It made me sad to see your picture because I had an African Grey also named Oliver for 25 years. He died a few years ago. He was well and then he died. I have no clue what happened to him. He had corn on the cob for dinner like he had many times before and hours later I heard a strange sound and hollered at the cats. When it continued I went to the kitchen and he was almost laying down on top of his cage. I quickly held him in my hands and he died at once. I was devastated. I still have his cage and if the circumstances were right, maybe I'd get another one.

I'm sorry my post made you sad. Our Oliver fills the house with joy & laughter (and noise!) and I can't imagine life without him.
Hugs,
Virginia

He's a beautiful looking parrot. Next to dogs, birds have always been my interest. I've raised budgies and canaries and had tiels and a lovebird but never anything larger. Now I'm too old at 51 to get a bird that will probably outlive me LOL.

Maybe you could find one that wasn't a spring chicken. :-)
Seriously, I'm 51, and I also would take my age into consideration if I ever decided to have another parrot.
They can become so bonded with their owners, it probably wouldn't be fair to them.

I used to care for a friend's African grey when she was out of town and he was such a good talker! Smart, too.

Lily, parrots and other birds are very good at hiding any illness they may have. He was an older bird and it may just have been his time to go. Please do consider getting another one.

Hi Virginia. I have a 7 yr old female Congo African Grey, and she is the apple of my eye. I also have a Double Yellow Headed Amazon, 2 cockatiels, and 5 lovebirds. I have bookmarked your site, as I would love to chat with other bird owners.
Stella
P.S. I'm 47, and the thought of what will happen to my feathered babies after I'm gone is troubling; I have no children, just nieces & nephews.And even then, you can't give them to just anyone.I think about it a lot, but there doesn't seem to be an easy answer. I do know that were something to happen to my birds, it would be very hard not to get another someday. They are a huge part of my life.

Getting a parrot when you're older is a problem sometimes. More so with them than other animals since they live so long. Ollie was a young bird and totally wild when I got him. Some kid went to Florida on spring break and brought back three parrots and put an ad in the paper. Ollie was so scared , he threw up. He never was mean, but not friendly at all. So I put his cage in the middle of our kitchen and let him out to sit on the top bar. His wings were clipped back then. He became friendly without me forcing myself on him and soon I could hold him upside down in my hands. ..Petaloid..I thought he was young when I got him and also thought they might live over 50 years, so never ever expected this. But my daughter would have gladly taken him if something happened to me even tho she has two cats. Ollie had a houseful and with every new cat had to show them who was really in charge of the house. Probably the ideal situation for me would be to find a bird whose owner died or went into a home since there is a HUGE possiblility that i won't be around 50 more years..unless I live to be over 100! BTW..Your Oliver is lovely.They are fun to have and I miss mine a lot. In fact some nights I still hear him.

When I was little my mom had a pet shop. I grew up surrounded with all kinds of exotic birds. We had a yellow headed amazon named Dolly." My sister and I used to get our doll blankets and wrap Dolly up in them rock her and put her on her back in our little doll cradle we had and rock her...Dolly passed away when the furnace to mom's shop malfunctioned in a wind storm and oil fumes filled the shop. We lost over a thousand birds that night.
Anyways Dolly was the best Doll Baby my sister and I had.. She learned "baby" talk from my sister and I talking to her and loved to pretend to drink from a baby bottle.She would make a "gulp" sound when we held the bottle to her beak.
Im happy to hear you have a loving bird that makes you laugh and smile as my fondest memories of being a child include Dolly the Amazon. Good luck with your web site.
Lorie

It's amazing how smart all birds are. I always kept my "pet" stud canary up in the kitchen because he was a wonderful singer. He'd be out of the cage whenever I was there to keep an eye on him but it was more like he was always keeping an eye on me, the snoopervisor. Especially when food was being prepared, right there in a flash waiting on the counter for something. If he saw you taking a plate of food to the family room to watch tv.. he'd be there in a shot sitting on the back of the couch waiting for handouts. One year I bred him to a hen and they had 6 chicks. Once the chicks had fledged I figured was the time they would get their first free flight so I opened the cage and they all zoomed out after dad, obviously not knowing where to go, but within about 10 minutes they had the main floor of the house figured out and were zooming round and round and back to the cage with no problems. Didn't take them long either to figure out who handed out the food at the counter and I ended up with 8 canaries fussing and waiting for handouts.

What a beautiful parrot! I love to hear the stories, but unfortunately, I am a little afraid of birds . . . .

I have a tiel

Our 'tiel, Larry, died in December '06, after nearly 17 yrs. with us. What a cheery, affectionate soul he was. No one could preen my eyelashes or eyebrows the way he could!

Our home was mournfully quiet for a week/two after his death. I really miss him a lot. He's buried out back well under a clutch of daffodils that have yet to emerge...

Birds are so cool and so, so very affectionate and INTELLIGENT. Sharing your space with one is a very special experience.

I've got 2 African Greys. I love them more than most people can imagine. They are my children. Virginia, I will look up that website so I can chat with other people who love birds! Thanks!

