I've adopted a Macaw & need some advice

[little1al]

I have recently adopted an eight year old blue & gold Macaw and wanted to get some advice about handling him.

He didn't get a lot of attention at his old house but would step onto his old owners hand if he was in a good mood.

He will let me stroke him through the bars of the cage at certain times but he doesn't like me putting my hands in his cage. If I put my hand into the opposite side to him he will come and take food from me but will then go back to the other side. If I try to put my hand near him he just bites & screeches.

I let him out of the cage once but couldn't get him back in becuase he wouldn't let me anywhere near him. Someone in a pet shop told me that I shouldn't let him out of the cage until he steps up onto me.

I don't like leaving him in his cage but how can I get him to step up? Should I wait for him to come to my hand in the cage or should I just hold my hand near him and ignore him biting me until he stops? Should I let him out of the cage before he will step up? If I do, how do I get him back in his cage?

Does anyone have any advice for me please!

 

[suebee]

there a lots with macaws in this forum and welcome

with these birds they need to trust you 1st, so your bird sounds good for one thats not had alot of attention etc

as for getting back into its cage, food treat, put a cored an peeled apple in or another of its fav food

you dont have to be actively doing anything with it, for now, even just being in same room is good

that cage in your birds mind is his teritory, so till he trusts you more, try not to invade it

avoid biting incidents, it just creates bad feelings for you both and possibly bad injury for you!
Parrot Musings: Parrot body language

 

[little1al]

Thanks.

Food doesn't work to get him back in his cage he just went in when he felt like it (9hrs after I let him out)

Should I let him out of his cage before he will step up on me then? And how do I get him used to my hand being near him - just time? Should I keep putting my hand in the opposite side of the cage until he is comfortable coming over to me?

 

[suebee]

i think some1 with macaw experiance will answer the hand thing better, but personnally if your bird is not comfortable with your hands don't push the issue for now

nut has only just recently stepped up for me without biting etc, but she's always had out of cage time, and is hardly in it when any1 is at home, so some days she might only go into her cage for some food, but she is a smaller bird then yours lol

do you have food for him outside his cage?? if you do, i'd say only have food in his cage for now, and when he goes in, dont always close the door strait away, also how big is his cage?? is he clipped?? and have you thought of a perch stand??

when he is out of his cage do something, like play with some toys nothing that makes sudden bangs etc count coins, read out loud (not to loud lol incase bird thinks your deaf and will shout back at you) you will see your bird watch you and take interest in what your doing

get a plate of cut up fruit/veg an eat it in front of him, offer him some, but let him take the food away, back to his cage etc but he needs to come for it, do this at a set time each day, an try to change menu so its always something new (depending on what the last owners fed him, he might not have a clue what some of the food is)
oh nut lurves pasta/noodles/seeded bread and egg white


but give your bird time to settle in, the stage i am at with nut, took awhile to get to (4/5 months), i used most laid back methods because i do not like getting bit! but we now know how to watch each others body signals, i know if nut turns her head she don't want to step up, so i dont ask her to, instead i place a treat where i want her to be ie in her cage, or let her follow me about the house, (she is flighted)

 

[little1al]

Hi. Thanks again.

He has a big cage and can easily spread his wings out in it.

He is not clipped and when I let him out of the cage last time he ended up flying over to the window sill and then went crazy because a cat was outside. He would not fly back off the window sill though. Apparantly he doesn't really like flying. I had to force him to fly back to his cage by cornering him which I didn't really want to do.

I didn't put any food or water outside of his cage because I wanted him to have to go back into his cage for these.

I have considered getting a stand/ perch for him near the window so that he can sit and look out of the window but can't afford one right now and I won't be able to take him to it anyway because he will only let me near him through the bars of the cage.

I am worried if I let him out of his cage he will fly somewhere else in the room again and I will have to corner him to get him to fly back. I don't want to keep doing this as he may end up never wanting to come out of his cage or be near me.

When he comes out of his cage he sits on the top. I have put a perch lower down but he won't go near it. Even when he is in his cage he won't go down to the bottom. Should I attach one of his toys to the outside/ top of his cage so he can play with it whilst he is out of the cage. Should I shut my curtains so he isn't tempted to fly onto the window sill?

When I get home in the evenings I don't have the time to let him out of his cage for 8hrs. Do you think he will go back in when it is bedtime? I want to let him out but don't want to damage our relationship by having to chase him back in.

I am fine with his diet and giving him attention/ playing games with him but I am really struggling to know what to do about letting him out.

