Ohhh boy

[cd4565]

From what i have understood the younger macaws are rough on their feathers especially the tail feathers at least mine is. My GW Huey is 14 months now and on his second set of feathers and they look great but i am sure he will ruffle them up too as he is careless when he plays and climbs. A good shower helps them not be so ratty looking.

 

[sssaucey]

Thanks once he's mine, he will get plenty of showers well if he likes them lol

 

[Mike]

I wouldn't worry about the tattered look of the tail feathers. Just assume they're that way because he's playfull and because his cage might be a bit too constricting. Make sure that when you bring him home that you're bringing him to a larger cage in which his playfullness doesn't damage his tail feathers quite as much.

Concerning your first visit with him, I wouldn't get in a hurry to have him step up. Plan on spending a few hours with the current owner and try to get the bird to choose you. It isn't good to force the bird to step up when he might be a bit afraid of you. Remember that you're probably 10X his height, and 50X his weight. Your very presence will be intimidating to him. I know his beak looks dangerous, but imagine how you must appear to him.

Wear a long sleeve shirt in case his claws are sharp. You might even want to take a pair of golfing gloves if you think he might be a bit nippy. Golf gloves are made from a very soft and thin leather. Remember that jerking your hand away both startles the bird as well as reinforces the bird's aggessive behavior. You're better off letting him learn early that lunging and nipping will not change your behavior. Having the long sleeve shirt and the gloves will keep you from getting hurt during the process. Once he's learned that lunging and nipping don't work on you, you will be able to handle the bird safely without the accoutrements.

 

[sssaucey]

Thanks, I plan on taking it slow with him I want his first time meeting me to be pleasant for him. I'm going to bring some nutriberries with me to make the meeting more interesting for him haha. Do you think that's a good idea?

 

[Sulphiria]

Oh how exciting. He is a very pretty boy! I second everything Mike said. These guys *loves* to lunge and taste and can be very beaky. Make sure you never approach him if you're fearful, he will eat it up. And be prepared to let him at least taste you. Take your time and build some trust first. Can't wait to hear how things go!

 

[sssaucey]

Ya I will have to make sure I'm not afraid of him when I see him, it's easy to be just excited and happy when your not faced with his beak haha.

but I'm sure with patience everything will be good *fingers crossed*

 

[Mike]

Mardy won't touch Nutriberries. Take unsalted sun flower seeds. Birds love those.

 

[sssaucey]

I'm meeting him tomorrow so hopefully everything goes good!!!
Thanks everyone I'll let you know how things go when I get back

 

[luvmytooo]

Pine nuts ? Small bits of apple ?
Let us know how it goes

 

[sssaucey]

I'm leaving to see him in just a couple of hours, and I will be logged on here as soon as I'm back haha

 

[Mayden]

Weee, exciting! keep us updated

 

[Sulphiria]

Mardy won't touch Nutriberries. Take unsalted sun flower seeds. Birds love those.

Thats the one thing ours wont eat, nutriberries. And the sunflower seeds he seems to have a hard time with for some reason, they seem too small for his big beak, lol.

Try pistachios or peanuts.

 

[sssaucey]

Ohh boy is a good title for this!!! So the elderly man is extremely hard to talk to on the phone and in person. He doesn't hear well and he seems to have a hard time understanding my questions. He would like my help with some things around his house which I don't mind ,but I told him when he first asked me that I am bad with home repairs(not being lazy, but I would prob do more damage lol). He still wants me to do things that I have never done. Today was just supposed to be meet the bird day, but as soon as I get there he shows me where to get his lawnmower and where he wants me to use it. It feels like there's a language barrier, it's very hard for me to get my point across to him. So I did cut his grass for him(ruined my new shoes).

sorry venting for the non bird part lol

So I meet the bird and he does over preen his wing and his tail and he's extremely beaky. He doesn't have a cage and lives on a stand. I meet his parents and my heart breaks. One of the pair has been sick for a long time and seems to have problems breathing and is weak. The other is very healthy looking compared to the other and defends his mate when I walked in the room(I didn't go near these birds because I saw from a distance that the one has something wrong with it).

Now I'm nervous about taking him, If I do I have to buy a cage(which is fine) but I want to take him to the vet asap even though he has just been.
Also if I do take him I'm bringing Jewels to my grandmothers house so she won't catch anything from him.

sorry for the long post but I'm venting!!!

