Bringing the baby home

[tfw]

We are meeting a potential baby b&g macaw on Thursday from a seemingly reliable source who owns the parent birds. He/she won't be weaned until December, but we just wanted to check things out to make sure he/she looks healthy and happy.

The owner says the baby is so far only around him and his wife, but is hand fed and super sweet and friendly. He warned the bird might be a little skittish at first to new people, which is to be expected, but should warm up easily. Fingers crossed.

My question before I bring any bird home is how do we "acclimate" the baby? We are a family of 5 -- the 3 kids are teens and everyone will be quite involved in the care and training.

So what should we do when we first bring the baby home? I know we need to leave him/her be for a while, but how do we move him/her to the cage from the carrier without stressing him/her? Should we put the carrier in the cage and just let him/her crawl out on his/her own? Or go ahead and try to get the bird to step up so I can move him/her to the cage perch?

When should we start bonding with the bird? We would ideally like to get the bird used to everyone, even though in the end we know the bird could possibly bond with just 1 or 2. But we want to at least have it be used to all of us and just be socialized. But we don't know how best to start a bond. I read the articles on "Tips for Bonding" and we will definitely try that but since there is 5 of us, should it just start with 1 person first and switch off daily? We don't want to overwhelm the poor baby.

 

[ChristaNL]

Macaws love excitement, so do not put the baby in a "quiet isolated corner of the house" *ever* (unless he gets his own bedroom for -only- sleeping).
Just put it in the spot where you would want him to be always, possibly right in the middle of everything.

(s)he will let you know when (s)he is ready for interaction

If the baby is already perching just fine- you did not tell the age, so I have no idea...
(sometimes weaning in macaws in their natural environment takes up to 2 years! they will pester the parents for food and comfort at least that long. I do not think your little one is 2 years by now?)
Anyway- if he/she perches fine.. just let him into the cage by himself.
(otherwise: low perches on almost groundlevel till he is safe to not fall off all the time)

Have you sceduled a CAV-all-over exam already ?
(and I do mean bloodtest for scary diseases etc.etc./ is varies over the world what the CAV will do, but visual, weighing, fecal-exeminataion etc. are standard and rather superficial, usually you have to insist on the more expensive ones.)

Babies will automatically seek out the safety of the flock-- I think you will have more problems with keeping him *in* the cage then out.

Just one thing: make sure you stick to a scedule you kan keep for the next 8 or 9 DECADES!
Just like kittens and puppies: do not smother them with never-ending playtime and non-stop people.. because when the animal is no longer 'new and cuddly to all' it wil have more time alone. (Your kids wont be home forever.)

Of course a baby has far different needs than a grown-up one does, but learning "there is people-time and play-on-your-own-time" is essential for future happiness the bird and owners.


read-read-read--- there are SO many stories here about successes and more important the f#ck-ups/ oopsies on the way.


Make sure the humans all know what to do when it comes to setting boundries en respecting the birds needs. Being consistent is a good and necessary thing.
If you play this right this bird will meet your great-grandchildren ...so make sure he will do so politely

 

[tfw]

The baby was hatched july 2018. He is down to 1 feeding according to the owner. The baby is hand tamed and perch trained according to the owner. But since the bird is only around them, the bird will obviously need to be socialized more.

We have found an avian vet nearby and will set up an appointment once we have a pickup date.

The cage arrives this week so I will have time to add toys and fiddle with a setup before the baby arrives. Great idea on the lower perch thing. I read the mixed reviews on corner cages here but the dimensions of the one we picked seemed more than appropriate. We chose the King gc14022. If we do see issues then we will switch in a year or 2. We got the powder coated one but our end goal is to get a stainless steel one and make this one more of a secondary cage. The cage will be on the main floor, in the living room that gets plenty of traffic but we were planning on having perches pretty much in every part of the house so the bird will hang out with at least one person most of the day. My husband and I both work from home so the bird will rarely be alone in the house. There will always be activity.

