Working with a naughty Macaw

[AirtransCrash]

I recently took home a rescue B&G. He was neglected in a closet for two years before the person I got him from rescued him.

He is a plucker, but his feathers started coming back under the care of the PO. Hopefully he has kicked the habit.

The problems now:
Cage aggression-he lunges and makes to bite at people getting close to his cage

Bites-he is a biter. Just earlier he grabbed my finger, pulled it towards the cage and bite the heck out of me, drawing blood.

He likes to chase feet as a game.

With a bird that had been stuck in a closet caged, is a time out in his cage, covered by a sheet counter productive? I'm definitely the target of his aggression. He can get mean to my wife.... He hasn't shown any aggression with my boy.


He's only been here 4 days and I am not fool enough to think this is going to get fixed in the blink of an eye. What are some avenues of approach?



ETA: after he bit me real hard I put him in his cage on time out. I swear it was like a teenage throwing a tantrum! He dumped his food bowl, screamed, ran around his cage and acted up showing he was mad. I went back a couple of times when he calmed Down. Asked if he was going to be a good boy. He'd try to bite so I would cover him again. Finally he got the point and didn't try to bite, then stepped up without trying to bite so he was allowed out. He was being good for about 20 min then got nippy again.

He doesn't like being in that cage with it covered during the day, I feel bad but this is the best way I can think of to encourage good behavior and handle aggression.

 

[Birdman666]

He is a plucker, but his feathers started coming back under the care of the PO. Hopefully he has kicked the habit.

GIVEN HIS HISTORY, I'D SAY IT'S BECAUSE HE WAS ATTENTION DEPRIVED.

The problems now:
Cage aggression-he lunges and makes to bite at people getting close to his cage

AS HE GETS HANDLED, AND BECOMES BONDED IT WILL HAPPEN LESS AND LESS.

BUT THE PROTOCOL FOR LUNGE BITING IS EITHER PUSH BACK WITH A CLOSED FIST, OR IF HE IS LUNGE BITING WHEN YOU GO TO STEP HIM UP, PUSH BACK AND THEN PULL FORWARD, TO GET HIM OFF BALANCE, AND SWIPE YOUR ARM UNDER HIS FEET.

Bites-he is a biter. Just earlier he grabbed my finger, pulled it towards the cage and bite the heck out of me, drawing blood.

THAT ONE TAKES TIME. I WOULD BITE PRESSURE TRAIN, BUT START THE BEAK PLAY STUFF WITH A TOWEL AROUND YOUR HAND, OR AN OVEN MIT... NO SENSE GETTING CHEWED UP IF HE'S MISBEHAVING.

He likes to chase feet as a game.

HE WON'T LIKE THAT GAME IF HE LOSES IT... COUCH CUSHION OR BIG PILLOW ON THE FLOOR AT HIS LEVEL... BIGGER THAN HE IS... LET THE PILLOW CHASE HIM OFF?!

With a bird that had been stuck in a closet caged, is a time out in his cage, covered by a sheet counter productive? I'm definitely the target of his aggression. He can get mean to my wife.... He hasn't shown any aggression with my boy.

YOU HATE TO USE SENSORY DEPRIVATION ON A BIRD THAT HAS BEEN SENSORY DEPRIVED. THAT TO ME IS A LAST RESORT, IF NOTHING ELSE WORKS... BUT YOU USE IT IF IT'S WHAT HE RESPONDS TO.

AS SPARINGLY AS YOU CAN, AND STILL MAINTAIN DISCIPLINE.


ETA: after he bit me real hard I put him in his cage on time out. I swear it was like a teenage throwing a tantrum! He dumped his food bowl, screamed, ran around his cage and acted up showing he was mad. I went back a couple of times when he calmed Down. Asked if he was going to be a good boy. He'd try to bite so I would cover him again. Finally he got the point and didn't try to bite, then stepped up without trying to bite so he was allowed out. He was being good for about 20 min then got nippy again.[/QUOTE]

EXACTLY - TODDLER TANTRUM!!! THIS IS A TWO YEAR OLD KICKING AND SCREAMING ON THE FLOOR IN THE SUPERMARKET...

GOTTA WIN THOSE BATTLES!!! WE DON'T BEHAVE THAT WAY. IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE... EVER!!! GIVE IN TO THOSE AND THE BEHAVIOR GETS WORSE. YOU JUST REINFORCED IT. YOU DID RIGHT...

SOMETIMES IT'S A BATTLE AT FIRST, BUT IT DOES GET BETTER.

 

[AirtransCrash]

Bird man.

I appreciate all your input. We've all been working with him using your tips as a guide. He still gets into his chasing feet moods but quickly remembers why it's not a good idea to do so and has been slowing down/thinking twice when we pass by.

As for biting, I'm the target of aggression 90% of the time so my hands are chewed pretty good right now but that's okay. Better to take the physical scars and heal his emotional ones than make his worse.

He definitely hates his cage and I'm really hoping the one he is in now is the one he was kept locked up in. We have a huge, brand new cage coming tomorrow and I hope when I bury the old one it takes some of his demons with it.