Scarlet macaw Rita

[Featheredsamurai]

In September I'm going to be bird sitting Rita, a 6-8 month old Scarlet macaw, for 3 weeks while her parronts are on a business trip. Other than watching her I'm going to work on teaching her to step up, try to get her to eat Harrison's pellets, and touch train her.

Her parronts are a wonderful Russian couple who recently moved here from Sydney Australia. They bought Rita from a local backyard breeder who only feeds his breeders seed, and poor Rita was weaned onto seeds and peanuts. I believe Rita is their first bird, and they didn't realize the breeder wasn't good at the time of purchase. They are trying to get her on Roudybush, but she hates it(mine do too lol) and I recommended Harrison's to them. She doesn't step up, or even seem to understand how to step up. I hope I don't get bitten in the process of teaching her, but if it happens it happens. She's pretty small, I assume from malnutrition. But they are determined to change her diet and get her the nutrition and proper care that she needs.


I'm excited, I've never spent time with a large young bird before and I love macaws. I'll start watching her around September 10th, and will be posting lots of photos of her :heart:

 

[MikeyTN]

Rita is beautiful!!!! Perhaps I'll have a Scarlet one day....it would be fun to bird sit her for sure!

 

[GinaF]

What a cutie.
That baby face gets me every time.

Let us know your progress with her. Macaws are fickle creatures and will test your patience. Trust me, Blue is doing it as we speak.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Rita is beautiful!!!! Perhaps I'll have a Scarlet one day....it would be fun to bird sit her for sure!

I'm expecting it will be pretty fun. Birds are always fun no matter their temperament lol

What a cutie.
That baby face gets me every time.

Let us know your progress with her. Macaws are fickle creatures and will test your patience. Trust me, Blue is doing it as we speak.

I LOVE her baby face . And I'll for sure share her progress, I hope she does well. The most important goal is to get her on, or at least have her nibbling on, a better diet. I've interacted with so many adult macaws that a young one is so adorable. While I was talking with her parronts she was dancing and flapping, and trying to say words to get our attention :heart:

How do young macaws differ in behavior compared to adult macaws?

 

[Calace]

Oh she's gorgeous!

 

[JerseyWendy]

This will be a GREAT adventure for you, Ashley!! I can just imagine the owners coming back to a totally different parrot.

How do young macaws differ in behavior compared to adult macaws?

I would say young macaws may lack some confidence and may therefore "test" you more than older ones.

 

[Chesphoto]

Wow, looks like you will be having a fun 3weeks. Rita is so cute!

Sorry I can't give any helpful advice, I have never handled a macaw as young as Rita.

 

[DeeNTheChillas]

Good luck! I love macaws, they're beautiful. Sounds like you will be good for her!

Hopefully you can continue to guide her parronts in the right direction.

 

[Captsteve]

I don't think that they could have picked a better bird sitter!!

 

[Featheredsamurai]

This will be a GREAT adventure for you, Ashley!! I can just imagine the owners coming back to a totally different parrot.

How do young macaws differ in behavior compared to adult macaws?

I would say young macaws may lack some confidence and may therefore "test" you more than older ones.

That would be pretty amazing if they did, I'm actually really happy that I'm watching her for so long this early in her life. From what I saw she was on her way to becoming a hands off bird like Kenji. Although Kenji's improved a lot since I got him he still has a long ways to go, but he's had 20 years to enforce his mind set. Hopefully I'll get Rita and her parronts on a new path to being a hands on bird

Thanks for answering my question, I expect I'll get pinched a few times lol Hopefully she'll stick with that and no deep bites. I learned from y friends blue and gold that if you hesitate he gets a lot of joy learning he can boss you around. XD It would be kind of funny though to have to tell the doctor a bird bit me LOL But not really.... cause it would hurt!

Good luck! I love macaws, they're beautiful. Sounds like you will be good for her!

Hopefully you can continue to guide her parronts in the right direction.

I expect I will, they told me they go on a lot of 3-4 day work trips and want to stay in touch with me for info on good vets and such.

I don't think that they could have picked a better bird sitter!!

Thankyou! They had been going to the Petsmart I used to work at, and a friend of mine has been helping them(She has conures, but is more knowledgeable about reptiles) When they asked about a bird sitter she told them about me. I felt flattered that my friends think so highly of me when it comes to birds/parrots.

Wow, looks like you will be having a fun 3weeks. Rita is so cute!

Sorry I can't give any helpful advice, I have never handled a macaw as young as Rita.

LOL That's how I feel, other than cockatiels I've never been around a bird this young. I'm really excited about working with a bird that will have no risk of hormonal aggression.