The last thing Amazon parrot owner Sherri Shahzad would advise anyone to do is to get a parrot with no research or preparation. Yet three years ago, that’s exactly what she did. Sherri is a hospice nurse who met her bird-to-be, Jessie, while caring for a dying patient.
Though intimidated by Jessie’s 18-inch length and sharp beak, she found him fascinating and talked to him as she tended her patient. A kind of trust developed between them, with Jessie allowing Sherri to stroke his head through the bars of his cage. Meanwhile, none of the patient’s family members were stepping up to take the bird, so Sherri agreed to buy him.
Amazon Parrot Information
The Amazon parrot encompasses more than twenty species of parrot ranging in size from ten to twenty inches in length. The Amazon is found largely in South America, the Caribbean, and Mexico.
If treated well, they can live up to fifty years in captivity, so obtaining an Amazon parrot really is a lifetime commitment.
Pet Amazon parrots are most frequently obtained from reputable breeders. Another place to get an Amazon is through a rescue organization.
Amazon Parrot Cage – A Parrot’s Home is His Castle
Only a few hours after Sherri brought Jessie home, one of her young daughters started squealing, “Mom, the bird! Mom, the bird!” Jessie had made his first escape, slipping between the bars of his cage. Sherri recaptured him with little trouble, but she had learned an important lesson in Amazon parrot care: good care starts with a good cage.
Because Amazons are good-sized, intelligent, and playful birds, they require large, well-constructed cases with lots of perches, ladders, mirrors, chew toys and other toys to amuse themselves. A bored Amazon may turn against its owners or start picking at its own feathers in sheer frustration.
Amazon Parrots are Sociable Creatures
No matter how interesting the cage environment, Amazon parrots have a high need to socialize with the humans in their lives. They enjoy perching on their person’s wrist, shoulder, or training stick, and they look forward to being talked to, groomed and petted.
Amazon parrots who do not receive this kind of attention from their people tend to become aggressive and difficult to manage. Sadly, undesirable behaviors due to lack of proper socialization of Amazon parrots is one reason why parrots are abandoned at shelters and rescue groups.
Under-socialized birds must be tamed slowly and patiently. Without ever doing anything to cause the bird pain, the owner must make it clear that she, and not the parrot, is the dominant one in the relationship. This can usually be accomplished by ignoring undesirable behaviors and praising and rewarding good behaviors.
Jessie was somewhat under-socialized when Sherri obtained him. She made it a point to spend out-of-cage face time with Jessie every day. He accepted her readily, but Sherri reports that for the most part, he is a one-person bird. He tolerates her children but has not bonded with them as strongly as he has bonded with Sherri.
Amazon Parrot Talking
Not all Amazons talk, but many delight their owners by becoming positively gabby. Sherri reports that Jessie was a largely silent bird for the first few weeks in his new home. Then one night, when Sherri came home from work late and was fumbling around for a light, a voice in her ear said, “Well, hi there!” It was Jessie demonstrating a new skill. Sherri just about jumped out of her skin.
Like other Amazon parrots, Jessie also verbalizes in other ways. He can imitate Sherri’s laughter perfectly, and even does a spot-on impression of her youngest daughter’s whining.
Other sounds parrots make may include chirping, tweeting, screeching, or squawking. Amazon parrots usually verbalize loudly at least once a day, and often more. If you live in an apartment building with thin walls and fussy neighbors, the Amazon may not be the best pet to bring into your life right now.
Amazon Parrot Diet
Amazons tend to become obese in captivity. It’s a good idea to have them checked once a year by a vet specializing in avian issues to make sure their weight is near normal. Amazons eat a combination of foods including prepared bird pellets, seeds and grain, sprouts and fresh fruit and vegetables. Junk foods should be avoided because they are empty calories and cause weight gain.
Amazon Parrots – Right for You?
Much as she loves Jessie, Sherri does not recommend Amazon parrot ownership for everyone. “Not every personality is suited to having a parrot,” she explains. She advises people who think they want to try an Amazon to go to the local pet store and practice interacting with the birds there. “And do your research,” she adds. “I’m just now learning things I wish I’d known when I got Jessie.”
