Need some advice...

[leschornmom]

Hi! I recently took in 2 Blue and Gold Macaws. It's not my first time ever dealing with birds like these, but it's the first time as a primary owner/caretaker.

The situation they came from was bad. The owner didn't even know what kind of birds they were, how old they are, he told me their sex but only knew the female's name. Their cage was too small and INFESTED with roaches. They hadn't been receiving any fruits or vegetables, and they were on cockatiel food. They were in a tiny room that was pitch back in the middle of the day, with curtains drawn and had NO air flow. The claws and beak on the male were so overgrown that the beak was actually cutting into his neck and his talons made complete loops. Needless to say they were at the vet the day after we brought them home.

All of that aside... These are two of the SWEETEST birds I have ever dealt with. They like to be held and they dance, wave, and talk on command. They will take food right from anyone. I assume they were well loved at one time. Though NIETHER of them show any interest in toys, paper, keys, shiny things, buttons... I've tried everything... They won't even look at things left in their cage. The door to their cage is open and they either sit IN the cage unmoving or on top.

I am pretty worried about one in particular. She is VERY sweet. But has minimal balance and has only opened her wings two or three times since I've had her. She cannot completely open them. It is unclear if this will be permanent or just temporary. I have two questions...

1) Does anyone have any strengthening exercises they could recommend for her?

2) Is there anything I can do to help her learn to interact and play? Do you think they are just too old to be interested in "playing"? I've just never seen anything like this before. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

 

[jenphilly]

I have no macaw experience, but after reading the post and seeing the photos, I had to post and say thank you from them for giving them a better life... the one photo is incredibly sad.

Not sure you need anyone to tell you, but you've done a wonderful thing for these guys. I hope with time and love they will open it and enjoy being birds again.

 

[MarciaLove]

Thank you so much for rescuing these poor babies!!!! I think they just need time to get adjusted to their new much better life they will probably play and explore when they are ready for now just love on them and get them healthy you can offer different kinds of toys but not too many you dont want to overwhelm them. As for exercising I dont really know sorry I know my Blue Crown Conure was in bad shape when I got him and I just slowly built his muscle up by having him step up a lot at first then getting him to play and then getting him to fly at first it was so bad he could only fly a foot and then would fall he now is learning recall training and flies all the time! Its a long slow process I hope someone can give you a better answer on exercise here.

 

[Birdman666]

GRRRRR...

Why do these people get these birds to neglect them like that.

There are a number of things you can do with these birds after they trust you to get them to flap their wings. One is to run around with them perched on your arm.

Another, if they are up for it, is to flip them over and swing them... but this is not something you do off the bat...

Attention deprived macaws really do tend to do exactly what you described once they are taken out of that situation. They also tend to have "clingy bird syndrome." They can be quite neurotic about it until they figure out that they are never going back to that dark hole they came out of...

As for playing with toys, just get a block of wood, and play with the bird on your lap. In the process, introduce the block of wood.

First find out if there is something wrong with the wing. This does not sound right to me.

 

[leschornmom]

Awe. Thank you! I don't think ANYONE would have been able to pass them up. REALLY. I just hope it's not to late for them to recover fully. The vet thinks that they feathers may not grow back. :/ I hope they do for her sake! She is very sweet!
The male (Draco) is a little more bossy but they are definitely a bonded pair... We cant even walk three feet away from the other when we're holding/playing with them.

 

[leschornmom]

I did take them to a vet right off the bat... Unfortunately their talons and beaks need more work over time... Draco's beak may never recover fully... The vet plans to sedate them the next time but we were concerned about stressing them out too much so suddenly. He is hoping to get a better view of things next week.

 

[Jewelz]

My birdie is having some feather issues & someone on here told me about this product calllled 'Featheriffic' by Avitech...I have just started using it & already 2 of the feathers I have been wanting him to lose have come out.... It may be worth looking into.....like everyone else thanks for stepping in & helping these two beauties....

 

[henpecked]

Thanks for giving them a home with you and your family. They look like they sure need a good family environment. I'd think being in your interactive home will bring them around into being happy birds again.It will take some time and TLC but it looks like they're in a good place now. Thanks again.

 

[dreamin_sqaw]

I agree with everyone else... Thank you !!
If I were a millionaire I would have all the mistreated animals living with me.
I can't stand to see some folks get animals because as soon as the "new" wears off and the " you gotta see what I got" show off time these animals are forgotten about and negelected. All animal cruelty should be punishable as far as I am concerned. Not just physical abuse. So glad These babies are now in a safe home

 

[WannaBeAParrot]

Thanks so much for rescuing these wonderful parrots from a hellhole. Your family looks so happy to have them with you, and I'm glad to see that the birdies are sweet enough to just get on with being friends and sitting on shoulders, but please do be careful with them close to the face while you are still getting to know them.

The plucked body does not look like they will grow back. If it has been like that for a long time, the Macaw won't care that they are gone and they won't really shouldn't have a detrimental health effect. As for the wings, you could try playing on a non-carpeted floor. See if they'll push around some balls, or wheely toys and run after them to start getting some exercise. Hopefully they'll grab on to a perch or the bars outside top of cage and start flapping like crazy to exercise them.

You've done a wonderful thing and earned angel wings.

 

[Betrisher]

Bless you for helping these beautiful birds! I think they'll do well with your family - it's easy to see from the photos you posted that everyone's right on board with them, especially your kids.

I reckon the best thing you can do is simply spend time with the birds and offer lots of treats and goodies. Maybe if you offer chewy fruits and veg (apples, carrot, parsnip), the birds will learn to chomp on other things as well? It might be difficult for them with overgrown beaks and claws: once that's been sorted out, they'll be better able to hold and chomp their food. Then, you could try handing them strips of cardboard or paper. Or, put their food inside a paper cup and fold it closed or tie with string. Then, they'd have to shred the cup in order to get food.

Best of luck with them and please keep us up to date with your progress!

 

[pregodalliance]

May the new babies bring you bless and love into your home. I don't think they will ever forget what you have done for them.

1) give her calcium (liquid from from the drug store or the calcium blocks) as for exercise let her walk, run of the floor, climb the cage. Put her on your arm then mover your arm down so she will open her wings and flap them.

2) Playing is hard. I have a twenty year old rescue Ekkie who is plucked and won't Play.
I think the best way to get them to play is Forging. That way they get a treat and encourages more play time.
Try different toys, different materials, you never know what will work. As for pluckers you can try different types of safe soft woods. (yucca and Balsa) So she will chew the wood instead of her feathers.

Thank you
<3

 

[nyspy]

I deal with large abused birds on a relatively regular basis. I randomly decide to rehab / rescue the exact type of birds you describe 2-3 times a year. (I finally opened up my home to two abused macaws).

Here are some things to try:

Birdy doesn't want to leave the cage. They're used to being left alone inside a cage that was too small. This is their comfort zone. Why not break the paradigm? I do it with all the rehabs and my guys as well. I don't have a cage at all. Just a few perches throughout the house, but they have a main perch. Try getting a larger perch / stand with water and food bowls and just put birdy on it.

Something like this: http://mymacaw.swimminginthought.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/2013-09-18-23.02.39.jpg

They can't climb down unless I tie a rope to it. Birdy will be a little shocked for about 30 min. to an hour, but will quickly settle into it for the first night. The shock / freedom they feel within the first 48-72 hours of being cageless will put a perpetual smile on their faces! You'll recognize it immediately. When you go into the room with birdy on the stand, walk over with a pistachio / nut / treat and give it to them!

When you're in the house, just take birdy with you wherever you go. Even if it's just to the kitchen to make some food or to the laundry room! Involve them in your minor chores. If / when you sit in front of the computer, put them on the back of your chair!

They'll start to come out of their shells within 2-3 days.

As for getting them to play with toys, they're not used to it. You need to show them the toys are for playing! Get a few foraging toys, let them watch you put their favorite treats into them and then hang or place the toy in front of them! They'll do everything they can to get at the treat and actually start to interact with the toy!

Do some daily "Floor time" with them! Get on the floor and play with them! Interact! Start introducing and playing with toys with them on the floor! Gradually increase floor time and you'll soon see that when you walk out of the room for even a minute, they'll follow you!

If you have banisters in the house, put them on the banister for 5 min! If you're in the immediate vicinity doing something, they're not going to tear into the banister, because they're more interested in seeing what you're doing. They'll start to feel that sense of freedom.

When you take a shower, bring a chair into the bathroom and put them on the back of the chair and let them watch you take a shower! It'll pique their interest! They'll feel like they're part of the activity! Talk to them!

If you want to get them to play with shiny toys, during floor time, put a mirror against the wall and do floor time in front of the mirror! (Take it away afterwards).. When you introduce shiny things after that, they'll take an interest in it.

As for balance, EVERY big bird I've ever rescued has had balance problems. They sit on their perch all day so they're not familiar with a moving "perch". Pick them up, carry them around the house! The balance will come back in about a month. Let them walk around and explore! If they "visit" the banister regularly, they're going to decide during one of their exploratory adventures that they want up to the banister! Encourage it! My birds come to my chair, climb up and hang with me automatically! Duke is just starting to do it! (It's only been 4 days).

If you can find the time, take them outside (weather permitting) even if for 5 minutes.. Duke went to the park with my daughter and I on Sunday. He was terrified at first, but we sat under a bunch of palm trees (in a very heavy shaded area) and he just hung on the back of the bench. (Never more than 3 feet from me). After an hour, he was super happy and really enjoyed the outside time! When we got home, he started calling for me! Later that night, he "hugged" me with his wings for the first time! It wasn't an "I need balance" hug, but an "I love you" hug, complete with nuzzling and happy sounds.

Your birdys have been deprived many of the things a happy life would include. You'll need to introduce it to them! Duke didn't even know what a walnut was! I had to crack it open in front of him and hand him a piece of it to eat. After he realized it was a treat, he went crazy! When I first put nuts in his bowl, he didn't know they were treats. I fed one to Pretty Birdy in front of him and after seeing Pretty Birdy eat one, he realized he could eat them! Now, he can't get enough!

Birdy Chop! Birdy Chop! Birdy Chop! Make some! Mix in some pellets (the type you want him on long term) and he'll go at it!

I also bought a couple of fresh bagels from the local bakery and cut a piece for each birdy as a treat as well! They love it!

It sounds like you just need to get them out of their shell and introduce them to a new life; a life they should have had from day one.

As for going cageless (even if for a few weeks), don't worry about them causing damage. They most likely will not. They're too used to the cage life and just being free (if even for a small while), their personalities will change.

One more thing... When going cageless during the rehabilitation phase, the biting is much reduced compared to rehabbing a bird in a cage.

If you would like, send me a PM and I'll send you my telephone number. Give me a call and we can talk! I'm mentoring 20+ big bird owners at any given time.. lol. I don't mind doing it and it is very rewarding to know I helped make a difference in a birdy's new life (and their owners).

 

[leschornmom]

WOW! Thank you so MUCH! This is exactly the kind of information I was looking for!!! I actually LOVE the idea of going cageless... The only problem is that I have a dog that ALSO likes the idea of them going cageless... if you take my meaning I'm not opposed to figuring out a way to make it happen... It's just a matter of working with all the dynamics involved!
As for the biting being less in a non caged environment! NO KIDING! These guys are funny smart and playful when they are on their perches (we've made three of varying sizes out of PVC piping). But man when they are on/in their cages it's like they've never been touched before! I'm glad I took them to the vet the day after I got them because it forced me to handle them! I never would have known how friendly they are if I hadn't been expected to get the out of the cage for him! But the were good as gold once they were out!
I like the shower idea a lot too! Neither of them knew what to do when I took them to the bathroom sink in one of my many attempts to bring them out of their shell! I just took for granted that they would know what to do... not so much! :/
Well I better head to bed. I'm sure I'll have a million more questions come morning!
One more thing. What kind of diet do you give your birds? I am wanting to stay away from pellet feed, but they really aren't eating most of what is in their feed mix. Thoughts?

 

[nyspy]

I make birdy chop / fresh salads for my birds every day. I grocery shop for my birds first and figure out how to integrate their groceries into my diet. It's actually made me healthier!

If it's fresh, put it in a bowl and let birdy see it. Duke won't eat in front of me. I can come back and the food will be out of the bowl (1/2 of it on the tray under his perch), but he actually ate some.

Birdy will eat IF you leave it for them. There's no guarantee they will eat it in front of you. If they don't go for it right away, don't worry.. If the food is out of the bowl and some on the floor (or even if it looks like a lot of it is on the floor), they were eating.

If you're really worried about it, sprinkle some pine nuts on the food. (or mix it in).

I use harrisons pellets mixed in with their daily salad. They accept the pellets easier that way.

At night, I replace the food bowl with a bowl of fruit. Sometimes a few wedges of orange, sometimes banana, sometimes a piece of pomegranite.. you get the idea.. mix it up!

In my fridge, I always have beans, oranges, pomegranite, coconut, bananas, broccoli, corn, carrots, asparagus, etc. If you're really concerned, make yourself a plate of salad and eat it in front of the bird. Take some salad off your plate and put it in birdy's dish!

Nuts are a daily treat and I always hand feed those. Once you get their trust, you can hand feed a pistachio or pine nut. Walnuts are fun for macaws.

Baby corn and bamboo shoots are a huge treat! They can't get enough of them. Sometimes, but not always.. if I can find FRESH hearts of palm, they get a piece.

 

[nyspy]

Regarding dogs and birds: ALWAYS SUPERVISED! Just keep the birds cageless in their own room. As long as they start to recognize they're safe, they'll come out of their shell.

I really hate to say this, but if the dog is intolerable, I will sometimes let a large bird bite the dog (not in the face and supervised). The dogs usually steer clear of the birds after that. Self preservation seems to be instinctual.. lol.

I once had a situation where a dog kept eyeing an owner's bird like it was fresh meat. The owner held the dog still and the bird bit him in the butt. Doggie never went near the bird again and stopped eyeing him. I know it's horrible, but I know it saved that bird's life in the long run. The two lived (well let's not say in harmony), but they lived together.

If it's a "Bird Dog" you can never leave the two alone.

 

[leschornmom]

HAHA! I was actually thinking of doing that! I assume it's something like biting a toddler that won't stop biting other kiddos.... I have a plan set up for the "bird room". We have an open floor plan in our house so I intend to use special order baby gates to give them a safe area. Other wise, they are DEFINATELY supervised! As much for doggy's safety as theirs.
I actually plan to go back through the first message you sent me so that I can take notes and I'll let you know if I come up with anymore questions for you. Thanks so much for all your help!

 

[Birdman666]

These two are a piece of cake compared to some of the birds I was dealing with. They are not really "problem birds." Their problems were human neglect. If they are already allowing everyone, including kids, to handle them, then they are already tame and probably were well loved at some point in their lives.

They also have each other which helps. Bonded macaws generally cannot be separated. If you try, you get unhappy and angry birds...

Deal with the health issues. But structure the interaction with them. Pattern them. This is when we get up, this is how and what we eat, this is our interaction time, this is the time we play with each other or on our own, this is when we sleep. That's your main job in settling these guys in...

There are lots of people on this board that have done this more than once or twice, and we are all here to help.

 

[Tinker]

Like everyone else has said, thank you for giving these birds a loving home. I noticed in the photos you have made a little outfit to cover the baldy tummy. What a caring thing to do, it will keep her a little warmer. I am sure will they will adjust well to there new home.

 

[MonicaMc]

I haven't read through all the posts....

Just wanted to say that it is unlikely the feathers will regrow if the feather follicles have been damaged. A pelleted diet isn't *bad* for them, per-say, but it still needs to be supplemented with fruits, vegetables, nuts, healthy grains and healthy legumes. If you aren't interested in pellets, why not feed a sprout based diet instead? That or a chop based diet, which a basic chop diet consists of about 30% healthy grains, 15% healthy legumes (making a 'complete' protein - quinoa is also a complete protein by itself), 45% vegetables and 10% fruits. The occasional cooked eggs are also good for them.

The B&G's should have blood work done on them if you haven't already, so you'll know which parts of their diet you need to work on for both.


As far as teaching them how to play with toys, check out these links!
DO-IT-YOURSELF TOY IDEAS
Parrot Enrichment



And wing exercises, I had someone explain this to me as they had a B&G who had a bad wing, and the Dr's didn't think the macaw would be able to fully extend the wing out. Through exercises, she was able to get the macaw to the point that flight was actually capable!

When you stretch out a birds wing, you are really doing a slight rotation of the shoulder. It doesn't go straight out. Start with the good wing. It is most likely pretty stiff, too, from what it sounds. Hold the bird on the hand facing you and take the wing at the elbow ( not the wrist) and gently stretch the wing till you feel the slightest resistance. And hold it there for a couple of seconds. Ease the wing back into position. Do this 3 to 5 times to start. It is ALWAYS better to not go far enough or long enough than to over do it. Even with the good wing, you may not get even 1/2 extension. then do the hurt wing. If the bird favors this wing and flinches, just get her used to your touching it. and over days or weeks she should feel better about letting you get a gentle, supporting hold of the elbow and easing the wing up and out till you feel the slightest resistance. I mean slightest, too. the first time or two ( or ten) just do this slowly, up and down. Eventually, work to holding the wing a second longer or a tiny bit more extended.

Each time you do this, only do it 1 to 5 times and take up to 5 minutes. So the lifts are not close together, give the bird rest time between them. Think of it more like yoga than like leg lifts. Always do it where the bird is warm enough to not get tensed up from the cold and do the good wing first. Afterwards, make sure the bird is not chilled and can move about at will.

At this point. You are working more to stretch the ligaments and tendons and not to beef up the muscles. As the bird gains more mobility, she will be able to build more muscles.
While you are lifting the wings ( even though it is a tiny amount) give it a name "lift' so that as time goes by and the lift gets better and better, you can eventually ask the bird to lift her wings on her own and praise her for more and more extension. I named flapping too. We called it "fly fly" and when she got to the point that she could flap, we would say "flyflyflyfly" till she was done. Eventually, she actually did take off in flight across the room. It was pretty bad, though, because she had really never fledged.

So when this bird gets so she can flap, you will have to teach her to fly.