Gus Has Attitude * Also I have few questions

[Christinenc2000]

When I got home from work yesterday my two dogs a corgi ( Lady ) and a Jack Russell ( Jake ) were irritated. My Boyfriends parents live next door. They told me they had been in the yard and could hear Jake barking and Gus Screaming so they went to check things for me ( they have a key ) Anyway they said they did not see anything wrong but Jake was irritated so she let the dogs out. Needles to say Gus was very mad when I got home I guess from being alone all day. I worried about this when I adopted him. The vet told me he would be fine while we were at work. I sure hope he is right.
Now the Attitude part. I fixed Gus a bowl of Carrots and Yellow Bell peppers few chunks of apple and put in his bowl. He talked and ate while I fixed dinner. He seemed content to eat while the dogs were eating and I was cooking our dinner . He could see all of us.
Boyfriend came home and I asked him to tap Gus's bowl and see if he would finish what was in the dish. Boyfriend said sure. There are only a few carrots there. He tapped the bowl...... Guss walked across the cage on his perch .... Picked up the bowl....... Walked to the center of his cage.... turned the bowl over........ tapped the bottom with his beak to knock out anything that did not spill out..... turned the bowl back over....... walked back to where my boyfriend was standing dropped it to the bottom of the cage in frt of him and walked back to center of cage and just started saying hahahaha NOW THAT IS ATTITUDE .

Few questions. Are Macaw ok to be left alone during the day ?

The cage is 5 1/2 feet tall floor . Any suggestions as to what I could put around the bottom to ensure Jake does not pull a feather or Gus does not bite Jake ?

I have read a lot on this site and seeing how smart these birds are first hand has amazed me.

 

[thekarens]

My mac is home alone during the day and is fine with it. I make sure she has plenty of things to keep her busy. If there's any chance your dogs will bother your bird they need to be kept in separate areas, blocked off from one another.

 

[Christinenc2000]

As long as we are home its ok . Lady just ignores Gus . Jake is the one that is way to curious. I guess I do need to room them off. Would break my heart if anything happened to any of them

 

[Birdman666]

Years ago, when I first got my BFA she had a very bad vitamin deficiency, and I shoved as many vitamin A foods down her beak as I could...

Then one day I gave her a bowl, and when she saw it was filled with carrots, instead of the stuff she wanted, she threw a minor hissy fit, looked at the bowl, looked at me, looked back at the bowl, and said "F@#% you!" (Yeah, that bird had a mouth...)

She then picked out each individual carrot and shoved them through the bars of her cage and onto the floor.

That's "I'm sick of carrots."

Okay. I'll make you a sweet potato.

Throwing food bowls when you're done, or don't want what's left in the bowl is not unusual. It's nothing personal.

Plexiglass can be cut to fit, drilled out, and wired or bolted to the base of the cage. Socialize them together and they will get used to each other.

Trust me, you haven't seen anything yet... live with them awhile.

And I have two macs that are out "alone" while I am at work. Plus two amazons. Plus a CAG.

 

[Christinenc2000]

Thank you . Co-worker just told me she got a mesh wire and put on the bottom of hers. I think I will try that. Jake does not bark or growl at Guss so its not any major fighting attacks I have seen .

I can finally scratch his head and tummy also rub his feet . Only after two days so feel I am making progress
He also just let BF hand feed him last night . Few treats

** Called the Glass shop . They told me to get measurements and they would go thru the scrap pile and find me some to save me some money on the cost .

This is a adventure

 

[Birdman666]

This is a adventure

You have no idea...

Wait til you start making your own toys and playstands...

Just wait til he puts his head down on your shoulder and starts talking baby talk...

Where is that macaw poem again? Looks like we need to repost it for "another sucker!"

http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/6503-nobody-ever-told-me-poem.html

(The lady who wrote this owns a red front, but it pretty much applies to all of them! Not that I'm biased or anything...)

