Things you don't think about when you get a mac

[thekarens]

I have a fair amount of large mac experience, but you just don't think about some things when you don't have one in the house. My sennies are more like a 10 year old. They play on their cages, play area, etc with little or no supervision needed and they only need the occasionally cuddle and scritch and they are perfectly happy with that.

"Nameless" as I'm calling her until the DNA comes in and my partner makes up her mind would be perfectly happy to sit with you 24/7. When I got home yesterday I let all the birds out and started my normal routine, changing, putting stuff up etc. and then I usually sit on the couch for 10/15 minutes and cuddle the sennies. Well, Nameless wasn't having any of that. First she flies around the room and back to her cage. She's an amazing flier considering it's obvious she had previously been clipped. When that didn't work she flew to the couch and then to my head. That got my attention. I went ahead and put the sennies back on the top of their cages and cuddled Nameless for a bit. She shoved her head in the crook of my arm and fell asleep. I kid you not, if I hadn't been holding her snugly she would have tipped right over and fallen. I had a "puddle" of macaw in my arms.

Macs really are like 2 year olds, always on the move, into something and you have to watch them like a hawk. It's going to take some adjusting to at our house, not to mention some training. At this point I'm pretty sure she's training us, not the other way around.

 

[labell]

Oh my goodness, how adorable, would love to see a pic of that. I am sure it will take some time for the Karen's to be fully trained but I'm sure nameless is up to the job!

 

[Birdman666]

:54:I am NOT going to say I told you so... Simply not going to do it! Nope!:54:

Yes, they are. They are the most toddler like of all of them, and you raise them the same way you would a human toddler, with boundary setting, and loving guidance. They are easier to train than you think, but permissive parenting is not good with these guys.

The two best fliers of all of them are RFM's and BTM's. They can actually hover and change directions in flight. Absolutely amazing...

As for attention oriented, when Sweepea was just a baby, I was trying to watch a football game when she wanted my attention. So, she flew to the front of the tv, and stood there with her wings open, blocking my view. So I went and got her. Then she plopped over on my arms, exactly the same way you described, into a mushy pile of feathers in the crook of my arm, and sat and watched the game with me...

"Macaw training" is about 60-40. Sometimes you train them, sometimes they train you. Eventually, if you're patient, you reach a happy place.

And like I said, these little guys are among my very favorites.

SO, Welcome to the mush mac club! It's an amazing club to be in...

Looks like I may need to post "Nobody told me" again...

 

[GW.Joe]

Very Sweet Story, thanks for sharin, I could just picture it based on some of your pics, When do I get to Macsit?

 

[Birdman666]

NOBODY EVER TOLD ME ...

A Poem by Lori Zywiciel

I had hints, I had advice, I had cautions, but nobody told me how owning birds would completely take over my life.

Nobody told me I'd become a bird store junky, standing at the checkout counter in bliss until half way home and then wondering just how long it would be before the Visa came in or husband asked for the check book to balance the account.

Nobody told me my husband would say, "I think you ought to stay away from the bird store. You seem to have lost all control".

Hmmmm ... Me? How did this happen?

Nobody told me when I saw a particular cage for $595.00 I might think wow that IS a good deal. Or when someone mentioned a $4,000.00 cage I could see the reason some people might need a cage like that.

Nobody told me that I would be up at 7:00am on Sunday morning peeling yams and apples to cook so they would be added into a corn meal and wheat cereal mash.

Nobody told me I wouldn't mind when feeding that mash to my bird he would head shake his head with that mixture flying in every direction, on to my carpet, on to my clothes, on to my face.

Nobody told me how much money I would spend on food, how much of it I would buy and just how little my birds would like any of it.

Nobody mentioned that once you own birds you need an extra freezer in the garage.

Nobody told me that I would spend an hour standing with my hand on a tree branch watching for hawks so my bird could hang out in the sun and chew new buds.

Nobody told me I would be on the computer at all hours talking and reading about birds.

Nobody told me I would make friends I will never see and that I would worry about them and theirs as if family.

Nobody told me I would check my son's bed for old or damaged stuffed animals to give to the bird like that stuffed cat. He never really liked it and it is missing a leg anyway.

Nobody told me I would do two extra loads of laundry a week with bird towels and sheets. Nobody told me every morning I would put a sheet over my covers, litter my bed with weird wooden things, stuffed animals, leather pieces, apple slices and peanuts.

