New parrot owners

[strokedmaro]

Hello! My family and I bought a 5 year old blue and gold Macaw (no adoptions available) about a week ago and the experience so far has been pretty good. His first owner passed away and he was caged for an unknown period of time until we bought him so not much physical contact. In the short time we have had him he has bonded to my wife and I differently and my kids (6 and 8) steer clear at the moment but interact with treats and reading books to him because he can be a little bite-y. Here is the short hand of it so far:

Day one he was frightened (obviously) with a new house, family and cage. He was on a straight seed diet and now enjoys different veggies and fruits which he took to immediately for breakfast and a good pellet throughout the day. He loves it. We left the cage door open so he was free to go on top or inside when ever he wanted. He started warming up to my wife first by stepping up. Now he will only ever step up to her from the cage. If she has him he will step up to me grudgingly...I can tell he doesn't want to but he does it anyway.

However, I'm the only one that can cuddle him...seems very strange. He will press himself to the cage and let me touch and rub him for hours if I wanted but nips at anyone else. He gave me a few good bites the first couple days but today I kind of lost my fear and he will put my fingers in his mouth and play with them carefully.

We are really enjoying this new experience and hope with a lot of TLC he will interact with everyone appropriately! We are looking forward to clicker and target training when he's ready and to learn a lot from forums and videos. Any advice on things to make his transition easier? THANK YOU!

 

[Flboy]

Welcome to you! Socialize, socialize,socialize! Search out threads by Birdman666! Look for a game called, pass the birdie!

 

[EllenD]

Welcome to our community!!! And congrats on your new baby! Be sure to post some photos of him...and what's his name?

It sounds like he's coming around, just keep in-mind that a week is no time at all for a new parrot in your home, especially an adult parrot from a home where he wasn't given much, if any attention or interaction. It's always going to be a marathon instead of a sprint when it comes to adopted adult birds coming around to everyone, becoming comfortable in their new environment and with their new routines, diets, schedules, people, etc. For many people in your situation, who adopt a 5 year-old Macaw who wasn't given much attention at all in it's prior home and that was locked inside it's cage 24/7, it can literally take months and months to even years for the new owners to just get the bird to simply step-up to anyone, or to come out of it's cage. So it sounds like you're way ahead of the curve and doing very well. Just keep spending as much time as you can with him, and that means everyone in the house, even if they can't handle him or have him out of his cage with them, doing things like you mentioned your kids are doing like reading to him through his cage, talking to him gently through the cage, having the entire family simply sit in the same room as him and talk to him and each other, so he is able to get used to everyone and so that he starts to realize that this is his "family" now, and that everyone loves each other and does things together, etc., these are all things that will help him to settle-in, become comfortable, and come out of his shell...

Also, I don't know where in your home you have his main-cage located, but if it's possible for you to locate it in the "main" room of your home, the room where the "action" in the house is, the room where the people who live in the house spend most of their time when they're at home, that's where you want to put his main-cage. Not only will that ensure that he's not in a situation where he's in a "spare" or "back" room and can hear that people are home but not see them (this can cause great distress and usually results in screaming), but it will also help the process of him settling-in and becoming accustomed to being around many different people at all times. Even if you're not directly interacting with him but simply in the same room as him while he's inside of his cage or on his play-stand while you're watching TV, reading, playing video games, eating your meals together, talking with each other as a family, playing with the kids, etc., just having him inside of his cage in the same room where all of these "family" activities and interactions are going on will be priceless to his socialization and bonding with all members of the family. It will also bring him a feeling of comfort, security, safety, and calmness that will no-doubt encourage him to start entertaining himself while inside his cage, by playing with his toys or doing foraging activities inside of his cage. It's nearly impossible to get a parrot with the intelligence of a 4 year-old child to entertain themselves in their cages when their cage is located in a room alone, and where they can hear that people of the house are at home but he can't see them, and he's not a part of the "action". That's why most birds kept in that type of situation (usually their cage is put into a spare-bedroom) end-up screaming constantly and also developing feather-destructive behaviors. If you truly do everything you can to make him a part of your family and "include him" in everything you do when you are at home, he'll come out of his shell, open-up to everyone in the house, and feel safe and secure in his new home (by "include him" I simply mean having him/his cage in the room of the house where the people who live there spend most of their time, not necessarily actually including him in what you're doing, that's the nice thing, just locating his cage in your living room, family room, TV room, den, etc., whatever room the "action" of the house takes place, is enough, you don't always have to be directly interacting with him for him to feel included)...Also, having his cage in the room of the house where friends and family who come over to your home usually spend their time (again, it's usually the living room, family room, etc.) and just having as many people as possible simply walk back and forth past his cage will help tremendously to socialize him. He's probably not been included in much activity or even been in the presence of his prior family or other people very often at all, so he needs all of the exposure to people he can get.

Again, it sounds like you guys are already doing very, very well, and it sounds like he's already very happy. It's not at all uncommon for them to immediately choose one particular person who they automatically trust or feel most comfortable with, and there are many possible reasons why they choose the person they do, you'll never really know why he chose you right away, but the fact is that he did...Keep in-mind that this may change at any time in the future, depending on what type of bonds he forms with others in the house, as well as things like hormones, events that may occur in the future, etc.

 

[Scott]

Welcome to you and your B&G. Macaws are frequently among the more "responsible" users of beaks. Always exceptions, and the potential for harm exists. His interactions with your family are interesting, but keep in mind the "honeymoon" phase lasts for several weeks. Now is the time for intensive socialization!

A few favorite threads: http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/56384-big-beak-o-phobes-guide-understanding-macaw-beaks.html

 

[Amsterdam]

Hi im new too awesome story you have

 

[GaleriaGila]

Welcome!
THANK YOU for rescuing this worthy bird!
Wonderful input above!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm so glad you're here.

 

[noodles123]

Welcome and glad you are here.

Do you know about Teflon/PTFOA/PTFE (and all of the places it hides?)---If so, I will spare you.
Also, any cleaners etc (unless avian approved) are a no-go (aside from vinegar+water)

No candles, hairspray (if it has a smell and isn't avian safe, don't use it) etc etc..

And sleep matters...10-12 hours (And up to 14) in most species...14 isn't the norm, but I know it can be for cockatoos (my parrot).

Finally- be careful about how you pet him and Google sexual behavior in birds. It is really easy to give them the wrong idea (via certain cage-accessories, physicality, encouraging "cute" sexual behavior etc, but it can lead to all sorts of aggression and health issues). Basically, most parrots are programmed to mate with one other bird..and you could easily be that "bird" (birds will bond with at least 1 person either way---I am just saying that you need to be very aware, as things could shift from friends, to mates in your bird's brain---and not because of anything you said, other than that he prefers you). Any sexy behavior (including regurgitation) should be kindly but promptly redirected to a (non-sexual) toy or distraction---while minimizing physical contact during the "incident". With many parrots, under-wing scratching, heat to tail petting etc is overly stimulating...as is covering under blankets or hanging out in tightly enclosed dark spaces. I know with my bird, the head is the only semi-safe place for nonsexual touching.

I feel like I have to say all of that, because so many people don't know (I didn't know when I was a kid and we got our first bird, and neither did my parents).

Anyway, happy to provide more info if you need it.

Otherwise, patience will be your best friend and enjoy your time on the forum! So many great people here! You sounds like you are making GREAT progress.
Oh- one other thing--- try not to over-indulge your bird with attention, unless you can sustain this attention for a long time (they can get upset when it is reduced significantly and it has been part of their expectation/routine).

 

[ChristaNL]

I love your adoption.
Use the time where he is still unsure about his new surroundings to implement a routine that will stick.

Sorry about the biting, but macaws (actually most parrots) will test their boundries.
(yup, the nips)

It's get he can be handled -> you can build on that.
They love their flock

btw: I had the same thing over and over again here: let go of the fear of receiving a bite... no more bites! You are doing great.

Best of luck with your new familymember.
You are in for so much fun.

 

[strokedmaro]

Thank you all for the great advice! Here are a few pictures of Neo:

http://imgur.com/a/Zc8b2qz

 

[Scott]

Thank you all for the great advice! Here are a few pictures of Neo:

http://imgur.com/a/Zc8b2qz

Thanks for the pics, Neo is a stunner!!