Teaching Your Blue Fronted Amazon Who’s Boss
April 1, 2008 by petparrots
When your Blue Fronted Amazon says jump, do you ask how high? Don’t laugh and shake your head, many bird owners let their Amazon’s get away with murder simply because it’s easier. They’ve basically spent several hundred dollars to bring home a beautiful, feathered master. So I ask again, who’s the boss – you or your Blue Fronted Amazon? Before you answer too quickly, take a look at the following questions
When your Blue Fronted Amazon screams do you jump up and do what ever you can to stop the screaming? When your Blue Fronted Amazon bites do you yell or react dramatically?
When your Blue Fronted doesn’t like what’s for dinner do you make them something else? When you train your Amazon do they give you attitude? Do they hiss, bite, scream, or lunge at you when they’re done playing or simply want to be left alone?
If you answered yes to any one of these questions, it’s time to put your foot down because your Blue Fronted Amazon thinks they’re the boss. If you let this behavior continue, it’ll only get worse. So what do you do to teach your Blue Fronted you’re the one who rules the roost?
Well the first step, if you’re jumping to attention every time your Blue Fronted Amazon squeaks your first step is to stop doing that! If your Amazon bites, screams or lunges at you, you must control your reaction. Any kind of dramatic reaction, whether it is positive or negative, will reinforce your Amazon’s behavior. Parrots love drama and if you react then they’re pulling your strings.
In addition to changing your behavior it is time to modify your bird’s behavior. If they’re acting aggressively toward you, use the Power Pause Technique. This technique teaches your Amazon that you’re the boss and their snippy behavior isn’t going to scare you away. Here’s how it works.
Approaching your bird you get as close as you can until they begin to demonstrate aggression. Once they start acting out, you stop and hold your position. Stay there until your bird calms down. It may take five seconds or it may take five minutes. The important thing is to hold your ground. As soon as your Blue Fronted Amazon relaxes you click and back away. Your Amazon will quickly realize that they are being rewarded when they relax.
This technique accomplishes two things. It teaches your bird that you’re the boss and it begins to eliminate any aggressive and unwanted behaviors your Blue fronted Amazon exhibits when they’re not getting their way. The key to letting your bird know who is boss is to become the boss. Make your Blue fronted Amazon do a trick in exchange for something he wants. Make your Amazon perform on your terms, not the other way around!