 

[schristensen13]

A lot of macaw owners on here reccommend clipping wings at least until the bird is trained and comfortable with you. It will make him more dependent on you to move around and of course they will grow back in time.
Just go slow and give him time...it will happen. Keep us posted though...I'll be getting my sister's B&G in a few months (9 yrs) and will be going through the same process, good luck!!

 

[mtdoramike]

Take him to a Vet and have him checked first off. Then have his wings clipped. It sounds to me like you allowed personal feelings to over ride good judgement. You should NEVER have adopted this bird unless you were equipt to handle him. But you don't have the ability or the training it takes to deal with a bird like this.

I hate to see people adopt rescued birds for various reasons when they are ill equipt to handle them. First off, YOU CAN NOT SHOW THEM THAT YOU ARE AFRAID OF THEM.
Check out Youtube, there are training videos on there for various problems that you are having with this bird. You really should try stick training, which will help getting him out and most importantly back in his cage. Also check in your area for a mobile avian wing clipping service in your area. We have one in my area that will come to my bird, clip her wings, as well as nails & beak. I pay a bit more, but it's easier than me having to load her up and take her to the vet where she doesn't really like being.

I'm a firm believer in wing clipping, I had a cockatiel years ago that used to fly around the house until she got spooked off my shoulder and flew into a wall, which broke it's neck. To me, a wing clipping owner is a responsible owner.

But if you want my advice, you might also look at placing it in a rescue center where they are more able to handle a desocialized bird. You have to remember, ALL BIRDS BITE, it's not if BUT WHEN. Macaws can sever a finger. I just hate the thought of this magificent animal being cage bound due to well intentions gone wrong.

 

[little1al]

Thanks for your advice but I will not be taking my parrot to a rescue centre. He is so******ed to a certain extent and just needs time to adjust to me (and me to him).

Everyone is new to parrots at some time and I am getting lots of support and advice to make sure I look after him properly.

I didn't know about mobile wing clipping so thanks I will look into it. He isn't a great flyer and I don't want him to hurt himself.

I think basically I just like to check I am doing things right and if not how to change them.

He has a set bedtime so I will let him out and see if he goes back at bedtime. He doesn't like it when i have a perch in my hand as he is not used to this, he is used to stepping onto his old owners arm.

We will get there with a lot of time and patience.

 

[Mondos Parents]

I understand what you are going through, I adopted a 6 or 7 year old Green Wing Macaw. Bob's past sounds almost identical to yours. We have had him for about 2 months, his last owner had a stick he used to get him in his cage. He just had to get the stick out and he would hustle back into the cage, I don't know how that whole scenario started, but I don't use it. I can usually talk him back into the cage with a treat. He doesn't step up for me, acts like he wants to, but won't. I take his play stand over to the cage he get's on it quick, and I take him wherever, other rooms, for a bath in the shower or outside. We had him clipped when he was vetted, haven't decided if I will again or not. Check Craig's list for a play stand you may find one cheap. I would be lost without mine! As advice, I can't give much but just give him time to get used to his new home and you. Fortunately Bob is not a hard bitter, he has never broke skin. Another thing I am seeing now is what a lot of people say "When the Honeymoon is Over" things will change, this is very true. Bob is being very difficult and demanding right now, so it may get worse before it gets better. They can be very loving fellows, you and I both will have to work at it and wait till they come around! Good luck!
Gary

 

[suebee]

Thanks for your advice but I will not be taking my parrot to a rescue centre. He is so******ed to a certain extent and just needs time to adjust to me (and me to him).

Everyone is new to parrots at some time and I am getting lots of support and advice to make sure I look after him properly.

I didn't know about mobile wing clipping so thanks I will look into it. He isn't a great flyer and I don't want him to hurt himself.

I think basically I just like to check I am doing things right and if not how to change them.

He has a set bedtime so I will let him out and see if he goes back at bedtime. He doesn't like it when i have a perch in my hand as he is not used to this, he is used to stepping onto his old owners arm.

