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Packrat
Egg
Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Posts: 9
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| Plucking issues and behavior issues with macaws |
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Hello everyone! My girlfriend's parents have a yellow-collared macaw and they hardly ever give it much attention. I was always afraid of getting bitten for some reason but i slowly started gaining a relationship with the bird. (At this time the birds feathers on his/her chest were plucked out completely, as well as some of the feathers on the back.) The bird does have full flight and rather large nails. I began talking with the bird and over a period of week and by the second week i was standing a LOT closer to the feather plucking critter.  Finally I picked the bird up and it went to my shoulder and started doing some weird reguagitation type thing. It didnt actually complete it... but it does it all the time when its on my shoulder now. Now when i walk into my girlfriends house it will fly to me so i place out my arm and it lands there then proceeds to my shoulder again... It now will attack anything that comes near me. I have trained it to step up and down already and when i put it down on its perch it cries for me to come get it again. Now my girlfriend has become jealous of the bird and the bird jealous of my girlfriend... So what do i do about all of this? i want to get rid of the birds bad habbit of plucking and IT totally LOVES me, But this is a little weird, My girlfriend jealous of a pet and a pet jealous of my girl..... Oh i forgot to mention my girlfriends father noticed how much the bird loves me and wants me to keep it now... lol.... im 19, but i still live with my parents and they have 6 dogs..... (little chiwawas) Im just kinda confused on what to do with the whole situation. Any help would be appeciated. |
Tuesday March 21, 2006 2:38 pm |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7956
Location: Australia |
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Hey hey
Welcome to Fluffies. Good to have you here with us.
Do you know how old this bird is? and what's it's name?? The poor thing had been neglected for all this time, and suddenly it finds that someone wants to spend time with it and give it the love and care it craved for all this time...
Birds feed their partner, so that's what the regurgitating action is.. he's trying to feed you food. and also, letting him on your shoulder at this point is probably a not so good idea as it'll see itself as a highly ranked bird in the flock, so therefore your girlfriend is taking the brunt of it. It'll want you all to itself, and it'll protect it's flock at all cost.
I would suggest getting your girlfriend to talk to him and get to know the bird as well while you're not there. Making the effort to befriend with it. And when you're together, but it away somewhere where it can't fly to you and just talk to each and cuddle in front of it. All the mean while not making any sort of eye contact with the bird. Just ignore it. This will show the bird that your GF is also part of the flock.
As with you taking the bird, if you have the time and energy and money to take on the bird, and if you think you can handle it, then I think it'll be a great idea... but if you see in any way that you might not be able to take care of it, like college or whatever, than I'd ask you to really think about it for the bird's sake. though it'll probably get a better life with you from the sound of things.
Oh another thing, wing clipping is a good idea, that way, it won't fly and attack anyone or anything that comes near you, and it'll be easier to train it with new commands.
Good luck. Let us know how you go with it. |
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Tuesday March 21, 2006 4:02 pm |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6673
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
Gawd! I hate hearing stories like this!
And I'm sorry if I'm coming across as blunt, or harsh, but it has really become a passion with me & I can NOT understand how some people can treat such a magnificent animal like they do!
I understand that some birds pluck no matter what we do. And I know that I don't know the whole story behind this bird & your GFs family, but honestly, it sounds like a case of neglect - HOPEFULLY I'm wrong!
I would encourage them to read up on the proper care of the bird. Or, if you're inclined to do so, & maybe show them what a great campanion bird he could be, given the proper time & attention & diet & care!
OK, like I said, I know I don't know the whole story & I shouldn't be going on like this & I hope I'm not being offensive. |
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Tuesday March 21, 2006 5:05 pm |
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Packrat
Egg
Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Posts: 9
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I *think* its age is 5-6 years but im really not sure. They got the bird from shelter and the previous owners were abusive. Its got a cage thats outside and when its inside it just has a perch with a water and food bowl. Its VERY protective of its toys and will attack everyone else who touches its food, water exept for me. But when I touch its toys it will play with me by taking the toy and putting it in the food dish. If i can get the toy out of the dish without getting lightly bitten then i win. If it gets to lightly bite me it laughs at me... lol This all started when i tried to move some of the toys out into his/her outside cage because there was too many toys on the inside perch. What a goofy bird.. hehe. Yeah today im going to try and convince her parents to either let me or have them take the bird in to have its nails and wings fixed up.
