Amazon parrot: care, feeding, housing, breeding, buying

The amazon parrot is very affectionate and sociable...but it's not a bird for beginners. Learn about its behaviour, care, nutrition, housing, and breeding.

Which species: parrots (parrots of Africa and the New World)

Appearance: predominantly green with blue, yellow or other colored markings on the head. Males are slightly bigger than females. 205-700 g

Where it comes from: Mexico to Argentina and the Caribbean, but especially the Amazon basin

How long it lives: 70-80 years

Number of eggs per nest: 4

Did you know: Amazon parrots make great speakers!

Amazon parrot: the parrot par excellence

The amazon parrot is one of THE pets of choice, but it’s definitely not a bird for beginners. This bird is quite temperamental and extroverted. So it’s best to first read up on how to raise it and optimal way to handle these magnificent birds.

Social behaviour and care

If you are well prepared, then the amazon parrot develops into a pet that can be feisty and headstrong, but is also very social, pleasant, affectionate and loving. Don’t be alarmed if the bird is very vocal (okay...let’s say loud) especially in the morning and evening.

It’s important you don’t leave the parrot to its own devices, because this can make it bored and become destructive. So you need to play with it a lot, interact socially and train the animal, which works well against negative behaviour. Also, give the animal a lot of mentally stimulating toys and regularly switch them up. Anything to keep the amazon parrot busy.

Food

An amazon parrot is best fed fruits, vegetables and pellets. Your bird may also eat an enriched seed mix, supplemented with egg food in the breeding period. But if you serve pellets, your parrot will be sure to get all the essential nutrients in the right proportions, according to exactly the right rations. This is all the more important in the amazon parrot, as it is prone to obesity.

Accommodations

You can keep the amazon parrot either inside a cage or outside in an aviary. The aviary must have a draught-free interior where it is warmer than 10 ° C. You should also provide perches. The cage should be as big as possible: 4.5 x 1.5 x 2 m for a couple.

If you put it in the living room, the cage should also be as big as possible: at least 120 x 80 x 100 cm for one amazon parrot. If you keep two parrots together, the cage should be 150 x 100 x 120 cm. A climbing tree is also recommended. Finally, provide easy-to-clean food and water bowls.

As ground cover you can use shell sand. Remove regularly the feces and food residue from the cage or aviary so that the Amazon parrot doesn’t come into contact with them when he scurries over the floor. Clean or replace bedding, sticks, branches and toys regularly, and the food and water bowls daily.

Breeding

To breed them, it’s best to house the birds in a group so they can form pairs. Afterwards, however, give them each an individual cage. During the breeding season, from April onwards, the males in particular can be aggressive towards other parrots and can even cause life-threatening injuries.

An amazon hen will lay her eggs in a breeding block. The young chicks are best raised by their parents and you as a breeder. They will not leave their parents until they eat independently and have flown.

Buying

It is best to buy an Amazon parrot after the moult, so in October/November. Only get a bird that has flown out, can eat independently and was raised by its parents.

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