Made my decision!

[serge_09]

I thought since you've all been so friendly and helpful I'd let you know that I made my decision. I was in the breeders home and he shown me both and I knew instantly which was the bird for me.

Lola the green-wing macaw should be home on Wednesday

As a new macaw owner and always eager to learn to provide the best I can, any little tips or advice is always appreciated.

Thank you all again for you're help so far and I look forward to sharing my experiences with you

 

[JerseyWendy]

WOHOOOO!!!! Many many congrats!!! I can literally see your excitement shine right through your post.

Wednesday will be here before you know it. So, tell us a bit more about Lola. How old is she? did you take any pictures?

Got the cage set up yet? Playstand? Toys?

 

[serge_09]

I can't contain my excitement! lol

I didn't take any photos but as soon as she is home I shall upload some. She is 14 weeks old and in the very final stage of weaning, the breeder will be updating me daily. She has a Montana Denver corner cage to make her own with a java perch, a concrete perch, a boing rope perch and a few wooden/rope toys. I will be picking her up a play stand this weekend and eventually getting her a java tree

 

[bob1]

So excited!!!!! Can't wait till Wednesday for a picture.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Do you know how to hand feed??? I haven't seen or heard of a 14 or 15 week old GW being completely weaned.

Please, I absolutely do NOT want to burst your bubble or put a damper on your excitement, but please, please make sure Lola is completely weaned before bringing her home.

 

[Jumpingtadpoles]

What were you choosing between?
I'm so excited for you! I can't imagine the thrill your feeling!

 

[horsesculpter]

I have never weaned a macaw but 14 weeks is awfull young. I think you better research hand feeding. Abundance weaning of macaws should take much longer.

 

[serge_09]

Don't worry I would NEVER bring her home if I thought there was a chance she'd be in any danger what so ever, it was the breeders estimation and he's keeping me informed daily if when I go she's not fully weaned and I'm not comfortable hand feeding then I'll wait until she's ready

 

[TessieB]

Congratulations!

 

[GaryBV]

Congratulations Serg - I think I speak for everybody that we're looking forward to seeing a photograph if you can manage it

 

[serge_09]

jumpingtadpoles - my decision was between a B&G and a GW. i loved to look of the scarlet's but the temperament wasn't for me.

my final decision was i went into the breeders completely open minded he shown me the green wing who sat there calmly, looking at me as i stroked her, with 5 people around her. he put her in a basket and picked up the B&G who was completely uninterested (i knew as soon as he picked the B&G up what my decision was) and as i said the green wing, that's the bird for me still looking at me she let out a soft, faint, croaky "hello"

SOLD <3

 

[Birdman666]

The more you handle this bird, the more bonded and mushy it will become...

My GW mac is as mushy as they come! They are very special birds.

First order of business with this bird is sitting down with the bird on your lap and playing beak games, so that it learns/knows not to accidentally apply too much bite pressure...

And warm oatmeal on a spoon is a favorite treat for a bird just off hand feeding. (Just make sure it isn't too hot!)

 

[serge_09]

perfect thanks for the tip. how long after shes home should i start with the training? as ive been advised to leave her alone in the cage just talk to her for the first couple of days??

 

[Birdman666]

perfect thanks for the tip. how long after shes home should i start with the training? as ive been advised to leave her alone in the cage just talk to her for the first couple of days??

That depends on the bird, and whether or not you believe that.

Personally, I always worked with mine right away, unless they were tired and grumpy. Pick the bird up and give her a tour of her new surroundings. sit down with her on your lap, and give her a treat, then put her in her new cage and let her settle in.

To me, the first several days are your chance to pattern the bird to the new environment. Take the opportunity to establish a pattern. This is when we get up, this is when we get fed, this is out time, this is time with people, this is when we entertain ourselves, this is when we go to sleep...

It's all about patterning them, and beginning that natural bonding process. Be the "parent bird" and teach. They thrive on that!

 

[nyspy]

Big Agreeance with Birdman666! Just make sure birdy isn't tired.

 

[Blueridge]

Congrats!!! So exciting! Macaws are awesome! You'll love him i promise

 

[kendrafitz]

Congratulations, I can't wait to see and read all about Lola!

When I brought Rosie my GW home we handled her all the time. We didn't keep her in her cage at all during the day in the beginning, except for bed. We did stay in the room her cage was in for the first day just so she got acclimated, but that was all. Unless she was tired, which she never was. She is the bird who never naps.

Mind you, she was a baby (4 months old) and I was hand feeding her twice a day yet. (I was told larger macs hand feed until about 6 months usually, which was just about right for her). Plus we were bonded bc I visited her daily for two months, so she was very comfortable with my family.

For us, I just couldn't imagine leaving her in a cage for a couple days to get used to things. Especially when they are babies, they are easy to handle, want reassurance and cuddles. It's a great way to start off with a loving bond. But that is just my opinion.

I am a softy and tend to spoil all the children/animals that live here. . Rosie is now only in her cage to sleep or if no one is home, which is rare. So she is out almost all day, every day.

 

[Birdman666]

Congratulations, I can't wait to see and read all about Lola!

When I brought Rosie my GW home we handled her all the time. We didn't keep her in her cage at all during the day in the beginning, except for bed. We did stay in the room her cage was in for the first day just so she got acclimated, but that was all. Unless she was tired, which she never was. She is the bird who never naps.

Mind you, she was a baby (4 months old) and I was hand feeding her twice a day yet. (I was told larger macs hand feed until about 6 months usually, which was just about right for her). Plus we were bonded bc I visited her daily for two months, so she was very comfortable with my family.

For us, I just couldn't imagine leaving her in a cage for a couple days to get used to things. Especially when they are babies, they are easy to handle, want reassurance and cuddles. It's a great way to start off with a loving bond. But that is just my opinion.

I am a softy and tend to spoil all the children/animals that live here. . Rosie is now only in her cage to sleep or if no one is home, which is rare. So she is out almost all day, every day.

I agree with this one... I don't know where this whole, don't handle them for a few days thing came from. To me, that's as likely as not to make an attention oriented bird that is used to being held apprehensive...

WHAT?! You don't like me?!

What you don't want to do is handle the bird so much that you can't ever set him down anymore. And you don't want to OVERWHELM it with tons of stuff too soon.

But to me, macaws need to be handled, a lot... Ranks right up there with large toos in HANDLE ME A LOT!

And if you set up the pattern from the get go, then this is what the bird will get used to, and be used to from day one...

As long as the bird ISN'T ACTING STRESSED... which is the key, and why it depends on the bird. But most big macs love attention.

Sweepea's first night in our place (She came from a breeder I knew and trusted, and quarantine was not an issue - yeah, sometimes the rules just don't apply) She was not only introduced to me, my child, my neighbor (and my neighbor's dog!), but also the entire flock sat with her on her new cage, preened her, shared her food, and checked her out...

To this day, her cage is one of the birdie hangouts, and her food dishes are a community foraging site...

IT ALL GOES BACK TO THAT FIRST DAY...

So, that whole "settling in" thing I personally tent to think is bad advice with a macaw.

 

[serge_09]

that's great thank you both, personally i didn't like the idea of keeping her locked in a cage for the first couple of days, i didn't want her thinking "so this is life now then?", but i was reading it from people that appeared a lot more knowledgeable in the subject. now you have reassured me in my gut instinct the training/socializing will start the very next day (as i collect her at night time)