How to handle aggressive macaws

[onamom21]

Blue sounds a lot like my dog with strangers. So while I can't relate to training a parrot with stranger-danger, I can understand how hard it is to rehab an abused animal. Thank you for working with him @kme3388 and giving him a chance.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Blue is doing a little better with his aggression.

I cannot ask for a step up if he’s up high. He has to be at waist level or lower. We use a dowel if he is up high.

He still argues with me, and threatens to bite if I remove him from his stand to go back to his cage. He likes to listen to gospel music, and dance. He really doesn’t like to be disrupted so one of the other parrots can come out.

I’ve been keeping his training sessions short, and sweet. Instead of time frames of how long he can be out. He needs to be out for a purpose. He doesn’t do well just sitting there for whatever reason.

View attachment 80536

I don't see any blood so I guess he's having a good day and so is your arm!

 

[HarleY 065]

kme3388 -You do well and I commend you. Hang in, forget time, and be there for him. Rehav for humans is no different that for birds. No promises - no guarantees . . . just a slog!! Some people, just can't see beyonds better way - likewise with any parrot.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

You're a real hero for giving Blue a home! Sadly, for all the parrots like Blue that got rescued there are countless others that languish behind bars unable to enjoy life as such magnificent creatures deserve. Thank you.

 

[HarleY 065]

something here I think we all have missed. All who have single macaws only have one connection to our pet; those that have sets, (male and female)
, have a double training connection. remember when you were in junior school and you took training/lessons direct from one source (teacher)- then in a different situation you pondered/questioned with your close friends/parents/ or someone with a different way of explaining something which troubled you.
I see that every day in my training episodes, when the pairs get together after.
comments would be appreciated.

 

[kme3388]

something here I think we all have missed. All who have single macaws only have one connection to our pet; those that have sets, (male and female)
, have a double training connection. remember when you were in junior school and you took training/lessons direct from one source (teacher)- then in a different situation you pondered/questioned with your close friends/parents/ or someone with a different way of explaining something which troubled you.
I see that every day in my training episodes, when the pairs get together after.
comments would be appreciated.

Right now because of hormones my macaw would be considered dangerous to handle. If I were to look at him in the eye he takes it as a challenge which equals attack in his mind. I knew when I adopted him that he had gotten into macaw spit spats with other macaws at the shelter. He has a more dominant approach to how he handles situations. If he’s that amped up during hormone seasons I honestly leave him be. This is the part that breaks my heart. He’s then stuck in a cage a few days until things settle. There really isn’t a great way to handle this situation. I’ve been nipped at a few times from my macaw. I’ve actually never been bitten by a macaw. The ones I worked with in a shelter setting we are trained to not bond with them as we want them to be successful in a home setting unless they are considered unadoptable, or only adoptable by people who are very experienced with the larger parrot species as they can be dangerous.

 

[HarleY 065]

your Blue must be related to my Harley!!! similar in most aspects of behaviour. your Blue has brought with him his history. you have to turn a blind eye, walk away, ignore or raise the tempo of your language with him in order to see, after time, improvement. I am no different . . . my boys problem is that he was my first macaw and he bonded very well. As soon as I started to acquire others all my problems with his behaviour started. Earlier on when all this started I called in a Avian Behavioural Expert, who didn't give any helpful advice, perhaps Harley for some reason has a aversion to females ( I learn't of this later on with a female vet - he wouldn't have a piece of her - very bluntly!!-)
I think I learnt earlier on that to control my Harley is to figure out WHY (meaning sometimes he throws a wobbly when I do something wrong, or the not the right way) then HOW to attempt to improve it. Take Hormonal period time out of the equation, and I think you will find some improvement, not alway, just sometimes, as we all agree that it takes a macaw, macaw time to pickup, and learn, what you want. And I respect the hands on experience you have from your time in a shelter, which has given you the knowledge that your Blue is salvageable. Otherwise you wouldn't have him - right?