Yellow Shouldered Amazon Parrots as Pets Australia

Country of Origin: Venezuela
Size: 31-33 cm long (from head to tip of tail), 270 grams
Also known as: Yellow-Shouldered Parrot, Amazona Barbadensis, Barbies
Care Requirements: High
Lifespan: 40-60 Years
Best Suited as: Pet for Experienced Bird Owner

The Yellow-Shouldered Amazon is a rare pet but can make a wonderful companion for an experienced bird owner. This beautiful species, which hails from Venezuela, needs a large cage and time to stretch its wings.

Appearance
The Yellow-Shouldered Amazon is mainly green with pale yellow to white feathers on the front of their foreheads and thighs. The gorgeous outer tail feathers of Yellow-Shouldered Amazons have blue, red, green and also some violet in them and their throat, cheeks and belly often have a bluish tint to them. Their bare eye-ring is white and their beak is horn colored. They have a broad dark blue tips to their flight feathers and they have longer tails in proportion to their body size than most Amazon parrots.

Temperament
The Yellow-Shouldered Amazons tend to be sweeter and calmer than other parrots and accept more physical attention than many birds in this genus. They can be fun and energetic and are extremely inquisitive and curious about things going on around them.

The Yellow-Shouldered Amazon call is a rolling cur'r'r'k but they tend be quieter than other species of Amazons. Because they are not as vocal, their vocabulary is not nearly as extensive as many of their larger cousins.

While Yellow-Shouldered Amazons can be excellent pets, they also can have a myriad of challenges including excessive chewing, biting or voicing. Chewing is a natural phenomenon for all parrots, but excessive chewing can lead to dangerous situations for both the Amazon and his owner, particularly if the bird happens to be chewing on electrical wire. Amazon parrots are also known for their "hormonal" aggression, which can last a few years. Females tend to be calmer than males during this phase. An attack by a hormonal male can be vicious and will not be limited to one bite.

Care
Like all parrots, the Yellow-Shouldered Amazons have hefty appetites. The best diet for your pet Barbie should consist of mostly high quality pellets (about 60-75%), fresh fruits, vegetables, and the occasional nuts or seeds. Some of the best vegetables for your bird include: kale, dandelion greens, broccoli, carrots, and squash. Because of their tendency to obesity, yellow-shouldered Amazons should be offered seeds or nuts by hand as treats for bonding. Vitamin supplements are not needed for birds eating a formulated diet. Fresh chlorine-free water should be made available at all times. Do not ever give your pet bird chocolate, avocado, salty snacks, green parts of tomatoes or the pits of fruits from the rose family, including pears, peaches, apricots, and cherries.

Yellow-Shouldered Amazons require frequent bathing in order to maintain healthy feathers and skin but do not let them stay wet and get cold.  Without frequent baths, they can develop a strong musky odor. Care should be taken not to clip the wing feathers excessively as Amazons often fall and injure themselves. Your Yellow-Shouldered Amazon, used to the warm sun in Venezuela, will require an amount of time each day in the sun to maintain their bone health.

Time outside their cage will be a healthy part of your pet’s activity, but make sure you keep a close eye on her. She may find that power cords seem like a fun item to chew.

Enclosure
Being an active bird, the Yellow-Shouldered Amazon needs a very large cage, ideally with a flight. Since they are known as intelligent escape artists, is best to secure the cage door with multiple or extremely secure locks.

Yellow-Shoulders are active Amazons that require a cage stocked with toys. They love swings and hanging toys. Amazons tend to be birds that are more independent and can amuse themselves much of the day if they are given adequate toys and space.

Health Issues
One of the health challenges the Yellow-Shouldered Amazon faces is a propensity towards obesity. Care must be taken not to over feed this bird and to allow it plenty of exercise. It is a good idea to have an avian vet weigh your bird annually to make sure it is not gaining an unhealthy amount of weight.

If you see your pet wheezing or coughing, favoring one foot, sitting on the floor of their cage, or not eating, call your veterinarian. Fluffed, plucked or soiled feathers, runny stools and eye or nasal discharge are also signs that your bird needs medical attention. By instinct, Yellow-Shouldered Amazons will conceal signs of illness to keep them from looking weak. This is truly detrimental for an owner who is not tuned it to their pet because their bird is often extremely ill before they notice there is a problem.

Suitability as a Pet
Finding an affordable Yellow-Shouldered Amazon may be your first barrier to owning this bird. They are rare both in the wild and as pets and their price tag goes with a high price. It is advised that you do not adopt one that has not been fully domesticated.

Often Yellow-Shouldered Amazon ‘s will become very close with one family member so it is best to socialize them with all appropriate family members when they are young. If they do not bond with others, they can become possessive and aggressive. Due to possible aggression, gentle dominance training is essential. These birds require a strong, patient owner who understands their needs. Lots of research on behavior and training is needed before buying a Yellow-Shouldered Amazon.

While less noisy than some of their cousins, Yellow-Shouldered Amazons generally vocalize at least once a day with loud screeches.  For this reason, they do not make great pets for apartment dwellers.