Lt. Columbo, my male Double Yellow-headed Amazon, Amazona ochrocephala oratrix, is the perfect myth buster when it comes to discussions regarding unmanageable, sexually mature, male Amazons or what I call "THE USMMA". Many people are of the belief that all or most sexually mature male Amazon parrots will ultimately become unmanageable, aggressive, biting screamers.

As of the date of this article, Lt. Columbo is 10 years of age, and sexually mature, yet he remains gentle, playful, vocal, outgoing, and friendly. He is not a one person bird, in fact he enjoys interaction with numerous people. So why is it that Lt. Columbo has not fallen into the "USMMA" category?

It is my belief that it is a comprehensive combination of many factors that have contributed to Lt. Columbo's indulgent nature. In attempt to better understand why Lt. Columbo is the way he is - I will discuss a number of what I feel are the most important of these factors.

Veterinary Care

In the case of either a juvenile or an adult Amazon parrot it is important that the bird is in good health and maintaining an optimal weight. Poor health is often the cause of many behavioral problems. All of these problems may not be fatal or disease related, but many may cause enough discomfort to cause a bird to become sedate, unwilling to play, and down right cantankerous. Lt. Columbo receives annual well bird exams by a qualified Avian Veterinarian. During these exams he has regular blood work done and his annual polyoma virus vaccine along with a crop swab and a fecal smear. I have chosen to have periodic x-rays (every two years or so) to establish a good baseline for what is normal for him. I also pay close attention to the bottoms of Lt. Columbo's feet. Amazon parrots are solid, stocky birds and therefore can be prone to foot sores. I prefer to use rope perches or Vet-wrap (a spongy tape that sticks to itself) to wrap around portions of natural wood perches. I am especially careful to make sure that the perch he sleeps on (usually the highest in his cage) is soft. Wooden dowel perches, cement, or any perches that are rough on top or lack any variance in diameter, are very hard on an Amazon's feet. These perches force the bird's feet to remain in one position causing constant wear on one area of the foot. The feet can become almost raw on the bottoms. Often times when I talk to people with parrots in their teens and above (I have seen Amazons that are not even 5 years of age show foot problems), one of the first things I ask about is the condition of the bird's feet. I often wonder if some of these birds' feet have become so sore and arthritic that it is painful for them to move around, causing them to become sedate and aggressive when asked to do so.

Determining A Healthy Weight

Amazon parrots are prone to obesity making it very important to determine the individual bird's optimal weight. Once you and your veterinarian have made this determination, your bird's weight should be monitored at home weekly with an accurate precision gram scale (accurate to within 1 gram). It is a good idea to check your scale against your veterinarians to ensure its accuracy. As a general rule of thumb, a rapid weight gain or loss of 10% or more of an adult birds' total body weight should be brought to the attention of your Avian Veterinarian immediately. As an example, Lt. Columbo's optimal body weight is 500grams. If I were to weigh him and find his weight at 450 grams or less or 550 grams or higher in the matter of one or two weeks, I would have cause for concern. My concern would be greatened if there had been no change in his diet or general eating habits. Dramatic weight loss can be an indication of illness. Weight gain can be as well, but can also be a contributing factor to reproductive (hormonal) problems, which I will discuss later in this article. Your veterinarian should check your bird's cholesterol and triglyceride levels during the annual exam. A healthy bird's cholesterol level should be 200 or less. There are many young and old parrots with cholesterol levels in the high hundreds and even thousands. These high levels can lead to heart, kidney, and liver disease. As for your bird's weight, please do not assume that you will be able to feel or see a difference of 10% body weight on your bird. A 10% variance is virtually impossible to notice, even for a veterinarian, without an accurate gram scale.

A Healthy Well-Balanced Diet

Amazon parrots can be prone to vitamin A deficiency and should be offered high vitamin A vegetables and fruits daily. Every morning while we are cleaning our birds cages they are out on their play gyms eating their fresh foods. Their mixture consists of what organic produce is available at the time. Usually it will contain raw dandelion greens, bell peppers, jalapenos, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, mango, papaya, kiwi, pomegranate, cantaloupe, etc. Any uneaten fresh food is always removed within two hours to prevent bacterial growth. Fresh foods should never be left in the cage all day. It is rare that Lt. Columbo will have any left after