Newbie needs help!

[darkling]

I just brought home my brand new green wing macaw and already I'm having problems!

He will not ... WILL NOT ... go into his cage. He won't let me near him and if I sit still he will come to me but he just wants to bite me once he gets here.

I'm really not sure what to do with him. Right now he's in my living room, sitting on my ottoman and preening his feathers.

I didn't get him from a breeder. I got him from a young girl who told me he's a DNA sexed male and that he's about 7 months old. She says he's been handraised.

I tried to get him to step up for me and he won't. I tried putting a piece of banana in the cage but he's not interested. I'm really not sure what my next move should be. Any advice would be appreciated. :22:

 

[Pedro]

You really need to allow your new bird to settle into his new environment. Please don't rush the poor thing. He would be so scared & he doesn't know you so is warning you if you keep bothering him he will bite.

So just let him alone for now to absorb his suroundings & the most important is to gain his trust. Go slow, just because he has been handraised does not mean he will be super friendly to a new carer you have to earn that.

 

[darkling]

I know that. I don't expect him to be friendly towards me at all but wouldn't he be more comfortable (not to mention safer) in his cage for now? That's my concern for him.

 

[MikeyTN]

Yea, he can't sit on that ottoman forever. Have you tried using a perch? Is this the same cage that he came with? Make him step up onto a perch or push his cage right infront of the ottoman to see if he would crawl in.

 

[Pedro]

Yes it would be a very good idea to put him in the cage. See if he will step up on a stick for you. You will have to place him in the cage. If there are any cage toys in there take them out as he could be frightened of them. If all else fails it maybe an idea to gently towel him & pick him up & just put him in the cage.

How to Towel Your Bird

Please read the above link on how to towel a parrot.

 

[Crackers]

Congrats on your new Parrot! Is this your first parrot?

I agree with what has been said.

If you have the time, just sit and talk with him. Have some treats with you such as seeds or nuts. See if he is interested in that. Sometimes, just spending a couple of hours with them will gain their trust. Try a gentle method first. He might suprise you!!

Also, once you get him in the cage, I would tell him "Good bird" and leave him a nut or seed in his bowl as a treat. See if he will take that.

Give him some time to settle in. Every non-abused parrot that I have brought home has warmed up to me within a couple of days. I have had some parrots performing tricks within the first week. I use alot of rewards and treats to get them to come around. Of course, this is all done on a case by case basis.

After that, I would suggest a training program that works for you and your parrot. I use clicker training as my own personal method and I NEVER force a bird up on my finger.
Good luck and keep us posted. Show us some pictures when you can.

BTW, welcome to the forum. Some very nice folks here!

 

[darkling]

I think I need to give some more details. Thanks for the warm welcome! I'm so nervous ... I feel like a parent with a new baby and I just want to get everything right!

The cage is his cage from his old home. I did have it set up in the second bedroom because I figured he would appreciate the quiet. I have several other pets and I didn't want them to traumatize him or anything.

He escaped completely by accident. I went to get a tool to put the mess guards on the bottom of his cage and when I came back he had wandered out into the middle of the living room floor. I didn't want to chase him down or anything so I tried to lure him back into the room where his cage was with a banana. No go.

I sat on the floor and ignored him for awhile and he did approach me ... So he could bite my leg. I told him no and got up and walked away so I could work on a Plan B. (Or is that Plan C?)

I feel terrible for him because he's sitting on the back of the couch shaking all over. His eyes aren't pinning or anything like that. He isn't screaming. He just grunts and tries to bite me whenever I get too close.

He doesn't seem to understand how to step up. I tried using a perch to get him to step up and he got agitated so I backed off. That's when I came here. I've had him for a couple hours now and I'd like to get him settled in so he can figure out where his food and water is and so I can work tonight without worrying that he's destroying something or hurting himself.

He's eaten a door frame already. (Thank God I was going to replace it anyway. He did my demolition for me!) And a baby gate. And he's torn some of the fabric off the back of my couch. I expected all that though. I had a blue and gold macaw for about 4 months until my boyfriend dumped me and kept the bird so I do have a little bit of experience. But only a little. My B&G had been severely abused before he came to live with me and so I had just the opposite problem with him.

This one is A LOT bigger than my B&G was. My B&G also never bit me. That was a new experience. I don't want to end up being dominated by my bird and I don't want to ruin any of his good upbringing either.

I moved his cage into the living room and I've left the door open. I'm sitting in the kitchen where I can keep an eye on him without being on top of him. All my other pets are locked in my bedroom right now so its just me and him. I'm hoping he'll go in on his own but if there's anything I can/should do in the meantime, please let me know.

 

[darkling]

UPDATE

He is in his cage happily munching his piece of banana! Whew. That was nerve wracking!

I moved the couch into the middle of the room and put the cage next to it. Less than a minute later he'd climbed inside. He probably wanted that all along and was just too nervous to do it. Poor baby.

 

[MikeyTN]

That was the main reason I asked if that was the cage he came with. Since the sorrounding is new to him, being in his cage will make him feel safer. By having the cage close, he can just hop in to his safe zone.

 

[darkling]

He seems a lot happier now. He finished his banana and now he's muttering and ringing his bell.

 

[Crackers]

I think you did the right thing with moving the cage into the living room. Birds actually like to be where the action is. Just make sure they get the needed 10 hours rest. Glad it all worked out for you.