Update on Nala with a questions, kinda

[markallan]

Update on Nala with a questions, kinda
Sorry this is so long but I wanted to provide as many details as I could.

We recently adopted Nala a 6 year old Blue & Gold Macaw, that was in need of a new home. I’m not new to Macaws but I have been away for a while, as my last B&G (Chloe) stayed with my ex wife and daughters due to the close bond they had. Please keep in mind Nala has new humans, new location (our house) a new cage, a new sleeping cage.

Wow, it’s only been 2 weeks and she has been amazing. We have had some small heralds to navigate but with great progress. She’s still kinda quite, not a loud Macaw by any means, just the occasional scream.

For the first week and a half when we would try to get her out of the cage she would squawk and lunge at us but we showed no fear. We soon found out that is was just a scare tactic on her part she would not actually bite. Now all is good, no squawking or lunging, she just steps up with the “UP” command and its the same if she’s on top of her cage or perch stand, she just steps up for both my Fiancee and I.

She was on a terrible diet when we got her, lots of human junk food and sunflower seeds. It took her a while but we now have her on a custom blend of dried fruits and vegetables a few seeds, zupreem fruit blend pellets, Walnuts, Almonds, Hazelnuts, Nutri-Berries. She also gets fresh fruits like bananas, oranges, grapes, apples and so on. Her eating habits have gotten a lot better. I still don’t think she drinks enough out of her water bowl (at least from what I see). She does however drink a lot directly from the sink, which she loves to do.

Here’s what we kinda question.
So far she’s been friendly to others, like my mom, my daughter (both of which do not live with us and she been friendly to friends that have come over, meaning that she lets others pet and rub her.

She is very affectionate to both my Fiancee and I, we can both pet and rub her all over. All three of us lay in bed together or on the floor and she loves the attention. But here’s where it’s different for my Fiancee and I.

With me she’s a total cuddle bug, very quiet and very calm with lots of soft gentle kisses.

My Fiancee can go up to the cage or the stand and get her to dance or do the head bob up and down real fast and then sometimes Nala with even put her foot in her beak and do the head bob. Napa with also talk more with my Fiancee saying Hi or Hello and make fun growling noises and sometimes even does a pirate Arrrrrrrr….. Nala just seems more animated and playful with my Fiancee. One concern with my Fiancee is when Nala is on her shoulder Nala will not lunge, but will kinda hit my Fiancee’s cheek or lips kinda quick, but not aggressive and she has never bitten. My Fiancee usually responds with a firm “NO” and taps or pushes her on the beak with an index finger. I think we need to correct this so that Nala does not accidentally injure my Fiancee. Nala will give my Fiancee soft and gentle kisses.

Does this sound like a concern or any thoughts on correcting this. How do I get Nala to be more playful and talkative with me, like she is with my Fiancee?

 

[Kentuckienne]

If it helps....it's only been two weeks and things will probably change. The first day our rescue B&G, Gus, was with us he let me scratch him, let us pick him up, was just a little angel. Turns out there is this thing called "parrot honeymoon" where they are especially good because they are in unfamiliar territory. We wanted Gus to bond more to my husband, so I didn't hold him quite as much and he interacted more. At first Gus was pretty even with both of us, then he began to prefer Boy. Regurgitated for him constantly. Wants to make a nest. Gets really wiggy about chewing papers and scraping them around the cage top. Bit me quite well a couple times. But then I've been gone a lot this year, away for two or three weeks at a time. So, maybe don't read too much into current behavior and both of you interact and hold and preen and play with him as much as you can, Nala will be fine! Good luck to all three of you!

 

[Scott]

Thanks for a nicely detailed synopsis of Nala's progress! More rather than less is helpful!

Macaws are incredibly complex and intelligent parrots! Nala has made great progress but is still relatively new and there are facets of her personality yet to surface. I would highly recommend, however, you restrain Nala from contact with your fiancée's face. The potential for an unwanted escalation of the "beaking" behavior to something catastrophic is very real and nearly irreversible.

A priceless link from the Macaw section! http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/56384-big-beak-o-phobes-guide-understanding-macaw-beaks.html

The benefits of a healthier diet will take some time to manifest, but you are on the right track!

 

[markallan]

Thanks for all the info. My fiancée started wearing safety glasses as a precaution. But now we are just keeping Nala off Rhonda's (my fiancée's) shoulder, however Nala still likes to climb up. So I've taught Rhonda how to hold her are so that Nala can not climb up to her shoulder.

 

[Kentuckienne]

Oh, Gus rushes right for the shoulder. I read somewhere, maybe Sally Blanchard's book, to hold up my hand between him and the shoulder before he gets to the elbow, and it works! Once he's on the wrist, if I hold my arm up or wrist up it keeps him there. It's like magic! He also lunges at J's glasses which makes my heart stop a little. J says it's nothing but if I'm there Gus has to go back to perch or cage immediately. He smacks his beak right up against the lens.

 

[JBassset]

Oh, Gus rushes right for the shoulder. I read somewhere, maybe Sally Blanchard's book, to hold up my hand between him and the shoulder before he gets to the elbow, and it works! Once he's on the wrist, if I hold my arm up or wrist up it keeps him there. It's like magic! He also lunges at J's glasses which makes my heart stop a little. J says it's nothing but if I'm there Gus has to go back to perch or cage immediately. He smacks his beak right up against the lens.

I do the same thing with Romeo. he wants shoulders (and if you read my recent post about getting bit you'll know why I disallow that).

So I put him on the wrist and bend my elbow down so my hand is above it. He tends to climb up toward my hand at that point.

And on those occasions where he makes a break for it and starts going shoulder regardless I just cross my other arm over my body and block his path with it. He'll usually stop and I can get him to walk back down towards my hand. Other times he may actually step up onto the new arm but it's at my wrist so I can "reset" him.

If he's in a super bad mood/feeling very insecure he'll just bite at the arm and go for the shoulder anyway. At that point I just usually bend over to a table and "scrape" him off on it.

That's how I deal with a renegade Macaw making a run for the shoulder. It seems to work. I just focus on keeping him where I can see him, read his body language and control him a bit.

 

[markallan]

Again thanks for the response. I have had to teach Rhonda how to keep Nala from climbing up on her shoulder as JBassset described. Nala is not aggressive or lunging at Rhonda’s cheek or lips, it’s in a playful manor although it’s a little rough. It’s not even a bite she just bumps her beak fast to Rhonda’s cheek or lips, but then sometimes it just soft and cuddling. For the time we are going to limit Nala’s access to Rhonda’s shoulder.

 

[Scott]

Again thanks for the response. I have had to teach Rhonda how to keep Nala from climbing up on her shoulder as JBassset described. Nala is not aggressive or lunging at Rhonda’s cheek or lips, it’s in a playful manor although it’s a little rough. It’s not even a bite she just bumps her beak fast to Rhonda’s cheek or lips, but then sometimes it just soft and cuddling. For the time we are going to limit Nala’s access to Rhonda’s shoulder.

Sounds great! My only concern was that a sudden and unwanted escalation of "beaking" could turn terribly tragic. Love and respect parrots as we do, they are not domesticated animals!