While we do read up a lot, I decided to join because a lot of times you get conflicting information. So I figured it is best to follow up on advice with up to date input from other experienced aviarists.

One advice I got to ensure everyone gets to bond with the bird is for everyone to take turns caring for the baby. This sounds right to me or am I wrong? Should we sort of do some sort of rotation daily or just wing it (no pun intended)?

We have had the talks with kids constantly about birds being inherently wild and they are bound to get nipped or pooped on which is why we will all be involved in training and socializing the bird.

That said do all of you potty train your birds? I read that one possible outcome is that the bird might not poop without the command LOL is that really a big issue?

 

[LordTriggs]

if you train your bird to go by command they can hold it until they get an infection, or there's the other extreme that you give the command when they don't need to go and there have been some cases of birds straining so hard they prolapse. What many people here do is train them that if they need to poo they will inform you of it, or they even just go off to where they've been taught to go, either the cage or a playstand or wherever is appropriate.

As for the bonding, I would avoid being soo.... stringent on who cares and when, just as long as people are involved with your bird. Much like you get with many other animals, some people don't feed them often but they're still friends. Just all about interaction. also yes good informing everyone that they're gonna get bitten at somepoint for some reason and unlike a dog or a cat it will certainly not be the bird's fault and punishing them certainly won't gt the results wanted

 

[ChristaNL]

Potty training is something my birds did all by themselves.
Parrots are very good at reading humans and know when they do something unwanted.
So I simply went "ieuw" when something warm and sticky started to make its way down my back or arm/leg, moved the parrot a bit and cleaned it.
(LOL not very eloquent, but it works)

So they started warning (aka training) me (squirming or climbing away from the spot they were chilling) or flying of ...all by themselves.
Of course they get a lot of praise for that!



It helps if you want to train to get to know the interval between droppings.
Also: their feet get warm, always a dead give-away birdy needs to go pretty soon.


I would *never* teach a bird to poop on command.
Some people find is very convenient but (my not-so-humble opinion) I think it is unwise to try to overcontroll your birds natural bodily functions.
"If it aint broken, dont break it"


LOL, just wing it!!
Freeflying for all
Parrots are way too smart to think in absolutes anyway- the moment you have figured them out...they will change.
Todays favorites will be the 'yuck' of tomorrow and something terrifying them wil not even get their attention a few months ahead ...


Oe july-bird, I like it Still very young but not too young.
(I think DutchCaptain here is about the same age )

 

[Laurasea]

You need to order your avain flight harness and have to start training right away, baby Ade so much easier to train to wear one, and it pays off for life. You can also read on recall training if you want to do that (scares me) because weaning is the best time from what I've read....

 

[tfw]

Can you recommend a good safe harness?

 

[ChristaNL]

Aviator - every time
Getting the head through the first small loop is the hard part, apart from that they are *so* easy (it only took *me* a few months to get comfy with the contraption )

 

[tfw]

Ive read fresh bamboo is safe, including leaves. I have access to fresh bamboo. After I wash it thoroughly, would it he safe to put some in the cage for the bird to perch on and nibble? And along those lines, I live by a wooded area. Would it be safe to grab fallen branches as long as I wash and bleach them properly? I guess I would just have to be careful what type of tree they came off of.

 

[noodles123]

After wood has been cut, it needs to be cleaned and baked. There are nasty little parasites/bacteria/fungi that live in/on branches and, although birds do hang out in trees in the wild, a captive bird is A) not going to have the same immune resistance/exposure as a wild bird and B) once cut, lots of weird things happen inside of wood...lots of new little nasty critters begin to break it down.
1- make sure wood is safe.
2- make sure it isn't from a tree by a busy road where it would have absorbed salt/oil etc.
3. make sure that it is a tree that has never been treated with any type of pesticide.

