Traumatized Rescue Macaw

[JackalopeVigil]

I've recently begun volunteering at an exotic bird rescue and we have a new macaw that came from a hoarder. He has been treated for illnesses and is no longer physically sick, but all he does is sit on his perch with his head bend over and shake one of his arms. The other volunteers are having no luck with rehabilitating him and believe that he is so traumatized that he won't be able to be adopted. We are a no kill, but I don't want him to live the rest of his life in the adoption center. I would like to do everything in my power to help with his mental instabilities so he can be adopted and experience a real loving home. What can I do? He does not respond to treats and become paralyzed if you try to touch him. No noise. He doesn't scream or pluck. He's just frozen and shaking his one arm.

 

[Christinenc2000]

Adopt him. With the intention of keeping him and providing him with a forever home.

 

[Birdman666]

I've recently begun volunteering at an exotic bird rescue and we have a new macaw that came from a hoarder. He has been treated for illnesses and is no longer physically sick, but all he does is sit on his perch with his head bend over and shake one of his arms. The other volunteers are having no luck with rehabilitating him and believe that he is so traumatized that he won't be able to be adopted. We are a no kill, but I don't want him to live the rest of his life in the adoption center. I would like to do everything in my power to help with his mental instabilities so he can be adopted and experience a real loving home. What can I do? He does not respond to treats and become paralyzed if you try to touch him. No noise. He doesn't scream or pluck. He's just frozen and shaking his one arm.

Hoarders do the worst damage sometimes...

Well, that's a sign of significant trauma, and also a sign that he simply doesn't know what to do now. If I were there, that bird would be on my lap. Even if it meant toweling him to get him there. He'd be getting touched all over, until he learned that no one was going to hurt him. Sane person, same routine every single day. Let him get into the flow of things again by giving him structure.

This bird has tremendous fear, and trust was betrayed.

BUT the good news is he isn't "attacky" and biting, like so many of them get after going through something like that. And he isn't running away. Which is the sign of a very docile temperment. Sounds like he could be a really good bird if you work with him. This bird is "fixable" someone just has to take the time to sit down with him.

Is he a plucker?! Usually when they are that far gone, they're plucking...

If not, then he's not all that far gone. He's just still in shock from all he went through.

Teach him to trust again, then play games... tap into the "macaw goofy." Possibly using another macaw who's already got the goofy attention oriented stuff going on in spades... let him learn from that bird.

They don't turn around as fast if they don't get handled.

Anyway, that's my two cents.

 

[Mariar]

Makes me want to adopt that poor baby right now!! People who do things like this to birds..any animal for that matter should be punished with the same act they committed ..please keep us updated. Makes me sad.

 

[Flboy]

Please keep us updated!

 

[Kiwibird]

I agree with Birdman. Take it upon yourself to give him some extra special attention each and every day you're there (possibly with the intention of bringing him home yourself). I would personally just pull up a chair and sit near his cage (as close as I could) and just talk softly to him for maybe 10 minutes every time you are at the shelter. Make sure you are talking at him, and only him, so he knows you have come to give him special attention over all the other birds. After a while, start bringing over some food, and eat it right in front of him, while talking at him and (play it up a bit) clearly enjoying the food (fruit, veggies, some unsalted nuts would all be good). It may not be the first day or even the first week (if he's that traumatized), but eventually he WILL want some of that food you're making such a big deal about (allowing you the opportunity to slowly and calmly hand him some through the bars and give him some gentle verbal praise) and WILL finally approach you because for the past 3 weeks you've came and visited him regularly, made him feel special (whether he shows it or not) and haven't hurt him yet.

To give some perspective on how long these animals can take to start re-building trust with a human again when they have been thoroughly traumatized by prior owners- my bird took the better part of a YEAR to really start building momentum in learning to step up and exploring the apartment. It took several years to get him interested in nutritious food and to get him feeling safe enough to sit in your lap and play with a toy. Last summer, he was finally ready to start going out in public and seeing the wider world. After over 6 years in a loving home (really within the last 6 months), he has finally began allowing me to kiss his head and back (no petting still), finally earned shoulder privileges and has started enjoying crawling up my hubbies shirt and letting him handle him around the body a bit. I expect we will continue making progress with him If you are willing to put in the time and effort, even the ones who appear 'beyond hope' will eventually come around. I also have to say, it sounds to me like you really feel a connection to this bird and have a spot in your heart for him. Have you considered, after some work with him at the shelter, adopting him yourself? Sometimes a certain individual just "speaks" to us and even if they are cowering in the back of the cage or ready to amputate a limb, we know they are our avian soulmate There are a lot of "diamonds in the rough" floating around out there disguised as the kinds of birds no one in their right mind would want. All they want is someone willing to unconditionally love and care for them.