Adopting Macaw-his history, our game plan

My son has always wanted a bird and because of the responsibility we have always said no. He is a teen now and just lost his pet and has started asking about a bird. I agreed we could be co-owners as he IS a teen. We've done our research and I've had him talk to past owners, watch videos and read. We came up with a list of birds we think will fit with our lifestyle. Then we decided we wanted to get a rescue instead of a baby. Much more work involved but they need a home and we don't know what will happen tomorrow let alone 60 years from now.
Our vet office got us in contact with a lady who wants to rehome her Macaw. He is a Blue and Gold at least 25 years old and has had 4 owners. She has had Lewis 12 years. Owner #3 was a pet store that she witnessed hitting his cage with sticks when he screamed. They didn't really bond with him and we're happy to sell him. They said he was 13 at that time. I tracked down owner #2 who was also a pet store owner. He said Lewis was a young bird when he got him. He was friendly and he was used to do class room education and was great with kids.
So forward to present day. My first impression was that Lewis was angry and miserable. Talking with his owner she said he loved to roam the house, she doesn't like cages, loves showers, going for rides in the car and was great. On further questioning he WAS like that but has had an attitude about 3 years. She also mentioned a few years back she was gone and he destroyed the house. Her husband said no more roaming and he is now on a 4x8' hanging perch obstacle course. Essentially caged because he has only flown once. He is also badly plucked, his chest and legs are bare. She said he started a few years ago and hasn't found anything that helped except drugs and she didn't like them. He bit at her the whole time we were there refused to step up, but did accept peanuts and talk some. She is moving for the winter and his care now goes to her husband and grown child. They didn't seem excited.

Please tell me if I have interpreted this correctly.
I think his attitude/plucking is in part boredom and anger, he always had a busy active lifestyle until confined to his perch. We would use a cage, stand and hang his play ground in front of a window. We plan to get him branches if he will tolerate the sticks, a feather duster and mop to shred. We would also consider the meds if the changes don't help.
Work on step up. Since we can't use a stick because of his fear we thought we might put the stick inside a pool noodle.
Biting, grab his beak with a "no" and reward good behavior.
Trust, I guess just talking to him, treats and spending time. Hopefully it won't take forever to win hm over.

My big concerns,
First getting him to our house. No one seems to know how to get him to move or step up. His owner is already gone for the winter. How do I get him in a carrier? I hate for our first interaction to be me toweling him. Will that ruin our relationship?
Same thing for home, how to move him if he refuses.
I know I can plan on being bit but I'm concerned about if he draws blood. Blood makes me pass out and I don't want Lewis to have fun with the drama that would create. Last year our pig bit me, picture me streaking to the house with my hand over my head so I wouldn't see it and pass out. Is there any way to prevent severe bites?

Sorry it's so long! But I thought someone else might pick up on something I missed.

WOW! You may have your work cut out for you with Lewis.

As for his plucking, there is never a guarantee he will actually stop, nor that all his feathers will regrow. It depends on whether he's destroyed the underlying skin structure. You may find the following link quite interesting: http://www.parrotforums.com/behavioral/52217-plucking-search-answers.html

I believe he can absolutely be rehabilitated regarding his behavior though, but it will take time, persistence, and patience. He sounds rather unhappy at the moment.

You have indeed have to towel him to get him into a travel container, especially if he refuses to step up. No, it won't necessarily ruin your relationship with him. They 'usually' forgive rather quickly - well, mine do.

Beak pressure training will be a must. As for him not drawing blood....well, unfortunately they can, and sometimes do. :54:

Please tell me if I have interpreted this correctly.
I think his attitude/plucking is in part boredom and anger, he always had a busy active lifestyle until confined to his perch. We would use a cage, stand and hang his play ground in front of a window. We plan to get him branches if he will tolerate the sticks, a feather duster and mop to shred. We would also consider the meds if the changes don't help

I AGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT. OUT AND ABOUT BIRDS DON'T DO WELL WHEN THEY FIND THEMSELVES SUDDENLY CONFINED, AND DOING LIFE IN SOLITARY. I DON'T THINK YOU'LL NEED THE MEDS. I THINK THE COMBINATION OF A CHANGE OF SCENERY, TOYS, ACTIVITY, ATTENTION AND INCREASED BATHING WILL PROBABLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM.


Work on step up. Since we can't use a stick because of his fear we thought we might put the stick inside a pool noodle.

NO. NIX THE POOL NOODLE IDEA. WON'T WORK. WILL BE PROBLEMATIC

READ THE EXCITEMENT THREAD IN THE MACAW SECTION. WRAP A TOWEL AROUND YOUR ARM. THERE ARE PHOTOS POSTED.

Biting, grab his beak with a "no" and reward good behavior.

THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT. NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. DON'T ALLOW HIM TO INTIMIDATE YOU. AGAIN, WITH POSITIVE INTERACTION, THAT STUFF USUALLY STOPS ANYWAY, IF HE'S ANGRY AND STARVING FOR THE INTERACTION...

Trust, I guess just talking to him, treats and spending time. Hopefully it won't take forever to win hm over.

IT TOOK FOUR DAYS WITH MAGGIE. I'M GUESSING THIS WILL BE A 6-8 WEEK PROJECT... AND THAT'S MY OUTSIDE FIGURE IF YOU ARE CONSISTENT WITH IT.

My big concerns,
First getting him to our house. No one seems to know how to get him to move or step up. His owner is already gone for the winter. How do I get him in a carrier? I hate for our first interaction to be me toweling him. Will that ruin our relationship?

NO IT WON'T. AGAIN, GO BACK AND READ THE EXCITEMENT THREAD....

http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/53118-excitement.html

TRY STEPPING HIM UP WITH THE TOWEL WRAPPED AROUND YOUR ARM FIRST, RATHER THAN TOWELING HIM...

THE BIG THING IS, IF HE'S MAD AT THE FORMER OWNER, SHE SHOULD BE OUT OF THE ROOM. IT SHOULD JUST BE YOU AND YOUR SON GETTING HIM OUT OF THE CAGE. HE DOESN'T HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST YOU. AND I'D TRY BRIBING HIM WITH SOMETHING LIKE SHELLED WALNUTS FIRST. SEE IF YOU CAN PERSUADE HIM TO BE NICE. (BUT DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH. I WOULDN'T EXPECT IT.) HOWEVER, MAYBE HE STILL UNDERSTANDS THE PHRASE "WANNA GO OUTSIDE? WANNA GO FOR A RIDE IN THE CAR?"

YEAH, MINE ALL GET VERY COOPERATIVE WHEN THEY HEAR THOSE PHRASES.

Same thing for home, how to move him if he refuses.

WELL, FIRST YOU TRY TO BRIBE AND ENCOURAGE. IF THAT ABSOLUTELY FAILS IT'S ON TO PLAN B...

PLAN B: TOWELING. THAT'S YES. YOU DON'T WANT TO BE TOWELED BIRD? DON'T REFUSE. I DON'T WANT TO, BUT I WILL IF I HAVE TOO...

I know I can plan on being bit but I'm concerned about if he draws blood. Blood makes me pass out and I don't want Lewis to have fun with the drama that would create. Last year our pig bit me, picture me streaking to the house with my hand over my head so I wouldn't see it and pass out. Is there any way to prevent severe bites?

BE PREPARED TO DEFLECT THE BEAK, AND DON'T LET HIM LATCH ON.

Sorry it's so long! But I thought someone else might pick up on something I missed.

THE OLD BIRD HANDLER'S TOWEL TRICK.

Before going to see the bird, wrap a towel around both forearms, and wrap the towel with an ace bandage to keep it in place. Then wear a long sleeved shirt over the towels.

Make a fist with your hand, and bend it down at the wrist. That keeps the skin tight, and doesn't give the bird anything to grab ahold of. Offer your protected forearm, not your hand. And use your forearm to essentially move the bird around on the perch. Try and get him to step on it. When he does. Lift up.

In the same manner, use the protected part of your arm, to block his path and prevent him from getting on your shoulder.

The bird doesn't even know the towels are there. And if he does bite, instead of getting flesh, he gets a beak full of towels. And while he's busy biting the towels, you get his beak with two fingers and control it.

ERGO NO BLOOD. And it demonstrates that you have the ability to control the bird with ZERO drama. Thank you. NOW KNOCK IT OFF!

AND THAT IS HOW YOU WORK WITH THE REALLY AGGRESSIVE ONES...

:54:Birdwhispering.... HA!

We have a saying in the Netherlands (I'm a Dutchy living in the US) and it goes like this: "Love goes through the belly"

I don't have any Macaw experience but we adopted a pair of not-tame conures a month ago and I have been massaging their little taste buds ever since (prepare for a berry-pocalypse if you give him berries and film it )

Another thing that our birds really really really appreciated were the new perches, we got them different sizes and textures! (pedi perch and natural wood perches) they spent that first day the entire time rubbing their beaks on them. I think simple things like not having something like that for years might leave a bird uncomfortable for a long time?

I think if you provide a bird, any creature really, with some basic loving needs and patience almost everyone will blossom.

MangoandKiwi said:

We have a saying in the Netherlands (I'm a Dutchy living in the US) and it goes like this: "Love goes through the belly"

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Click to expand...

HA! I'm from Germany, and am quite familiar with that saying. It holds true for keeping husbands happy, too....HAHAHAHAH. :54: