OrrinocosMom
Active member
Hello Everyone,
I recently adopted a G&G who is about 20 years old. He belonged to the wife of one of my hospice patients ...she also had around 30 cats and realized that Orinoco (birds name) was not getting enough attention. I've wanted a macaw for a long time, so when she told me I was the only one shed consider giving him to, I accepted!!
We had a 6 day dive from California to our new home in Maine, with my three dogs in the cargo van with us! It turned out to be a great bonding experience - Orinoco, whom I have been calling Pirate (I don't know why, it just comes out and he seems to like I) sat pressed up to the side of his travel cage closest to me, overcame his shyness and grumpiest and was very interactive with me and the dogs. Took food from my hand, wanted head scratches etc.
When we finally got to the house it was chaos of moving truck arriving, unloading, boxes everywhere, repair guys in and out, deliveries, etc. Stress for dogs in a new place so lots of barking etc I was very careful to do my best to keep taking to my Pirate/Orinoco calmly, cover his cage at bedtime, and every day spend time with him. (His cage is about three feet from my desk, so we chat all day when I'm working.
Orinoco had a pretty much cage bound, life in his old home, never bathed, never did much but sit...his cage was often very dirty. At least his owner recognized that he needed more. I'm very grat ful to her for passing him in to me.
Things have finally calmed down and we are all settling it. I learned through the long journey and all the chaos of the move, that my Pirate friend is very adaptable, vet curious, very interested in EVERYTHING! I thought he might be a bit traumatized by the whole adventure...but no! He was fascinated and interactive throughout!! He was a bit shy and territorial once back in his bigger cage, but I've got plenty of patience.
I then learned from his previous owner that one of his wings does not extend (some injury early in his life) so he cannot fly. This made me sad...so I built a perch with rope ladder to a higher perch above his house (cage), so he can sunbathe at my upper window, which he loves to do. He was curious, if a bit nervous, through the process of putting it up, and when he went up to try it out he became very excited. I was outside fixing lawn mower when he started in with screaming at me (this always means he wants something quite badly - like "don't leave me here when you take dogs for a walk!!!") So I came inside to check... I went to him and he climbed down off his perch and basically asked to step up onto my arm.... It was a first and so exciting! We hung out like this for a good 15-20 minutes...he snuggled the side of my face and groomed my hair. He went back into the new perch, came back into me. We walked around a little but he was nervous going too far from cage so we stayed near it. It was magical. I really felt like he was saying THANK YOU THANK YOU. We had two more step up visits the same day.
There IS a wee question in all this: I've read and heard people say you should not let your macaw up in your shoulder as this makes them feel dominant... And others say it's ok. Both Orinoco and I were very comfy with him in my shoulder....but is this OK? That's my Q. I'd love to get to a place where we are both super comfy with this so I could put a safety harness on him and let him come along (on my shoulder) for dog walks.
But other Q is: with a bird who can't fly, how worried should I be about him FALLING?? Either off of my arm or shoulder, or off if his high perch?
One more mething. His prev. Owner said she did not reach him things to say, he just picked them up randomly. He does talk a fair bit (whispers I love you when I cover him at night, imitates my smaller dogs bark when I come home, and randomly rattles on with things lie what the heck you doing/aren't you pretty/got any more of that/how bout a song). So my question here is: can you teach a bird specific things to say, can you ask a bird to speak in command or in response, or do Macaws jus say what they want when they want to?
Anyway, I'm ridiculously in love with this magnificent, regal, silly, intelligent, curious and interactive being. I'm not new to birds - have worked with falcons, hawks and owls - but I'm new to macaws, and just ENCHANTED.
OH, one more Q: best way to introduce water/bathing/showers ??
Special tips for Macaws living in chilly Maine?
Thank you for reading my ramble and any thoughts you wish to share!
Photo shows Orinoco's new perch, before I out up rope ladder to upper perch, and our first step up snuggle!!
I recently adopted a G&G who is about 20 years old. He belonged to the wife of one of my hospice patients ...she also had around 30 cats and realized that Orinoco (birds name) was not getting enough attention. I've wanted a macaw for a long time, so when she told me I was the only one shed consider giving him to, I accepted!!
We had a 6 day dive from California to our new home in Maine, with my three dogs in the cargo van with us! It turned out to be a great bonding experience - Orinoco, whom I have been calling Pirate (I don't know why, it just comes out and he seems to like I) sat pressed up to the side of his travel cage closest to me, overcame his shyness and grumpiest and was very interactive with me and the dogs. Took food from my hand, wanted head scratches etc.
When we finally got to the house it was chaos of moving truck arriving, unloading, boxes everywhere, repair guys in and out, deliveries, etc. Stress for dogs in a new place so lots of barking etc I was very careful to do my best to keep taking to my Pirate/Orinoco calmly, cover his cage at bedtime, and every day spend time with him. (His cage is about three feet from my desk, so we chat all day when I'm working.
Orinoco had a pretty much cage bound, life in his old home, never bathed, never did much but sit...his cage was often very dirty. At least his owner recognized that he needed more. I'm very grat ful to her for passing him in to me.
Things have finally calmed down and we are all settling it. I learned through the long journey and all the chaos of the move, that my Pirate friend is very adaptable, vet curious, very interested in EVERYTHING! I thought he might be a bit traumatized by the whole adventure...but no! He was fascinated and interactive throughout!! He was a bit shy and territorial once back in his bigger cage, but I've got plenty of patience.
I then learned from his previous owner that one of his wings does not extend (some injury early in his life) so he cannot fly. This made me sad...so I built a perch with rope ladder to a higher perch above his house (cage), so he can sunbathe at my upper window, which he loves to do. He was curious, if a bit nervous, through the process of putting it up, and when he went up to try it out he became very excited. I was outside fixing lawn mower when he started in with screaming at me (this always means he wants something quite badly - like "don't leave me here when you take dogs for a walk!!!") So I came inside to check... I went to him and he climbed down off his perch and basically asked to step up onto my arm.... It was a first and so exciting! We hung out like this for a good 15-20 minutes...he snuggled the side of my face and groomed my hair. He went back into the new perch, came back into me. We walked around a little but he was nervous going too far from cage so we stayed near it. It was magical. I really felt like he was saying THANK YOU THANK YOU. We had two more step up visits the same day.
There IS a wee question in all this: I've read and heard people say you should not let your macaw up in your shoulder as this makes them feel dominant... And others say it's ok. Both Orinoco and I were very comfy with him in my shoulder....but is this OK? That's my Q. I'd love to get to a place where we are both super comfy with this so I could put a safety harness on him and let him come along (on my shoulder) for dog walks.
But other Q is: with a bird who can't fly, how worried should I be about him FALLING?? Either off of my arm or shoulder, or off if his high perch?
One more mething. His prev. Owner said she did not reach him things to say, he just picked them up randomly. He does talk a fair bit (whispers I love you when I cover him at night, imitates my smaller dogs bark when I come home, and randomly rattles on with things lie what the heck you doing/aren't you pretty/got any more of that/how bout a song). So my question here is: can you teach a bird specific things to say, can you ask a bird to speak in command or in response, or do Macaws jus say what they want when they want to?
Anyway, I'm ridiculously in love with this magnificent, regal, silly, intelligent, curious and interactive being. I'm not new to birds - have worked with falcons, hawks and owls - but I'm new to macaws, and just ENCHANTED.
OH, one more Q: best way to introduce water/bathing/showers ??
Special tips for Macaws living in chilly Maine?
Thank you for reading my ramble and any thoughts you wish to share!
Photo shows Orinoco's new perch, before I out up rope ladder to upper perch, and our first step up snuggle!!