We will get there with a lot of time and patience.

exactly the attitude to have its all about time an patience, after all these birds have a rather long life span.
oh i think i read on another post, some1 dimming lights near bed time and there birds will go into there cage,
i know nut knows when its her bed time, she perches on the curtain rail, cos she knows i can't reach her an starts pretending to sleep! but my man can, mwhaa haa haa..........

these birds are so dam smart, they don't like you for treats or time spent with them, and the simple fact that nut likes my company, even though i am not her fav person, makes it all worth while

so just let your bird get use to your routine, make sure it has a rotation of toys for when your not there (nut likes things she can destroy!)

but keep us posted with how things are goin

 

[JJones1719]

Welcome to the forum,
There are many issues here before you can start handling your B&G.
1) You really have to bond with your B&G, keep in mind, all birds travel in flocks and do everything together, you must become his flock. this means,shower, eat by his cage when you feed him, offer him food from your hand so he learns to trust it. Keep the cage door open when you are around him, if he climbs out and onto the top of the cage, offer treats to get him to come to you, never go to him, you must be the alfa here.
2) You need to know how to handle a Macaw, Offer your wrist or forearm, never your hand with fingers, they are easy target for the Macaw, do not allow your B&G onto your shoulder until they have have proven themselves trust worthy and we are talking way down the road on this. To keep him on your arm and not allowing him onto your shoulder, use his favorite toy as a guide.
3) Shower with your Macaw, walk around the house with him on you, have his wings clipped and go for walks, drives, pet stores, play on the floor with him, Macaws sometimes cannot stand being on the floor and will do everything they can to climb on you. all of this is bonding with the Macaw.

make sure his diet is good, offer fresh Veg, fruit, dry fruit and nut mix with some seeds. I use almonds for training. Most Parrots love them and will do anything for them. My boys also love cheese, but they only get a very small amount. Change his water atleast 3 times per day. make sure he gets up to 12 hours of sleep before training or you will have one grumpy Macaw on your hands. When the Macaw is sleeping, make sure it is quiet and dark. Also cover the Macaw at night, they will feel really safe.
If you have children, watch them around the Macaw and do not allow them to run or bang on the cage. same applies for dogs or cats.
Sunlight is very good for the Macaw as they molt, there is a oil gland in the feathers and when in direct sunlight your Macaw will preen and take in the oil into them and this is very good for the Macaw. If you have other questions, please post them and the Members here will be glad to assist you. Best of luck Joe

 

[JJones1719]

I missed some of the questions above and will give you some advise. Yes, Close the curtains, If you get a playstand, do not put it by a window, if birds or outside animals run by, this will scare the Macaw.
Having your Macaw outside the cage is really great for them. If they fly to a couch or table, this is fine as long as there is nothing in the room to hurt them. never leave a Macaw outside the cage by themselves. If they fly, I would not corner them, get down to their level, do not stand above them, offer your arm, Like i said, most Macaws hate the floor and will do anything to get off from it.
Carry treats on you so when they step up, offer the treat right away and tell them in an excited voice what a great bird they are, they will soon learn that good behavior is rewarded.
When holding your Macaw, keep them close to your body, never your face, i always try to keep my boys when I first got them below my chest and above the waist.
If your Macaw will allow you to place the other hand onto their back, this is the time for petting or just touching, Remember, Macaws are very smart and learn really fast, food is your best weapon with the Macaw so treats for everything they do well and always reward for good behavior.
I also wanted to talk to you about bites. Sure, Macaws bite sometimes, this should never be allowed. If they bite you, never pull away but rather then press towards the back of their throat, this does two things, Gags the Macaw and knocks them off balance, their reaction is to let go and fly away. Make sure you teach them the word NO, use this in a stern voice with a mean face, Macaws read body language very well. I also use time outs, When my boys do something wrong, like sream for no reason, bite, I return the Macaw to their cage for a 5 min timeout, never more then 5 min because after 5 min, they would have forgotten what they did. Again, Best of luck Joe

 

[triordan]

Joe you gave great advice!
It will take time for the two of you to get aquainted, spend time just sitting by the cage, talk, sing, read to thim~ I found out by accident that Remington will return to his cage when the lights go out(lost electriicity during a storm ) however he will often return for a treat too. I tell him "time for bed" everytime I need for him to go in and now he goes in 75% of the time when I just say "time for bed" then i give the treat when he does it. We have had him since september and he is 14 years old

 

[little1al]

Thanks for all of your advice.

The stuff when he is in the cage is fine. He will take food from my hand, talk to me, play games with me etc. but he obviously feels safe because of the bars on the cage. Each day he is letting me stroke different parts of his body and is getting more comfortable with my hands near him through the cage.

JJones1719 - when you say take him around the house with me and stuff - how am I supposed to do that or is that something to do later down the line when he will step up onto me?

You are exactly right about the fingers. George loves them. If i put a bit of peanut butter on my hand he will lick it off nicely but if I go to him with outstrectehed fingers he immediatley wants to eat them.

