I'm tired...

of my other depressing threads so I'm starting a new one - something fun...I hope.

I have a macaw named Chopper and he is really funny. I've had him less than three weeks and we do pretty well together. He loves to play tug of war. Yesterday, I was sitting on my couch and eating lasagna. He climbed down off of his play stand - first time climbing down - and walked over to me to get a bite. He started to bite my toes but when I said "no" he pulled away. I gave him a bite off my fork and he went back to his stand. It was a moment of love - me - I fell in love with him.

He does lunge at me but I think it's really a game. He does lots of lunges at me from in his cage and then I swear he smiles at me. However, when I open the door he just comes on over to my arm to step up and does just fine. It took me until today to realize that if I opened the door and let him out he would quit lunging at me from inside the cage. I am not the brightest person in the world.

Yep - the beak scares me but the two times he has had a hold of my hand or finger a nut was in the way.

He doesn't let me scratch him but he does let me play with his toes a little.

This may never be an issue for you, but just in case let me share an experience of mine: I too thought it was so adorable when my new GCC PB first climbed off her stand and came over to me to get a piece of food. I never thought to discourage her when she'd occasionally come over and try to hit me up for extras. I'd gladly hand over a bite. Then a couple weeks ago I was eating something she couldn't have. She wanted it. She had no problem coming over and biting the snot out of me when I wouldn't give her a bite. *sigh* Now I only feed her on the stand. She still comes over sometimes to get my attention, but she knows she has to return to the stand for me to give her a piece and hasn't tried biting me again (yet). I have no idea if this is a situation other birds would take advantage of like PB, but I imagine some might.

I bet the tug of war with Chopper is too cute! You must be so excited to see how your relationship unfolds as you two bond more. Take pictures!

Edit: Just to clarify, she hasn't tried biting me again over food I refused to share in this particular situation. She has no problems biting me for every other perceived insult and slight though.

Thanks so much for that. I hadn't thought of it that way. I don't want him biting me. But it was really a cute moment for me when he came down off the stand to get some noodles. He gets noodles everyday in a mix of other stuff but he wanted to share mine.

Nope not looking for any bites.

We do have a great time playing tug of war and dancing and doing the macaw bob. I'm working with him to say "tug o' war." He says something that sounds like it but who knows.

Sounds cute! I love the Macaw waddle.. they're like big feathery puppies hehe.

I had a similar experience as Dustbunny with Kiwi, my white-eared. She usually flies to and from me and her stand for various reasons, but one day I was eating cereal, and she flew and landed on the edge of my bowl, and attacked my hands with a viciousness that almost made me drop the whole bowl of cereal! So now we are working on station training, and just for my safety I only eat things she can't have(ramen, cereal, etc) while she's inside her cage.

If it sort of sounds like "tug o' war" with the same number of syllables and intonation, there is a good chance he's practicing. I've noticed a few days before PB says a new word or phrase I'll start hearing things that sound sort of like it, and then one day it just pops out perfect. Then she's usually so proud of herself it's practically all she says for a day or two. She's so funny.

We are working on "mom" too. I want him to say "mom" when I walk out of the room instead of just squawking. I know I will probably regret ever having taught him that but it sounds better to me than the squawking.

Good rule to remember to eat what that can't have while they are in the cage. Sounds like a good excuse to go out to eat.

Haha. Yeah, I've taken up eating most "bad" foods after her bedtime or pawning her off on someone else so I can sneak off and eat in peace. I always feel a little guilty and as if I'm hiding in a closet with a cigarette in one hand and a Twinky in the other. LOL.

Dopey said:

We are working on "mom" too. I want him to say "mom" when I walk out of the room instead of just squawking. I know I will probably regret ever having taught him that but it sounds better to me than the squawking.

Good rule to remember to eat what that can't have while they are in the cage. Sounds like a good excuse to go out to eat.

Click to expand...

Even if you go out to eat, I always look for the chance to bring back a "birdy bag" hehe
Like if I go somewhere and nothing really sounds that good, then I'll eat my entrée then for the sides I'll look for what steamed veggies they have, and if they haven't been seasoned or cooked with anything I bring them home and share with the birdies.

Dustbunny said:

Haha. Yeah, I've taken up eating most "bad" foods after her bedtime or pawning her off on someone else so I can sneak off and eat in peace. I always feel a little guilty and as if I'm hiding in a closet with a cigarette in one hand and a Twinky in the other. LOL.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the laughter. I needed it. Whew!

Sterling1113 said:

Dopey said:

We are working on "mom" too. I want him to say "mom" when I walk out of the room instead of just squawking. I know I will probably regret ever having taught him that but it sounds better to me than the squawking.

Good rule to remember to eat what that can't have while they are in the cage. Sounds like a good excuse to go out to eat.

Click to expand...

Even if you go out to eat, I always look for the chance to bring back a "birdy bag" hehe
Like if I go somewhere and nothing really sounds that good, then I'll eat my entrée then for the sides I'll look for what steamed veggies they have, and if they haven't been seasoned or cooked with anything I bring them home and share with the birdies.

Click to expand...

Shucks - I bring the leftovers home for me most of the time but come to think of it the other day I did share my meat with Chopper. I brought home a sweet potato for the birds once (wihout the fixings) and they didn't eat it. I love sweet potatoes so I don't do that anymore. I usually get things pretty plain because of my vertigo so I could share them with Chopper. I am pretty stingy with my food though. I will make extra for him though.

I don't have an excuse.. I'm just a picky eater

I like simple things too, though. So I can relate with you there.