Visited a GW at a parrot rescue

[junglenutcracker]

We visited a nice but unsocialized GW at a parrot rescue place yesterday. It is an amazingly beautiful bird but I wonder if he could ever accept a new family without showing aggressive behaviour- as he has been know to lunge at people sometime. He could also doing this out of fear. He does not seem to easily trust people coming up to him —*although I realize that things like this will take time and that the trust bond must be earned. He is about 25 and I heard that he was really bonded to his previous female owner - so much so that he seems to hate men. This is why the owner decided to part with him. He has been at the rescue for about 9 months.
He came down from the top of his cage a few times and reluctantly took some nuts we offered him in a bag. I really wonder if there is any much chance of changing his behaviour/undoing his set ways and establishing a new relationship...or are they set in their ways for good after so many years?

They also have a BG which seems pretty energetic but I have a soft spot for GWs.

 

[Pinkbirdy]

I believe birds that have "Loved" before have a memory . If you take on this bird it has to be a whole house effort . He will probably after settling in bond to one person. The rest of the household will have to go over the top with him . Even if he seems to hate them.Be prepared this can take a LONG time. Understand this poor guy is upset. What to do if you get him. Place the cage right next to where you hang out [doesn't matter if it fits ]. Or what your house looks like. This way you can become friends through the bars . When you take him out [make him step on a stick]. Get him away from his cage ,put him on a playstand. Give him treats ,maneuver him back with that stick . After awhile of doing his. Take to the bathroom ,sit on the floor lower him to the floor . See if he will be able to come over and step up on your arm . If he does take him back to his cage [give him a treat]. Work with him every night . Try having him on the back of a chair at the kitchen table. See if he will see you .Also try having him on a playstand pulled up to the couch. Maybe he will come down and see you. I have a GW that came from a dark basement You should see the hole she put in my couch trying to get me !! She was scared It took about 6 months for me [and her] to trust each other . To this day I let her groom my face and she gives me kisses. The right attitude with rehomes you have to be happy with what their willing to give and you will go far. Things will turn out for the good. But as I said each family member has to be really happy about him . Or they know ,I think that's what the problem was at the last house . He will do the same.

 

[junglenutcracker]

Thanks for the great advice. I guess we were somewhat discouraged that he seemed to ignore us half of the time we were there (except when we were offering food!) — we were there for about one hour and a half total. But at least, when he turned away he didn’t spend it all tucked away in his cage, he was out and about and even came to perch on the edge of his door and take a bath right in front of us and started to preen. So I guess it’s some sign that he wasn’t too uptight. The rest of the time he climbed up on his play structure and explored every toy he has. Maybe the best strategy is to pay several more visits and see how things develop without forcing ourself upon him...

 

[Pinkbirdy]

I think he was giving you signs [that things might be alright ]. You can keep visiting him to get to know him . But just because hes one way there . Hes probably going to be nothing like that at your house . So don't base your opinion on him at the rescue .

 

[junglenutcracker]

But just because hes one way there . Hes probably going to be nothing like that at your house . So don't base your opinion on him at the rescue .

You mean...he could turn out to be a lot worse!!? Lol

 

[JerseyWendy]

You mean...he could turn out to be a lot worse!!? Lol

HAHAHAHA! If you decide to open your home to this big guy, he will most likely be rather quiet and 'docile' in the very beginning, while he's scouring out and taking in his new environment. (We often refer to this as the 'honeymoon period')

Once he's settled in (and there's no way of telling how long that will take), he will come out of his shell, and will most likely start 'testing' you. That is when you need to be consistent, with a strong, firm, yet loving hand.

My GW intimidated my husband the entire first year he lived with us. He'd only have to open his beak, and hubby would change color. :54: He finally knows how to respond to him without running for cover, LOL, and they have finally began to form a relationship on their own. (I have to make sure and be out of sight while hubby's playing with 'my' GW)

I think the GW at the rescue definitely showed interest in you!

 

[Pinkbirdy]

I bet he will be wary, indifferent at the rescue. What im trying to say if you don't see the big "Bond" there. It doesn't mean its not going to happen .

 

[Birdman666]

Of course it can be done!

Go to the bottom of page five of this thread:

http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/53118-excitement.html

Now this is a bird that had been considered aggressive, refused to step up for anyone, and hadn't really been handled in years... (He was in his late teens, I believe.)

And that's him 15 minutes later laying on his back in the palm of my hand.

He lunged at me a few times too, ran away from me. In fact, I had to chase him around the room a few times...

Then this happened.

They bond over time when you work with them. When you provide them with structure, and love, and discipline, and their needs are met.

On some level, it's just that simple. And every bit that hard.

 

[Minimaker]

It takes time, we're still learning ours. Some thing that have happened with my own personal bird is that she's bonded more to males and can be very sweet to them. My daughter and I are less favorite (could be a preference with this particular bird). She hates anyone in her enclosure in the morning hours, she gets very grouchy and protects her food bowls in the morning. I spoke with another owner/zoo handler who works with a wider range of macaws and was told cage/enclosure aggression sometimes happens with certain birds and things are much better if you remove them from the cage before you do clean up or bowl changes if they are the type. Things are going much better for me now that we've started doing that. I can clean her area/change her dishes and not have to worry about her going after me while I'm in there. She's far more receptive to me in the afternoon hours so we're training then. She's a morning grump.

Basically individual birds have their own idiosyncrasies and personalities and not all birds behave the same way. Upbringing has a lot to do with how they turn out I hear. If you get one, you eventually learn what works and what doesn't for your own particular bird. I don't get any warm fuzzies from mine, but she loves the guys here. She will tolerate me now that I know what to do with her in the morning-the drama is so much less trying for both of us. It used to be a little bit of a morning battle between us, and now that that is over she's not holding a grudge against me for the rest of the day. Without the animosity, we can work together much better now. Maybe someday she'll warm up to me in time.