Blue Fronted Amazon Kodiak was a very late speaker. This really surprised me as when he was a month old he was making sounds as if he were going to talk. He was 9 months old when he began to speak. However, Kodiak uses his language. He knows that words bring results.

So, as you can see, it really depends on the bird and the type of speaking he does.

Joanie Doss / The Amazing Amazons

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First of all you have to understand why male Amazons attack. They are wired this way for survival of the species in the wild. The female incubates the eggs and the male protects the territory, nest, female and off spring. This is a huge job and requires much energy and bravery. Male Amazons can become very protective of their owners. They love them with an undying love and of course, only know how to love a person as a bird loves another bird.

If you had a dog and became upset because when the dog is hungry he snapped at you when you pulled food out of his mouth, would you call this dog mean? No, because it is natural for the dog to snap when hungry and having food taken away from him. This is similar to the male Hot Three. He bites not out of meanness but out of survival instinct. To call him mean when he is aggressive and hormonal is wrong. He is not mean, only doing what he needs to do to survive as a wild bird.

As a human, you have to realize that aggression and hormonal behavior are part of each other. The bird may love you dearly, but when hormonal, basic instinct may take over and biting occurs. Just as you can avoid getting bit by a hungry dog by not taking the food out of his mouth, so too you can avoid getting bit by the hormonal male by not handling him when he is very hormonal. A growling dog says, "Watch out." The charging bird in display is saying the same thing.

Male Amazons are incredible pets once you understand them. They are very out going, love you with an undying passion, are funny, smart, beautiful, brave, loving, talkative and protective. You couldn't ask for a better companion. I feel sorry for people that quickly dismiss these outstanding pets as mean and not pet quality. They are missing out on one of the most desirable of all birds for a companion.

Joanie Doss / The Amazing Amazons

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I don't really know what makes the different smells. However, mine do their little puffs of scent when they are excited.

Joanie Doss / The Amazing Amazons

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The main thing to keep in mind is to move very slowly. Do not expect the bird to come and sit on your arm right away. It will take a lot of time and patience. The best way to win this bird's confidence is to feed him his favorite treats through the bars of his cage. When the bird takes the treat and will eat it in front of you, it means he is beginning to trust you. If he refuses the treat or takes it and drops it, he just doesn't trust you enough to lower his guard for the few seconds it would take to eat.

Everything you do with this bird needs to be broken down into steps and then very slowly and patiently achieve each of the steps. Even if it means taking months or even years to gain his trust. If you rush him, you will lose valuable time as he will begin to slip back into being fearful again.

Joanie Doss / The Amazing Amazons

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This bird needs to be stick trained. After he is stick trained he needs to be worked on the up command. With a stick, it won't hurt you when he nips or even bites so you won't pull your hand away. He must learn that when you say "up" that is what it means and no playing games or saying back in body language "I don't want to and you can't make me!"

He is getting to the age where he is going to see just what he can get away with and what the limits are. You need to set limits such as "you come out of the cage when I say", "you go back into the cage when I say" and "when I say step up, I mean step up now."

When he nips tell him "No" but don't withdraw your hand. You are giving him two answers. 1. Step up. 2. If you nip me you don't have to step up.

Joanie Doss / The Amazing Amazons

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