Nobody told me just how much he would squawk. Nobody told me I would come to hear differences in the tone and shrillness. Nobody told me I not only could tell the difference but would learn when to respond or that my husband would say it's okay, this is his good morning happy time he will settle down.

Nobody could have known that my husband would say, so he squawks it is less and less the kids will deal with it.

Nobody told me I could play with him like I do. That he would chase me and I would chase him. That he would be just as exuberant as a puppy.

Nobody told me my husband would rather snuggle with the bird in the morning than make his bagel.

Nobody told my husband would make an extra half a bagel to share with the birds.

Nobody could have convinced me that this same husband would agree to shower with the birds in the bathroom (for the steam) and then without urging, could be heard to play peek-a-boo while drying off.

Nobody told me how much I would sing out loud. Nobody could have guessed those songs would be golden oldies like You Are My Sunshine or songs from musicals.

Nobody told how excited I would get to come home after 6 hrs. and see seed thrown all over the place. Yea! He ate while I was gone.

Nobody told me that I would not resent vacuuming twice a day to clean up the mess he made while eating alone. Nobody told me how my heart would tighten when I got home today after being gone for six hours and took my squawking baby out.

Nobody told me how I would feel when sooo tired I put out a sheet on the floor, put toys all over, grabbed a pillow for me, lay down and my birdy only wanted to snuggle with me.

Nobody told me how it would feel to have a little bird body across your chest and neck, little head on your cheek. I was not told how soft his kisses would be or how warm his face was as he fell asleep on my cheek cooing softly.

Nobody told me how long I would lay there awake so he could sleep.

Everybody told me I would love him. Nobody could tell me how much.

[Lori lives in the mountains of Southern California. Her flock currently includes a red fronted macaw, an amazon and a Maxi pionus with an African grey coming soon. Lori's family also includes a husband who loves the birds, two teenage sons and five dogs. This poem of course, was inspired by the red fronted macaw... ]

 

[thekarens]

I wish I had had a video. It would have been a great shot labell.

Beautiful poem birdman. Thank you for sharing it.

Joe, any time you're in the Houston area you're more than welcome to visit and to mac sit We're already rearranging s schedules to accommodate the new queen. Tonight we'd normally be gone all evening for a club meeting but my partner is going to stay home. Otherwise she wouldn't get any time out. In sure she would survive one night, but we don't want her to have to for this event. Besides, it will give them time to bond without me there. Nameless is starting to have a tendency to come to me instead of her mommy and that's not making mommy happy.

 

[Birdman666]

I wish I had had a video. It would have been a great shot labell.

Beautiful poem birdman. Thank you for sharing it.

Joe, any time you're in the Houston area you're more than welcome to visit and to mac sit We're already rearranging s schedules to accommodate the new queen. Tonight we'd normally be gone all evening for a club meeting but my partner is going to stay home. Otherwise she wouldn't get any time out. In sure she would survive one night, but we don't want her to have to for this event. Besides, it will give them time to bond without me there. Nameless is starting to have a tendency to come to me instead of her mommy and that's not making mommy happy.

That's actually probably a good idea. They are pair bond birds, but if both of you spend quality 1 on 1 time with her, she'll be equally mushy with both of you... These little guys are playahaulics and cuddle bugs.

Just don't inadvertently train the bird to attention scream!!! Structure the interaction sooner rather than later... just like toddlers, they need structure.

 

[thekarens]

Very good advice! She's been quiet for the most part and we definitely do not need a screaming Mac.

 

[Birdman666]

Best way to stop that stuff is to prevent it from ever happening in the first place... they really are easy birds to train. Unfortunately, they are just as easy to "accidentally" train.

 

[thekarens]

Best way to stop that stuff is to prevent it from ever happening in the first place... they really are easy birds to train. Unfortunately, they are just as easy to "accidentally" train.

I'm pretty sure he accidental training was occuring last night. When she (I keep saying she because that's what we're hoping for) would fly to me and I thought it was so cute that I would spend time snuggling. That's got to stop and we've got to teach her to play independently and fly when we call, though I don't have a problem with play flying like when she just made a loop around the living room and then back to her cage. We plan on getting a harness and a leash too so she can do some outside flying.

 

[Birdman666]

One of the problems I had with those two that I bird sat was that they had been held way too much...