Another thing, I dont think it has had a "bath" in a long time besides its small water dish... im not sure exactly what to do about all of that... maybe from a distance above it sprinkle some water down on it from my finger tips out of a glass or maybe use from a distance a squirt bottle... or maybe clean out a sink very well and fill it up a little bit and let the bird bath? not sure exactly what works best... What do all think? |
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Tuesday March 21, 2006 5:10 pm |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6673
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
You could try filling a sink or other container partially with water, you know maybe ankle deep or so, but it may be scared of it. If so, sprinkle a few drops on his head, or feet, or let him taste some water from your arm. Also splash your fingers around gently in the water & make it look like it's great fun!
My macaw just wont take a bath, but he loves being misted with a spray bottle. I spray it above his head & let the warm water fall down on him.
Is the weather warm where you are? If it's warm enough, you could spray him with warm water while he's in his outdoor cage, I bet he'd LOVE it! But, it has to be warm enough!
And it's best to bathe or shower him earlier in the day, before about noon or so, so he has time to completely dry before going to bed for the night. |
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Tuesday March 21, 2006 5:23 pm |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7956
Location: Australia |
Oh I was going to mention that the plucking is probably due to neglect and boredom... so if you're spending time with it, it should hopefully correct itself if it hasn't gotten too far with the problem.
As wtih bathing, you'd sometimes be surprise at how bird who hasn't had a bath for a long time react to water. Sometimes it's in their nature to want to bath and haven't had to opportunity to do so, so try misting it with those spritz bottle and see.. otherwise try a big big water bowl and see how it react to it... Of not and you really want it to bath, take it into the shower with you and steam up the room. Sometimes having steam bath is more than enough for birds to moisten their skin.
Good luck
Oh what's the macaw's name if I may ask??
cheers
Bih |
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Tuesday March 21, 2006 5:39 pm |
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Packrat
Egg
Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Posts: 9
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Yeah we live in the middle florida keys.  I'm originally from Minnesota though. My parents travel back and forth from their house in minnesota to their house in florida. Winters are down here and summers up there. Next year i'm staying up in minnesota the whole time for the schooling though. I'm just waiting on my girlfriend to graduate so we can move back up there. My grandma had pasted away and left me her house so at least i have somewhere else to stay besides my parents house now... but i still miss her a lot.. she always made the best apple pies....
Another weird thing kinda off topic is that i got my parents little dogs to eat apples.... odd isnt it? lol What is it with animals wanting to eat what we eat?  hehe At first they refused to eat it, but after i made it into something tasty, there they went! haha...
Also, one of my dogs thinks hes a parrot. He sits on my shoulder. I dont know why. Here i am sitting watching a movie and he jumps up and lays behind my head and rests his head on my shoulder. So his body is between me and the back of the couch. Then he proceeds and watches TV with me??? This has been going on for like 3 months now... my friends stare at him like hes some sort of alien space doggie. haha
This may sound like a stupid question, but how long do Macaws live? Is it true they live 60+ years? |
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Tuesday March 21, 2006 5:57 pm |
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Packrat
Egg
Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Posts: 9
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He kinda has two names... i dont know to spell it... its something like Sea-Air-Null... but my girlfriends dad calls it Billy bones. lol |
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Tuesday March 21, 2006 6:01 pm |
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Packrat
Egg
Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Posts: 9
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Actually, i've been thinking about calling the macaw Pegasis LOL |
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Tuesday March 21, 2006 6:08 pm |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6673
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
I believe the ave life span of a macaw is 80 years, but there are those that have lived well over 100! Tho, I'm not sure about yellow collareds, it may be less.
That's amazing about the dogs eating the apples! I used to have a little Min Pin that would curl up & sleep on my shoulder when I sat on the couch to watch the tube
I'm sorry about your Grandma, I still miss mine very much even after all these years! |
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Tuesday March 21, 2006 6:12 pm |
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