Should I adopt this three year old ruby macaw? PART 2!!

[GW.Joe]

Well... I messaged the current owner and explained to them my current situation and concern over Rubin's attention screaming. I asked if they'd be willing to try some no-scream training with him and said I'd like to come back and try to get him to step up so we could see how we got along. He got defensive and said his dogs don't mind the screaming, so it shouldn't bother my dogs either, and that the screaming doesn't bother them so they don't think it's a problem. He then told me "good luck finding a quiet macaw" and left it at that.

I really was just trying to express my concern over certain things, not offend anyone. But I feel like attention screaming is different from a random macaw scream, which I would be fine with. My dogs both bark (VERY loudly) whenever people are at the door or walk across our property, but I accept that as a part of dog ownership. But that is different than an animal that screams every time someone leaves the room momentarily. I feel like that behavior, if nurtured, could eventually lead to a bird that screamed every time it wanted a treat, or was jealous that you were spending time with someone else, or anything else under the sun. Am I wrong in this? Isn't attention screaming a problem that most macaw owners want to fix? I'm hoping the owners just got defensive or are just in denial. I'm not ready to give up on finding my dream bird, it just looks like this one wont work out. I think I'll contact a few local rescues and ask them to keep me in mind when new macaws come in. If I could just find a bird who would step up and connect with me, I think it's be a lot easier to think about working on correcting other issues.

Does anyone know of any good rescues and rehabilitators in the metro Atlanta area?

Sounds like that guy is a jerk, Some people feel birds can be loud because of their environment, My family Amazon is the perfect example
For the first 20 years of his life he lived at my dads house, Very noisy environment, kids and dogs running back and forth, playing and screaming, the bird was LOUD and screamed all the time

Later when the bird was passed to me he lived in a calm quiet home, the bird became as calm and quiet as can be, never screamed again for the next 20 years

I have had other birds in my home and when they scream I just whisper to them and they have to quiet down to hear me LOL

 

[Greenclaws]

You are absolutely right, there is a difference and it's a common problem. I've had the same thing with people, they can be really funny about behavior problems and training. Like saying "he's just like that" and "that's how all birds are". Ppl from the rescue would be like that around me and I learned to say nothing because they act like you are telling them how to be a parent. They saw my birds act the way they do and just say nothing. Not "how'd you do that" but more like 'omg I hope she don't try ta learn me nothin'.

The Florida parrot rescue adopts out to Georgia, you can try them.

I still can't response to your PMs
Thanks again for offering to help him find a home. Please keep me posted if anything develops! I still think about him every day

Also, if you send your email in a PM I can email you what they're asking for the adoption fee, although they have less than a month at this point and I'm sure they'd be flexible on the dollar amount.

 

[Tosca]

I think you are doing great with all your questions! My macaw would scream when he was young and would drive all of those in the house crazy. As time went by they came less frequent. Birds scream for a reason. I understand the current owner's comment about finding a quiet macaw because he is right. This bird is young and needs lot of training. If the bird is screaming to be part of the flock, that is understandable. He just needs a place where he can play in the same room with everybody. Keep in mind too that they make excellent watchdogs and will sound the alert when there are intruders when looking out a window or somebody new comes to the door. Macaws will scream for various reasons. It is up to us to decipher what is being communicated. Mine screams at strangers and when he wants to be fed. The screams are different as well as his body language. When you live with a bird you will learn what he trying to communicate.

The seller is going to regret his rude comment when the time comes to move and he still has the bird. Birds do not act the same in different homes or with different people. The seller should have worked with you so the bird could be rehomed. His loss.

 

[Kiwibird]

I know I'm getting in a little late on the discussion here, but so long as all other needs are being met (i.e. the bird isn't screaming because it's lacking a care need) and you are consistent with how you handle screaming, parrots will quickly pick up on the social cues in their environment. In nature, they must be heard across vast ranges of thick rainforest (i.e. must be LOUD). In a domestic home, they only need to make little noises to be heard. Being flock animals, when handled in a way they understand, they will pick up on the fact the flock prefers quieter noises to great big jungle-piercing squawks.

Our amazon was a screamer when we got him, and as renters, we couldn't have an excessively noisy bird. We handled him much like a toddler- he started screaming, he got ignored for a while or just a very quiet "shhh..."(his 'warning'). He STILL didn't take the hint, he was calmly put in his cage and got covered for a few minutes until he calmed down and was then praised/rewarded once he quieted down. We also lavished him with attention over his nice noises. He isn't a stupid animal, he learned in a hurry 'nice' noises got him attention while screaming got him a time out. He has a variety of pleasant vocalizations he makes at a tolerable volume now.

Theres lots of methods out there, so look into all of them before deciding which one seems like the best option for you. Consistency is the #1 factor in teaching a bird anything, so as long as your reaction is predictable, your bird will be able to learn and modify his behavior in such a way it gets him a positive response

 

[LiL_Caity413]

 

[Birdman666]

Have you thought about calling someone like Wendy Craig, and getting a baby, and starting from scratch. Wendy's babies are extensively socialized, and she's one of the best macaw breeders in the US. She is in Texas, but she ships.

