Individual Responses of Captive Amazon Parrots to Routine Handling Can Reflect Their Temperament

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Temperament tests, manual restraint, and behavioral training were applied to investigate the relationship between temperament and response to manual restraint and evaluate whether parrots exhibited higher responsiveness to physical restraint after training to increase flight capacity and human aversion. This study discusses the relationship between the temperament trait of fear and parrots’ responses to manual restraint test and explores factors which may have influenced these responses. It is suggested that physical restraint during routine procedures in captivity, such as blood collection, can be an option to assess individual behavioral differences related to fear and individual responses to stressful stimuli in parrots. However, it is not possible yet to dismiss temperament evaluations through behavioral tests, to ensure a broader analysis of temperament. ABSTRACT: Individual responses to physical restraint and temperament have been assessed in birds of several species; however, there is a paucity of research which investigates both aspects, especially in captive parrots. This lack of studies raises doubts about which temperament traits, if any, are evidenced during handling and if the intensity of responses to restraint is affected by behavioral training programs, a common practice used in ex situ conservation programs. To understand more about the subject, this study aimed to identify the main temperament dimensions of parrots and investigate their relationship with response to physical restraint for blood collection. A secondary aim was to evaluate whether parrots exhibited higher responsiveness to physical restraint after training to improve flight capacity and increase aversion to humans. The main dimensions identified were activity, neophilia, vigilance, and fearfulness. The more fearful parrots in temperament evaluations were more responsive to physical restraint, showing more vocalizations and struggle attempts than the less fearful ones. After training, the parrots showed higher responsiveness to physical restraint. We suggest that physical restraint for routine handling, such as blood collection, could be a feasible option for centers of rehabilitation to use to obtain data on individual behavioral differences in fear responses.