4. Wash the wood with hot water (some people do this step differently, but there is a lot of controversy over what/ if any additions you should use in the water). Bleach is, as a rule, very unsafe for birds....There are some people who use it, but even then, they are VERY careful about the proper ratio and then they let everything sit in the sun for days (which will be problematic with fresh wood...) You should never use bleach in your bird's airspace (not even a room or so away..ever).
I would advise strongly against bleaching it, as wood is absorbent and your bird WILL chew the branches.

5. On some trees, you must remove the bark due to a fungus
6. Branches should be baked at a fairly high temperature for about an hour (ish).


The steps above are common on any DIY tree-perch sites etc. I actually asked about this months ago and I got some very detailed responses about why you must bake the wood.

 

[noodles123]

Have you ever owned a bird? If so, that WILL help you in your pursuits with your future bird.


I think it is great that you are reaching out and trying to learn as much as you can!

If you have not owned a bird, I feel compelled to say this (lovingly)---I am sure you have researched (you sound like you have) but that is only part of owning a bird...No amount of reading reflects the actual experience (for better and for worse).

They are more like destructive kids than pets...and they move in SLOW MOTION...meaning, if you think a bird will get over something in a month, up your estimate to 6 months. This can feel VERY discouraging when you pour your heart and soul into an animal for WEEKS and see no progress---for adults, this is offensive...for kids, it often leads to resentment (aka, it is often a deal-breaker in their minds). It can literally feel like you are a hostage in your own home when you have a parrot who needs to get out of the cage but bites when you try to put it back in etc. Baby birds move faster(and forgive faster) than adults, but once your bird is an adult, anticipate things taking longer (even things that your bird previously took no issue with). At puberty, many allegiances change completely.

I don't really believe in starter birds (per se), but a Macaw can break a finger.....and birds (even if well-socialized) tend to bond more to one person than the rest of the family. I am not saying it can't be done, but if you have never had a bird and you have 3 kids, I am inclined to say that a Macaw is a pretty extreme choice...Just because there is confidence with experience (and it is EASY to make a lot of mistakes when dealing with a baby..you are its behavioral foundation and birds are stubborn)...Parrots are practically psychic and if you doubt yourself, they pick up on that...At the same time, over-asserting just makes things worse....Plus, little kids are involved.


The changes to your lifestyle will be bigger than you can imagine, as will the cost. Lots of birds get rehomed after a couple of years because they become "aggressive" etc...The owner thinks, "gee, my sweet baby has gone insane". The thing is, the owner often contributes to that insanity...they just don't see the impact until the bird has become sexually mature and/or the honeymoon period has worn off. It is easy to be lax and over-indulgent with a cuddly baby bird...Not so much when they start screaming and attacking people you love.

Do you have a last will and testament, and if so, have you considered the fact that you will need to put your bird in it? (along with a care trust....your kids may love the bird, but they are too young to "marry" an idea, and a bird is a LIFETIME commitment.... We are talking about significant daily cleaning (mats, dishes, cage liners), daily vegetable/fruit chopping, fruit/veg shopping trips, huge medical bills, BEDTIMES, housing restrictions, a quiet sleeping space for 12-14 hours nightly, (which means you can't go where you want in the evenings unless someone is home to get the bird settled into bed at a similar time each night), wake-up schedules, play routines, extensive knowledge of behavior and safety, constant vigilance, no standard cleaners or scented products (like candles)....A person recently posted that they were rehoming their bird because they were getting too old to deal with daily upkeep...it is no joke. When your kids go to college, you guys will be the one doing all of the bending/chasing etc.

Understand that parrots, as babies, are all fairly sweet (and ALWAYS quieter than adults). Even a beaky baby is nicer than an adolescent bird...Since your bird will be a baby, you need to have a VERY solid understanding (you and your whole family) of bird behavior and how you plan to respond...
You also shouldn't start anything now that might lead to an overly hormonal bird in the future. For instance, a sweet, non-sexual baby may love playing in boxes and getting scratched under the wings....Over time, the bird expects it and suddenly, you have a bird who is trying to mate with you, laying eggs, plucking and defending her "partner".


