rollo@xerxes.Xylogics.COM (Dena Rollo) (06/06/91)
I have a four-year-old yellow-naped Amazon (named Puck); I've had her (presumed to be, never been sexed) since she was 14 weeks old, and she's always been very attached to me, although she's not strictly a one-person bird. Here's my dilemma, and my question: Lately, she's been a lot less cuddly, doesn't like to be scratched very often (she's always liked to be held and scratched as often as I've been willing to do it (though I'm the only one she allows to do this). She's not ill- was recently at the vet for a routine checkup, eats, plays and SCREAMS as much as ever, etc. I know she's reaching sexual maturity, and while she used to "copulate" on me quite often she hasn't been doing this much either (can't say I miss it!). I'm worried that she's lonely- I've had less time for her lately. Also, there's going to be a new (human) baby in the house in January. And I'm worried about Puck's reaction to that (she's always been an only child). So here's the question: I'd like to get her a companion, but I'm not sure which way to go. Has anyone here with a large bird made this decision, and how did it go? I'm not sure whether she'd get along better with another bird, or with another kind of pet (i.e. a dog). She hasn't had any contact with other birds since she was a baby; she *has* lived with dogs on a temporary basis, and seemed to like that just fine. If I do decide on a bird (which seems more "natural" to me, but I'm not sure it will to her), I'm not sure if she'd do better with another nape, or with something else (African grey, conure?). I'd consider having her sexed and getting another nape for possible breeding, but frankly, that's not my main concern, and I'm not at all sure she's good breeding material (as I'm not at all sure she even knows she's a bird). But I'm absolutely not ruling it out. And while companionship for Puck is a prime motivation, don't worry - any animal in my house will be taken very good care of (and I personally would love to get a dog). So, anyone out there introduce their parrot to a new bird/other animal? How did it go? Was it eventually positive for the first bird? Any suggestions, replies, etc. would be much appreciated. Thanks very much. Dena
rdmiller@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Ruth D Miller) (06/06/91)
I can't speak on introducing birds to dogs (cats are not a good idea) but I can say that my sister's double-yellow-head Amazon adopted each of her children (4) in turn and loved to get on the floor and play with them. She (?) also became very possessive of them and would attack my sister if she tried to pick up the baby, to the point where she became unmanageable. The bird never hurt any of the children until they were old enough to do the bird harm (3 or so). As far as cats, Bonita attacked our Ferocious once when he was innocently sleeping on his favorite bed (my sister's); the bird grabbed the cat by the tail. Cat left in a _great_ hurry and for years after refused to enter that room even though the parrot moved out a few months later! Ruth
dlp@zule.EBay.Sun.COM (Dan Pritchett) (06/07/91)
In article <11508@xenna.Xylogics.COM>, rollo@xerxes.Xylogics.COM (Dena Rollo) writes: |> Lately, she's been a lot less cuddly, doesn't like to be scratched very |> often (she's always liked to be held and scratched as often as I've been |> willing to do it (though I'm the only one she allows to do this). She's not ill- |> was recently at the vet for a routine checkup, eats, plays and SCREAMS as much as |> ever, etc. I know she's reaching sexual maturity, and while she used to |> "copulate" on me quite often she hasn't been doing this much either (can't |> say I miss it!). I'm worried that she's lonely- I've had less time for her |> lately. Also, there's going to be a new (human) baby in the house in January. |> And I'm worried about Puck's reaction to that (she's always been an only child). |> Suprisingly our double-yellow head Amazon has been somewhat more cranky than usual, but he is approaching 30, so I just wrote it off to a change of life, similar to humans at that age. The last few months have also been parrot breeding season and our vet told us that all parrots, particularly Amazons have been very cranky. |> |> So here's the question: I'd like to get her a companion, but I'm not sure which |> way to go. Has anyone here with a large bird made this decision, and how did it |> go? I'm not sure whether she'd get along better with another bird, or with |> another