Macaw Deterrent formula

[jgourd]

My wife and I are seriously considering adding a B&G to our flock. We have found a lovely girl (she found us) who is available due to a divorce. She is extremely well socialized and has the best temperament. I have spent a few hours hanging out with this girl and she likes me and visa versa. She plucked herself during the divorce but it is all coming back. Picture below. My only issue with her is:

She will pluck my face. Not just one hair at a time like my Galah, this girl will grab about twenty beard or mustache hairs at a time and rip them out. She is so proud of herself for relieving me of that awful facial hair.

So, can I rub commercial parrot deterrents in my face? Should I find a tart fruit they don't like and rub that in my face?

Is there a better way?

Peace
J

 

[Blackfang320]

shave it off lol

 

[jgourd]

shave it off lol

This bird could be the only thing to get me to shave after having a beard for 30 years.

 

[Blackfang320]

maybe if you were to put something that smells bad to them on it , it might stop her from trying to rid it lol but mostly in life girls win so it may have to go lol, have you tried braiding it or something like that? or telling her no?

 

[merlinsmom13]

She will probably leave it alone after she gets used to it. Merlin plays w/my earings after i change to a different pair, when he gets used to them he mostly ignors them.

 

[ann]

lol i agrre with black fang, put something thats safe for her, but tastes bad on your beard and after she learns you can take it off. mabey apple cider vinegar, but only apple cider vinegar, other vinegars are too acidic and fatty for birds. apple cider vinegar in small amounts and mixed with water can be healthy for parrots! it is also great for cleaning! hope this helped!

 

[JJones1719]

I would advise you not to let her near your face at all. I would advise you to get her favorite toy and while holding her, let her play and preen the toy and not you. Sometimes when a Macaw preens a human, the action is more then her just finding you interesting. Preening is also a sex driven action in many cases and this is never good. Your Macaw should look at you as a provider and protector not as a sexual flock mate. Thanks for posting. Joe

 

[willist]

You might want to talk to an avian vet about getting a prescription for Haloperidol. Its a drug that will clam down an anxious bird and take his mind off plucking, both you and himself. By the time he grows all his feathers back he should be over both plucking you and himself and shouldn't need the Haloperidol any more.

 

[Rio Mom]

The first thing that came to mind when I read this was also, shave the beard lol. However, I agree with Joe, I don't think I would let a macaw near my face. Very large beak vs. your eye could end badly.

 

[MikeyTN]

I have to agree with Joe on this one as well! I do not let Willie get on my shoulders. Their beak can be very dangerous!!! A friend of mine had a B&G that bit him pretty badly, he is permanently scared. And he had him on his shoulders as well. Willie have climbed on my shoulders before, but he doesn't get to stay there very long. Only ones that's allowed on my shoulders are my smaller birds plus my pair of Eclectus. I don't even allow my Cockatoo on my shoulders.....

 

[Lesleybird]

I would advise you not to let her near your face at all. I would advise you to get her favorite toy and while holding her, let her play and preen the toy and not you. Sometimes when a Macaw preens a human, the action is more then her just finding you interesting. Preening is also a sex driven action in many cases and this is never good. Your Macaw should look at you as a provider and protector not as a sexual flock mate. Thanks for posting. Joe

Wow, I am in trouble.....three of my parrots see me as their sexual flock mate!! I don't care because they don't have any other mate because we lock them up and keep them alone. I am a female and a female amazon and my umbrella female both sit on me and cluck. Lesley

 

[MikeyTN]

I would advise you not to let her near your face at all. I would advise you to get her favorite toy and while holding her, let her play and preen the toy and not you. Sometimes when a Macaw preens a human, the action is more then her just finding you interesting. Preening is also a sex driven action in many cases and this is never good. Your Macaw should look at you as a provider and protector not as a sexual flock mate. Thanks for posting. Joe

Wow, I am in trouble.....three of my parrots see me as their sexual flock mate!! I don't care because they don't have any other mate because we lock them up and keep them alone. I am a female and a female amazon and my umbrella female both sit on me and cluck. Lesley

I do have to say the females aren't as bad when they do that, it's the males that can get pretty aggressive!!! Plus when they do that, you might want to think about not petting them a certain way cause you want to stop that process as much as possible to prevent further issues. One of the major issue is egg laying....Do think about that!!!!

 

[Mike]

I agree with JJones.

Mid chest high is as close to your face as a Macaw should get.

Ever wonder why pirates with parrots on their shoulders have a patch on one eye???

 

[Rio Mom]

I got a good laugh out of the pirate reference Mike! lol