Thank you that is a very informative link.

i LOVE joanie doss' informational site as well. i visit often...

I am wondering how much of the story I was told about the boy was the truth. The owner does not interact well with Blue at all. Her mom and dad are able to scratch him but only her father may pick him up. The bird is a '98 closed band bird which means he is about 8 1/2 not 4. I took Peanut with me as I do not need an attack bird in my home. Blue was quite fine with having another bird around. I approached him while Peanut was on the floor and tried to scratch him which he calls tickle. He did not like this idea and gave me a half flared tail and quickly pinning eyes. I also got a warning pinch. Peanut had by this time objected to being on the floor and asked her father to pick him up. Blue climbed on the father in a friendly manner to go visit Peanut. Peanut then bit the father so I had to take him back to my shoulder.
Blue also talks in context so I asked him if I could tickle him, he at first said "no" and after I while says "tickle" which I did. Blue enjoyed this very much and put his beak on the perch with his eyes glazed over. Blue was most interested in having a conversation with Peanut and went through a a bunch of words very fast. I never did get Blue to step up and this worries me. Every time I ask him to step up, he asks for tickle. He is not aggressive but I did get warned by the tail and eyes. It is also not breeding season so I wont be seeing the worst. The people are desperate to re-home as they are leaving the country, this I believe is true as a yard sale was in progress. The father was very talkative and I think said more than the owner wanted me to hear as he was impressed with the way Blue did interact with me, which I see as nothing special. The owner is busy telling me how much the bird likes children which I have difficulty in believing as birds in general don't respect or obey children. While I feel I could handle this bird, it was not an instant bond and it will take work before the next breeding season. I left my phone number to take the bird if they don't get a better offer. I am not prepared to pay the asking price when I see the time it will take to bring this bird into my home.

Don't discount entirely the idea of Blue liking children. My sister's male DYH simply adores children, although he can be a wee bit ornery with adults.

Was there a lot of activity going on when you were there? Amazons are drama addicts and get all wound up when there's a lot of activity. That might also influence the impressions you have of Blue.

Not a lot of activity unless you count, his owner, her mom and dad, peanut and myself. He is mostly just on his own with her mom and dad so maybe a few extra visitors did provide drama. When I was leaving, by this time I was alone with the bird, I said goodbye to him which he understood. He then got a bit excited and started shouting tickle again in his amazon voice. He did not want me to go, but he still did not offer to step up. I am sure he would step up if I offered a treat, he did have one foot on my arm, but then changed his mind. Maybe this is just amazon behavior and the way they do things but I am used to my birds waving feet in the air if I just say the word come.

Another excellent source of info on Amazons is to google Layne David Dicker. He's an avian behaviorist and has some great things to say about them.

Angie, did you make a decision if you're bringing Blue home?

I have to tell you that I rehome more male b/f amazons than any other species of amazons mainly because of their aggressiveness. I never rehome them with anyone who hasn't had experience with this breed - they are definitely not for the "faint of heart" ! Read articles by Joanie Doss as she pretty much lays it on the line. Just don't take him on a "trial" basis as that would be terribly unfair to him.

Oops, forgot to say this - when I do my intake sheet on parrots needing placement, I tell the perspective new birdie parents that I am told all of the truth, some of the truth, or absolutely none of the truth about the bird needing to be rehomed! So be prepared for the unknown!

The price is too great. The owner is not negotiable. She wont take less than R3500 just because the bird talks. BFA babies go for between R1100 and R1500 and the cage is a smallish parrot cage new price R720, so I quite honestly don't intend to pay so much over when I can't handle the bird.