He hasn't bitten me hard yet (no broken skin), they are just warning bites.

He knows when bedtime is as this has always been a routine since I got him.

I am going to let him out of his cage again on the weekend when I have all day to be there and wait for him to return to his cage. I will then give him a treat when he returns. I am not going to put any food or water out of his cage so he has to go in there to get it.

Also his old owner said he doesnt really like flying and would rather climb around. I tried putting things (i.e. chairs, pieces of wood) near his cage so he could walk on them to get to the sofa etc. but they just seemed to freak him out. If he won't go on the floor and doesn't really like flying should I just leave him on his cage for now and see if he will start flying to places he wants to go?

Thanks again everyone for your support. Me & George are getting there. I will update you when I let him out over the weekend!

 

[mtdoramike]

Sounds like you are making progress. I would just leave the cage door open and place a nut or treat at the entrance to his cage and see if he will eventually come out to play. Leave him on his cage, I'll bet you will eventually see him start fluttering his wings and looking as if he's trying to step up when ever he see's you when he is ready to see different scenery. that is what happened with me and my bird. Once out of the cage, try offering him your arm. It doesn't sound like George is vicious , he mainly just pinches you, which is a warning to back off, he's not ready yet.

You can also try the stick training while he's out of his cage, if you try it while he is inside, it will just freak him out and cause a set back in your training.

 

[JJones1719]

To answer your question, yes, after you get George to step up, then carry him around the house so he gets the chance to see where he lives and all that surrounds him.
I agree, it sounds like your off to a great start with George and I'm sure it won't be to long before he steps up onto you.

Look for signs that he needs your Attn and that he is begging for you.
Macaws are very lazy and would rather climb then fly anyday. Before to long, Macaws will start to hatch without wings.lol.
If George lowers their body and flutters his wings, this is the Macaw saying I need your Attn and or begging for you or an opject in the room.
When you walk towards the cage and George comes over to greet you and if the cage door is open and he does not run to the back of the cage and presents his belly, this is also body language of the Macaw telling you I want to step up. move your arm into the lower belly of the Macaw and press gently and use the words (step up) everytime. The Macaw will learn this phrase and the action that goes along with it. Remember to give a treat.
When offering your arm, do not go slow, Pray animals sneek up on the Macaws like snakes and this scares them, they may bite you instead of stepping up.
Work with you Macaw everyday and try to get closer and closer to him everyday. There will be a time when you just have to go for broke and get him onto your arm.
In most cases, once the Macaw is on your arm, they become this wonderful Macaw and completely different and really depend on you for everything. This too happens once their wings are clipped. Please keep us posted on your progress. Please take pictures of George and share them with the group. Best of luck. Joe

 

[MikeyTN]

You need to give him time! All the objects he sees are new to him. They don't accept new objects until they get used to them. Like ut was mentioned already, if you could get him a play stand, he would love that. My macaw loves to walk on the floor to go chase after dogs so I've got a weird one here Joe! LoL....

Have you tried perch trick yet?

Macaws tend to be finicky who they want to be around. You never just go in to any place to adopt a macaw if they wont come to you or if you don't understand how to read the body language of a macaw. They can hurt you pretty bad if they really wanted to. This is something most new bird owners should always learn first before attempting with any birds as all birds can give a pretty nasty bite if they want. Especially a macaw of course...

But since you by pass that part and brought the macaw home, you must give him time to learn to trust you. Don't close his cage door, leave them open when your around. Eat fruits and veggies around him and offer it to him. Talk to him everytime you enter the room, have him in a area where he can be a part of the family, like living room area or any room you spend a lot of time in. Act silly around him, sing around him, dance around him, anything! It intrigues them! Play peek-a-poo with him, they're like little kids that likes to be entertained as well. Leave children's program for them to watch or leave music on for them to listen to when your not around. Give him lots of toys to keep him occupied, get a concrete perch so he can keep his nail and beak trimmed. Place it as the highest perch in the cage otherwise they wont use it! Make sure its sized for a macaw!!! Better quality diet like Joe already mentioned, pellets, fruits, veggies and some nuts.

Am I missing anything else????

 

[Annie and Sage]

Thanks for your advice but I will not be taking my parrot to a rescue centre. He is so******ed to a certain extent and just needs time to adjust to me (and me to him).

Everyone is new to parrots at some time and I am getting lots of support and advice to make sure I look after him properly.

