32-Year-Old Yellow-Naped Amazon Parrot Seeks Experienced Forever Home

Skittles has a firm rule about fingers: he wants nothing to do with them. The 32-year-old yellow-naped Amazon parrot at Forever Paws Animal Shelter in Fall River, Massachusetts, was introduced to the public on March 30 with a candid caveat from the shelter: Skittles "isn't hand friendly and isn't a fan of fingers." But that's only half the story. Forever Paws also described him as "a BIG fan of hanging out on your shoulder and dancing while you do your own thing," the kind of companion who becomes "your own personal backup dancer while you handle boring adult things like cleaning your house and 'responsibilities.'"

The bridge between that no-finger policy and shoulder time already exists. Skittles "has his very own 'stepping stick' that he uses to get onto your shoulder so you don't need to sacrifice your fingers," Forever Paws said. At 32 years old, this is a bird who has worked out exactly how he wants to engage with people, and that approach is non-negotiable.

That specificity is precisely why Forever Paws is "looking for someone with large exotic bird experience." Yellow-naped Amazons are long-lived, socially complex birds, and a parrot with three decades of established preferences and routines requires a patient, knowledgeable caregiver and a stable environment. The shelter has built in a deliberate screening step: interested adopters must have an approved adoption application before they can meet Skittles in person.

One practical requirement to have sorted before applying: Skittles "does not come with a cage so potential adopters will need to have their own set up for him," Forever Paws said. A proper large-bird housing setup needs to be ready before he comes home.

On the question of sex, Forever Paws noted that Skittles "hasn't been DNA tested so we aren't 100% positive that he is, in fact, a he," and that "his previous family referred to him as such." The shelter uses he/him based on that family history.

Forever Paws Animal Shelter is located in Fall River, Massachusetts. An approved adoption application is the required first step for anyone considering giving Skittles his next home.