kind of pet (i.e. a dog). She hasn't had any contact with other |> birds since she was a baby; she *has* lived with dogs on a temporary basis, and |> seemed to like that just fine. If I do decide on a bird (which seems more |> "natural" to me, but I'm not sure it will to her), I'm not sure if she'd do |> better with another nape, or with something else (African grey, conure?). |> Well, we have an African Grey, and two German Shepards. Punky (the Amazon) doesn't seem terribly interested in either the other bird or the dogs. Zeb (the Grey) on the other hand really enjoys Punky's companionship, despite many of his head feathers missing from minor scraps. If Punky is out of the room for more than 5 minutes, Zeb will begin a housewide search for his friend. Zeb is also entertained by the dogs. He likes calling them and will follow them around as long as they ignore him. I'm not sure which would be better. Punky spent the first 25 years of his life as the only pet in a family (we are the second owner). This explains his real lack of desire to play with Zeb or the dogs. I'm not sure if he would behave differently without Zeb to entertain him, but I kind of feel he wouldn't. I think he really only wants human companionship, and the other pets are kind of an annoyance to him. If you do consider another bird, I highly recommend a Grey. I think Grey's are a nice combination with Amazon's because they are not highly affectionate. Zeb could care less if we ever pick him up. He would much rather, watch us from a perch and pick up words, phrases, and whatever other sounds he can. So while Punky wants to be held all of the time, Zeb just likes to hang out and watch, although he does want to be in whatever room Punky is in. I'm not sure owning both would be as easy if Zeb was as demanding for our contact. Zeb is a real clown with a vocabulary of about 200 words/phrases. He greets us each morning, scolds the dogs, Punky, and himself. He growls like the dogs at his toys and any particularly stubborn nuts. By far the most entertaining and lowest maintanance pet I have ever owned. |> |> I'd consider having her sexed and getting another nape for possible breeding, but |> frankly, that's not my main concern, and I'm not at all sure she's good |> breeding material (as I'm not at all sure she even knows she's a bird). But I'm |> absolutely not ruling it out. |> If you do that then Puck might bond with the other parrot and you would probably loose most of the close touch you have with her. I had another Grey in the house for a few days for a friend, and Zeb completely ignored everything else trying to court the other Grey. |> And while companionship for Puck is a prime motivation, don't worry - any |> animal in my house will be taken very good care of (and I personally would |> love to get a dog). |> |> So, anyone out there introduce their parrot to a new bird/other animal? How did |> it go? Was it eventually positive for the first bird? |> Well Zeb was the first bird and he is taking it all fine. Punky and Zeb have never been really close buddies in a mutual sort of way although Zeb is terribly attached to Punky. The dogs came last and they seem to kind of ignore the birds, except in the mornings when the hang out around the cage for any food that gets tossed out through the bars. The dogs have always considered the birds to be minor annoyances that are too loud. The dogs also get guard duty when the birds are outside in their cages which they don't like because they can't come inside until the birds do. But I've never had any problems between the birds and dogs, and Punky has even gone for a ride on one of the dogs before. Neither seemed enthusiastic, but both tolerated it.:-) Well, I've rambled and probably haven't said much. Hope some of this helps. Dan Pritchett | ARPA/Internet: dlp@zule.EBay.Sun.COM Sun Federal System Engineer | Air Waves: KC6TXZ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I still think the kid would make a great bear. --Baloo, The Jungle Book
rapp@beach.csulb.edu (Lorraine Rapp) (06/07/91)