I didn't know about mobile wing clipping so thanks I will look into it. He isn't a great flyer and I don't want him to hurt himself.

I think basically I just like to check I am doing things right and if not how to change them.

He has a set bedtime so I will let him out and see if he goes back at bedtime. He doesn't like it when i have a perch in my hand as he is not used to this, he is used to stepping onto his old owners arm.

We will get there with a lot of time and patience.

Hi,
I am Annie and Sage is my blue and gold companion. He is not a year old yet but soon. I'll share the advice I was given....

I would definitely have wings and nails done by the vet. Have her check for vitamin deficiencies and suggest a diet. Sally Blanchard's books are pricey but are the "Bird Bible" and well worth the cost. She covers everything . I have the Handbook adn the Beaking Book that covers biting.

Stick training is a good idea as is teaching him to ladder...but you are not quite there yet. Sage loves almonds and pistachio nuts, they are his faves. Peanuts too all in shell, no salt. Put the perch near as he allows and offer a nut or favorite treat on an open palm. Keep working it every day until you can touch him with it, just above feet, touching breast. Then when you can touch his foot, then when he steps up...take your time. Be patient.

Sage will if the cage is open, come out and walk around after me like a dog.....delightful but that took months. He has a play stand that is large too. I have large chunky wooden toys everywhere and foot toys for him. He needs to chew and that will very possably take care of any beak problems. He needs variety in toys , perch sizes, from the big spiral rope one to bottlebrush wood, irregular shapes etc. Don't do concrete, it hurts their feet over time.

Diet, do some research here, I avoid sunflower seeds, advocado, chocolate....there are some pretty definite nos. Sage loves to shower with me, I made a poncho of a bathmat and stick it over my head so he has a "perch" ....I will take the hose, put him on his perch and hold it up like an umbrella very gentle spray......misting with a plant mister for now is fine tho once he is out..jst move at his comfort level.

Final bit of advice, look for a Companion Bird Club or something similar, they are a great sourch of advice and encouragement. Congrats on your new family member and keep reading. It will take time but it is worth it.

There are bird spe******ts who work on retraining behavior, check around for one if needed with the territorial (cage) problem. Good luck. Annie & Sage:41:

 

[little1al]

Me & George have had some progress over the weekend!

On Saturday evening I let him out of the cage. He climbed onto the top and sat grooming himself for a while. I kept talking to him and then went over to the cage. When he is on top of the cage he is higher than me so I stood on a chair and put my arm near him to step up. He was nibbling at first but was then letting me stroke his head. His 'bark' is worse than his bite. When I had got over the initial fear that he would hurt me (he didn't he was just nibbling) he was letting me groom his feathers and put one foot onto my arm but then took it off again. I laid my hand flat on top of his cage and he did step onto it and then off again a few times.

Saturday nights problam was that he wouldn't go back into his cage. I was giving him treats for letting me handle him and for stepping onto my hand so he wasn't interested in the treats I was offering for him to go back into his cage. I also think that he thought if he went back into his cage I wouldn't let him out again for ages so he stayed out all night. I slept on the sofa so I could hear if anything went on but he just slept on top of his cage. In the morning he was obviously hungry and thirsty so he went back into his cage. I gave him some treats and attention and then closed the cage door.

Sunday night I again let him out of the cage. He was again letting me stroke him and putting his foot up to me. He still wouldn't step up but I'm sure this will just take time. After a couple of hours I enticed him back into his cage with peanut butter on halfed walnuts (both his favourites). I again gave him some treats and attention before closing his cage door and continuing the attention.

Each night now I am going to let him out for a few hours and keep working on our reltaionship. I think he just felt cornered when I was trying to handle him in his cage.

I have brought a playstand for him which is near his cage so he can get used to seeing it.

He won't fly off his cage unless a loud noise scares him so he probably won't go on his playstand until I can get him to step up and put him there. But we are getting there. He does pretend flying when on top of his cage which is quite funny. It is like watching a child when they first try jumping into a swimming pool. He faces the front of the cage, holds on tight and flaps his wings. He just doesn't quite have the nerve to make the leap.

Thanks again for all the advice and I will keep you updated as to our progress.

Does anyone know where you can get cheap parrot toys from. I want to keep rotating his and they don't last much longer than a week or 2 anyway.

 

[BanalityBob]

Your best option is to get the makings for toys (like a bunch of big kebabs, sisal rope, big beads, shreddables, etc) and make your own. Also, check places like K-mart and feed stores, because they have surprised me more than once by what they have.