Thanks for posting your pictures, everyones birds are so beautiful. I love to see them all!

Another parrot Mom here!
Carey Firetail...AG...25 or so years old...got him when he was just under a year old...he's my baby!...and he ONLY LOVES ME! BWAHAHAHA!

Griffin (Griffie), is my 12 year-old female Yellow Crowned Amazon...I hand fed/weaned her...we were best friends until the day she discovered my husband...she's so fickle! LOL
{{gwi:201879}}

I got Zack last December. He's about 25 years old, mealy Amazon. I'm his 3rd or 4th owner- his original owner died, then someone adopted him but he's a one-bird kinda bird and she had others that were not happy with the grouchy old man. Then he got into a training program at school which had to be let go, so I adopted him.

The funniest thing that Zack does is whenever my husband sneezes, Zack lets out an alarm call "ACK!" Cracks me right up. He also likes to torment the Huskies by screaming and making them howl. It can be quite noisy at my house!

{{!gwi}}

Is Zack your first bird, Meghane?

Yep, Zack is my first bird. I had worked with birds quite a bit. In fact I had worked with Zack at school the year before I brought him home, training him to be used as a physical exam demo/trainer. We currently use doves and cockatiels for our PE skills labs. They are good introductary birds, but for people who wanted to work with the larger parrots we didn't have anything. So we started the training program. Unfortunately, the lab animal resources dept that was in charge of their daily care (not training) went through a LOT of changes that weren't working out with the parrots, so we had to adopt them out. I kinda like the old grouch, so I brought him home:)

Hi; it does not appear, that any one has been here in quite some time. but I will try any way. I rather my daughter and I have three birds, the cockatoo, Dusty rules the house then there is the lorikeet, Peyton she is a sweetie,unless you get to close to her toys,or mom, then she becomes a terror.The newest of the lot is Marty he is a blue front Amazon, he is a clown..Now we have enough birds,and afraid that more birds would take needed time, and affection, from the ones we now have. The problem is a girl at work is adament about me taking hers, she does not want it, why she has it is beyond me. she insisted that I go on my lunch hour one day, to see it. she is a small Macaw, the only thing I saw is that I cannot leave it there.I don't know what to do, she says it never leaves the top of its cage, which is to small to house the bird in, but with three birds and three dogs it would have to be, until I could find a another cage. it has no breast feathers, and she tells me that she is not a feather picker, and that at three years old, she is just getting her feathers in, I find that hard to ,believe but, I do not know that for a fact . It is overwhelming me I do not want to put my bird,s in jeopardy . But do not want to leave that bird there either. she see's very little day light. it is almost like being in a cave.and on top of that it is not wanted.It had been her daughters bird and when her daughter gave birth nine months ago it became hers. any advise would be helpfull. Gailee

I would take the bird, have it vet checked and then keep it isolated from yours for at least a month. No breast feathers means plucking. The lady is very misinformed as to when birds get their feathers or else she is choosing not to tell you the truth.

You can find plenty of cages at affordable prices on Craigslist.
I own 13 birds and can tell you the Mini Macaws make great pets and are one of my favorite birds. Noise-wise, I think you'll find him quieter than your Amazon and cockatoo. Their personality is very similar to the large Macaws.......again, one of my favorite birds. I have less fear of ever being bitten by a Macaw than other species........especially the small guys!
Do you know what type of Mini Macaw?

Here is a link that might be useful: macaws

I agree, and thank you for the link, I looked all morning and could not find any thing that informative.. I thought she told me it was a military she has avery long tail . and a very long beak but her body is not much bigger then the amazon, and no where as big as our cockatoo. She came to me right away, and would not go back ,I had to trick her which I hated doing ,but had to get back to work. I am a little intimidated, but not too much. my daughter works nights, so I am a little concerned about the noise in the day time while she is trying to sleep. I dreamt about her all night after I saw her and in my dream she was no trouble at all. L.O.L I hope my dream comes true. Thank you again for the help. Gailee

Lily136- There are may things you can do to ensure you outlive the parrot. First adopt an older bird, give up red meat,fatty foods, eat more vegan, quit smoking and excierse. Get lots of sleep, do yoga, ect. Woman in gen live longer then men, so you have the upper hand in that sense. You could also get in touch with a younger person who is into birds, become close friends and then you know if you do die first, he. she will take care of your bird. Hope this helps.

Gailee,

I was thinking about the bird this morning and forgot to mention that if you feel you can't keep the bird you should check out bird clubs in your area and talk to any and all Avian Vets. They may allow you to post some ads and thru careful selection you may be able to rehome him.
I'd still get him out of that situation ASAP.

From your description the bird is not a Military. They're large birds, with some being larger than Blue and Golds.