 

[Sulphiria]

Situations like that can be rough, and heartbreaking. At least he is trying to reach out and get some help from someone.

 

[sssaucey]

I honestly don't think he's intentionally neglecting them ,but I still feel horrible for the pair.

I think I'm still gonna take him, he doesn't step up and he's a little to beaky but I think it's because he doesn't have any toys that he can beat up on.

 

[Mike]

Oh, my. I lost my Mother a couple of years ago when she was about the same age as the elderly gentleman you've been dealing with. Life can get confusing for them at that age.

Sounds like the gentleman owner might be a bit confused. He might have confused you with someone else he's talked to about doing his lawn. You might want to ask him if he has any local relatives and let them know that he needs attention.

I wouldn't worry about the bird not having a cage. I sometimes wonder why I continually put Mardy in her cage each night. If I didn't use the room after her bedtime I probably would just let her sleep on her playground.

I hope you do take the bird. I'm concerned about the elderly gentleman, but I'm also concerned that the bird may not get the care it needs from the gentleman. You might want to contact a local rescue and suggest they talk to the gentleman about taking in his breeding pair. Sounds like they may need help as well.

 

[sssaucey]

The only people that would be able to do anything is the spca, I may end up calling them.

I'm not sure if what ever the female GW is suffering from is contagious, because it looks like she's been sick for a long time and none of the other birds seem to be effected. Not even her mate who shares the same cage with her.

I wish I could let him stay on a stand but with 2 cats that would attack him if they got the chance he would be safer in a cage.

 

[luvmytooo]

Oh, my. I lost my Mother a couple of years ago when she was about the same age as the elderly gentleman you've been dealing with. Life can get confusing for them at that age.

Sounds like the gentleman owner might be a bit confused. He might have confused you with someone else he's talked to about doing his lawn. You might want to ask him if he has any local relatives and let them know that he needs attention.

I wouldn't worry about the bird not having a cage. I sometimes wonder why I continually put Mardy in her cage each night. If I didn't use the room after her bedtime I probably would just let her sleep on her playground.

I hope you do take the bird. I'm concerned about the elderly gentleman, but I'm also concerned that the bird may not get the care it needs from the gentleman. You might want to contact a local rescue and suggest they talk to the gentleman about taking in his breeding pair. Sounds like they may need help as well.

I would try to see if the owner has any family or relatives .
It's a touchy subject with the older folk when you talk about someone
( a total stranger ) coming in and making sure he has his meals , bathes , etc...
Maybe someone he knows can talk to him about letting nursing care
come in and help him with everyday things.
He will hopefully let someone else take the other birds and he gets the
care he might so desperately need .
Him alone and possibly being s little confused at times is a recipe
for disaster.
I nursed my mother back to health after she had a brain aneurysm .
She needed to learn everything and didn't want to go to a facility
that would help her with all this , so I moved back in , I was married to
my first hubby at the time . I refused to put her into a rehab against
her will , so we had them come to her. It was a long road , but she is
back to health and it's like nothing ever happened
Even though she has two more aneurysms that are inoperable , they
shouldn't affect her for the rest of her life. I found her the first time ,
I couldn't even bare it again. Let me tell you about fear when I call
her and she doesn't answer the phone !!
I live only 50 miles away , but still , my heart just stops...
So , this older man needs to be looked after him. JMO.

 

[sssaucey]

I'm just gonna try asking him some questions when I go, and see if he has anyone else that helps him other than me. I told him I wouldn't be able to do it for a long time, but that I would help when I was able to get a ride down there.


He said he wants to keep him for a little while longer(couple of months)to train him ,but I'm going to ask if I can have him soon.

I would like to have him here with me for most of the summer.

 

[luvmytooo]

I dont blame you. ! I would want him it of there ASAP !
You may not get anything out of him as of
family , but does he have any neighbors ? Maybe just stop
by and see if they know anything. You aren't responsible for him
honey , I dont want you to feel like that , just maybe put a word in to
the town precinct , maybe they can send someone over to talk to him.
If the ASPCA is called , then they will contact the proper authorities as well.

Off that subject , do you have any idea what you will name
your new baby?