress]

Oh my, you need to do allot of googling and allot more research. Card board is a no no. I made one but its more important you do a TON more research first. Visit some breeders. I cant go on here as much as you can get online about breeding and handfeeding. I dont breed zons. Pulling and Handfeeding babies is a whole nuther world. You must learn about formulas and temps for food and brooder (cardboard is not insulated enough for consistance). Are you always at home and can feed five times a day? Do you know about Crop burn? Yeast?Crop Stasis? Slow crop??
I'm not trying to discourage you just to prepare you for what lies ahead. New parents dont always get it right the first time. You may have to feed day one babies around the clock if they dont feed them. They may not bond at all. If they do it can be a few months to a few YEARS before the breed and lay. Her first clutch could all be clear (unfertile).
I made a brooder out of a Stack and Store by putting plexi on the door which I cut an opening on for a window and ventilation. I installed a regular light fixture (insulated) which required a metal plate to be mounted on top (plastic melts)to disperse the heat. I use a ceramic reptile bulb (no light) Nests are supposed to be dark, babies eyes are sensitive even when not open yet. I have a reptile thermostat temp control which shuts the fixture on and off and a Thermometer/hygrometer inside that sits right where the babies are. For humidity I have a block of Oasis in a dish with water inside the brooder.
As far as age "sweetie pie" seems just barley old enough but I dont do zons, my friend does Ill have to ask and get back but greys are usually 5-8 before they are ready. Again, new parents dont always get it right the very first few times.

[huntress]

Here is a good piece to introduce you to breeding world
CPS 2000 - "Successfully Breeding Amazons in Canada" by Brian Eddy

[huntress]

Breeding Amazons

[cherriesanglea]

yeah i have been on google all day, and yes im a stay at hom mom as it is and everyone has told me how hard it is to do everything as far as the birds go the feeds every 2 hours and the temps that have to be just right and so on and this is why im on here trying to get as much info as possible, i read that the temps for the new born baby in the brooder has to be 98.6 then decreases to 91.4 as the baby gets in the feathers, i read about crop burn and that the food needs to be between 104 to 106 F and read a little about slow crop and they said to give them baby apple sauce for one feeding then 1/2 applesauce and 1/2 hand feeding mixture, ect will look into the other things that you said on your reply, also when you talk to your friend could you give her my email and ask her to email me so that i would be able to keep in touch with someone that knew about amazons plz, and thanks again for all your help my email is cherries_angela@yahoo.com

[cherriesanglea]

also i have seen in some sites that you need to feed as soon as they are hatched every 2 hours then i seen some that tells you that you should only feed every2 hours stoping at 11pm and begining again at 5am again, should i leave the birds in the nest for 2 weeks like some of the sites say or should i remove them as soon as they hatch?? also how do i know if the crop is empty my birds will not let me touch her or him so as far as touch and feel on them its kinda hard to do so any ideas on how to explain this to me i would really appreciate it thanks again Angela

[MicahEspudo]

It would probably just be cheaper to buy a hand fed baby than breed a pair just for one pet! What I'm curious about is what are you going to do with the breeders once you have your baby?