The GW Is Coming Home Next Week!

[Blancaej]

Hi Everyone,

I am very excited to report that my visit with Sinbad (greenwing macaw) went well yesterday! She is in very good health & she showed no clear signs of being an aggressive bird. So we made it official yesterday and will pick her up next Tuesday!

Now I have to get my house ready. We are thinking about changing her name to Savannah. She is 18 years old (she turns 19 in June) and I'm not sure it's even possible. When they adopted Sinbad they thought he was a boy until 9 years ago she laid an egg. So I thought it was time to make her feel like the pretty girl she is and give her a new name to go with her new life. Anyone else had any luck changing a rehomed birds name.

Also, her cage is smaller then I like for a large Macaw. We are definitely going to get her a large cage but I was wondering if we should stick to her old cage for a couple of weeks before transitioning her to a new one or should we just put her in the new cage right away?

I have attached some photos. Thanks for reading!

 

[antoinette]

Congrats for taking in Sinbad
How exciting

Good luck

 

[ShellyBorg]

I renamed a TAG with great success. A move to a new home is the best time to do this.

 

[Blancaej]

Antionette - Thanks! We are very excited!

Shelly - That is great news! I a hopeful that we can change her name successfully!

 

[Grinder]

Congrats. She looks amazing!

 

[Blancaej]

Thanks Grinder!

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I am always against changing a name, she had the name Sinbad(which is a good name, it's not like it was sugar baby or something stupid) for 19 years, changing her name so it's a girls name is you thinking as a human, birds don't care if they have a male or female name but names do mean something to them. They even have names in the wild. I think a birds name should only ever be changed if said name was used in a abusive way, such as the bird being verbally abused and the name being yelled meanly at them.

Changing the name will only benifit you, not Sinbad. Please rethink your decision.

 

[Blancaej]

I will think about that! Thanks for the input. I hadn't thought of it that way before.

 

[Greenwing]

Good looking bird..Congrats...Savannah does seem more appropriate for the young lady...

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Glad I could help with another view point

Also, the photos are beautifull. Did interview several people? I'm excited that they picked you and I can't wait to see her photos as she's settling in

 

[Blancaej]

Copperarabian - They talked to a couple of people before me and it didn't pan out. I own a candy store and I bring Quincy to work with me. Some customers came in last week and we got to talking and they told me they were trying to find a home for their Green Wing. So I thought about it, talked to my husband and here we are!

I am very excited they picked us. They seemed very happy with their choice to let her come home with me! Especially the owners husband. When we told him where she would be housed and more about her living conditions. He was very pleased!

 

[Blancaej]

Greenwing - Thanks! I really don't care for the name Sinbad. But I will still consider what Copper said.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

With Kinji who I recently adopted they had several people scheduled to meet him, and their blue and good macaw, throughout the week. After they picked they brought their birds and helped to get each one settled into their new home. I think it helped a lot to have them bring Kenji and let him know everything was ok rather than me picking him up and bringing him home. Are they going to do that with the green wing?

 

[Blancaej]

Copper - The problem is they live over 2 hours away. But I will suggest it and see what they say. I think that is a great suggestion!

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Oh wow, that is a bit of a drive. You could offer to help pay for gas if they are interested in doing that. Kinji's parronts only live 30 minutes away, it was there decision to bring both birds to their new home and I could tell it was very hard for them to leave them.

 

[noblemacaw]

Congrats with adopting your 18 year old greenwing! What a beautiful girl too. As for changing the name I understand Copper's side of things on that. 18 years is a long time to be called one name then to go to a new home and be called something else. I have heard of people slowly changing the name starting out with using the old name with the new one then over time dropping the old name as she gets use to you and begins to respond to the new one.

