Hello

[Leigh1009]

I have had my B&G for about 4-5 years now, she is now 29. I got her from a friend- well she kind of picked me. I had never even touched a bird until she ran up my arm.
She was raised by a woman for 21 years, the woman began dating a man that didn't like Maxine....So she got rid of her. Knowing what I know about her behavior and body language now, Im positive that the man didn't like Maxine because Maxine would try to defend her "Momma" when this man was beating the hell out of her. Anytime my husband hugs me or picks me up being playful Maxine gets VERY VERY upset! Abnormally upset!
Her second home was at my friends house, who rescues animals so he had a LOT of dogs and cats. At one point there were kittens in the house and they figured out how to slip in the back of her cage. So they would slip in her cage at night and jump up to attack her.....Needless to say when I got her she DID NOT want to go in her cage for bedtime! And there was hell to pay if you tried to cover her cage!
She didn't like the previous owners much, since they had so many animals she never bonded with them appropriately. I remember asking if I opened the cage if she would bite me. They, without hesitation said YES! For some reason I opened it anyway and she bolted up my arm and started rubbing her beak across my face. So she picked me..... its been a roller coaster to say the least. She is settled in just fine, eats well, has a bit of anxiety- (Not feather plucking or anything- just nervous) Her anxiety "Noises" drive me up a wall!
Right now Im trying to figure out different things to give her and do with her to better her quality of life. And as I said, Im not a bird person- I never even had a finch...so this is beyond new to me and a learning experience daily. Im trying to teach her how to play, forage, etc....but she gets aggravated immediately.
Well I have gone on and on- sorry this is so long.... but Im Leigh, if anyone has suggestions on ANYTHING let me know=) any help is appreciated! I know Ive had her for at least 4 years- the beginning was getting her to eat right and minor behavior issues to be resolved. I should have worked on playing years ago but am trying now.

 

[MikeyTN]

Welcome to the forum Leigh! I'm surprised that the kittens would go inside a macaw cage, my cats are terrified of the macaws. Even the newest member Jaxon who is still a kitten. And one of my cat grew up outside, she don't even bother with the macaw.

Have your husband feed her and the one that give her treats and she will tolerate him more and go slowly about the hugging and such in front of her, she'll get over it over time. They get very defensive when it comes to the person they love.

 

[Leigh1009]

Thanks for the welcome!

I was surprised too! They were very little, maybe 8-10 weeks. They only messed with her in the middle of the night, very sad. I have 3 cats as well and they wouldn't go downstairs for 3 months after they heard her first scream! lol- I even had to move their food upstairs!

After we realized that it was upsetting to her we stopped! We figured it would make her hate him more and take even longer to warm up to him. Certainly wouldn't help with her anxiety!

We have tried the food thing and she wont eat if he gives it to her. Im sure she would if she got hungry enough but.... she tolerates him at times, she will hop on his arm if she wants to go where I am but mostly she lunges at him. She actually bit him once while he was holding her. the top of her beak went in-between his thumb nail and cuticle- pretty deep too!

But thank you for welcoming me. Im new to the forum thing=)

 

[jenphilly]

Leigh,

I'm new to the forum too, so it's a welcome party

We have a bare eyed cockatoo who is still very young, but we are her second home. She is almost 4, but clearly was never given anything to forage and also does the easily frustrated thing, but what I've done is start off with simple forage, like her favorite treat just wrapped in a napkin with the ends twisted, so she has to rip the napkin to get to the treat. I also use brown lunch bags and put in some napkins or white shredded paper along with nuts or nutriberries. I had to tear holes in the bag the first few times so Ivory had a clue what to do. The little chinese finger trap things are great to stuff with treats and tie a piece of leather around one end and hang. They literally can tear the thing in half with one bite, but then they find goodies, so she'll root thru the remaining to see what is there.

Sounds like your macaw is like our cockatoo, would starve in the wild if they had to go out and find food on their own!!

I would tell you to save your money on the expensive foraging toys and go with homemade and easy stuff, so its not too much of a hunt and there is a reward to make it all positive!

Good luck!!

Jen

 

[Birdman666]

I'm surprised that the kittens would go inside a macaw cage, my cats are terrified of the macaws..

Yeah. Me too!

Cats don't chase the macaws, the macaws chase the cats. And the CAG absolutely torments them!

 

[Birdman666]

Leigh,

I would tell you to save your money on the expensive foraging toys and go with homemade and easy stuff, so its not too much of a hunt and there is a reward to make it all positive!

Good luck!!

Jen

Agreed.

Macaws are wooden chew toy oriented anyway...

And attention oriented! And any game a toddler likes, a macaw usually likes.

Peek-e-boo. I'm gonna get you (Chase me around the room). Hide & seek. Tug of war. Wiffle ball.