In article <7029@male.EBay.Sun.COM> dlp@zule.EBay.Sun.COM (Dan Pritchett) writes: >In article <11508@xenna.Xylogics.COM>, rollo@xerxes.Xylogics.COM (Dena Rollo) > writes: >|> >|> So here's the question: I'd like to get her a companion, but I'm not sure >|> which way to go. > >If you do consider another bird, I highly recommend a Grey. I think Grey's >are a nice combination with Amazon's because they are not highly affectionate. Actually, I have a red lored Amazon and an African Grey whose personalities are precisely the reverse--the Grey loves to be held and cuddled (he will flop over onto his back and dig his claws into my hand to avoid being returned to his playpen), and the Amazon is rather aloof and will condescend to only very rare head-scratching. But I went through the same dilemma when the Amazon hit puberty and got cranky--hence the addition of the Grey to my household. If you do decide to acquire a parrot of a different species, be forewarned that your original bird may suffer a bout of depression--my Amazon refused to play with his toys and just generally moped around for several weeks after the Grey arrived, in spite of my best efforts to keep him from feeling neglected. Now, several months later, the two are good buddies and will sit on top of their respective cages facing one another and talking for hours (keeping them together turned out _not_ to be a good idea, as the Grey would chase the Amazon around the cage shrieking, "I'm going to get you, Paco!"). In any case, I'd be inclined to think that another bird would make better company for a bird than a dog... Lorraine Rapp rapp@beach.csulb.edu
hubler@galaxy.lerc.nasa.gov (Dale Hubler) (06/07/91)
In article <11508@xenna.Xylogics.COM> rollo@Xylogics.COM (Dena Rollo) writes: >I have a four-year-old yellow-naped Amazon (named Puck); I've had >her (presumed to be, never been sexed) since she was 14 weeks old, and >she's always been very attached to me, although she's not strictly a >one-person bird. Here's my dilemma, and my question: > >Lately, she's been a lot less cuddly, doesn't like to be scratched very >often (she's always liked to be held and scratched as often as I've been > >So here's the question: I'd like to get her a companion, but I'm not sure which >way to go. Has anyone here with a large bird made this decision, and how did it > >I'd consider having her sexed and getting another nape for possible breeding, but > >Thanks very much. > >Dena Yes, this is quite probably due to sexual maturity and the season. I started with one amazon and expanded from there. When I had a conure the birds would scream at one another and sit on opposite ends of a playground, but that is a close as they would get. Amazons are rather territorial and she did not care for sharing with a conure. Eventually I got another amazon and they became good friends over time, even rewarding me with eggs though both were female. As breeding season passes your bird should revert to its normal friendly self. I think the best companion would be another amazon more than any other bird. As far as breeding goes, yellow napes and amazons in general are not easy to breed. If you really wish to try breeding amazons you must forget about the bird as a pet. You should place the birds in an out of the way area and interfere with them as little as possible. It may be years before you have any success, it has been for me. The birds are apt to become aggressive when you violate their territory just to care for them. If you wish to maintain the birds as pets you might wish to rethink this. Dale Hubler -- Dale A. Hubler -- Sverdrup Technology -- (216) 977-7014 hubler@galaxy.lerc.nasa.gov Hubler's Thereom; For each and every low-tech problem there exists at least one high-tech solution
hobright@SRC.Honeywell.COM (Lesa Hobright) (06/07/91)
We have a 4 year old parakeet and a one year old Keeshond. Peep (the bird) has had the entire house to herself for three years with full freedom to fly whenever she wants, although she primarily stuck to her cage and the palm plant by the sliding-glass doors. When we introduced Chaska (the dog) into the house, the bird was curious as to what was making so much noise and Chaska was curious as to what was moving in the cage. (we have a cage with legs and stands on the floor) Peep stuck to her cage for about the first 2 months the dog was around. She'd come out and fly around the rooms but would go back into her cage. Now...the bird teases the dog into chasing her around the house. She'll come out of her cage and dive-bomb the dog to get his attention and then fly off. When she lands back in her cage, Chaska follows her and smiffs. If she's had enough, she'll bite him on the nose. One day we found Chaska licking her tail feathers as she was sitting there in her cage with her tail out the door. They have become buds and spend a good part of the evening chasing each other around. If the dog barks at the bird, the bird squacks back. It is rather entertaining!