 

[Christinenc2000]

LOL Sucker ? You think . LOL No Doubt Amigo
I actually had tears in my eyes when he let me scratch his head. I am no dummy . I know the trust it must take for him to allow me to do that. Amazing simply amazing

 

[Taw5106]

I know it wasn't funny but it was funny too. If I leave the house and the pets are alone I leave music playing or the TV on. It's mainly to keep the dogs from raising cane at every noise outside but Buddy seems to like it. Now the food, I feed Buddy when we sit down to eat otherwise he pitches a boogie woodie to the point I swear he's going to blow a lung out. I put his bowl in front of him as we are sitting down and he's fine.

The dogs don't bother him but he does like to try to start stuff with them, like throwing food at Canelo, only Canelo, but Canelo will eat anything and I think the fact that Canelo comes to the cage is what Buddy is aiming for. I had a cockatiel that would start things with my schnauzer years ago, she'd hang on to the side of her cage and flap her wings and scream, dog came running! It's like have NG kids, lol!

 

[Birdman666]

LOL Sucker ? You think . LOL No Doubt Amigo
I actually had tears in my eyes when he let me scratch his head. I am no dummy . I know the trust it must take for him to allow me to do that. Amazing simply amazing

Every morning the macaws are the first of my five. Sweepea head butts me while quacking like a duck, and then presses her beak to my nose and goes poofy for an extended head scratch.

Then it's Maggie's turn. Maggie is a Bolivian GW, and her cage is 7 ft. tall. (I'm only 6 ft.) She sleeps out on top of her cage. So when I walk over to her, she literally lays her head down sideways across my forehead for her morning headscratch, then grooms my eyeballs...

My amazon is next... This is part of my "morning ritual."

Read the poem. You'll be living it soon, if not already... every word of it rings true!

 

[Christinenc2000]

That poem is excellent. Should be mailed as a welcome to all new members. Thank you for sharing

 

[Christinenc2000]

Update on Guss
Gus is doing so well. Found out yesterday from the Vet his name is Big Bird. She is unsure if the First owner gave him this name or the last one. She bumped into the woman they took Gus from and she told them his name.
He is talking up a STORM So many words I am amazed he has just now started using them.
He will let anyone who comes in the house hand feed him . From a distance of course.
He still thinks its funny to take out the bowl turn it over and tap it. I think he likes the sound when he taps his beak on it but everyone else said he is just suckering me into filling it.
I came home Friday and there were quite a few people in the house . We had company from out of state. Of course Guss was the center of attraction and loving it. He would dance and talk but no one could get close. I walked up to the cage and started talking he ran across the cage and bowed his head to get scratched. I did that and he closed his eyes just enjoying it. Amazed everyone in the room. I could feel the pin feathers but having not read up on them much I was scared to mess with them to much Fear of hurting him. He kept rolling his head back and forth. I said Now Guess you can reach those I can't He turned his body all the way around put his back to the cage spread his wings and just sat there so I could scratch his back. I feel deep in love at that point

 

[Taw5106]

Ha ha! Yes you are worthy to scratch me, I fell in love at that point to. Buddy loves attention but we joke about "the line", don't cross the line meaning getting to close or trying to touch Buddy. When visitors or husband do that they crossed the line but Buddy goes right on showing off.

From the group here, the pin feathers are itchy so you scratch my feathers. I tried to crack the case on one and I crossed the line,cool so I only scratch them for him now.

I love how Gus is tapping his bowl, hilarious! Sounds like you all are settling in great with each other. Keep sharing, love it!

 

[Christinenc2000]

Yeah he is quite a hand full but amazing. Simply amazing how smart and dedicated they are

 

[Birdman666]

yeah he is quite a hand full but amazing. Simply amazing how smart and dedicated they are

tip of the iceburg! You just wait... !!!

 

[Christinenc2000]

Looking forward to it Birdman. Oh I forgot to tell you. We live on the water so if its late in the afternoon when everything is quiet . House windows open and Guss YELLS it just echos down the water LOL> Makes me laugh