My macaw is behaving strangely

[MimiN]

It has been 6 weeks now since Pepper has come to my house. No matter how I try to approach her, her first reaction is to bite me, but then she relents and wants her back or head scratched. This week she has started "bending" over with her head way down and her rear up high in the air when I scratch her, she will maneuver herself in such a way that I am pretty much scratching her where her tail is joined and she makes these weird little squeaking noises.

She still refuses to step up for me except occasionally yet will almost always do it for my husband but yet she won't let him scratch anything but her head. When I scratch her she gets low to the perch and opens up her wing on the side I am standing on like she wants me to scratch inside her wing, not quite sure what to do as she will often nip at me and I have no clue what for. She will also offer me her belly to scratch but as soon as I try, she will try to bite me and make a squawk. It seems she wants me to something and I am uncertain what she wants or how to go about doing it and the new tail up routine kinda seems all most "sexual" for lack of a better word.

Is this normal behavior or am I being the weird one, and if she will let me so thoroughly scratch her how come she won't step up for me but will do it for others.

 

[WharfRat]

Sounds pretty normal to me, kinda like how Miri (GW) was with the wife at first, but its got much better now a days. Even I see the squat and lift tail all the time with both the GW's, and they are bonded to me,. When they do this with me it usually means they want to play which does include playful bites and nipping along with rolling on their sides and sticking a claw up in the air. Hope this helps.

 

[weco]

Sounds pretty normal to me

Hmmm, Wharfrat, something's amiss & I think it's your recent seeing ability.....

I will venture to say that Mini's seeing Pepper demonstrating mating behavior...and...Mindi, I'm going to suggest that for the next few months you may want to refrain from all body scratching except maybe the occasional head scratch, lest you find a hormonally excited bird on your hands.....

Good luck

 

[WharfRat]

Hmmm, Wharfrat, something's amiss & I think it's your recent seeing ability.....

That's your opinion and you're welcome to it.

I think more importantly it's knowing how to read your birds individually. I'm not sure how old Pepper is so that is also a factor, I also don't believe that petting them under their wings is bad either. (It works for my my breeder)

6 weeks ain't long, you're still in a "learning" stage for both of you, give it time and see how it develops and mind the bird's body language at all times.

JMO

Do you have a Mac or had experience with them Weco?

 

[MimiN]

Pepper is actually a Catalina, and the vet thinks she is between 15 and 30 years old. She is a rescue bird with no band. We know she has had at least 3 different owners, one of whom I suspect she was very bonded to, because she knows lots of tricks and her vocabulary is huge. She often calls for "Margaret" and "Roger" when she is feeling sweet and content. She will also scream "OW, you f@&king bird" when she is being hostile.

She will not "play" with us but practices tricks on her own especially is she wants attention, she repeats "up" and "down" while stepping up a rung on the cage and then stepping down. She plays peek a boo with her wing. She will throw a little ball to you and gets very excited if you catch it but then she retreats to the top of the cage. We always leave her alone when she is on the very top of the cage as she becomes almost defiant and quite hostile when she is there so we figure that is her "don't mess with me" place.

I don't understand her need to always bite first. She is not being playful as she has been successful once or twice and I have already had to get stitches in one finger. I am careful not to react strongly but it can be really painful. Then in a flash she wants to be petted and scratched and is as docile as you can imagine.

 

[WharfRat]

If that age then I doubt seriously it has anything to do with mating behavior. (I've been wrong before) So I'm definitely leaning towards the "I don't know you yet" scenario, it has been a very short time and the bird just isn't settled all the way in yet I think. Be sure to watch her eyes very closely when approaching her as well as feather displays. Be as patient as possible and go slowly. As for the top of the cage behavior that is quite common as well with them, you might want to try using a handheld perch to get her down in those instances. I'll add more when I'm not so dang tired and my brain is working at full capacity (it ain't all there right now)