New B&G ( well new to me )

[rmatalon]

So Saturday, I became the proud parent to a female blue and gold. Her name is Lola, she is amazing. I got her off of craigslist with her cage. So the specs that I have on her from her previous owner ( a woman) were two years old, she had her since she was 4 weeks, was hand fed and dna sexed female. Now I have some questions:
I went and picked her up, she was really freaked out becuase the previous owner loaded her up in the back of my pickup in the cage. I asked her if she was crazy becuase she wanted me to take the bird home in the cage in the back of my truck. I wasn't having this so I aksed her to please take the bird out of the cage, she then proceeds to tell me that she is not clipped and if she did that, she would fly away. Reluctantly I drove her to a nearby pet store to see if I could get her out of the cage and in a carrier, she wasn't having any of it and would not let me get close. After repeated bites I gave up and drove her home in the back of my truck ( after over 1 and a half hours and a bloody hand) I got her home ok and got her situated, she allowed me to take her out that afternoon, not without a few bites but nothing major.
my wife came home and thhen bamm, she was in love. My wife is not a bird person, she is not against them, but just doesn't see what I see in them. ( I have an african grey and a u2 as well) But Lola is compeltely in love with my wife.
Cue day 2, when i approach the cage, she backs away and screams, when my wife approaches, she is pinning and talking and completely in love. She even regurgitated on her hand on the second day.
Now I have been working with her, and getting my fair share of love nips, but she still doesn't show me teh love she shows my wife and I was womdering if it is just a phase becuase her previous owner was a female. She is eating from my hand and she no longer screams when i approach, but she isn't as loving. What can i do? Also, how long does it take to build trust? What sort of trust bulding exercises are there? I am really lost, I have had birds my entire life but this is my first macaw. If there is anyone out there that can offer some words of encouragement i would appreicate it.

 

[chasroth]

I am new here but I am going to try and help. Birds need time to adjust and build trust. Sometimes this can take months. You can try sitting by her cage and talking softly to her and offering her treats. Also I don't know if you know but macaws can be very irritated by dust B&G's having the worst respiratory problems from what I hear. Being that you have 2 very dust birds in your home now you may want to keep her seperate in a different part of the house and run a air purifier.

 

[Jennd5184]

Hi and congrats on your new addition! My husband and I have a Camelot macaw and had the same problem in the beginning. We purchased her from a breeder who had handfed her from 5 weeks old. Now, she's not as old as yours, but she still got incredibly attached to the man who raised her. When we brought her home, I was the first one to take her out of the box and I held her...she was ok with me the first night, but as soon as my husband messed with her the next day, she was in love. For the first couple weeks, she wanted nothing to do with me and would be all over my husband. I stay at home with my youngest daughter, so I was going to be her primary caretaker, which broke my heart when she liked him more than me. I work with her more and more every day, and every day, she comes around more and more. She still does love my husband....but she's realizing more every day that I'm not too bad either. He doesn't mess with her too much, since he doesn't really have to. She loves him no matter what, but now she'll let me give her showers, snuggle with her, and she'll even let me hold her upside down and on her back. It just takes time. She loves my husband more because he reminds her of her first caretaker....but the more I work with her, the better she is.

 

[rmatalon]

Thanks for the responses so far. I keep my african grey and u2 in an out door cage in the days ( very large approx. 10' x 4 'x6') they have indoor cages that they sleep in at nights. She is in a corner cage that is kept outdoors, right by our bedroom and dining room. She was kept outside by her previous caretaker, so i thought it would be better. She is under cover by our pool and is not in sight of the other birds yet. The u2 is very scared of her but she her self has gotten better with lola. I am just a little upset over the whole thing is all, I have dreamt about owning a b and g macaw ever since i had my first budgie, I just wish she loved me but i am sure it will get better.

 

[Pinkbirdy]

Dont give up ,keep up consistently with her . You can develop your own relationship . Same things happend at my house with my Macaw.Harlow loves me ,but Daves really worked with her, and now she looks for him.

 

[Bird_Mom_to_Coby_the_GW]

When I got Coby we had a similar situation. He warmed up to my husband quicker than he did up to me. Since he was my bird my husband intentionally went through a period of being virtually hands off with Coby to allow him to bond with me. Three and a half years later he still likes my husband but he is bonded closely to me. He always picks me over my husband now.

 

[MikeyTN]

Like it's been said, persistence is the key!!!! They can sense your fear, the more your afraid of them, they more they will try to intimidate you. If you can work with her from a play stand, it's a lot easier then trying to get her out from the cage. If you can perch train her so you don't have to get bit while trying to get her out of the cage. Good luck!

 

[Turquoise]

Welcome to the forum. It is so good that you got Lola & took her home. It sounds like her previous owner does not need to own birds with the way she wanted Lola gone in a hurry & didn't care about her well being. Glad the long trip went ok without in incident.

My two Catalina boys are 5 months apart. Roscoe, my normal one was 4 1/2 months old when I brought both home. He has been bonded to me from the beginning. He merely tolerates my hubby.

Angel my boy with leg disabilities was bonded to his breeder who was female, but he is still not completely bonded to me. He knows I am the caretaker & I can do anything I need to in & around his walk in aviary. I can scratch his neck & hold him in my lap. My hubby is not experienced in handling parrots, but Angel will come out on his play perch for him much better than he dies for me. Hubby can't scratch his neck or hold him tho. In a way Angel has bonded to both of us for different interactions which is great in my opinion.

Parrots decide who they fall in love with or bond to & sometimes there is just no changing their mind.

 

[rmatalon]

So here is an update. Last night i got her on top of the cage and then got her up on my arm, small bite, lola 1 me 0, then she was very guarded around me, she did allow me to touch her head but not much more. So i decided to lock us both up in the bathroom and work this out on the floor. Turned out pretty damm great, she opened up a little , i did get a pretty bad bite, but i understand we are both learning our boundries. I was able to hold her upside down and she had a pretty good time. This morning, i went to the cage a little quicker than usual and she didn't see to remember the great time we had last night, so i said no worries, fed her, gave her a treat and then went off to work. When i got back, i opened up her cage, and went inside to get a treat and when i came out, she greated me on top of her cage. She started talking a bit which promted me to give her a treat and sit down and talk to her a bit. Still she was acting a little defencive on her cage top but i went in after 10 minutes for a stepup, she grunted a bit, and went for aluncge, but there was no power behind the bite, and she stepped up. That was the last real resistance i got from her all evening. I was feedind her, i had her out for about 3 hours. I was able to pet the full length of her back and cuddle for a little too. Worked out pretty well. I put her back when it got dark, and put some food in there for her, and covered her. She seemed a lot more at ease than even last night, so i guess each day going forward there will be some progress. She is even not going as crazy when she sees my wife too. She does get a bit more talkative, but not like she was when i first brought her home. I think that she is worming up to be a bit which is great.
For the first time i actually feel like i have a friend and not a crazy lunatic that wants to inflict repeated bodily harm. :09: Thanks for all of your support.

 

[Pinkbirdy]

I give you credit for being so brave Thats great to be so understanding ,thats why your progressing with her.Soon she will be your best friend

 

[rmatalon]

Well am not sure if it is brave or stupid, but my hands look like i have run them through a paper shredder. I love her though, she is truly a magnificent bird. Thanks guys for all your support.