New Rescue B+G Macaw

[Rickyt]

Okay so I am about to bring home a rescue blue and gold who has some plucking issues. I can get her to lick peanut butter off my finger and i can get her to take banana out of my hand. But other than that she looks like she wants to eat me. She has no trust for anybody. Is there any pointers that anybody can give me to help earn her trust. I know that she is going to need her space.

 

[ann]

thank you for taking in a rescue! i'll post more tomorrow, i have to go to bed . good luck!

 

[ann]

you can spend allot of time with her, reading aloud, talking softly, giving her treats and even singing to her. reward even the smallest bit of progress. you could clicker train her. it gives you guys something to bond over, and it could help her gain confidence. it also will aid in stepping up and going back to the cage. if her wings are not already clipped, i would have them clipped when she settles down. it makes training easier and will make her more dependent on you, which aids in trust. when she gets more settled down, i would give her a bath with warm water using a spray bottle, or if she's comfortable you can use the shower. i have found that when my bird is wet, he calms down significantly. also since he's all wet and cold, he huddles up with me while i preen him, great for bonding. i would take special care bathing her though, because she is plucked and needs to be kept warmer. i would also get a feather picking product. they can minimize plucking in some birds. give her something to keep her busy so she thinks less about plucking. teach her simple tricks like spin around, step up and words down and little things like that. you can use these tricks to redirect behavior and redirect aggression. ex, if she gets over excited, cue her to spin or talk and it gives her something else to concentrate on and could calm her down. plenty of sleep and a good diet with lots of attention will work wonders! I'm sure she will flourish in your home! thank you for helping her and good luck !

 

[Rickyt]

She is doing wonderful she allows me to hold her as long as I let her hold my hand first. She also will eat out of my hand and lick stuff off my fingers. I havent tried a bath yet because I dont want her to get to cold. She shivers alot. I am not sure if she is scared or more nervous than anything

 

[bkparrot]

I have a plucked cockatoo and yes they shiver. I have a full spectrum lamp on his cage and I have him in the warmest spot in the house. He HATES bathing but likes getting sprayed. So when he steps up, I take him to the bathroom, put him on a stand and turn up the shower and get it all steamy. He loves it.

Thank you for adopting and giving this bird a well deserved second chance.