Valentino my RFM I got as a baby from the breeder. Once the breeder had the chicks DNA and finally a male was hatched she began calling him Valentino the day she knew which chick was going to be mine (Valentino was the only male hatched with three pairs laying last year) When I picked him up at the airport and called out his name he called back to me. I sang softly to him all the way home in the car using his name and I believe that helped keep some familiarity between leaving his only home to transitioning to mine. Now if I suddenly wanted to call him a different name I think it might of confused the baby and maybe stressed him out more than he was already with the flight and leaving the breeders home.

I am in the process of adopting a 7 year old Noble macaw named Sir John. Lupe wants to change his name to Julio. Sir John and Julio do not even sound similar so that would be a HUGE change for the little parrot. I told Lupe about his history about the male in the house verbally abusing Sir John so maybe it would be okay to change it because of that BUT I need to learn if his name was changed in rescue or did he come into rescue with the name Sir John. The rescue might of changed his name because of the verbal abuse. That will determine how his name will be changed. Personally I will be calling him Sir John or John when I am working with settling him in and training him. I will slowly start using Julio like a nick name of endearment like some people use My Love or Baby. My Illiger's macaw Diego's nick name was Panson and he knew and responded to both names. My Noble macaw Mihijo nick names were "The Boy", Chiplie, Skittles, and I am sure more that I can't think of right now. He lived to be almost 18 years so he had quite a few nick names. The nick names were used in certain situations and parrots are smart enough to know you are talking to them with that special name. Lupe will call Valentino "the Kraken," "Giant Parrot," "Squeaker" and I will sometimes call him "Plumpy." During training I only call him Valentino or Tino which he responds to both but he also knows the other names are his too.

I think over time Savannah could be your special love name for your greenwing as she bonds to your family and over time will look forward to being called by her special loving name that you call her. Probably during the adjustment period and training you might want to still use Sinbad.

I know Valentino turns to mush when I sing the song I sang to him during that ride home from the airport. I will sing the song when he seems upset or stressed but mostly I sing it during our quite times together for bonding.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Great advice noblemacaw! Using the name as a term of endearment is a great idea. My only variation for Rosie's name is Rosie-posey lol I pretty much just call her by her name.

 

[noblemacaw]

Thanks Copper. I think since Blanca is not that keen on the name Sinbad for her girl Greenwing calling her Sinbad/Savh, or Sinbad/Savannah could work for a while until she responds with excitement for just Savannah. Its kind of a mouth full but the bird will soon learn she is loved by whatever they call her. I find its all in the tone of voice used when interacting with the parrot.

When I have Valentino snuggled in my arms on his back and I am kissing his face calling him "my fatty" or "My big plumpy" in a tone of pure love he literately sucks it all in and responds with his baby squeaks. I think Blanca and her family will eventually get their greenwing girl to respond positivity to what ever they call her. It is just going to take some time and adjustment.

 

[Blancaej]

Noblemacaw - Thank you for all the advice. I think you said it well! I was planning on still calling her Sinbad, especially during the transition period and use Savannah as well to ease her into that name. We don't hate Sinbad and I don't mind using it, but I would like to be able to call her Savannah, too! If we never end up giving up Sinbad all together, I am ok with that. I know that after 18 years she is going to be used to her name.

I love how you are talking about using it as a name of endearment. I just can just see myself saying "My sweet little Savannah girl". We all have fun nick names for our pets. Quincy we call Quincy Poo, Buddy & Sweetie! Oh, and my 6 year old daughter calls him puffy. LOL!

It was never my intention to change her name outright and never call her Sinbad again. I just really think Savannah suits her and want to officially name her that when I talk to friends and family.

I will keep in mind using Sinbad when training her. I think that is a great idea and I think she will respond better that way. Like you said, I think as long as she is well loved and cared for, she will be happy with what ever we call her.

Thanks again!

 

[Bird_Mom_to_Coby_the_GW]

What a beautiful girl Sinbad is!!! Congratulations on your new feathered friend. In my opinion you can never go wrong with a GW. I love GWs, they have the most wonderful personalities.