Max came home early... :)

[Kiwibird]

What a lovely Easter surprise! Not quite a "chick" but he sure is a handsome "young man" Best of luck with Max, and I'm looking forward to watching his progress.

 

[jenphilly]

I figure if you can get a too to stop chasing you it's a victory If you do get Helmet maybe you can change his name to Helmut which means (in part) courage.

I love knowing that!!! Definitely will change the spelling of his name... guessing maybe at some point in his early life he was hopefully better loved and maybe that was originally his name... wishful thinking I know, but I can't bear thinking he lived all 60 years under the most recent conditions...

Absolutely!!
Poor Helmet. Even in the shelter it sounds like he's really living it up as compared to before! It's a wonder he lived that long in those conditions, but you do hear of long lived Amazons in deplorable conditions with smoke and everything. Zons are such hardy birds. I know you'll make the best decision regarding if pursuing Helmet is the best thing.

The decision will really be with the shelter... and he needs to clear quarantine yet, but his vet checked came back clean, which shocked us, we could not believe his liver panel was not total off kilter. But you're right, I've heard people share the same stories of Zons they hear or knew of that lived 80 years on seed and in the worst conditions. They are a tough bird, all the more reason I think he deserves to be pampered. He gets so excited when I sit and talk to him, he just climbs around and shows off his wings, hangs upside down, still a spark in those old man eyes But, like I posted earlier, I trust AHW, they are beyond amazing people, so we shall see what the future holds for Helmut (like that version of the name!!!)

As for Max... we went to Birds Paradise... so much love to my hubby, bless his heart his 3 day weekend turned out to be entirely bird oriented - two trips to AHW, Max coming home, taking apart a bird cage and putting it back together, then today shopping for birdie goodies. And he didn't even faint when Victoria and I ran up a total bill of $386 before discount and coupon.... I almost fainted, but the price of a java perch for a macaw cage was $40 alone! And two pellets to try Max on... lots of Goldenfeast mixes... pine nuts (holy cow Wendy they were $15.99 a lb, you didn't warn me about the cost!!), toys for every bird in the house, aviator harness for Folger, did I mention toys for everyone Still has $278 in damages after discounts, but Byron's only response was, 'so I get to buy another plane'....

Got some pics and video from today including Victoria trying to teach Max to do the sloth from The Croods when he goes 'duh, duh, dummmmm' ... Not sure what is funnier, Max trying to be louder then us, or Victoria and I laughing like idiots!

Hope everyone had a wonderful egg day and someone enjoyed some chocolate for me!

 

[jenphilly]

What a lovely Easter surprise! Not quite a "chick" but he sure is a handsome "young man" Best of luck with Max, and I'm looking forward to watching his progress.

He's such a sweetheart with me... but he really has issues when Byron asks him to step up or he tries to scratch his neck. They had a few show downs today and Byron stood his ground and pushed Max's beak and head down or into his chest and once he started scratching the neck, Max grumbles like he's complaining... I'm letting you, but I don't like it, but oh slightly to the left. He does so much posturing, which I know is to be surprised as he tests the waters or to see who is the weakest link And it certainly ain't Victoria, she backs him down and he knows it! He might have the big beak, but girlfriend got bigger attitude

Hopefully I can get pics and videos added to Max's thread tomorrow... for now, time for me to crash, been a long exciting but really busy few days!

 

[Allee]

Congratulations to Max and his new family. He's really lovely.

 

[Sterling1113]

(holy cow Wendy they were $15.99 a lb, you didn't warn me about the cost!!)

Pff.. Last time I picked up pine nuts they were $24.99/lb. I didn't think they'd be so much either!!

 

[JerseyWendy]

(holy cow Wendy they were $15.99 a lb, you didn't warn me about the cost!!)

I'm sorry, I should have told you. :53: Yeah, they're pricey little nuts, aren't they? And whatever you do, don't ever decide to try one. I once made that mistake, figuring something that pricey would taste SO good. :32: NOT - at least not to my taste buds. :32:

They are $12.78 online from Bird Paradise, and around the same at MySafeBirdStore.

How does Max like them????

And how's he doing???

 

[jenphilly]

(holy cow Wendy they were $15.99 a lb, you didn't warn me about the cost!!)

