Bringing home a thanksgiving Macaw

[IamJolyn]

So looks like we will be adding Harvey, a 16 year old blue and gold to our house hold.

It was one of those situations where oh you have a bird (Davy Jones BFA)? My friend wants to "get rid" of his bird, do you want her?

Luckily the family who has her now loves her, knows they are in over there head, and want her to go to a good home. They waited for me to think it over and get enough money together to buy her cage.

She is over-bonded with the husband, and loves my boyfriend already, but I am pretty confidant I can win her over to love me too.

Now I am worried about Davy, what is the best way to introduce them? Obviously I will not leave them both out without supervision, but I don't want either hurt. Any advice?

 

[JerseyWendy]

Before you 'introduce' them I'd practice quarantine for a month, and have her vet checked and tested for any possibly 'nasties'.

Harvey and Davy 'may' get along, but there is also the chance they may not. I will never allow my big macs to 'interact' with my Amazons because it would have a very unhappy ending for my zons.

 

[IamJolyn]

Yep, I will be bringing Davy in for a nail and beak trim, and Harvey soon after. And they will be in separate areas for a while, hand washing between.

So are you saying they shouldn't even be out at the same time?

 

[JerseyWendy]

I'm sorry, I forgot. Is Davy flighted? What about Harvey? If you can provide 2 separate play areas, and ensure they don't encroach on each other's 'turf', then you can certainly let them out at the same time.

In my case, my birds are fully flighted. My Sam (DYH Amazon) has got THE biggest attitude problem with my big macs - and needless to day, they won't put up with getting harassed non stop - so I let both my Amazons out at the same time (because they get along) and then the big macs at the same time (they get along, too). In the morning all fids are out as I'm cleaning cages. Amazons are on the kitchen counter and big macs on Java trees. I have to watch Sam like a Hawk because he loves flying caprioles over the big macs' heads, swiping them with his feet, eyes pinning and all. :54: He's the instigator, nobody else. And my big macs are waiting for the opportunity to get back at him, it's written all over their faces during 'close calls'. Ripley's gotten a hold of Sam a few times. Once he flung him off the Java tree by grabbing his wing and simply tossing him in the air. No blood. No lost feathers!!! We both know how easily that could have been 'the end' for my Sam though. Ripley's gotten Sam's toe a few times as well. No, he didn't amputate them, but the second time there WAS blood.

 

[IamJolyn]

Davy is fully flighted, but he is was locked in a small cage for 5 plus years, and doesn't fly very well, nor land well. He isn't comfortable when he isn't on or in his cage, and is rather timid. He will come to me, with treats, and has hung out on my arm on the couch for a bit, but this is only within the last week or so. He hates the stand we build from him. So I don't see Davy being the aggressor. Now Harvey is normally clipped but the owners are to afraid to do it themselves and haven't taken her in so she has her full flight feathers now. She was pretty aggressive toward me, and the wife, but loved my boyfriend and the husband. I will work with her, and I am sure I can get her at least comfortable with me. Anyway, I am more worried about how she will react to Davy than vice versa.

 

[Birdman666]

They really don't taste the same as turkey.

The meat's kinda stringy... and they don't feed as many people...

 

[Christinenc2000]

They really don't taste the same as turkey.

The meat's kinda stringy... and they don't feed as many people...

Your humor just makes me grin and shake my head sometimes. LOL

 

[Birdman666]

They really don't taste the same as turkey.

The meat's kinda stringy... and they don't feed as many people...

Your humor just makes me grin and shake my head sometimes. LOL

It was the title. "Bringing home a Thanksgiving Macaw..." Just put wicked thoughts in my head. And I couldn't shut up... when there was a perfectly good set up line.

 

[greytness]

Birdman, my mind went right there along with you when I saw that caption, too!

 

[Birdman666]

Now My Woody would feed a lot of people... (or at least try too!)... Macaw happy head bob style...

Not exactly what most folks were expecting for Thanksgiving dinner!

THANKS, BUT I THINK I JUST LOST MY APPETITE...

 

[Birdman666]

On a more serious note, socializing parrots is an inexact science.

You don't know whether one, or the other will be jealous or territorial which is generally what I'd expect to be the trigger for the pair bond birds. (Figure that one out first.)

I've done it with macaws and amazons, but as Wendy pointed out, big bird/ little bird pretty much always ends badly for little bird...

Generally speaking, little bird is smart enough to know this, and won't be to anxious to push his luck with a large macaw. If the macaw is not inclined to go after the smaller bird, then they may peacefully co-exist from the get go.

The bird's themselves often figure this one out on their own. Your job is to supervise and interact with them both, and prevent one from starting something that will get him in trouble... and the other one from becoming a bully. I personally just physically remove the aggressor if they start that stuff. It's a "TIME OUT" situation. With a clear message to the aggressor that we play nice, and don't tolerate that stuff. (Just like with human toddlers.)

 

[IamJolyn]

They really don't taste the same as turkey.

The meat's kinda stringy... and they don't feed as many people...

the title was written to be tongue in cheek lol, I am glad some got my since of humor
http://www.parrotforums.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/

 

[IamJolyn]

JerseyWendy and Birdman, thank you both for the advise and humor We are bringing her home tomorrow. Her cage is absolutely huge, and we are making room away from Davy at first. She has this huge cage and only one big toy, made up of dog chew toys. Nothing she can really destroy, so I might be spending a fortune on bird toys at petco this week lol

 

[Birdman666]

It was one of those situations where oh you have a bird (Davy Jones BFA)? My friend wants to "get rid" of his bird, do you want her?

THIS PART SOUNDS VAGUELY FAMILIAR...

Yours is so happy. And mine is so very unhappy. Will you take her?!

 

[Captsteve]

They really don't taste the same as turkey.

The meat's kinda stringy... and they don't feed as many people...

the title was written to be tongue in cheek lol, I am glad some got my since of humor

I asked my wife if she wanted red Turkey or Blue turkey this year...:54::54::54: