New here and need some help!

[Therush]

Hey guys an gals this will be my first post here been looking around and this seems like the right community for me! I'm an owner of 2 blue and gold macaws named lucky and blue.
Anyways I need some help gona give you the whole story. Lucky is my girlfriends macaw he's 31 years old and is a big problem. I believe the right word would be "over bonded" he's been her family pet for all these years but u put until the past 5-6 years he's been a nasty aggressive bird with everyone except her. He completely adores her and will do anything for her attention. I've been trying to work with him for the past 6 months an have made little to no progress all I can get outta him is to perch on a stick an take treats from me. Anythingg else would result in a band aid or worse. An I'm not talking about a normal bite he bites to hurt me he grabs an locks on an doesn't let go I have to pry his beak open. It's so frustrating that I can't get through to him because his life could be so much better if he'd just give me a little bit of trust.
So I decided lets get another macaw so he can see me handle another bird an maybe this will trigger something... So I recently rescued blue who is a little nervous still but he trusts me but lucky scares him so it's been trouble having them both out together.
Any and all advice is welcome I want to help lucky become social again he's such a beautiful and playful bird he doesn't have to love me like he does my girlfriend I jus want to be able to handle him without him wanting to take my fingers off. Thanks

 

[Flboy]

One word, Birdman666! Search out his threads!

 

[Therush]

Thanks will do!

 

[getwozzy]

Mark (birdman) is a busy guy, and there are plenty of other experienced Mac owners here that can help you out-- just give them time to see your thread [emoji41]

My opinion is that you need to work with him when your gf is not around--- out of sight and hearing-- have her go shopping so you can spend quality time with lucky. He's over-bonded with her and he needs to understand that you're not so bad either....

Find some super special treats (like pine nuts) and use those ONLY when you're working with him. Start slowly and take baby steps, because this may take a while. He will call your bluff, but don't let him get to you otherwise he'll know he can control you. Macs have the same mindset as a human toddler, and this toddler needs to know he can't act unruly.

If you're uncomfortable taking him out of his cage on your own, just sit next to his cage (gf is gone) and read him a book or "share" a snack with him. Do this every day.....

I'm sure others will be along to give you more advice, but that's my two cents

 

[JerseyWendy]

One word, Birdman666! Search out his threads!

Thanks for the confidence in the rest of the big mac owners....... :54:

 

[JerseyWendy]

Welcome to the forums, Therush!

Big macs are pair bond birds, and it truly sounds like Lucky's chosen 'mate' has been your GF - and for MANY years already. Now that doesn't mean it's acceptable that he delivers painful bites to everyone else, including you.

Shirre (getwozzy) has already given you outstanding advice when she said to work with him while your GF is out of sight and out of sound.

We need a little more info on Lucky though. Is he clipped? How much time does he spend outside of his cage, and where does he spend that time? Does he have a designated play area?

When working with Lucky I'd recommend doing it away from his cage, perhaps an area where he's not all that familiar and/or comfortable. He will look for YOU for comfort then.

Treats go a looong way. So do voice commands. These big guys are incredibly smart, and the evil eye can go a long way, along with a stern "NO BITE" or "KNOCK IT OFF".

Again, don't attempt any training or snuggle sessions while your GF is around, as I'm afraid that won't end on a happy note (for you). :54:

Lastly, the new macaw, Blue, is he a confirmed male? Since Lucky is already so strongly bonded to your GF, he may possibly conceive Blue as a threat - and that wouldn't have a happy ending for Blue.

 

[Anansi]

Excellent advice by both Shirre and Wendy, and I agree wholeheartedly. Just remember that it will take some time, but with patience and consistency these methods should make quite a bit of difference.

 

[Birdman666]

I did a disfavored person training post on this awhile back. Do a search. Not sure where it is.

Overbonding also includes territorial disputes over "my person" stay away from her! Which may be the dynamic here.

 

[Therush]

Lucky is not clipped and as to having him out by myself it's possible and I've done it a few times but he won't come near me. Hell just stand in the corner of the room with his feathers raised an doing his big bad bird lunges at me so I can't really work with him on socializing. By no means will be approach me unless it's to attack and I wouldn't mind so much but he's really out to hurt me it's not just a bite its multiple bites an he holds on. When I'm by his cage he's constantly attacking through the cage as well. My gf works odd hours so he's not on a schedule to when he gets to come out or not either.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Try and get him to step up onto a branch/dowel that is long enough so he can't get to you. Have a towel in the other hand JUST in case he makes a run for your face. By all means, never swat at him or hit him with the towel. The towel is simply there to protect your flesh.

Once he's up on the branch, go into a different area of the house, preferably one he isn't all that familiar with and place him on the back of a chair. It's easier to work with them when they're about chest height, if you know what I mean.

Has any training be done with him at all over all these years? If not, it's never too late to start.

What about Blue? Do you know the sex with certainty?

 

[Flboy]

I beleave this is what Birdman666 was referring to:

"Disfavored Person Behavior Mods.
Put a training perch in a neutral room (a room that your bird is not or less familiar with)
Using the “step up” command have the preferred person take the bird from its cage and to the training perch
After the preferred person leaves that area (out of sight and no voice heard), have the less preferred person enter the area and sit and talk to the bird calmly
Be animated and expressive and use the bird’s name often.
Using the command “step up” in an assertive fashion, have the bird step up onto your hand
If successful, praise and compliment
If not successful, scowl and give a brief disapproving look and say it again and insist on the step up
Repeat for a minimum of ten minutes (make it as fun as possible, keep the energy level low if stressed)
End with a calm conversation using the bird’s name and lots of praise. At the end of the session, the favored person comes in and returns the bird to its cage and rewards it.

If the bird is not at all tame with the disfavored person, then do the basic taming and training exercises described in the birdbites protocol. Twice a day for two weeks should see marked improvement for most disfavored person behavior troubles."

(Thanks Mark!)

 

[Betrisher]

I'm a huge believer in shameless bribery. I've dealt with a number of recalcitrant birds including SC2s and my current wicked old Galah. It's pretty simple to simply sit and spend time by the cage, poking an irresistible treat through the wire and teaching birdie to enjoy it. Start with something long like a millet spray or a stick of celery and then gradually shorten the distance until you're handing birdie his treats from your hand. This is the point at which you open the door and start offering 'long' treats again inside the cage. Again, shorten the treat until birdie will take the food from your hand. If he falters or bites, go back to a longer treat until he's happy with the set-up.

During this time, you need to find out what his ultra-most-favourite-in-the-whole-world food is. This is the one you use for rewarding good behaviour. My own birds love sunflower seeds, so that's what I use for training. I managed to turn Dominic the Galah from being a pink winged flesh-eating demon into a fairly well-mannered and respectable birdie citizen by using this method. Mind you, it took a very long time, but it worked in the end and I now have a bird I can handle pretty much in any way I want. It's all about building trust and allowing the bird an escape route from being forced to perform against his will.

Best of luck with your bird and please don't hesitate to ask your questions here. We'll all chime in with help where we can!