vlf8v@cyclops.micr.Virginia.EDU (Virginia L. Fristoe) (06/09/91)
In article <11508@xenna.Xylogics.COM> rollo@Xylogics.COM (Dena Rollo) writes: >I have a four-year-old yellow-naped Amazon (named Puck); I've had >one-person bird. Here's my dilemma, and my question: > >ever, etc. I know she's reaching sexual maturity, and while she used to >"copulate" on me quite often she hasn't been doing this much either (can't >say I miss it!). I'm worried that she's lonely- I've had less time for her >lately. Also, there's going to be a new (human) baby in the house in January. >And I'm worried about Puck's reaction to that (she's always been an only child). >So here's the question: I'd like to get her a companion, but I'm not sure which >way to go. Has anyone here with a large bird made this decision, and how did it >go? I'm not sure whether she'd get along better with another bird, or with >another kind of pet (i.e. a dog). She hasn't had any contact with other >birds since she was a baby; she *has* lived with dogs on a temporary basis, and > It sounds to me like this bird is too imprinted on a human to be breedable, anyway. I would be curious to know how the dogs reacted to her--how much interaction was there? >I'd consider having her sexed and getting another nape for possible breeding, but >frankly, that's not my main concern, and I'm not at all sure she's good >breeding material (as I'm not at all sure she even knows she's a bird). But I'm >absolutely not ruling it out. If you do have her sexed, be aware that there is a simple molecular test available through your vet using just a small blood sample (it's like DNA fingerprinting) >And while companionship for Puck is a prime motivation, don't worry - any >animal in my house will be taken very good care of (and I personally would >love to get a dog). I don't mean to rain on your parade, but the following just happened less than two weeks ago, and I think it applies. Recently I made a decision to place my black lab as a pet with one of my best friends, whose 2nd dog had died and wanted a companion for HER black lab, anyway. This friend works at a zoo in the bird dept., and knows her stuff. She also owns 2 cockatoos and a blue-headed parrot. The week that my dog came to her house, she was bird sitting a yellow-naped Amazon for a zoo volunteer. To make a long story short, the wing-clipped yellow-naped was last seen in the dog's mouth. (This dog has been trained to retrieve birds for almost two years). Now, my friend was at fault or leaving the bird out of its cage in a new environment. Necropsy will tell us if it really was the dog that killed it; if it was, it is NOT THE DOG's FAULT, but so what? The bird's still dead, the owners had to be told, and those birds are NOT cheap to replace! (~$1000) Moral of the story: If you do get a dog as a companion for a bird ( and IMHO, I can't see these two species being that compatible-emus HATE dogs, and cassowaries will eviscerate them if they can, and those are huge birds, relatively), get one that is not bred for any kind of hunting work! This includes poodles, terriers, retrievers, etc. Naturally there are exceptions to this "rule", and I've had labs that I KNOW would have not touched a parrot; but I'm talking in general.BTW, if Puck is like a lot of parrots who aren't afraid to use that big beak of theirs, this could temper a dog's aggression, too! Whatever you decide to do, best of luck! Something tells me you are going to have your hands full come January! >So, anyone out there introduce their parrot to a new bird/other animal? How did >it go? Was it eventually positive for the first bird? > >Any suggestions, replies, etc. would be much appreciated. > >Thanks very much. > >Dena
stewartw@cognos.UUCP (Stewart Winter) (06/10/91)
