Learning to be a cage when alone again?

[Jumpingtadpoles]

I'm hoping to get (at this point it seems to be a bit of a rescue) a blue and gold macaw named Ricco. I'm very excited, but after speaking to the woman the bird has been fed horribly, she kept describing him as plump, and repeatedly told me she hasn't EVER caged him, although he comes with a cage, because she rescued him from an abusive situation where he was always locked up.
She said the only time she closed the door was when people of color came over, because his previous owners that best him with sticks were natives. He would go berserk whe. He seen anyone of color, and she said she had a scar on her face from one of those circumstances for a long time.

In his current home he was raised with a busy home, with kids running around, and a stay at home mom. The kids have now grown up, and she works 12 hours a day, so he is alone, uncaged, and destroying their house. He eats the drywall and all the moulding. Her husband won't live with a bird who is destroying his home. So she is being forced to rehome him.
Now, I'm not sure how he will react, as he is not with us, but I'm wondering if anyone has had experience with a bird that was never caged before they got them, and caging them?
How did it go?

Did they scream A LOT?

What did you do to help? Or did it eventually get used to it?

We were supposed to get him last night, but they (as would we) prefer to have him go during the day (giving us a chance to properly meet him, and set up his cage), so we have scheduled Saturday instead.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Do you happen to know how big of a cage comes with him??? If the cage is plenty big (4' long X 3' deep), you can put enough toys in there to keep him occupied. I don't foresee you having much of a problem getting him used to the cage again.

I also think he will THRIVE in your care.

 

[Jumpingtadpoles]

No I don't yet. If it's not to my liking I will be saving up for something bigger, for sure. I. Not going to keep in something he can't play in, when he would be alone for up to 8 hours a day. My fiancé works on the property, and I don't leave until 10:30 for work, so most days it would be 4-6 hours he would be alone.

 

[MikeyTN]

Leave on the TV or radio when your not home. He will learn to cope with it once again cause he's been in it before. Since he would be rather new in your surroundings, I highly doubt he'll make much fuss unless he's like my Willie & Lola that liked me from day one. Lola have been screaming her beak off at me, she's really mad at me for not letting her out for the past two weeks but I've got the flu and still recovering as I don't want to take the risk.....

 

[paulo.hanashiro]

My biggest concern is how to put her back in the cage everyday.
Can you handle her? Have you ever tried to put her in the cage?

I think it will take some time until you get her nicely in the cage.

A rule of thumb for the macaw cage: Minimum size should fit the bird with wings opened, and tail feathers do not touch the cage floor.

You can't keep a macaw always caged. As she will drive you crazy with the louder sound you have ever heard .

The best option is to use the cage only for safety reason, when there's nobody around to take care of her.

 

[Jumpingtadpoles]

That really is the plan already, to only have him in when nobody is home I may leave him in the first couple days, depending on how this all goes.
I never considered the getting him back in part... Darn.

 

[MikeyTN]

My biggest concern is how to put her back in the cage everyday.
Can you handle her? Have you ever tried to put her in the cage?

I think it will take some time until you get her nicely in the cage.

A rule of thumb for the macaw cage: Minimum size should fit the bird with wings opened, and tail feathers do not touch the cage floor.

You can't keep a macaw always caged. As she will drive you crazy with the louder sound you have ever heard .

The best option is to use the cage only for safety reason, when there's nobody around to take care of her.

Due to a member awhile back that had the flu and ended up getting pneumonia. He was handling his birds at the same time, they all died. That got some of us quite cautious to handle birds when we're sick. Since I'm their only handler, I'm not taking the chance.

 

[Jumpingtadpoles]

Oh my gosh.... I had no idea that was possible. Very good to know...

 

[MikeyTN]

I just re-read it, he had strep to begin with then pneumonia. Here's a old thread on it.
http://www.parrotforums.com/off-topic/33893-wharfrat.html

And their beloved parrots!!!
http://www.parrotforums.com/bereavement/33966-loving-memory.html

 

[Jumpingtadpoles]

Wow. That was heart breaking to read. I really didn't know they can get sick from us.
So what types of illnesses are passable? There is h1n1 going around in canada, and one person has died in our community from it

Geez.

Life sucks sometimes. How is wharfrat these days?

 

[JerseyWendy]

Wow. That was heart breaking to read. I really didn't know they can get sick from us.
So what types of illnesses are passable? There is h1n1 going around in canada, and one person has died in our community from it

Geez.

Life sucks sometimes. How is wharfrat these days?