Finally, boarding birds at a vet's office or with other birds in the same air-space is very unsafe (even though it happens). 40+% of the captive birds in the USA carry a deadly virus that is shed in things like feather dust...Birds who carry the virus only test positive when shedding it, so a seemingly healthy bird with negative test results could still infect your bird, and just because that bird is asymptomatic, doesn't mean yours will be. ABV is the precursor to deadly PDD and standard cleaners do not destroy it (plus, those would be unsafe for your bird). It lasts on surfaces for extremely long periods of time (carpet, HVAC etc)...The point is, you can't board a bird like you could another pet. I have had to board mine, but I knew it was risky...It sucked...some diseases can take 10+ YEARS to show up in one bird (if ever) when the same exact strain could impact a bird of the exact same species in a week. SOOO, as an alternative to boarding, you have to consider asking someone to watch your bird, which involves telling them what pots and pans to use and that is just super awkward, OR traveling with the bird, which is another expensive ball of wax..SO, freedom is lost when you get a bird.


Bottom line- Bigger birds tend to be louder, more expensive and they can DEFINITELY cause more damage. Due to size, they intimidate easily and you will face many challenges when finding someone to watch your bird etc. It is just so much more complicated than any other pet and the bigger they are, the more complicated they are in terms of cost/damage/sound capacity/intimidation/destruction of your home/ mess.

 

[tfw]

1- make sure wood is safe.
2- make sure it isn't from a tree by a busy road where it would have absorbed salt/oil etc.
3. make sure that it is a tree that has never been treated with any type of pesticide.

4. Wash the wood with hot water (some people do this step differently, but there is a lot of controversy over what/ if any additions you should use in the water). Bleach is, as a rule, very unsafe for birds....There are some people who use it, but even then, they are VERY careful about the proper ratio and then they let everything sit in the sun for days (which will be problematic with fresh wood...) You should never use bleach in your bird's airspace (not even a room or so away..ever).
I would advise strongly against bleaching it, as wood is absorbent and your bird WILL chew the branches.

5. On some trees, you must remove the bark due to a fungus
6. Branches should be baked at a fairly high temperature for about an hour (ish).

Thanks for the tips. I wasn't planning on doing this anytime soon, but perhaps in the future. I do not know why I was thinking of bleach. I knew about the boiling, baking, and drying. But I read somewhere that it's ok to use a mixture of 9:1 water to bleach mix when disinfecting a cage as long as you rinse off properly. Is that still safe? But yes...you're right...not good for things that can absorb liquids.

Any thoughts on freshly picked bamboo with leaves though? Just weighing all our options.

Have you ever owned a bird? If so, that WILL help you in your pursuits with your future bird.


I think it is great that you are reaching out and trying to learn as much as you can!

If you have not owned a bird, I feel compelled to say this (lovingly)---I am sure you have researched (you sound like you have) but that is only part of owning a bird...No amount of reading reflects the actual experience (for better and for worse).

I applaud and appreciate your honesty and passion on this. I grew up with a Myna Bird that was my grandpa's (but we lived in a tropical country, and this was in the 80s so stuff he did back then to have this bird is no doubt out of date). I've had smaller budgies and a cockatiel. But all when I was younger. The cockatiel we had for at least 10 years before he died. I also have a 125g saltwater tank that has been successfully up for over 15 years with most of my fish being there for 15 years. Saltwater tanks are obviously nothing like non-water pets but they require patience, nonstop research to improve the setup, time, money, and dedication. At the forum for saltwater tanks I am active on, like you here, we see our fair share of hobbyists not doing the research, spending hundreds of dollars on livestock and corals without doing research, and wonder why their pets are all dying off or getting sick or taking on difficult species like seahorses without any research at all to its needs. And sometimes they get their livestock from places that catch them in the wild rather than pay extra for tank-bred species. So I completely get your passionate post.