In article <1991Jun8.174722.1045@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> vlf8v@cyclops.micr.Virginia.EDU (Virginia L. Fristoe) writes: > a zoo volunteer. To make a long story short, the wing-clipped > yellow-naped was last seen in the dog's mouth. (This dog has > been trained to retrieve birds for almost two years). The dog is trained to catch birds. > Now, my > friend was at fault or leaving the bird out of its cage in a > new environment. I would argue that in fact the 'fault' is that (a) the dog should have been trained to leave the parrots alone (or NEVER put in the same room even under supervision) and (b) they should always be supervised when in the same room. > Moral of the story: If you do get a dog as a companion for a > bird ( and IMHO, I can't see these two species being that > compatible-emus HATE dogs, and cassowaries will eviscerate > them if they can, and those are huge birds, relatively), get > one that is not bred for any kind of hunting work! This includes > poodles, terriers, retrievers, etc. For what it's worth, our wheaten terriers are trained to leave the birds alone. In fact when we last had baby macaws they would chase the dogs around. The dogs were interested, but sufficiently afraid of reprimand to actually move away from the birds even when approached by the birds. I have seem many dogs and birds that get along really well, but I don't know any of these owners that would actually let them be together in the same room without supervision for even a minute. However, I must add that my sister-in-law's husband's parrot was eaten by their Gordon Setters. The dogs were not trained to leave the bird alone and never really liked it. The bird was left out on its cage a lot ... yup a formula for disaster if ever I saw one. 'nough said Stewart -- Stewart Winter Cognos Incorporated S-mail: P.O. Box 9707 VOICE: (613) 738-1338 x3830 FAX: (613) 738-0002 3755 Riverside Drive UUCP: stewartw%cognos.uucp@ccs.carleton.ca Ottawa, Ontario The bird of the day is .... Green-Cheeked Conure CANADA K1G 3Z4
ghost@nrl-cmf.UUCP (Glenn Host) (06/10/91)
In article <1991Jun8.174722.1045@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> vlf8v@cyclops.micr.Virginia.EDU (Virginia L. Fristoe) writes: <cut out for brievity> >>So here's the question: I'd like to get her a companion, but I'm not sure which >>way to go. Has anyone here with a large bird made this decision, and how did it >>go? I'm not sure whether she'd get along better with another bird, or with >>another kind of pet (i.e. a dog). She hasn't had any contact with other >>birds since she was a baby; she *has* lived with dogs on a temporary basis, and >> > It sounds to me like this bird is too imprinted on a human > to be breedable, anyway. I would be curious to know how the > dogs reacted to her--how much interaction was there? > I don't believe imprinting on a human is the same as breeding. Our Cockitiel On-On is very attached to my wife; he will scream when she leaves (just her not me) or he hears her voice. He will also scream when she comes home even though he can not see her but he only does it when she is at the door. But he is a good mate - He would sit on the eggs even though the female would not. When the female died (due to egg blockage) he was very depressed but still would react with my wife. <cut out for brievity> >>And while companionship for Puck is a prime motivation, don't worry - any >>animal in my house will be taken very good care of (and I personally would >>love to get a dog). <cut out for brievity> > >>So, anyone out there introduce their parrot to a new bird/other animal? How did >>it go? Was it eventually positive for the first bird? >>Any suggestions, replies, etc. would be much appreciated. >>Thanks very much. >>Dena And On-On gets along with our dog Ivan (a German Setter/Black Labador mix) but perhaps that is because Ivan found him - and refused to go home until my wife looked at this poor, sick bird which wasn't moving. It all depends on the temperment of the dog - Ivan wouldn't hurt anything. He likes to chase but he never catches (and he could if we tried). All animals have personalities some are shy (Our bird Ping for example; scared of everything ) some are aggressive (Our bird Lucy for example) some are very brave (On-On will peck at Ivan's food even when Ivan is standing there looking at him) You will have to observe the animals personalities for a period of time and determine if you have a possible match. Good Luck. -- Glenn Host - Senior Systems Analyst (ghost@ra.nrl.navy.mil) NRL Code 5800, 4555 Overlook Ave.; Washington, DC 20375 (202) 767-2046 12307 Tigers Eye Court ; Reston, VA 22091 (703) 620-1141 Don't pay attention to header - my news/mail handler is looking for attention