Ruthie is friendly again and getting better

[blackhawk007]

As some of you know, we have had Ruthie for 45 days now. The first week was great. She had remained the super sweet Mac that we had known from the rescue. After that she started testing us for a few weeks. She started to get kinda pushy and started trying to nip a bit. With help from many books, the internet and many of you, we did our best to work with her in the most positive way we could. That seems to have paid off. She has been calming down so well and is more of a joy than we have ever seen.

We quickly figured out that I need to be the first to handle her each day, if only for a few seconds. By doing it this way we can both interact with her just fine. But if Jenna is the first to interact with her then I would not be able to go near her at all or she would attack me.

Now I can pretty much do anything with her again. As you will see below she actually lets me inspect her feathers. One big key may have been that we found out she loves music. She does not sing to it. But she does sway, bob her head, and move her beak as if she is singing. This seems to calm her quite a bit, as you will see in the second video. Very handy if she gets over stimulated. Sorry I had to play a youtube song over the original audio on that due to copyright rules. So if you want to hear what she is hearing just start playing Garth Brooks "The River" right when you hit play.


[ame=http://youtu.be/gs2wAgbbBQk]Ruby macaw being sweet. - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://youtu.be/JmZkv5baljA]Ruby Macaw dancing to music. - YouTube[/ame]

While I'm here I figured I would toss in a few pics that I recently took of both birds. Both of them seemed to have started molting on the same day.

Any idea what the black rings might be on her feathers? It almost looks like a burn of some sort, because its on several different layers of feathers. Its also in a perfect circular pattern shen she sits straight.

What? I'm just hanging out.

Teka

Lavender head feathers...1/2 closed inner eye lid.

HI!

Trying out my new net!

 

[Jtbirds]

They look so happy! It's great. The black feathers are older feathers she will molt my bluffons macaw boo gets that kinda look right before he molts them. Some will say it is stress marks but I find that to be untrue as stress marks are usually just the tips of the feathers on the chest or back. So I'd be willing to say it is the same sceanrio as my boo

 

[ConureCrazy]

Yay! Glad everything has been going great!

And the feathers are beautiful! What will you do with them? I have bunches I use for jewelery, haha.

 

[Pinkbirdy]

Nice pictures!! I wish my macaw liked to dance. I didnt realize you just had her 45 days I find [and its about the 2 month mark] that my birds ,rescues and babys seem to take that long [to adjust to their home] I see a pretty big difference from day one to day sixty.

 

[blackhawk007]

Nice pictures!! I wish my macaw liked to dance. I didnt realize you just had her 45 days I find [and its about the 2 month mark] that my birds ,rescues and babys seem to take that long [to adjust to their home] I see a pretty big difference from day one to day sixty.

We had known Ruthie for several weeks prior to deciding to give her a new home. At one point we went up to visit her at a huge pet show. The rescue had her on hand to educate people on rescued parrots. We saw her meet and be handled by so many strangers. She was very sweet with every one of them. She remained this way the first week she was with us. Then it seemed that she knew she would be sticking around for a bit and decided to test us out.

I decided to try and make her think I was there to protect her. She still shivers when I first walk into the bird room. But after a few min with her she to realize that I wont hurt her and that she is safe under my wing. Its been working out really well and has just been getting way better every day. Jenna on the other hand, is her best friend. The place just explodes with excitement when Ruthie gets to see her face for the first time each day. This has been that way between them since day 1. Since Ruthie is primarily Jenna's friend I don't mind that I have to work with her a bit to get up to that level with her. I say this because Jenna has not been able to successfully handle many birds. Ruthie is the first one that she has had total success with and it just happens to be one of the biggest birds that Jenna has worked with. Very odd, but its perfect.

 

[blackhawk007]

Yay! Glad everything has been going great!

And the feathers are beautiful! What will you do with them? I have bunches I use for jewelery, haha.

For now we are going to hold on to them. At first I thought cat toys. But quickly reminded myself that it likely teach the cats to chew on the birds, so that option will never happen. Though the closest they get to each other is through the bars on the cage, still not happening.

 

[Pinkbirdy]

Nice pictures!! I wish my macaw liked to dance. I didnt realize you just had her 45 days I find [and its about the 2 month mark] that my birds ,rescues and babys seem to take that long [to adjust to their home] I see a pretty big difference from day one to day sixty.

We had known Ruthie for several weeks prior to deciding to give her a new home. At one point we went up to visit her at a huge pet show. The rescue had her on hand to educate people on rescued parrots. We saw her meet and be handled by so many strangers. She was very sweet with every one of them. She remained this way the first week she was with us. Then it seemed that she knew she would be sticking around for a bit and decided to test us out.

I decided to try and make her think I was there to protect her. She still shivers when I first walk into the bird room. But after a few min with her she to realize that I wont hurt her and that she is safe under my wing. Its been working out really well and has just been getting way better every day. Jenna on the other hand, is her best friend. The place just explodes with excitement when Ruthie gets to see her face for the first time each day. This has been that way between them since day 1. Since Ruthie is primarily Jenna's friend I don't mind that I have to work with her a bit to get up to that level with her. I say this because Jenna has not been able to successfully handle many birds. Ruthie is the first one that she has had total success with and it just happens to be one of the biggest birds that Jenna has worked with. Very odd, but its perfect.

Same at are house ,Harlow loves me to death but Dave has been able to win her over too. Were excited cause shes decided to like my 13 year old . Harlow was on top of her cage [I wish I filmed this] climbed off her cage to the couch [where my daughter was] climbed up her legs and got on top of her laptop [which isnt the best spot cause Harlows a big girl] leaned over to Julias face and said Hi BABE [LOL] They can be won over I guess it just takes time.

 

[blackhawk007]

I finally got a video of her stepping up out of her cage. She is doing so well.

[ame=http://youtu.be/2u-eW_omOkE]Ruby Macaw stepping out of her cage - YouTube[/ame]

 

[JerseyWendy]

What an AWESOME video, Steve!!!

Ruthie is SO gentle with you, giving you scritches and all. She's truly come a LONG long way. She is SO beautiful, too, and has obviously gotten bigger (weight wise).

Now I insist you translate the Morse Code conversation the two of you had going on there for a while.

 

[Pinkbirdy]

She looks like she might be your girl Look at that !! You can tell with the carefulness [of you both] there was alot of trust training Ha HA Wendy I thought the same thing [I couldnt make out what their saying ]

 

[blackhawk007]

Yeah, one of the things she likes to do is click her beak, and she gets excited when we do it back to her.

 

[wenz2712]

Steve.. I love your signature

 

[blackhawk007]

Steve.. I love your signature

It was a very well thought out and designed gift from JerseyWendy. I agree she does great work!

 

[wenz2712]

Steve.. I love your signature

It was a very well thought out and designed gift from JerseyWendy. I agree she does great work!

WOW!! Well done Wendy It is stunning!