I'm sorry, I should have told you. :53: Yeah, they're pricey little nuts, aren't they? And whatever you do, don't ever decide to try one. I once made that mistake, figuring something that pricey would taste SO good. :32: NOT - at least not to my taste buds. :32:

They are $12.78 online from Bird Paradise, and around the same at MySafeBirdStore.

How does Max like them????

And how's he doing???

They are $12.78 from Bird Paradise online... you were right about them selling stuff higher in the store!! It was Bird Paradise we picked them up for $15.99/lb!! Well, why would you have warned me, did you really think I'd have a macaw with how much of a chicken I was with those beaks. Still am a chicken with the beak, its just Max that I'm not quite so wussy about

He is actually doing great, he is still doing his posturing, but not nearly as long, so really hopeful that its only a matter of time and consistency that will turn him into a well rounded family member I gave him his first real bath today (and yeah no blood!!), so he was in his cage when Byron got home from work. He stepped right up for Byron to come out without any issues and he did his big bad bird impression when Byron reached to scratch his neck but Byron did not back down and Max let him. Its already a huge stride from yesterday, so keeping fingers crossed it continues.

He is almost jumpy with how active our home is. He definitely was not around alot of activity or just hanging out when things were going on... the cats running and chasing each other playing scares the daylights out of him, and just us talking and moving about he gets kinda nervous. But he did let me run the shop vac to pick up all his mess on the floor when he was out, he just kept an eye on the hose to make sure it was not getting too close.

We had some quiet snuggle time this afternoon when I got back from the shop (was there way longer then I expected), so he was happy about that. Took some video, but nothing exciting just him snuggling up with me, tho shows some progress with me, let him bring his face right up to mine and he rested his beak against my chin at one point. I just kept thinking, please don't bite me nose off, please don't bite my nose off So, guess there's progress for me too!

Well enough babble from me tonight.... and thanks for the heads up that pine nuts are cheaper online Oh and I did try one, they have the weirdest texture! Taste was ehh, not something I'd snack on, but it was the texture I thought was really really off putting!

 

[Pinkbirdy]

So sweet [Don't worry this is how they are }

 

[Abigal7]

I personally had always been attracted to macaws (even as a child). If I had the space, money and bravery I would consider getting a large macaw. As of right now I think mini macaws suite me better. Max is no doubt too big to eat pinenuts but I bet he would like cashews and could crack open a almond. I like how macaws are cuddly and puppy dog like. Captain Jack will come to me from across the room.

 

[jenphilly]

I personally had always been attracted to macaws (even as a child). If I had the space, money and bravery I would consider getting a large macaw. As of right now I think mini macaws suite me better. Max is no doubt too big to eat pinenuts but I bet he would like cashews and could crack open a almond. I like how macaws are cuddly and puppy dog like. Captain Jack will come to me from across the room.

Apparently pine nuts in shell are a macaw delicacy. .. Wendy had me hand feeding them to her macaws which was a scary moment tho both were so gentle and didn't even touch my fingers!! That was my first macaw feeding experience!

Max eats walnuts and the large dark Brazil nuts with no issues. .. I joke I can't crack a Brazil nut cleanly but he literally cracks and snaps off the thick shell. He does pecans and almonds too
I am still a wuss about the beak, it's only Max that I have confidence to properly handle. ... I had to handle others at the shelter during my 'macaw training'

If you have a shelter close, volunteer!! I never in my life would have went looking for a macaw, it was only being a shelter volunteer and working with adopters and petfinder listings that gave us the chance to meet all the birds..

 

[RavensGryf]

That's so great to hear that he is quickly becoming a "family bird". Good for Byron! What a great find he was (lol, I just read that sentence) I meant Max haha! I'm happy for you guys!

When I was a child, my parents and I would go vacation in the mountains, and go to someplace where people were able to go amongst the pine trees and harvest pinecones? We'd take them home, and my parents would bake them in the oven (I think that's how I recall) to 'open' the pinecones so the nuts would get loose and fall out. Then we'd roast them in the shell in a toaster oven. So GOOOD!! To this day I love foods with pine nuts in it!

 

[jenphilly]

Byron was a good find too... took me 40 years to find one like him, so it's a double lucky find for both of my guys, feathered and non - feathered

I like the pine cone roasting, I have a contact in Wisconsin area, bet he could get me all natural from the wilds where he harvests birch for me... Thank you so much for the idea!!!

 

[mtdoramike]

Awwwww, Jen, that video is amazing, I'm thrilled for you and Max. He seems like such a sweet heart.