That said, the choice to go for a macaw wasn't on impulse. I, myself, have wanted a macaw since I was little. And until now, couldn't afford one. And I get that one can never do enough research before choosing to own their first macaw. I get that it is a lifetime commitment. We even had discussions with the kids about the longevity of these birds and that likely one of them will take over the care, and likely their children as well.

Point for point -- I'm prepared for their destructive behavior. I'm prepared for their noise. Im prepared for attitude problems. I'm prepared for them to be happy perfect birds one second, and a complete mess the next.

As for boarding, it has already crossed my mind. I know 2 macaw owners near me who I could trust to be with the bird should we have to go on a trip. My husband and I work from home, and usually travel separately, so the bird would rarely be left alone. On the rare occasion we travel together, we have already considered our options on this. We found a good avian vet near us that we already "interviewed" and are comfortable with. On a pinch, they would board the bird if we had no other choice. Make no mistake that our kids are involved in every bit of research and they know full well the power of the beak. They are also patient and understand what we are taking on.

Moving forward, how can one learn anything unless one starts somewhere? It's a tricky spot to be in because I get you want to avoid having more birds being given up due to unprepared owners, but at the same token, there are people out there willing to do what it takes to be a successful bird parent. Everyone has to start somewhere.

I joined the forum specifically because as much research I did, there were so many conflicting pieces of advice out there. And being in the saltwater world, I know the best place to get better advice is from multiple people who have been doing this for years. Not everyone will agree but at least there can be discussion to come up with the best solution.

Before we even looked for breeders, we researched different breeds before settling on the B&G Macaw. Then we researched costs, diet, care, training, housing, toys, perches, temperament, noise issues etc. Then we researched breeders.

The first place we thought where they bred their own birds ended up being a no-go for me. We just wanted to meet them and see if we feel comfortable with the big birds. When I questioned the owner about the baby I was holding, he admitted he gets his birds from a breeder in Texas, and that the bird I was holding was one the breeder bought from another breeder. Red flag for me as I don't know how sick his birds were, I don't know this bird's origins or history or anything. Then the fact that he was actually trying to convince me to buy the bird -- it was still being weaned and when we said we work from home, he said we should be able to handle the round the clock feedings! Plus his advice on "disciplining" birds was horrible -- he said "Oh, put him in time out by putting him in the bathtub for a few minutes...he can't get a foothold and won't be happy, but he'll learn" I put the bird back and left, disgusted.

We found quite a few other breeders, but upon further research and conversations with them, we weren't comfortable with them. Finally we found a couple of breeders who seemed well versed with health and care and using proper breeding practices. Before we even commit to a bird they had available, we are meeting with one this week to meet them, the baby, and peek in on the parents to make sure they were happy and healthy. But I won't be pressured if I have any doubts about the bird. They do not do mass breeding, as they run a flower business and just happen to own a pair of scarlets and a pair of B&G's that occasionally lay and hatch eggs. The other place is a really nice facility that actually focuses on research and conservation. Their posts on their site are SUPER blunt and they go as far as calling out stupidity but it is clear they know what they are doing and they care deeply for all the babies that go out. They have 2 B&G's available, but they are still being weaned and they do not do reserves or deposits until they deem the babies fully weaned. So it is unlikely we will be able to get one of theirs since they only have 2, but they would be our first choice.

Nothing I can say or do will convince anyone how we will be as bird owners. But I will continue to ask questions and do research and ask questions again and again until I'm comfortable with an answer. I will ask stupid ignorant questions, but would you rather I not ask and behave stupidly and ignorant? . But bravo on your passion. It really is much appreciated and I have read it carefully.

