Congratulations.
I am sure your Amazon will have a good life ahead of him.
I am curious how everything works out for you both, hopefully it will go smoothe.
Insa

Here's an example of how a civilized (as we say) male Amazon can behave. Rico is in full breeding mode these sunny days and really hasn't been himself for the past few weeks. This morning I was changing out the cage papers on the cage he shares with Rosita. My torso was inside the cage, with the back of my head very close to a perch that runs from side to side across the cage. Rico was sitting on this perch. When he's in his cage, I never get my face within striking distance of his beak, as male Amazons are simply wired to protect their territory and I happen to not want my face rearranged.

When I had the old papers rolled into a ball, I backed out of the cage and raised my head to Rico. What I saw was an Amazon in full male display, with his eyes pinpointing, the feathers above his nares fluffed and his tail completely flared (something I almost never see on him). I noted the situation, but had to put in clean papers, which involved getting my torso back into the cage. That happened with no problems at all.

With his cage clean, it was time for breakfast, which is always accompanied by handing each of them a NutriBerry. I gave him clean water and fresh food and picked up the NutriBerries, one for him and one for Rosita, and went back over and opened the cage door again. Given his degree of excitement of a few minutes earlier, I had a close eye on Rico, not sure yet whether I'd merely put the NutriBerry in his dish or hand feed it to him.

Sitting in the same place on the perch, no longer flared, fluffed or pinpointing, he said (very softly) "Hello there." and took the NutriBerry out of my hand just as pretty as you please.

Bear in mind that I didn't try to handle him under these conditions. I prefer to donate my blood through the Red Cross. My point is that male Amazons, even in breeding mode, aren't all blood dripping monsters, ready to kill and dismember anyone who comes around.

With Amazons, it's mostly in the body language that you see what you're in for.

So ... when will we see pictures of Chico???

Joanie, I'm going to be ordering the cage tomorrow, and it'll take a few days for it to get here. Somewhere around the middle to the end of next week I should think.

This new cage has two great features that the old cage doesn't:
1. A slide out grate and slide out tray, so my tender almost-bald head won't be exposed so often.
2. Food bowls with outside access.

I'm not terrified or anything, but until we get acquainted I can't see any reason to give him more access to flesh than necessary!

Any updates? When does he come home?

His new cage hasn't arrived yet. Once I get it set up, I'll get things rolling. Still shooting for the end of this week.

Edit: Woot! Post #500!

so, nate...how are things coming together for your amazon?

<sigh> Well, I ran into a bit of a problem in that his cage still hasn't arrived. Keeping my fingers crossed that he will be here by the end of this week.