Rehoming B&G Macaw

[Noelohwell]

I "rescued" Charlie last year. He's a challenge. He was found in a dead woman's home, locked in a back bedroom, in a small dog cage. He was covered in feces and his colors were muted. The deceased's son said Charlie was 31 years old and he didn't know his name. Just that he was cantankerous and very loud.

I can handle him a bit. I have to use a stick most of the time. He allows me to "scratch" him while he's on the stick and through the cage, but he lunges frequently. I just know there is a kind and loving bird in there, but I lack the experience to find him. I'm in Central Virginia.

 

[Flboy]

This has to be hard!

 

[ChristaNL]

:60:
If you are used to an african grey a macaw is something completely different.
(been there, doing that)
So I hear you!


Sorry to read he has not come around as much as he could- mine only started being more parotty a few months ago but was not always very nice to work with for at least 8 months, but she started out as reasonably tame in the first place.... so I can imagine you being at the end of your tether with this guy.

Macaws will lunge (it part of their communication/ they love to bluf) but if a lunge is always followed by a true bite (or even a chomp that does not break the skin but still bruises a lot of tissue) it just is no fun handling that parrot.
(Sunny is not that bad, but I have not had whole, unbroken skin for as long as I 've had her in my house.)



You tried your best- and maybe if you tried another year or so he might turn around, on the other hand if you feel : "this is it, I can do no more" I totally respect that: you know your bird and more important you know you!


I asume your CAV etc. were not much help?
(Sometimes it helps it someone can talk you through certain behaviours and help you cope.)


Anyway- whatever you decide: thank you so much for being there for him when he really needed a home and I hope there will be someone to help you (both) in your journeys ahead!

 

[Noelohwell]

There aren't any true CAV's around here. Rural VA. I was able to find one that would consider seeing avian, but only if they were very tame. So a no go for Charlie.

I had always prided myself on being a "bird" girl. I've always had birds, but Charlie has truly tested me. If I devote hours a day to him, he gets better, but I honestly just don't have the time to do that. Does anybody, honestly?

And between writing my initial post and this reply my husband was just notified that he will likely be laid off...again. I am literally typing this through tears. It's just too much.

I appreciate your response and your lack of judgment. I truly do.

 

[wrench13]

So sad, B&G's so beautiful, and most are charactors with good hearts. If I lived closer I might be tempted.

 

[bug_n_flock]

I and my fiance are in rural Kentucky- not too far from you. I have never had my own Macaw before, but I have worked with a few at the parrot shop and have rescued and/or adopted "previously loved birds" before.... two of which were amazon parrots. Not the same as a macaw, but I figured I would mention them since I currently only have small parrots and didn't want you to think I am without large bird experience... One of the amazons was quite old, and passed away from a stroke. The other I had to rehome when fleeing an abusive domestic situation.


I also am not afraid to ask for advice from those who know more than me, and I am not too prideful to accept that advice or to admit when I am wrong.


I think I would be willing to take him in, or at least to talk to you more and see if we would be a good fit for Charlie.



Does he know the name Charlie? Might be a little confusing at first to juggle 2 Charlies under 1 roof(cat is named Charlie), but I think as far as potential issues go, that one is minor.


I know how sometimes it can seem life just throws at you everything it has got, but hang in there! Some of the best times in my life have come after very, very dark times.



My fiance is going to look for a job outside the home to help us get started, but I stay at home, and the goal is for him eventually to do so also. We own 60+/- acres and want to support ourselves farming and raising "exotic" animals. Parrots(Charlie would be a pet though, and not be bred), reptiles, equines, etc, as well as some traditiinal homesteading type stuff (goat milk soap, hatching eggs and poultry of various ages and types, etc etc etc).


Charlie would start out in the house full time, but we have plans for very large and very nice outdoor aviaries, which he would be free to enjoy in nice weather if he was not afraid. I am currently laid up with a broken foot, and for the next several months, I have nothing *but* time, and would be completely willing to spend that time sitting near and speaking with a frightened or shy bird.



I am no stranger to special needs birds, traumatized birds, or "older" birds. And, not to get too personal, I have personally been thru some dark things and traumas(diagnosed with Post traumatic stress disorder). Charlie's story speaks to me, and my fiance supports me when it comes to birds(just confirmed with him it would be alright to make this offer).