Birds can catch bacterial diseases from people. However, it pays to be cautious when you have the flu. There are multiple types of "flu". Most should be be familiar with the one called Bird Flu (H5N1). H5N1 is the highly pathogenic avian influenza so that's why it gets so much press...and Swine Flu (H1N1) which I believe is also an avian flu, so that adds to the confusion.

I don't think anyone has heard from Scott (Wharfrat) and/or his wife in ages.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Did you get the B&G this weekend? If so, how are things going???

 

[Mattroma]

I've been wondering the same thing. Did you finally get to go visit the B&G yesterday? if so how did it go?

 

[Jumpingtadpoles]

The family requested to have one more day with the bird. They want to bring him here themselves. We are waiting for word of when (if?) they will bring him.
Soo... I'm waiting. Sorry for not giving word. It didn't want to give bad word, unless it was a final thing.
The guy phone my fiancé yesterday and said his wife hadn't slept in 2 nights, and she was crying all morning. They wanted one more day with him. We understood. Really sucked cause I planned my whole weekend around it.
So my upstairs stayed dirty another day (I want to keep busy around the bird so he can watch me)
Instead I worked out and then went to see some friends last night.
I was hoping to meet the bird in his current home. I wanted to see his demeanour there, and his setup. But I guess it doesn't entirely matter, we have ideas of our own. Gareth wants to build a really large PVC play stand for him. We want to put a lot of toys, swings, ropes, and just anything we can think of up. It won't take the whole room up, but he will get a nice size area to play with. We will also get a climbing net and hang it from cage, to play stand.
I'm excited. This boy shall be spoiled with toys and good food.
We go out in the bush often, so wood is around to bring home small chucks on our side by side. I'm going to set up bird feeders outside his closest window, so he can watch them.
I've made the protein part of his chop, which will be the part I freeze in portions. I just need to buy containers to freeze in then I will add fresh fruit and veg, seeds and nuts, and crunchy bits, like Cheerios
The chop has rice, quinoa, bean soup mix, and brown spaghetti. It tasted good. Put some broccoli and cheese sauce on that and it would a be very nutritionally complete, and delicious alternative to Mac and cheese. Lol

We are nervous of them coming here. They said he hates black dogs, we have two black dogs.
Also I have a juicer on the counter, perhaps could project that we eat healthy, which we really do, and she is soooo against her bird eating well.
My other cage remains set up as well. I believe I still would like to purchase a baby white front from my breeder. And that could hopefully be a good thing for Ricco. Another birds company... But we can't know how she will react. She is a nutter (IMO) but that interaction could have been more abrasive because this is such a hard decision, and such a big loss to her.
And while I see flock life as healthy and beneficial.... She hates healthy food.... Soooo it could go either way.
Plus she could even assume we would try and shove him in that cage (hahaha) it's fit for a small amazon, or a African grey.... Maybe even a really large cockatiel cage. Lol. But this boy couldn't fit in it without his tail stick out through the bars. And I know that. But she degraded me often in our half hour convo.
Anyways. Ya. No bird yet. Lots of what ifs and stuff filling both of us with anxiousness.
So. We wait. Still.
As patient as can be.
I'll post pics if he comes to stay
I'll post grievance if he doesn't
It really could go either way.

 

[Jumpingtadpoles]

Well. There has been no replies and no answer.

 

[JerseyWendy]

That's just wrong to keep you waiting/hanging like this.

 

[Mattroma]

Happens all too often, having second thoughts about giving up their bird. My wife had that happens few times when she was looking to adopt a too for her father. Think it is easier for them to ignore you rather than admit they are just not ready. but keep your fingers crossed. Maybe they are in the car on their way, at least lets hope that is the case.

 

[Jumpingtadpoles]

The day is at an end. We never heard from them. They never answered phone calls or texts. I am in awe at the disrespect. I knew not to hold my breathe.

I don't feel very happy. I'm pretty sad. I was very excited.

All this time I have waited, searched, researched. I thought I had finally found a bird.

If there are so many birds without homes, why can't I find even one?

Not a single bird in six months of scouring ads, online, putting word out, joining rescues and bird groups. Nothing.
Them I get a call. Could this be the one? So excited. Start truly planning. Rearranged the kitchen to fit a huge cage, discuss the extra large play stand we were going to build, buy the supplies for that. Make the chop. Decide to wait to build play stand to see how large the cage is, and how to assemble the play stand to work with our lives as well as the birds personality, and the positioning in the window.
All that. For nothing. A week of waiting.

I'm going to curl up with some homemade chai tea and a blanket. Maybe weep a little.

It's not fair they just led us on then never replied.

It's not fair to to bird to be left alone 5 days a week, just because the weekends with him are good.