Try not to be intimidated. Just keep him off your shoulder and away from your face until you get to know the bird. Most Macaws love being held near your chest and cuddled. Keep us posted!

annz If in fact I could not keep her, thats what I would do,I hate to see them rehomed,in her situation it will be a blessing. I am going to try to put her in the living room all the others are in the dining/bird room. when I got Marty I tried that and he just screamed till I put him in there with the other two.now he screams til I pull his cage out into the french door way, and he can see, and feel apart of the whole house. I worry to about baby(her name) being in the dark. In my living room there are four sets of double windows,with only shutters at the bottom half. What a contrast to where she is now, I hope it does not startle her, and make her uneasy. she should love it ,once she adjusts. I will be sure to keep you posted, I am making a list of questions to ask her when I go back to work tomorrow.

annz I promised I would keep you posted, and did not. I am sorry I got so caught in the bird,all I have done is go to work and home to the bird,it was worse then I thought,I was shattered.When I went to see her as I said it was prity dark in there,what I thought was an old towel hangin in the cage, was in fact a piece of a blanket ( lambswool I believe) the kind they put in your bed if you are in it quite a bit, to keep you from getting bed sores.it was hung like a hammock and it was her security when she is frightened.I went first to craigs list and found a couple of cages that looked like they would work, but realized I did not have the time to run them down,just to find out they would not. so I opted to dig into my savings and get brand new from the pet store.it is larger then what I needed but better then to small. The food she gave me with her was Cockatiel food from the grocery store. I threw it out in the yard for the wild birds. and put some of my food in there . I realized that I have never seen a hungry bird and hope I don't ever see another. She could not stop eating. She is so easy to get along with I thought the new cage could take a day or two at least, she went right to it, she acts as though she has lived here always. while handling her as you suggested,and not letting her on my shoulder,and giving her kisses I noticed on the right side ( not as noticable on the left her bottom and top beak do not meet.she can manage seed real well, she can climb,but not as well as she should. I have tried scrambled eggs, grits, mashed potatoes,all made with chicken broth,she doesent appear to interested,corn on the cob she loves if I get it started for her by shaving some off with a knife . she is not plucking, I am waiting to find feathers, but found only one small one so far.I don't know if she is rubbing them off in this hammock she loves so much, or if she has never had any . Her legs are completly bare her breast is almost completely bare,and the tops of her wings, are looking bare.The only vet I have found so far is in knoxville, and I cannot drive in Knoxville,I am hoping to find one in Morristown,Jefferson city or in Newport. I don't remember if I told you or not, she is a Severe Macaw and the feathers on her back and tail are a beautiful green and blue, when the light hits them just right they are georgous.she reminds you of a Peacock.well I had better get off of here and fix her something to eat.

We almost bought a parrot right before we got the kitty. It was a quaker. I like the African Greys a lot.

Carla

Thanks for the update. So glad to hear that the bird is doing so well in your home!

I wouldn't be too concerned about her beak since it could be due to poor diet and it may correct itself in time.
Is the piece of fabric that she has in the cage wool and did you wash it before giving it back to her? I'm not sure if wool is irritating to a birds skin but I know some people can't wear it, so I would think some birds may have a reaction also. I'm not sure.
If her feathering doesn't improve I would probably try to wean the hammock away from her. Maybe you could give her a large nestbox or a new hammock made of safer material?

For diet I would offer her a good mix of large hookbill seed & nuts with a few pellets mixed in. A mix of legumes, rice, pasta leafy greens, broccoli, fruit and veges would be good in providing needed vitamins and protein. Cheese and yogurt can also be offered in small quantities.

I find it difficult to buy a quality mix of seed from the pet stores so I buy Volkmans Avian Science from the site below. I find their prices reasonable (shipping is included in the price) and the seed of excellent quality. Call them directly with an order if you want it processed faster.

Do hope things continue to improve............

Here is a link that might be useful: seed, nuts, etc

Thank you for responding, yes I washed it immediately, and rinsed it twice real well. I think if I am not mistaken they are made of lambs wool. We think alike, because my thought was to make her another hammock,and then start looking for a large nesting box. There is certainly enough room for one.thank you for the site, I have selected 22520 and 62520,62704,64015. What do you think? I have also added Vitaflight to her water. She loves soft, she has some kind of stuffed animal in her nest, that I was told not to let her see me touch. So I will be on the lookout for somthing real soft with no wool. Thank you again Gailee

I've used most of those items you're considering and they're all good. You may want to consider switching the parrot treat for 64502 (fruit & nuts) since a lot of what's in the parrot treat is in the large parrot seed mix (62520).

Also, you may want to try a 4 lb (22504) bag of the macaw mix before buying a large amount. The macaw mix is really for 'large' macaws and has large nuts, pellets, ect. that may be too big for the Severe.
I use the Soak & Serve but I see they now carry a Soak & Simmer. You may want to find out the difference between the two.

After reading your description of the hammock, I now wonder if it's made of the faux fleece that's often used in dog/cat toys. If so, it should be perfectly safe for the bird.

Question: why can't she see you touch her toy?? :)

The lady said she is real protective of her stuffed toy, so I have not pressed it, she has so much else to get use to.
The hammock is the one they put in the hospital beds, for people who are bed bound, to keep them from getting bed sores.I don't know if it would be faux or real lambs wool.

I changed her hammock today ,I went to the store and got a couple of real soft baby blankets. She did not like it, she got real testy with me, but she did get in it finally, so I think she will be ok with it.

Love the pictures.

Carla