My mac HATES my little brother!

We've had my macaw, Wilson, for seven years- since my brother was two. We've always told Wilson NO! Don't touch Khristian! But now that my brother is old enough to play with and handle the bird, Wilson won't respond to him! He gets upset and calls for me whenever Khris even tries to go near him! We're trying to show him Khristian is okay, but he just won't go for it. What should I do? My brother's feelings are hurt, and Wilson needs to know that My brother is fine!
It's almost like when you tell a toddler "NO" to touching their Christmas presents, and on Christmas morning they think they're going to get in trouble for opening the present. Hurhgh. I've tried everything, Help!

Hello, Welcome to the forum!!

Have you considered having Khristian offer the bird his favorite treat?
I'm sure that will melt Wilson down a bit

Need a little more info about this bird, and what his temperment is like.

Does he control his bite pressure? Or Does he tend to draw blood?

What is his demeanor when your brother is around?

How you approach this one depends on the bird.

If you have initially trained the bird not to interact with your brother, he may now be confused when you tell the bird it's okay. (But I always got in trouble for that before...) And he may nip your brother cuz he knows he's "not supposed to" be interacting with him.

There are a couple of things you can do, but we want the interaction to be positive for both the bird and your brother. So, let me know more about the bird's demeanor first...

Birdman666 said:

Need a little more info about this bird, and what his temperment is like.

Does he control his bite pressure? Or Does he tend to draw blood?

What is his demeanor when your brother is around?

How you approach this one depends on the bird.

If you have initially trained the bird not to interact with your brother, he may now be confused when you tell the bird it's okay. (But I always got in trouble for that before...) And he may nip your brother cuz he knows he's "not supposed to" be interacting with him.

There are a couple of things you can do, but we want the interaction to be positive for both the bird and your brother. So, let me know more about the bird's demeanor first...

Click to expand...

He is a rescue bird- a victim of abuse and attack.

He draws blood if he's upset. He's generally good with bite pressure with me (his primary caretaker) and my parents and half-sister. He's a very nippy bird when he feels un-easy.
When my brother is around, regardless of if I'm holding him, feeding him, working in his cage, ETC, he gets very aggressive. He rushes over to where my brother is (With no regard for his balance disability) and immediately starts chewing on and shredding whatever he's on. (Deck, floor, arm, you name it!) or attempts to bite my brother. If my brother offers him treats he takes them, but immediately drops it, regardless of what treat he offers.

I have tried being very cuddly and happy with my brother, praising him like I would with Wilson, to try and show Wilson how good he is (Like when you pretend to eat the bird's food to get him to try it.) but Wilson doesn't buy it for a second.

Pastelsponge15 said:

Birdman666 said:

Need a little more info about this bird, and what his temperment is like.

Does he control his bite pressure? Or Does he tend to draw blood?

What is his demeanor when your brother is around?

How you approach this one depends on the bird.

If you have initially trained the bird not to interact with your brother, he may now be confused when you tell the bird it's okay. (But I always got in trouble for that before...) And he may nip your brother cuz he knows he's "not supposed to" be interacting with him.

There are a couple of things you can do, but we want the interaction to be positive for both the bird and your brother. So, let me know more about the bird's demeanor first...

Click to expand...

He is a rescue bird- a victim of abuse and attack.

He draws blood if he's upset. He's generally good with bite pressure with me (his primary caretaker) and my parents and half-sister. He's a very nippy bird when he feels un-easy.
When my brother is around, regardless of if I'm holding him, feeding him, working in his cage, ETC, he gets very aggressive. He rushes over to where my brother is (With no regard for his balance disability) and immediately starts chewing on and shredding whatever he's on. (Deck, floor, arm, you name it!) or attempts to bite my brother. If my brother offers him treats he takes them, but immediately drops it, regardless of what treat he offers.

I have tried being very cuddly and happy with my brother, praising him like I would with Wilson, to try and show Wilson how good he is (Like when you pretend to eat the bird's food to get him to try it.) but Wilson doesn't buy it for a second.

Click to expand...

Well this sounds like it's going to take awhile then. (And this may go back to the abuse he suffered.) Your bird, for what ever reason, doesn't trust your brother. Step one is teaching him to trust.

Step one: Put the bird on your lap, make it fun. Give him treats, and attention. Get him to the place where he is calm. Then your brother enters the room. Control the beak with your fingers (actually hold it so that he cannot bite) and let your brother scratch his head. Your bird isn't going to like this at first, so be careful.

After a minute or so of head scratches, your brother sits down across the room from the bird, and just talks to him. Then he leaves the room, and leaves you two alone. PRAISE THE BIRD FOR BEING GOOD. Give him a reward. Then set him back.

Do this at a set time every day for two weeks. Just a brief, simple head scratch and back off. Nothing threatening, don't push it too long. Make sure you control his beak, or your brother will get bit.

After two weeks of this, check in with your progress, and we'll go on to step two.

So how you making out? update please !!

Hasn't even been a week yet! Gotta give this first step at least two weeks, or it won't work...

"I've never done this before."

In two weeks, I'm gonna post step two. But this one shouldn't be rushed, so I'm not going to be premature with it.

Not rushing him, just want to know if he is starting and following advice, hoping for the BEST for him!!

BTW, Our baby rode home the whole 120 miles NO PROB !!!

"Training Starts NOW" ~Birdman666 2014

Where's that talking baby commercial when you need it:

Wanna see my shocked face?!

A baby macaw that wants to just hang out with people and be a lap bird?! Why that's practically unheard of!!!

Wait... why are you setting me down?! Oh, I see, it's some sort of puzzle. You want to see if I can figure out how to work the latch, right?!