Problem being, they didn't self entertain very well and wanted to be held all the time. (And when THEY GOT HELD, MY TWO BECAME JEALOUS AND WANTED TO BE HELD ERGO FOUR AT A TIME FOR A FRIGGIN' WEEK! Try getting anything done! Just not happening... )

Best way to do this is structured interaction. I generally have a playstand nearby, with a big toy on it. This is cuddle time with me. This is the out time on your playstand with your toy. This is your cage time. They are creatures of habit. Flock activites are structured. This is where and when we roost. This is where and when we forage. This is where and when we preen. Give them a structure, and they will follow it.

Don't give them a structure, they will give you one!!!

Seriously, best advice! Once it is in place, the birds themselves will set the routine. You don't have to do anything at that point. And they don't attention scream, because this isn't my time to be held, and I know that. But I also know it's almost time... and I also know when time's up, and it means time is up. Play on my own now.

 

[thekarens]

Thanks Mark, I'll start working on it asap before it becomes a problem.

However, I really wish I could see you trying to hold onto 4 macs

 

[Birdman666]

Thanks Mark, I'll start working on it asap before it becomes a problem.

However, I really wish I could see you trying to hold onto 4 macs

Those are posted already somewhere... I just forget where.

BTM RFM B&G & GWM - FULL FRIGGIN' WEEK! DON'T SET ME DOWN...

I finally got Maggie to play in the tree for a little while, but the rest of them were having none of it! WE ARE LAP BIRDS!!! V-E-L-C-R-O!!!

WORSE, THE LITTLE BTM FIGURED OUT HOW TO OPEN HER CAGE, AND CLIMB THE STAIRS! So, put me down, lock me up. Doesn't matter. Boomerang! Comin' right back at cha'

What I learned that week, was ONE MORE BIG MAC WOULD BE ONE TOO MANY!

My flock is perfectly well behaved structured as it is. One more bird upsets the apple cart. [Even though I still want two more - a HY and a BTM!]

Edit: Found it! http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/44797-birdman666-s-pictures.html

That little thing on my shoulder/pressed up against the side of my face MIGHT look vaguely familar. That one was still hand feeding at the time.

 

[thekarens]

That is too freaking precious!

 

[Birdman666]

That is too freaking precious!

Remind you of anyone you know and love?!

They're pretty much all like that!!! I've never played with a BTM (or RFM) that wasn't. The biggest thing about them is that they are sometimes too smart for their own good!

 

[MacawLoverOf3]

Thanks for posting that poem, never saw that before and love it.

I have to admit I have two 25 ft chest freezers. I buy my supply of nuts in the fall when they are harvested as I don't like the idea of buying from a warehouse type setting that you know is not air conditioned and you know that type setting attracts mice. If they are frozen they will be fresher and nothing is crawling in there.

 

[Birdman666]

Actually, the woman who wrote that, her little red front and mine are related...

Same breeder, same parents. Same playful mushy pile of feathers...

 

[Birdman666]

That is too freaking precious!

Did you see that photo of the Hyacinth macaw breeder? (It's in the post about appropriate Hy cages.) I wanna be THAT GUY!

A friend of mine breeds Hys. I remember sitting down with eight of them on the couch one time... "socializing them." I was "helping out." That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

 

[thekarens]

That is too freaking precious!

Did you see that photo of the Hyacinth macaw breeder? (It's in the post about appropriate Hy cages.) I wanna be THAT GUY!

A friend of mine breeds Hys. I remember sitting down with eight of them on the couch one time... "socializing them." I was "helping out." That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

I did see that At one of our local stores they have a Hy that I always spend time with when I go in for supplies.

 

[Birdman666]

That is too freaking precious!

Did you see that photo of the Hyacinth macaw breeder? (It's in the post about appropriate Hy cages.) I wanna be THAT GUY!

A friend of mine breeds Hys. I remember sitting down with eight of them on the couch one time... "socializing them." I was "helping out." That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

I did see that At one of our local stores they have a Hy that I always spend time with when I go in for supplies.

IT WOULD BE HARD NOT TO... IN FACT, I'D PROBABLY BE MAKING EXCUSES ABOUT NEEDING SUPPLIES JUST TO PLAY WITH HIM...

Okay, you caught me. I didn't really need anything except a big blue fix...