AMAZING AMAZONS

A large bird with a large personality, the Amazon parrot is garrulous, devoted and will enrich the life of any customer enterprising enough to take one home.

Family Name: Psittacidae Length: 10 to 15 inches Lifespan: averaging 50 years, although some live to 80 Popular Varieties: blue-fronted, fronted, double yellow, yellow-naped, Mexican red head.

Amazons love to swing and chew and should be given toys that will give them the opportunity to do both. Toys should be changed periodically so a bird will not get bored having the same toys in the cage all of the time.

If a customer is looking for a quiet and sensitive pet bird, don't sell them an Amazon. These parrots are definitely not the shrinking violets of the parrot world. They can be fearless, loud and downright moody at times. Amazons are for people who want a bird that is extremely playful, outgoing and can get very attached to its owner. In fact, Amazons can be quite finicky of the people they like and the people they don’t. Getting a young Amazon is one way to ensure that the bird will most likely bond with the person it spends the most time with.

Like other large parrots, Amazons are extremely intelligent and need lots of mental stimulation in the form of playing with their owner and chewing on their toys. People who have long workdays should not own a large parrot like an Amazon, as the bird can become bored easily, and boredom can lead to bad behaviors such as yelling, biting and feather plucking. It is best to tell Amazon owners to give their birds lots of attention and numerous toys. They love to swing and chew and should be given toys that will give them the opportunity to do both. Toys should be changed periodically so a bird will not get bored having the same toys in the cage all of the time.

Amazons should be kept in a cage large enough for, them to flap their wings easily. Cages that have built-in playpens on top are ideal, because they give the bird more freedom around their home. A number of perches of different diameters should be offered to help keep the feet healthy. Bird litter made from pine pellets, walnut shells or black and white newspaper can be used in the tray at the bottom. A large beak conditioner and plenty of wood to chew on are a must to keep the beak trimmed. Birds do not have to be covered at night.

 LOUD AND PROUD

Amazons have many types of calls that they use in the wild, such as calls to stay in contact with the rest of the flock or ones to warn of a predator nearby. They also like to can at first light and at the end of the day. This seems *to be a natural behavior for most parrot species, and Amazons in particular love to yell. A customer should be made aware that Amazons like to yell, call and babble frequently, and therefore cannot be kept in a place where noise will be a problem. However, because Amazons like to babble so much, they do make excellent talkers.

After the African grey parrot, the yellow-naped Amazon is the next best talker among all parrots. Most species of Amazon parrots are excellent talkers, so if a customer wants a parrot that will most likely learn to talk, they should be guided to an Amazon. Their voice sounds a lot like what most people think all parrots sound like - clear but a little childlike in tone. Its tone depends on the particular bird. Amazons not only like to mimic voices, but also any noises that occur over and over again around them, such as a telephone ring, a cats meow or even a burp! New Amazon owners should be warned of what they say around their birds. For some reason, cursing seems to be easily picked up by Amazons, and, generally, they will keep saying the swear word because of the reaction they get.

ALL FOR ONE

Getting attached to one person can be a blessing and a problem with the Amazons. Many Amazons will tend to like only women or men, and most will get to close to their owner that they will not tolerate anyone else. Amazons may even attack other people, especially those that are closest to the owner. Yet if someone is looking for a pet that will be very devoted to them, a young Amazon is one of the best choices. The bird will want to be with the owner as much as possible and is excellent company both in the living room when watching TV and in the kitchen when cooking dinner.

Most Amazons love to try new food, especially when they see their owner eating something that looks interesting to them. Owners should be encouraged to give as much of a varied diet as possible to their feathered pets. Anything that is good for a person to eat is good for a parrot to eat, except for chocolate, avocado and asparagus. These foods should never be offered. Sugary, salty, high fat and greasy foods should also be avoided in the bird's diet. Fruits and vegetables should be offered in abundance, and natural pastas are good for parrots, too. The main diet should consist of a mixture of mainly fruit and vegetables with some grams, nuts and cereals. These parrots should not be given too much food that is high in fat, such as sunflower seeds, as Amazons have a tendency to get obese easily. Like people, this can cause all sorts of health problems.

Years ago on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," a woman brought on her Amazon parrot to sing, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," in front of the crowd. Everyone loved it. Amazons have the amazing ability to grab attention with their social ways. They can learn to do tricks, mimic common sounds and even sing opera. There seems to be no limit to what this group of parrots, the Amazons, can learn. For some customers, an Amazon is the perfect pet. It can be affectionate, playful and very devoted to its owner.

 Reprinted by Pretty Birds from Pet Business by Robyn Bright

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