Neonatal handling of Amazon parrots alters the stress response and immune function

The influence of neonatal handling on behavior and immune function was assessed in Orange-winged Amazon parrots (Amazona amazonica). Chicks (n=11) were gently handled daily from 25 days of age until 38 days post-fledging, while control chicks (n=9) were not handled. At 10 days post-fledging ( approximately 66 days of age), chicks were given tests to evaluate tameness (e.g., willingness to perch on an offered finger). They were then restrained for 10 min, either by being held while perching (handled group) or, because they would not perch, by being restrained in a towel (nonhandled group). Serum corticosterone levels were measured and immune status was assessed by: the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to phytohemagglutinin-P (PH-P) injection; the humoral response to a killed Newcastle disease virus (NDV) challenge; and heterophil:lymphocyte ratio (H:L). Handled chicks were tamer by all measures of tameness. DTH was greater in nonhandled chicks (P