Tell the truth

[Christinenc2000]

Full on Macaw beak has a hold of you first time . When ?

BB has nipped now and then but Today was the full Fingers in the beak and he actually had beak around my wrist tonight. No pressure just holding. After that it was LETS PLAY he would grab my shirt pull me in and just nip the hell out of me. NEVER hurting just pressure.

Laugh if you want but it takes trust on both sides. NOT just the Birds. I did not trust him until tonight. I've had him for a year and we have played but for me to allow him to hold my finger in his beak NOPE until tonight I did not trust him. He has never bite me and broke the skin. Bruised yes but that is all.

Guys I can't tell you how good it feels to fully trust him Sorry if this is all over the place. I am so excited.

 

[chris-md]

It's an amazing feeling. Not a macaw obviously, Parker for sure taught me HOW to trust him. Sounds odd but it's absolutely true. The first time you bridge that trust...there's nothing like that feeling.

 

[Birdman666]

Actually, believe it or not it was a Hyacinth. I was fascinated by him, and got way too close. The next thing I knew he had grabbed my shirt and was standing on my chest...

I played with that bird for about two hours. And at the end of it, when I went to put him back?! I'd been adopted. BOTH FEET AND HIS BEAK HOLDING ON TO MY ARM FOR DEAR LIFE... GOOD LUCK SETTING ME DOWN, CUZ I AIN'T MOVING AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!

(Fortunately, he could be bribed!)

THAT was my introduction to large macaws as an adult... I've pretty much been hooked ever since!

 

[Birdman666]

Laugh if you want but it takes trust on both sides. NOT just the Birds. I did not trust him until tonight. I've had him for a year and we have played but for me to allow him to hold my finger in his beak NOPE until tonight I did not trust him. He has never bite me and broke the skin. Bruised yes but that is all.

ABSOLUTELY IT DOES! And there are no shortcuts. You EARN this! BOTH OF YOU... and that's part of what makes it so very special...

And at the moment, for me, so very missed!

As this becomes your way of life...

I remember how much you were struggling with this bird when you got him... PAID OFF BIG TIME, THOUGH... AND IT USUALLY DOES. Most folks just don't do the work, so they don't get the rewards. And how many prior owners had given up on him? And how long was he cage bound?

You should be excited, and you should be proud...

 

[JerseyWendy]

Both Niko and Ripley have done it. Since I was already used to Niko doing it (and he CAN be a stinker and pretend to forget the beak pressure training he's received), I didn't think too much of it when Ripley put my entire wrist in his beak. :52: He LOVES holding parts of my body in his beak for some reason.

Initially I closed my eyes, told him 'easy big boy', and then hoped I wouldn't lose a digit or require flaps of skin needing suturing. :32: Ripley's good - 99% of the time. He's never broken the skin (too much), but he DID puncture my nail well over a year ago, which was quite unpleasant.

Niko earned himself a new nickname though. The Bruiser! No fun when a big mac goes through puberty. :54:

 

[Christinenc2000]

I am proud and Yes I did struggle. My first bird and I get a Macaw rescue . Not the Ideal choice.

After typing this thread he climbed in my lap for another preening session. Stinker would pinch my skin Not hard just hold it and look at me. I never moved he let go and said OUCH then pinched again and held . I grabbed his foot and said OUCH This went on for 20 minutes both of us grabbing letting go and saying ouch. Silly Macaw games I LOVE IT.

 

[Birdman666]

I am proud and Yes I did struggle. My first bird and I get a Macaw rescue . Not the Ideal choice.

Actually, I disagree. I think it was the ideal choice... BECAUSE LOOK HOW IT TURNED OUT. If it hadn't been for you, this bird would still be rotting, unhandled, and unhandlable, and passed on from owner to owner... and now? He's a lifetime companion bird! SO THIS COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE IDEAL IN MY EYES!!!

It's not where you start that counts... AND YOU JUST WAIT, BECAUSE YOU'RE REALLY STILL JUST GETTING STARTED... BB'S GOT LOTS MORE TO SHOW YOU!!! You're getting to the good stuff!

Trust me.

Maggie was THAT for me.

 

[ChrisDooley]

My Harlequin is gradually teaching me to trust him. (2 months in)

He mostly threatens and pokes at me when he is "finished" with an activity. The early cold sweat fear the first couple of times he did it has been replaced with confidence. He could bite me if he wanted. He doesn't bite me because I listen. If we have a battle of wills it doesn't involve his beak, it involves my patience. Step up is not an option... I will wait you out. I will even look the other way so that any threat display wont work.

So the other day he ran across his cage and clicked his beak into my glasses. People in the room were stunned. The bird tried to eat your eyeball? I looked at him and he was bobbing his head. I bobbed my head. He was joking around. I got the joke. He knows what glasses are already. He is 9 years old. I'm sure he has snatched glasses off before. He was testing me and giving me a lesson. Keep my head up and pay attention.

I got a lot of help from older posts here about keeping my eyes wide open and not backing down. That advice was imperative to how far we have come in 2 months. He communicates and I listen. That is where it begins.

CD