First week with my young B&G, some questions.

[Msl]

Hello
So as of last week I now have a beautiful 6 month old male who finally has a name which is Malibu, I just have some general questions

Is it unusual for him to not play with his toys? we bought a couple for his cage and does not seem interested, even put them on his stand and has no interest, I thought it might be because he is still adjusting to his new home or?

He also well, farts right before he poo's, I've had birds before and never heard such a thing, is it normal lol?

He is still great with his harness and for walks, just at home he doesn't seem to want to stay on his stand much, usually flies to my partner or I especially when we're making our own food, is there a good way to avoid him always flying to us?

Sorry about the questions just probably being over protective

 

[JerseyWendy]

Hmm. Yes, I find it a bit odd that such a young B&G isn't showing interest in his toys. Of course it's entirely possible he's still adjusting to his new home - after all, a week isn't very long.

You can show him how to play, and perhaps the 'monkey see - monkey do' method will entice him to try some of his toys.

He farts before he poops?? I've never heard any of mine ... ahem...pass gas, but who am I to say they can't?
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-health-care/16470-anyone-heard-their-bird-pass-gas-2.html

Is It True That Birds Can't Fart? | Popular Science

 

[Birdman666]

Young macaws aren't all there yet.

He might not know how to play with toys yet.

Best way to introduce him to them is to sit down with him on your lap and a toy, and kinda beak wrestle with him with your fingers, and then incorporate the toy into the game. Then hang it up in his cage when you put him back...

 

[thekarens]

To this day Zoe much prefers to be with me or my partner than on her cage or play stand. At dinner time we have to lock her up. There's just no other way around it. The rest of the time it's just been a matter of consistently putting her back on the play stand when we can't spend direct time with her.

 

[Birdman666]

Yeah, sorry I missed that part of your post.

Macaws, as if it weren't obvious, are very people oriented, and very attention oriented. Much like cockatoos, they do best when handled on a routine. This is your out time. This is your playstand time, where you have to self entertain. This is your time to play with us. This is dinner time. You eat yours over there, we eat ours over here.

What actually works for me (and I have five that are loose in the house and don't get caged) is to make the evening mealtime the same time as YOUR dinner. When I cook for people, I also make something for the birds.

They get their treat cups FIRST before we sit down to dinner. (And like Karen said, back in the cage time - BUT - with fresh goodies, so you will quickly learn that this is a good thing.) They are so busy chomping down theirs (and each others) that we can eat in peace... and I've learned over the years that this is the ONLY way we get to eat in peace.

What you DON'T want to do with a macaw is handle it so much that every time you set the bird down, it screams to be picked up. Handling is good. Handling to the point where the bird doesn't self entertain = Macaw spoiled bird syndrome. Much like a baby that gets held all the time cries the second you put it down, and continues to cry until you pick it up again... you kinda create your own personal form of hell...

Remember: They never EVER get their way by screaming or biting. THAT always has the opposite effect. What ever it is you wanted, ain't happenin' now bird. Not until you knock that stuff off.

It's basic parenting.

Station training takes time, but he will eventually get it. I've been meaning to do a training post on that. Maybe this will motivate me to write some this weekend... in the meantime, this gives you a reader's digest version of it:

https://jamiesparrothelp.wordpress.com/2011/11/23/how-to-train-your-bird-to-station-stay-put/