8 YO adopted B&G

[jgourd]

My fiancee and I adopted an 8 year old B&G who has the most amazingly sweet personality and is very well socialized. She came into my fiancee's store plucked (still plucked 6 months later) as a surrender. Everybody loves her and a lot of people would come into the store just to see her. Eventually she went to a family who promptly brought her back after only a week.

Flash forward a few months. My fiancee (since she owns the bird store) plays with her daily and I come in once a week and play with her, she is awesome. We eventually take her home once we have bought a house big enough and a giant Macaw cage. After two weeks, we are also thinking of making her live at the store.

She bites my fiancee whom she used to love. She screams and screams for me. She goes after all the other birds. Is it possible she wants to be an "only bird"? Does this happen?

I am wondering if this a a settling in period where we need to set boundaries of behavior and provide a unified set of rules for her.

I love her to death and she is the first Macaw I ever encountered that I have no fear of but if it is going to cause tension in the house just having her out on the playstand I'd like to begin corrective action now before real problem behavior becomes deep rooted.

I am currently leaving her in her cage if she is screaming in the bird room for attention. If she has been quiet for a few minutes I'll go in and take her out. I have also been clicker conditioning her, that is, when she gets a treat she gets a click. Actual clicker as precursor to reward will come later.

Any help you folks with more experience can give me would be cool

Here she is.

 

[MikeyTN]

B&G Macaws have the tendency to be a one person bird! I tried to socialize him with my partner throughout the years but he just wouldn't go to no one else but me. He loves the dogs and cats more then other birds or another person. He feeds the dogs and give them kisses as he does with me. But never anyone else. So we give up trying to make him do what he doesn't want to do with anyone else but me....

 

[IolaniAviary]

It sounds like she is friendly to everyone at the store, which tells me it isn't a one person bird issue. It sounds like she is comfortable at the store, and scared at the house. Many birds seem to "change" when they get into a new location. With the larger parrots it can take months for them to properly settle. She's not a chick obviously so adjusting to new surroundings can be difficult, especially if a home before has been traumatizing for her. You could wait it out and see, or let her be the mascot at the store where she is happy.

 

[jgourd]

We have decided to wait it out. I told my fiancee that Layla does respond well to "No!" and that when she starts to pluck he hair to correct her with a stern "No!" and push her beak away. I had to do this while I was bonding with her months ago. I also told her to keep the bird off her shoulder.

We have another Macaw, a military who adores my fiancee and only tolerates me so if we can get to a point where Layla treats my fiancee the same way her military treats me we will be in a good place.

This isn't at a point where anyone is in danger so we are starting at a decent place to begin with. I will say this, the two of them scream loud enough in the morning to wake the neighbors. This morning though they were both so quiet, I thought something must have been wrong.

On a side note. The military is very interested in the B&G but the B&G will attack him if they are close enough. Do I just wait this out until they have established their relationship or is there a way I can properly introduce them. They are already in a big side by side cage together.

Thanks,
J

 

[IolaniAviary]

Another wait it out situation! The cage will do the job on it's own, seeing each-other daily is the best way to introduce birds. This way they can safely become used to each-other. Anytime you introduce them out of the cage there is a risk, I would wait until they are clearly acting tolerate of each-other in their cages then take it slow with supervised play.

 

[Pedro]

I have to agree with Iolaniaviaries on this one, it appears your B&G loves the company the shop provides, a lot of interrest. I am guessing she would just settle down for the night once the shop closes for the day. You didn't mention whether or not the B&G goes to the shop everyday maybe something to think about.

I must say most of my parrots that live outdoors freak out if i bring them indoors when it is starting to get dark, i think they like the fact the can settle down for the night & not be bothered by lights of noise from the TV.

 

[MikeyTN]

Its two different location! Things change! At the shop he didn't have anyone specific, at home he has you!!!! If they choose you, it don't matter where your at. Mine come to me rather we're home or at the store. He runs to me. He came to me from day 1 at his first residence after meeting me for less then 5 min. Birds choose who they want to be with! My cockatoo came to me too, but the moment we got home she flew to my partner and that was it, she wont fly to me since. I used to raise birds too, samething!!!