Hi everyone, I have a young Amazon and a very brave parakeet

Nao566

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My husband and I got a young Amazon parakeet or parrot from a pet store in May. At first all was well, Perry the bird was happy, spent lots of time out of his cage. He learned a few whistles and said “hi”. He had quickly bonded with my husband and tolerated me. Then one day he stopped his happy noises, no whistles and no “hi”. He sat on his perch with an odd shiver, and developed a squawking or a peeping while bobbing his head. He wanted and even demanded constant pets to his little head. I read everything I could and my best guess was depression. In all my wisdom I brought home a parakeet as a companion for him. The parakeet has been named Boris by my grandson. So Boris and Perry now sit side by side all day, they preen each other and themselves. They eat, sleep and preen. I hope I haven’t compounded the problems. I hope to get both birds to where they play a little bit and continue to be friends. Any advice is welcome, I just want them to be happy
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Hmmmm that doesn't look like an amazon to me since its sat next to a budgie I would have expected it to be dwarfed by an amazon. Can you supply better pictures please?
Toys that can be destroyed are a better idea to keep beaks busy. Birds must exercise everyday properly so I hope they get to come out daily. I would make sure if those are wires at the other side of the cage that no little beaks can get them they will stick their legs through the bars to drag things closer
They do look quite content say there together though :heart1: nothing wrong with having a feathered friend birds are flock species.
 
Let's tag Roz and see what she thinks.
Always lovely to have another member from overseas by the way so welcome to the forum
@Roz
 
:welcome: from me too. I agree that does notlook like an Amazon, however those two look comfy and happy together which is just lovely. I hope yu can ge tinto a good routine with them enabling them to come out to fly around and stretch their lovely wing, of course make sure all doors and windows are closed first, also that they have a stand or something to fly to for landing.
 
Looks like an Aratinga conure of some sort to me. From that angle, he even looks a bit like a noble macaw! Do please send another pic and we'll be able to identify him easily.

I definitely believe that the vast majority of parrots are better off with a companion, so I think you've done the right thing here....
 
its good to see they are so close together my budgies get on well with my other species, i also will love to see a photo of the bird you thought was an Amazon
 
Thank you everyone for helpful information. I will get some better pictures and send. I too have wondered if he was actually Amazon. I was told he was Amazon parakeet. I got home and saw pictures and read stories of Amazon parrots and decided he must have a lot of growing to do. The cage is a problem as I’ve read the scrollwork can be hazardous to their beaks and claws. I hope to find something larger. Boris loves to fly back and forth between cages. I had been putting both cages out and they moved back and forth between during the day. I try to change the arrangements each day I guess to help keep them interested. I had considered going back to the pet store for another “Amazon “ but had a fear of compounding my problems because of all I had read on Amazon behavior during hormonal times. I considered a cockatiel for a better size match. I settled on the parakeet because obviously a parakeet much easier to manage. At the time Perry was biting me on a regular basis even when I thought he was inviting me to pick him up (step up). He’s been very much better for me to handle now. Partly because I put on a bulky long sleeve sweatshirt as my armor. I offer him my sleeved arm to step up on instead of my hand. Since he’s a little unpredictable I try to keep him off my shoulders. I sit down with him and he walks around on my lap or forearm. Boris the parakeet is not afraid when I approach him slowly. I can get him moved by stepping him onto a ladder and I move the ladder slowly. He’s very brave, as I’ve said. Perry wasn’t rolling out the welcome mat but I think Boris persistent in offering friendship. Now here they are getting along fine. Another worry is that I need to make sure Boris eats and drinks enough. I’ve spent hours observing the two hoping to see how often Boris gets to eat and drink. I am sad to report they are on seeds. Perry was loving some of the foods I was fixing for him. Then suddenly doesn’t want the chopped veggies at all. Still likes scrambled egg but I had read too much protein is a bad thing. I decided I didn’t know enough about fresh foods yet so seeds is main offering. They each have pellets also but neither is interested at this time. I will say for now that Perry is acting less neurotic. He doesn’t throw himself around at the bottom of his cage anymore. That would happen at days end when he would be back in cage for evening/overnight. It broke my heart and just didn’t understand the behavior. He still seems interested in “breaking out”!of his cage in the evening but not as rhythmic or methodical. He now stops and takes a break then starts gnawing the plastic pan floor of his cage. His cage had a wire grate bottom and the pan set underneath to catch the mess. He got his wing horribly caught in that grate one day so I switched it so the pan is the floor. The parakeet had a horrible accident with a little ladder in his cage also. I am grateful to have been close by when these things happened else. Thanks again for listening and any guidance on all this will be appreciated. I have read till I am so confused. The videos show everyone with wonderful healthy playful birds and I have a couple that need therapy. It’s hard not to get discouraged. And I hope I haven’t sacrificed my parakeet to being friends with a nutcase.
 
What a lovely little chap he is. I read somewhere that as well as vegetables, they really like to eat fruit. Maybe you could try things like mango and pomegranate...
 
He is gorgeous. You may like to cover the grill tray on the bottom of the cage with layers of newspaper that way you can roll each sheet up as they become dirty. That's what I do with my cages.
 
He is gorgeous. You may like to cover the grill tray on the bottom of the cage with layers of newspaper that way you can roll each sheet up as they become dirty. That's what I do with my cages.
Good idea, thanks. I am so relieved to be welcomed and not made to feel stupid about the decisions I’ve made.
 
@Nao566 we all learn from each other even those of us who have cared for parrots for many years, thankfully no one knows it all.
Am looking forward to hearing more about Perry and Boris.
 
Hello and welcome to the forum, everyone is very friendly and helpful and there are no silly questions, we have all had to learn and most of us are still learning, (especially when our parrot friends decide to change the rules),
I hope that you keep us updated about Boris and Perry.
 
quite often people get mixed up between the amazonian parrotlet and Brotogeris, why i thought it was not an Amazonian is its beak was too light, they are just smaller than a budgie and i have never seen one with yellow on the shoulder of its wings. normally the feet are red but i have seen them with a greyish red feet, but the big give away is the white around its eyes also the tail is more stumpy. sorry i forgot my manners, Hello and welcome
 
just looked at photos of the Amazonian parrotlet, they can have white around the eyes, even I am questioning my thoughts. as they can have grey feet as well. the canary winged normally has a longer tail. both species are not too common to see in the UK although i have met both. I can see why people get them mixed up. i invite members to check on both species and give there opinions, I will try to study both over the next few days,
 
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