Posted by bird-lover34 on Sat, 08/06/2005 - 21:01 :: Amazons
I have recently acquired a beautiful DYHD Amazon that came from deplorable conditions. He lived in a large rabbit cage with a female he hated because he pecked her bald. There was one huge tree branch about 12" in diameter across the cage. No toys, very little light. There were about 80 other birds in cages in a tin roofed shed. He was fed only a diet of seeds. No fresh veggies, fruits etc. Since he couldn't perch, he climbed all over the cage, top bottom, sides continously. He had very little human contact except for someone dumping seeds in a bowl, he and his cell mate was left alone all day with 80 other birds that were squawking and screaming all the time.
When we got him home, he continued to climb as he did in his other "cage". It took several days to get him to eat anything and finally settle down on a perch. The Vet said he is nice and healthy, strong and no abnormalities. (Thank God) She trimmed every other feather but did not test flight him because she was afraid that he was already so stressed he just couldn't tolerate anymore handling that day.
We have had him two weeks and I have been trying to perch train him inside the cage since he is so wild otherwise. He still is very afraid of humans. Although he seems to be warming up to me when I approach the cage and talk with him. I have been using a clicker when he steps up with one foot and since I can't give him treats from my hand, I put the sunflower seeds in a dish and click next to the dish. He is stepping up with one or the other foot but not both yet. He is resistant to getting on my hand held perch. He has been preening alot so I thought I would try giving him a bath. I put a cake pan down in the bottom of his cage filled with water. He ignored it. So I used a spray bottle with warm water and talked very soothingly to him while doing that. He didn't seem to be distressed by it. He didn't start preening his feathers though, so I just left him alone on the perch. I sat down near him and started reading the newspaper. Soon, I noticed that he was down in the bottom of the cage taking a bath, swishing his head back and forth in the pan of water. It wasn't deep enough for him to get his wings very wet but he definitely was enjoying the bath.
I just don't know how I am going to get him out of the cage so I can start training on a T perch. I don't want to undo all the trust built up so far by toweling him and stressing him out by taking him out yet. I don't know if what I am doing is correct or not.
People say, "Give it time" but I know he would be so much happier taking a shower in my bathroom rather than in the bottom of the cage.
Any advice anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.
bird-lover34
When we got him home, he continued to climb as he did in his other "cage". It took several days to get him to eat anything and finally settle down on a perch. The Vet said he is nice and healthy, strong and no abnormalities. (Thank God) She trimmed every other feather but did not test flight him because she was afraid that he was already so stressed he just couldn't tolerate anymore handling that day.
We have had him two weeks and I have been trying to perch train him inside the cage since he is so wild otherwise. He still is very afraid of humans. Although he seems to be warming up to me when I approach the cage and talk with him. I have been using a clicker when he steps up with one foot and since I can't give him treats from my hand, I put the sunflower seeds in a dish and click next to the dish. He is stepping up with one or the other foot but not both yet. He is resistant to getting on my hand held perch. He has been preening alot so I thought I would try giving him a bath. I put a cake pan down in the bottom of his cage filled with water. He ignored it. So I used a spray bottle with warm water and talked very soothingly to him while doing that. He didn't seem to be distressed by it. He didn't start preening his feathers though, so I just left him alone on the perch. I sat down near him and started reading the newspaper. Soon, I noticed that he was down in the bottom of the cage taking a bath, swishing his head back and forth in the pan of water. It wasn't deep enough for him to get his wings very wet but he definitely was enjoying the bath.
I just don't know how I am going to get him out of the cage so I can start training on a T perch. I don't want to undo all the trust built up so far by toweling him and stressing him out by taking him out yet. I don't know if what I am doing is correct or not.
People say, "Give it time" but I know he would be so much happier taking a shower in my bathroom rather than in the bottom of the cage.
Any advice anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.
bird-lover34