Radio Free Blue & Gold: All Gus, all the time.

[wrench13]

Team Gus - I love it! I have an extra stainless tubular bell, if you think he will play with it, let me know if you want it. When I switched over to these from the cheap ones that come on most toys, I kinda over did it; having 4 of these jangling away as Salty plays on his boing and chain is too much!

Good point about where you should be touching Gus while he's in his 'mating' season.
Salty's not old enough yet to feel the hormone rush ( but soon, I think), but my little Maxie would puke and rub his butt on you if you scratched anywhere but the top of his head, when the 'mones were in play.

 

[BeatriceC]

Charlotte weighed only 790g when we got her. She's 880 now. Her vet wants her to be around 900g. She's missing a wing, so being on the low side is okay, but not that low. I also have a problem with her eating enough. I agree that nuts are a good solution, but get the unsalted ones. I also give her a small amount of seed (Goofy's leftovers since he's been weaned off seed, for now) every day. When we first got her, she didn't recognize in-shell nuts as food. I had to teach her how to crack them. Now she does a happy dance when she sees me walking into the room with one, and tries to break into the cabinet where I keep all the bird treats. Depending on how he was treated previously, you might have the same problem.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Mr. Wrench, Rb definitely likes bells!
I would love one of your extras, or the name of where you bought them...

Oh, for crying out loud. I just Googled "stainless tubular bells" and there they are!!!!!

Thanks for giving me the words!

 

[BeatriceC]

Mr. Wrench, Rb definitely likes bells!
I would love one of your extras, or the name of where you bought them...

Oh, for crying out loud. I just Googled "stainless tubular bells" and there they are!!!!!

Thanks for giving me the words!

Charlotte is a big fan of cow bells. She also uses them as a form of communication. We can tell what her mods is by how she's bashing that bell.

 

[Kentuckienne]

Wrench - yer offer be most kind, but I feel that Saint Gail would be a more proper beneficiary, as it were. I ordered me some SS bells what should be coming into port today, and when we see which ones he prefers, we'll fill up his treasure chest with tinkly booty. Don't say that to Rbird.

I offered the brat a several types of nuts today. Some he tossed at once, some he ate at once, he likes the (washed) cashews and the almonds and cares not for walnuts or pecans, so he'll be getting more of what he likes.

He picked off three feathers today during our porch time. I looked at them under the microscope and tried to get photos. It looks to me that two were bitten off, as they have jagged points, and one looks as if he stripped the down from the shaft. I tried to take a photo through the microscope lense but it's hard - the adapter I have fits the iPhone I no longer have, so I had to hold the camera by hand. Barbering is better than plucking, right?

 

[GaleriaGila]

I don't know about barbering, etc., but those photos are amazing.

 

[SilleIN]

I was just scratching Sugar and I just thought of something. It is natural for them to preen, when scratched and not harmful. If Gus is molting, when he starts to preen, down will fall off. As long as he isn't snapping the down, it's actually just a good thing he preens when he is being scratched. This strengthens the bond between you

Thank you!

30% nuts, he doesn't eat nearly so much. He likes the salted cashews SOMEBODY has been giving him...will try him on a bunch of plain nuts to see where to start. Hopefully he won't stop eating the pellets...

The preening...he starts with a normal amount of preening during head scratches, then gets more intense about it...I can hear/feel the feather coming off, and it seems he is biting them off, not pulling them out. It's difficult for him to preen his whole body because his flexibility isn't great. I'll collect all the feathers today to inspect.

Can you feel/see any pin feathers? I found some large feather husks on 3 of Tinos tail feathers. When I started to scratch at them, he lifted his butt towards me to enable me to get at the husks. The vet believes his plucking in part could be in frustration of not being able to free his blood feathers from the husk and that is painful for them. As Tinos plucking started when he lost his mate we believe that the plucking has in part been due to the loss, but also partly because she had helped him to reach the husks on feathers he can't reach.

If Gus has painful husks the plucking could be a substitute for the painful feathers he can't reach. If he doesn't have full mobility, there could be larger areas where he could have pin feathers he can't reach. Just a thought.

Regarding the feather you showed; To me it could be a naturally molted feather. At least that's what Sugars molted feathers look like (I haven't looked at them through a microscope, which could be fun to do). Usually they give a little sound when they pluck the feathers, not when snapping the feathers.

Snapping feathers or plucking them is the same this= plucking.