 

[Sandy19]

Don't overthink it, as long as the bird has love, healthy food and a caring family it will eventually adjust to everyone. That's all it needs. You're getting a baby too so you have plenty of time to get it accustomed to everyone. I also have a family of 5 with my youngest kid being 7. I got the bird as a baby and taught my daughter how to properly handle her right away. And while the bird is most bonded with me, she eventually accepted the whole family on her own. Plus birds are notorious users, if it's not fond of a particular family member, just practice leaving the bird alone with them for a while everyday, whether it's to feed the bird its favorite treat or for the bird to rely on that person to let it out of the cage. The bird will warm up.

 

[Sandy19]

I'd also like to add that I'm not a bird expert, but if you have time to devote to the bird and a caring family, you will have a happy bird. I do know that.

 

[ChristaNL]

Back to trees:


Do not pick up fallen branches -> 95% percent of the time they are halfway into being reabsorbed by nature already (usually riddled with critters and fungus), just get one of the tree (it that is okay with the tree of course/ there are right times of the year for pruning- all depends on the species and where you live).


I love you story sofar... great preparation!

 

[noodles123]

I just felt the need to make sure you knew all of that. Like I said, it can be done. Welcome

 

[tfw]

Thanks all.....

Great point about the tree branches. I will have to keep an ear open from friends who are planning to trim.

I just felt the need to make sure you knew all of that. Like I said, it can be done. Welcome

Totally appreciatte it! Never assune that everything has been said.

Our King Cage arrived along with a swing and a perch. The perch seems really big for a baby though. I'll just be sure to get varying sizes and shapes. I will know more when I see the baby tomorrow. Very excited but until we are sure we like the baby's condition and the owner's care of his other birds, I am trying not to get my hopes up. At least we have time to properly set up the cage and get/make more toys to start off with.

 

[tfw]

We met the baby and it looks awesome, happy, and healthy! We saw the parents from behind the glass. The couple is a lovely retired husband and wife and have an awesome aviary section of their house. They have 3 pairs of birds....green parrots, b&g macaws, and scarlets. The greens they have had for 40 years and the others between 5 to 10 years. All are bonded and breed regularly. I could feel the birdie love in the house. Their greenhouse (their primary business) is huge and gorgeous. So after long chats about the birds and their history with breeding birds, it was definitely giving me good vibes.

We got to see the baby play and he was the sweetest thing. He was watching everyone intently as we spoke. He knew a few words, knew how to step up, quite hand tame. So we put our hold deposit down.

He explained the weaning process and that the baby will tell them when he is done with syringe feeding lol. He is down to 1. Eats pellets and other healthy treats easily. So he thinks in a month the baby should be ready for pickup.

 

[LordTriggs]

"the baby will tell them when his done with syringe feeding"

you just hit the Jackpot! That's the best kind of breeder going, weaning as they should instead of forcing it

 

[tfw]

"the baby will tell them when his done with syringe feeding"

you just hit the Jackpot! That's the best kind of breeder going, weaning as they should instead of forcing it

Exactly!! Not only were the parent birds visible and happily nesting, they dedicated a whole section of their house just for their birds. The room is visible thru glass walls so they can see people, but isolated enough so that they do not pick up possible diseases from visitors should they have been in contact with sick birds. We weren't even allowed in the room but it was fine cuz they were in full view of us.

He also did due dilligence in prepping us for the visit. He explained that the macaw is super friendly but besides the occasional visitor, it is just him and his wife interacting daily. He might be shy if my whole family came (5 of us). He was fine with it but just gave us a heads up. So only my husband, oldest, and i went. The bird was calm and inquisitive though so we fell in love.

We told him there is absolutely no rush in us taking the baby home since we are still prepping the cage and house.

We just put what we had so far in there. No placement is final. I have to play with perch and toy placement. We are slowly getting toys since we have time.

We also found fresh bamboo from people to cut down....they are pesticide/chemical free so it is safe right? I read that as long as it isn't giant bamboo or heavenly bamboo it is safe.

I also read I can leave the leaves on them for the bird to pick right? Ill wash them properly.

Any advice is appreciated.