Young Green winged / around children

[IMF]

Hi about 3 weeks ago we purchased a 19week old green winged macaw. He has always been very gentle with myself & wife along with other adults .However he appears to hate children to the point of almost breaking our 8 yr olds finger , she has been trying to give treats etc but he doesn't seem to be improving. Obviously we don't want this behaviour to continue or get worse. Any advice would be appreciated.

He has a large cage and spends most of his day out of it.

 

[hnb]

Hmmm, I wish I could offer more help on this topic.. Maybe try having her take it very slow with him. With you giving him treats when he is calmly sitting by her. And then have her calmly talk to him when he's in the cage?
I'm sure more experienced people will be around to offer great advice, they always do! Good luck

 

[plumsmum2005]

Do the bond building exercises with an adult present. You trust so he can trust. It will take time, kids move around quicker and are less predictable. Be patient.

http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html

Obviously children are very vulnerable to your parrots beak so please take care.

 

[IMF]

Thanks we will have a look at the tips page , both times I've been stood next to her and with her being still he's just latched on very hard without letting go, I guess it's going to take time but was curious if this is usual behaviour for hand reared macaws. Obviously I don't want him to do real damage but want him to be good with children.
Thanks

 

[plumsmum2005]

Curiosity goes both ways, he needs to be able to learn about children, probably the first he has seen. You say latched on without breaking the skin? Testing possibly?

Their beak is the equivalent of our hands. Your child needs to understand your mac and vice versa, but no reason they cannot be very good friends. The intelligence of these wonderful creatures is truly marvellous, ensure that your child understands that they can read our mood from looking at our facial expression and they are no way to be regarded as a toy. Respect is a two way street.

http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/56384-big-beak-o-phobes-guide-understanding-macaw-beaks.html

 

[IMF]

He did break the skin the last time , but we have since let her/encouraged her to stroke him whilst he's on my lap , the last thing we want is for her to be scared of him (one day she will possibly own him)
I will read the tips page and work with them all, it's only been 3 weeks so it's all still new to him.
Thanks for the advise and info

 

[plumsmum2005]

He did break the skin the last time , but we have since let her/encouraged her to stroke him whilst he's on my lap , the last thing we want is for her to be scared of him (one day she will possibly own him)
I will read the tips page and work with them all, it's only been 3 weeks so it's all still new to him.
Thanks for the advise and info

Yes god willing she will, here's to a lifetime's friendship. In view of the biting, he is probably the one scared and unsure. Good luck and you are welcome.

 

[wrench13]

Kids and parrots. ALways an iffy thing. THe mac has to get used to your daughter, and she needs to learn to calmly move slowly arond him. I saw a bird booth at the fair we played at on Sat, The big yellow and gold Macaw was the childrens favorite, and he sat on innumberal kids arms for pics. Suggest she sit by his cage, reading to him, and offering treats like every couple of pages I'd reserve his very fav treat for just her. After awhie if he offers to let her scratch him, let her, after showing her how to avoid the pin feathers. I had a YNA a long time ago, and he also hated kids, but my brood was too unruly around him, and just couldn't calm down. Good luck, patience and consistency are your tools in this.

 

[Birdman666]

First... If your daughter is moving too fast around the bird the bird could keep her at arms length.

Second... because I'm a big bird, and I know I can.

Third... macaws sense even tiny amounts of fear and apprehension a mile away. It takes a firm, confident hand to raise a big mac. He could be sensing fear.

My advice is to do the opposite. Don't have your daughter begging for interaction. Play hard to get. Have your daughter do stuff that interests the bird, but have her pretend he doesn't even exist... MAKE THE BIRD BEG FOR ATTENTION FROM HER...

Macaws are attention oriented birds. Withholding of attention when they act up is a powerful training tool. The bird doesn't get any attention/and the interaction ceases if he gets bitey... you don't reward that.

If he's lunge bitey with her just have her push the beak away before she can latch on, and ignore him.