 

[Kentuckienne]

Gus did have a lot of pin feathers when he arrived - on his head, neck, base of tail. We got most of the de-husked, but maybe there are still some he can't reach because of his deformities. We will check more thoroughly tomorrow! Maybe it's a holdover from the time when they were bad. Before he was rescued he might have been alone in his cage, and if so they might have been a torment to him. We will get to meet his rescuer when he goes for his checkup next month, so I'll ask for more details.

 

[Kentuckienne]

[ame="https://youtu.be/Mht33xmIF1g"]https://youtu.be/Mht33xmIF1g[/ame]

Gus just delighted us by thoroughly enjoying himself thoroughly destroying the latest Dick Blick art catalog. Maybe he thought he was making a nest, or maybe that's what macaws are supposed to do. It didn't make him act hormonal...

 

[SilleIN]

https://youtu.be/Mht33xmIF1g

Gus just delighted us by thoroughly enjoying himself thoroughly destroying the latest Dick Blick art catalog. Maybe he thought he was making a nest, or maybe that's what macaws are supposed to do. It didn't make him act hormonal...

YAAAAY! That's exactly what a parrot is supposed to do

 

[GaleriaGila]

You may as well just start doing all your supply-shopping online!

I loved watching that.

 

[Kentuckienne]

Gus made me sad today. He ripped the paper on his spike to bits, which was good. But then he went around the playtop on his cage, head sideways, and pushed the bits together. When I looked up later, he was sitting down, flat on the cage top. At first I thought maybe he was sick ... but he had made a little nest out of the paper bits.

Maybe this is normal macaw behavior? I mean, I would make myself a comfy bed if I could, so perhaps this is what he would do in the wild. But it seemed sad...here is something part of him knows that he needs and is supposed to do as a healthy adult of 14, and he can't do it. He's pointed like an arrow toward macaw nature, walking straight toward it, and all we do is distract him and point him in another direction with head scratches and treats. How can he ever be really happy with us? He has moments where he seems contented ... fluffy, eyes closed, blissing out on scratches or eating a corn chip. But he can't have the joy of flying with his flock, mating, raising chicks. It seems like a raw deal for him. I don't know if I can make it up to him with stupid toys and cashews.

 

[GaleriaGila]

I think you're doing a wonderful job.
Compared to his pre-rescue situation, your house must seem like Heaven.
Although I do get what you're saying, and feeling. Sometimes I get very wistful and apologetic when I see the Rbird coping with civilization. He would call Civilization a "maggot", given the chance.

 

[SilleIN]

I totally get why you say that. I would though say that he was not born in th wild and even if given the chance to be wild, he would never make it. I feel like saying "if life gives you lemons..." We cannot undo the past and even less a past that someone else have made. We need to focus on what we CAN do something about.

What you can do and are doing is make Gus' life as good as it can be with his past. You are needlessly torturing yourself with those thoughts. Not that they are not valid thoughts, but I think you need to feel better. Gus does not benefit from your feeling bad for his past nor does it benefit you.

We are of course here to lend an ear, whenever you need to vent your frustrations, but please don't let it keep you up at night.

 

[Rival_of_the_Rickeybird]

Well said, SilleIN. I agree with every word. Don't make me come over there, Kentuckienne.

 

[Kentuckienne]

Thank you all. The only other parrot I knew well was Oliver the BFA, and he was so happily bonded to his Hooman that I never felt very sorry for him. He was so energetic and self assured and had no problems asking for what he wanted. Gus is different. Part of it is macaw personality vs amazon personality. Part of it is that Gus has an unknown past, so I mine his behavior for clues to see what makes him happy and what makes him unhappy. When I see him doing something like make a nest, maybe I should feel good that he is able to do something that comforts him. I don't know...it seems right and good to feel some sorrow and pain in the face of what is denied to him. When we allow ourselves to see and feel the suffering around us it's a good thing - the suffering exists whether we see it or not, and denial only hardens the heart. Bearing witness to suffering hurts, but it helps keep the heart open. It reminds me that love and kindness matter. You know that pins-and-needles feeling you get when the blood starts to return to your foot when it has fallen asleep? I think the ache I feel looking at Gus is the compassion starting to return to my heart after I have allowed it to be crowded out by "life".