Her specialty is red fronts and BTM's. (You might want to look at the Zoe pics before deciding on species!) But she breeds all the big 'uns... One of her greenwings might be the right call for you...

I know there are several people on this forum that have big macs from her. And I have met many of her birds, and they were all exceptional... My girlfriend Rachel had three of her big macs, including a Scarlet, a BTM, and a Red Front.

 

[GW.Joe]

Have you thought about calling someone like Wendy Craig, and getting a baby, and starting from scratch. Wendy's babies are extensively socialized, and she's one of the best macaw breeders in the US. She is in Texas, but she ships.

Her specialty is red fronts and BTM's. (You might want to look at the Zoe pics before deciding on species!) But she breeds all the big 'uns... One of her greenwings might be the right call for you...

I know there are several people on this forum that have big macs from her. And I have met many of her birds, and they were all exceptional... My girlfriend Rachel had three of her big macs, including a Scarlet, a BTM, and a Red Front.

BOOKMARKED For Future BTM Cuddles

 

[Birdman666]

Here's a link to her site. She's got some great insights into large macaw behaviors on her site, AND I PERSONALLY THINK THEY ARE SPOT ON - ALL OF THEM! Check out her greenwing observations!

Incidentally, she is about the only breeder I would trust to get a scarlet from. She understands them so well, and socializes them much better. Notice the freeflight pics, with a Scarlet ON HER SHOULDER... (These are not typically good shoulder birds.) Rachel's Scarlet was a total lap bird. BUT notice what she says about them being the beakiest of the bunch?!

Not that I would actually WANT to take on a Scarlet, BUT... some folks do.

 

[MacawLoverOf3]

BOOKMARKED For Future BTM Cuddles

It is now illegal to sell across state lines the BTM's

 

[Joannr24]

Where is the link?

 

[Birdman666]

BOOKMARKED For Future BTM Cuddles

It is now illegal to sell across state lines the BTM's

Not sure about this one. Pretty sure it's not enforced. Not that I would ever advocate breaking the law. Wendy would know.

 

[Mattroma]

I heard the same thing, from the local parrot shop I get my toys from. Although I've never seen it in writing.

 

[Selestine]

Not sure about this one. Pretty sure it's not enforced. Not that I would ever advocate breaking the law. Wendy would know.

I have been speaking to Wendy about a BTM. She can not ship outside of Texas.

 

[GW.Joe]

I have been speaking to Wendy about a BTM. She can not ship outside of Texas.

I just got an email back from Wendy (the breeder) and she confirms the info

I spent 2 hours researching this and WHY the government would do this (makes no sense since breeders have stopped breeding birds that made it onto this list in the past and the birds are GONE now) I read some info that says its because the animal rights people LOBBYING the government (giving them money)

Very Sad.... in effect it could condemn the bird to extinction

I found out you can go to a breeder and buy one, and then you as a private owner can take the bird wherever you want

But that's not going to help as breeders stop breeding BTMs because they can't sell them as easy

 

[thekarens]

I've read the same thing about crested toos, ie citron and sulphur crested. They can't be sold out of state any more.

 

[Birdman666]

The animal rights activists go too far, and usually don't understand or even consider the unintended consequences of the things they propose...

And PETA is one of the worst offenders, frankly.

One of the things on their hidden agenda is to make it illegal to own parrots. Remember that before sending them a check! (They take the position that ALL parrot ownership, in and of itself, is cruel and "unethical." Like the discussion on this forum the other day.

Now, I don't think that one will ever get passed because there are too many of us out there, and the politicians won't want to piss us off... BUT they can start making it difficult and less profitable to keep certain species, until people just stop breeding them...

And then we are right back to poaching - and the illegal pet trade, as the only way to own one...

 

[MacawLoverOf3]

There is another bill out there that involves 4 Macaws. Even though the US has ESA laws on the books already to prevent importation of birds, these AR groups are behind getting this law pushed through and depending on what state you live in, if your state automatically adopts the ESA laws as is, it will be illegal to OWN Hyacinths, Scarlets, the Great Green and Militaries.

Just how is THAT going to help these endangered species in THEIR OWN COUNTRIES? It isn't, but you have to keep in mind that the ultimate goal of these AR groups is to get all these laws passed to PREVENT us from owning ANY animals.

 

[Birdman666]

You wouldn't happen to know the bill number of that one do you?! I'd like to bombard some legislators with emails over that one...

For starters, they've picked the wrong species...

 

[MacawLoverOf3]

Feds Propose Protecting Four Macaw Species as Endangered

This is an article that gives a little info and at the bottom are the docket numbers. One of the Yahoo groups I am on, the owner of that group went through the different states to try figuring out which states were 'safe' and which ones automatically adopt the ESA laws as is and I live in a state that is not safe.

I know Oregon passed a law in the past that put birds under aviculture so they are safe. Just recently Virginia had a bunch of people to get something on their books protecting the birds so that state was safe.

I haven't seen any talk recently about the status of all this but don't count on it being killed, politicians have other things going on but I fear that it will be pushed by these AR groups and then we are really screwed.

 

[Mattroma]

Artical was from 2012, I assume it wasn't passed.