Zachary at 10 months old - taken about a week after he arrived at our home

In the beginning Zachary's website was created only because of how thrilled we were to have him. We thought that a website was a great way to show family members around the world and others how much he means to us. His website used to be full of pictures & fun stories, showing Zachary and every part of his life.

About a month after Zachary's site was first published, we started getting a lot of feedback and wonderful letters from Amazon and other parrot owners. Bird owners wrote to ask about what he ate, played with, and his daily routine. Amazon owners asked about his personality, adored his pictures and asked how he manages to look like he's always posing for the camera. His pictures continually bring about reactions from other parrot owners, particularly the ones of him on playing on his back, and the obvious ways of how trusting he is with humans.

We also received emails from many stating that they were eager to get a DYH Amazon parrot after seeing Zachary's website. At first we didn't think more about that, until we received emails from people telling us that their newly adopted Amazon parrot did not turn out as sweet as Zachary, like they had hoped for. We then realized that the "fun picture style" website (that we had) can give many inexperienced bird owners the impression that all Amazons are tame, sweet & trusting, when they first get one or soon after. No parrot becomes a great companion without hard work and dedication. Over time it became apparent to us that showing how precious Zachary is had to be accompanied by other more serious information on how parrots need to be cared for. Thus we decided to change his previous fun album site, to one that will give viewers more detailed information on the care of Amazon parrots - which is what you now see on this website. Getting a new parrot - Amazon or others, require planning and in-depth knowledge, before physically going out and looking for one. And it's this knowledge, among other things, that will then help to bring a pet parrot through its life stages and to become the companion that you hope to have. Bringing a pet bird into your life should not be taken lightly. They are companions for life - and like a child that never grows up, they depend on you for everything - their well being, happiness, stimulation, safety, and self confidence.

Although Zachary was tame towards his breeder, when he first arrived at our home he would back away and growl each time we approached him and asked him to step up. He didn't know what to expect of us. This went on for about 5 days. He didn't touch any fresh food we gave him but since he nibbled on his pellets and drank lots of water, we knew that he wasn't starving. We decided that we would give him some time to settle in, to his new cage and surroundings. After about a week, we started with some basic training. We were determined to help him trust us, and being scared of bites was not an option. Weeks later we could see a big difference and he responded well to the enthusiastic praises he got each time he did step up when asked. By the end of the first month, he actually looked forward to seeing us approach him, as he knew that he was in for more trials and praises. We did practices with step ups and step downs many times a day. A few months later he started to say "Step up..oh...Good Boy!" in almost exactly his Mom's tone of voice.  We also worked on "give me a kiss", as well as other types of training that he responded well to. We tried to see what actions excited him, and then used those to create a new trick that he could do easily and get praises for. A few months later, it was obvious that he was becoming a clown, always trying to do something to get our attention and love. Our relationship has blossomed tenfold since then, and growing.

Zachary was very shy with trying new foods but he did start to eat his fresh food about two weeks after arriving here. Today he eats really well, and will try just about anything that we give him. He even gets excited when he sees some of his favorite foods!

With lots of consistent and repetitive training, loads of praises (for the right behavior), lots of love and understanding, and giving him everything necessary for him to blossom; Zachary has grown to trust us completely. We have a special and close relationship that is more than we ever thought possible, and more than any pet bird book describes what an Amazon parrot can be like. The result is from being raised by a good breeder, being healthy, having their needs met, spending lots of time on training and interaction, and unconditional love. From the trust Zachary has in us, we extended it to helping him love and accept other family members, and friends that treat him with love and care. A pet bird, in my opinion, is not truly secure unless he gets along and is comfortable with all members of his "flock".

Until today, we use the same commands each time we ask him for something - even if he already knows what it is. Making sure that he understands what we want from him makes him a contented and confident parrot.