Fostering Lulu

We've had Lulu for about 3-4 weeks now. I have some questions. Lulu hated the lady at the rescue so she was let out of her cage but not handled much.



The rescue that I got her from said that the previous owner said Lulu had wing damage so she couldn't fly. Then the rescue told me that they found no wing damage. I know very little about macaws but if you look at the wing picture, one of her wings lays parallel to her body while the other one goes across her back. This doesn't look symmetrical to me.



She doesn't seem to know or is ignoring what step up means. Are there other phrases that could have been used? I know that she wants to step up when she puts her foot out but when I want/need her to she won't. I've gotten the end of a broom and she steps right up on that with no coaxing. The broom is so long and one time, she freaked out a bit so I bought a wooden dowel to use instead.

She loves her head to be scratched. There are a lot of feathers that have come in but the keratin sheaths are still attached. Some of them are quite hard. I started picking at them while I was scratching her head so they fell on my shirt. She started to nibble at the pieces. This morning she had a tail feather in her mouth. She was stripping the white end of it and then started licking the other end. She did this for about 5 minutes.

I'd love to be able to keep her but I'm not really qualified. And my Jasper is not having it. She's a love bug though. Not as loud as I thought a macaw would be. When she squawks, it's loud - but she doesn't squawk often.

Any insight would be helpful,
Thanks

First of all, THANK YOU for giving her a safe place!

Has she been to the vet yet for gram stains and blood work to check for any medical reasons for the plucking?

You might try giving her preening toys as well

How is her diet?


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She doesn't seem to know or is ignoring what step up means. Are there other phrases that could have been used? I know that she wants to step up when she puts her foot out but when I want/need her to she won't.

You need to work on and reinforce stepping up using rewards.

This is what step up training should look like (give or take *multiple* repetitions of each step)

1. Reward your bird for looking at you.
2. Reward your bird for moving his head towards you.
3. Reward your bird for taking a step towards you.
4. Reward your bird for taking another step towards you.
5. If he doesn't run away, keep rewarding him for remaining where he's at. (if he runs/backs off, you may need to start over again)
6. Reward your bird for taking a couple more steps closer.
7. Encourage him to come closer yet again and reward him.
8. Reward your bird for touching you with his toe(s).
9. Reward your bird for putting a foot on you.
10. *JACKPOT REWARD* Give your bird lots of goodies for putting both feet on you!

An example of teaching the behavior.

[ame="https://youtu.be/GIaDDSeZKnI"]Parrot Training Workshop Live Demo - Step Up Training with a Macaw - YouTube[/ame]


She loves her head to be scratched. There are a lot of feathers that have come in but the keratin sheaths are still attached. Some of them are quite hard. I started picking at them while I was scratching her head so they fell on my shirt. She started to nibble at the pieces. This morning she had a tail feather in her mouth. She was stripping the white end of it and then started licking the other end. She did this for about 5 minutes.

You may need to figure out if she's doing this with molted feathers or plucked feathers. It's normal for them to chew on feathers - to a point. Too much though is not good.

Extra bathes may also help.

There are a lot of feathers that have come in but the keratin sheaths are still attached. Some of them are quite hard. I started picking at them while I was scratching her head so they fell on my shirt. She started to nibble at the pieces. This morning she had a tail feather in her mouth. She was stripping the white end of it and then started licking the other end. She did this for about 5 minutes.

I would take a good look at her diet in the first instance but also mentioning that Plum will eat the larger pieces of feather sheath. Thenutrients that are most commonly associated with feather disorders are vitamin A, calcium and other minerals, protein, and essential fatty acids. Are you feeding a good organic pellet? If not ask your AV to suggest a supplement

The rescue that I got her from said that the previous owner said Lulu had wing damage so she couldn't fly. Then the rescue told me that they found no wing damage. I know very little about macaws but if you look at the wing picture, one of her wings lays parallel to her body while the other one goes across her back. This doesn't look symmetrical to me.

Back in the days when Bird Shows where popular, judging the placement of the Wings was really important. Today, no so much. The 'natural' position would be symmetrical with the Wings held along the side of the Body with the longest Feather tips just touching each other. Over the years, I have come across a wide cross-section of positions that Parrots will hold their Wings. If there was any common position it would be that they appeared symmetrical.

Regardless of how the Wings are held at rest. What matters in Flight is that they can and do operate independent of each other and in harmony. Near all Birds will pull their Wings forward and then upwards and then a lifted full spread (a Big Eagle), prior to launching. There are variations of the Wing Position depending on the amount of lift needed and the direction the Bird plans on going.

Can Lulu Fly? That is a very weighted questions as it depends on so many other factors far beyond how the Wings are held at rest.

Plucking, Baths and Winter, what a combination! Plucking is such a complex subject and so much of it floats around the words: It Depends. What helps for some Parrots will not for others. In the end, we except and continue to try different methods of helping.

If the Parrot has not been getting Baths, make them available! But take care not to over Bathe the Parrot in Winter. Because of our homes are so dry, even with humidity systems, care must be taken to not over Bath. Pluckers, because of the bare areas will be more quickly effect by dry skin. Bathing too often will help regarding the comfort of clean Feathers, but also steal Body oils they need. It is not unusual for a Plucker to not need a Bath more than once a week during the Winter.

Great care must be taking to monitor 'your' Parrot, as they are different and Bathing is a practice that needs to be specific to your Parrot in your home.

Bare Skin Care: We use a Product called "Soother Topical Spray." Remember there is no magical product out there that will cure plucking, but I believe that this one helps! Its antipruritic and anti-inflammatory reduced superficial itching, which can provide relief for their skin. The product uses an aloe vera distillate. As a topical, it become important to assure that it is not overly used as it will build-up on the surface of the skin! Regular Baths become very important to assure a balance.

We use the product once to twice per day, applying a fine mist to the effected area(s).

I'd love to be able to keep her but I'm not really qualified.

If that was the foundation for having Parrots, none of us would have one! You greatly under-estimate your abilities! In addition, you have the full support of this Forum behind you! That counts for something, well quite a bit!