And I know how hard it is to give up a bird. If we end up adopting him from you, we would love to stay in touch to send photos, updates, and to ask questions about his past.



Sent from my phone, please forgive typos or weird formatting.

 

[Noelohwell]

Apologies for my very late response. I tried to PM you, but the system won't let me. Can you PM me?

 

[bug_n_flock]

Ah, I see the issue. You have only made 11 posts on the site, I think PMs open at the 20 post mark. Hmm, I wonder if a kindly mod will come along soon to act as a go-between for us to message...

 

[Squeekmouse]

Bug-N-Flock you are my hero!

I sure hope this works out for all.

 

[bug_n_flock]

I hope so too. Mr. Bug and I are quite excited. We will have to order a few things since all of our toys and accessories are for small birds, with a few exceptions that are for Amazon sized birds. We have some bird toy parts that I could make toys for a large bird from, but these would be shredded in short order(plain pizza boxes and takeout containers, seagrass mats, etc I was planning to stuff with crinkle paper for use in small bird aviaries, but could make these big beak appropriate and of course, order more toys and supplies appropriate for beaks larger than a budgies').

But of course, first we need to make sure we would be a good fit for Charlie. But excitement is in no short supply around here.



From phone


ETA: pizza boxes and takeout containers and popcorn cups are from a bird toy part store, not from leftovers lol

 

[Terry57]

Ah, I see the issue. You have only made 11 posts on the site, I think PMs open at the 20 post mark. Hmm, I wonder if a kindly mod will come along soon to act as a go-between for us to message...

I'd be happy to forward a PM for you!

 

[bug_n_flock]

Sent you an email.

 

[greytness]

I love this! Bug n Flock, reaching out and wanting to bring a complex macaw into your home is commendable!

Noelohwell has mentioned that he improves whenever she's able to put in several hours of work daily. Just want to ask you if this is something you believe you'll honestly be able to do for him moving forward.

 

[bug_n_flock]

Yes, I believe so. The future is impossible to predict, but that is a constant. What is not impossible to predict, is my committment. They say not to get pets as a kid because "what about college", "what about pet-free apartments", "what about this", "what about that". Well, I have had pets and birds since I was very small. I just committed to them. When I went to college the animals were a factor, when I was looking for housing, the animals were a factor, when I was looking at jobs the animals were a factor. I cannot predict what the obsticles of the future will be, but I can predict my committment to the animals. I have never, and will never, consider giving up an animal due to convenience or something like that. Yes, I rehomed Heshe(BFA) and Adrian(Peach Faced Lovebird) when I moved once, but that was due to needing to get out of a situation that literally would have ended up costing me my life. My parents took me in, but said that the only bird I could bring with me was Alex. It still haunts me, and we are still trying to think about if it would be possible to try and buy Heshe back from the person who has him now.



That said, God willing my future looks pretty stable from where I am sitting. I am 28, engaged to be married, own land with no close neighbors, plan to work around the farm rather than outside the home, and I am dedicated to the animals in my care. Genuinely, if I am home(99% of the time I am), I have a bird on me. Right now my bird time is split between Alex and the budgies because Alex is in quarantine, but that only goes until the 18th of May, and then I can share my time with the small beaks, and Charlie can have one on one time the other 50% of my time. First because he will be in quarantine, and then because a B&G is a bazillion and a half times bigger than a budgie or a tiel, and having him out with the little beaks just seems to be begging for trouble.


Yes there will be kids in our future, but that does not change our committment to the animals in our care. We look forward to bringing up our future children to be just as animal crazy as we are, in supervised age-appropriate ways that are fun and safe for the kids and the animals. I've had birds since I was 8 years old, and have always known that whatever I did with my life, wherever I ended up, birds would always be a major part of that life.

 

[greytness]

He will be so lucky to have you! Can't wait to read all about your new journey with him.

 

[BeachComberNC]

Did you find a home??

 

[bug_n_flock]

Yes. The bird formerly known as Charlie now lives with my husband and I and is much loved and spoiled. Thank you for checking up to be sure (s)he was rehomed alright.