You are right that it doesn't do any good to wallow in what is denied to Gus. his life is what it is, and there is no going back. He won't ever fly, or be wild, or raise babies but he can be happy. Feeling a little bit sad and guilty helps motivate me to make a little more effort to build him a toy or find things he likes to eat. When he goes to town bopping a toy or shredding a spike of paper, it makes me happy. Sometimes it's hard to tell what his actions mean - is making a paper nest good, because it's natural? Is it bad, because it will stir up emotions that can never be satisfied? I'm grateful for the comments and advice from Team Gus - it helps me make the best guess at what he needs. All I can do is to love him, do my best to meet his needs, and accept that there are things not in my control. Thanks for reminding me to be patient with myself as well, and to wait for things to unfold as they will.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Team Gus is here for you!

 

[SilleIN]

Thank you all. The only other parrot I knew well was Oliver the BFA, and he was so happily bonded to his Hooman that I never felt very sorry for him. He was so energetic and self assured and had no problems asking for what he wanted. Gus is different. Part of it is macaw personality vs amazon personality. Part of it is that Gus has an unknown past, so I mine his behavior for clues to see what makes him happy and what makes him unhappy. When I see him doing something like make a nest, maybe I should feel good that he is able to do something that comforts him. I don't know...it seems right and good to feel some sorrow and pain in the face of what is denied to him. When we allow ourselves to see and feel the suffering around us it's a good thing - the suffering exists whether we see it or not, and denial only hardens the heart. Bearing witness to suffering hurts, but it helps keep the heart open. It reminds me that love and kindness matter. You know that pins-and-needles feeling you get when the blood starts to return to your foot when it has fallen asleep? I think the ache I feel looking at Gus is the compassion starting to return to my heart after I have allowed it to be crowded out by "life".

You are right that it doesn't do any good to wallow in what is denied to Gus. his life is what it is, and there is no going back. He won't ever fly, or be wild, or raise babies but he can be happy. Feeling a little bit sad and guilty helps motivate me to make a little more effort to build him a toy or find things he likes to eat. When he goes to town bopping a toy or shredding a spike of paper, it makes me happy. Sometimes it's hard to tell what his actions mean - is making a paper nest good, because it's natural? Is it bad, because it will stir up emotions that can never be satisfied? I'm grateful for the comments and advice from Team Gus - it helps me make the best guess at what he needs. All I can do is to love him, do my best to meet his needs, and accept that there are things not in my control. Thanks for reminding me to be patient with myself as well, and to wait for things to unfold as they will.

Those are very good questions and I have myself thought a lot about which mating rituals I should let Sugar do and which I need to stop.

As for Sugar he can get really aggressive in protecting a favorite toy. I don't deny him the toy, but I have to take the toy for a month or so if he gets to protective. He then gets another toy and in time he will get protective of that too. I admit in this case, my need to be able to handle my macaw is more important than him having his favorite toy.

He also has to change cages every once in a while or he will get protective of his "nest".

On the other hand he once in a while has a toy, that he protects and makes nests for, but doesn't get agressive. He has had an old pill bottle of mine with 3 chick peas in it for quite a while. He makes the regurgitation motion towards it, but he never actually regurgitate.

I think I draw the line at what is safe for him and for the other occupants of the house. If it is unsafe (attacking or regurgitation) I need to stop the behaviour.

I guess only time will tell if the nesting behaviour is ok or bad. Personally I would let my bird do it and watch him and see if this has any adverse effects down the line.

Sugar doesn't pluck when nesting, but Gus might. Look and see if Gus starts doing something stupid and change the behaviour if it makes his plucking worse.

 

[Kentuckienne]

Regurgitation is the main trouble with Gus. He doesn't bite or lunge, and he isn't territorial about his cage or toys. But he will sit on his cage and regurgitate to nothing, or on top of the cage, or on the perch, and he does it so consistently when Wonder Boy holds him that he is difficult to hold. And he really is bringing up food, not just making the motions, so we are worried that it may cause a health problem.

It is touching....he's offering up the food from his own belly, that he needs to live on....is there a greater love?

 

[GaleriaGila]

Regurgitation is the main trouble with Gus. He doesn't bite or lunge, and he isn't territorial about his cage or toys. But he will sit on his cage and regurgitate to nothing, or on top of the cage, or on the perch, and he does it so consistently when Wonder Boy holds him that he is difficult to hold. And he really is bringing up food, not just making the motions, so we are worried that it may cause a health problem.

It is touching....he's offering up the food from his own belly, that he needs to live on....is there a greater

I never heard that more touchingly described... OMG... now you're making me go wake the Rickeybird up to tell him I love him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!