Rowdy help(B&G)

[rowdy]

FOREWARNING: This is probably going to be very long!!
Okay, so first I'm gonna talk about him (when I got him, basic info, ect) Okay so I'm gonna put it in a list

• Name- Rowdy
• B&G Macaw
• 24 years old
• 2 known previous owners (his owner before me had him less than 6 months)
• I'm pretty sure he's small for his age and species, he's less than 3ft long from head to tail, only a little over 2 ft
• male
• said to be very sweet
• says
  •ow
  •what
  •stop
  •shut up (has said once in my household, learned from owner before me)
  •can i get a kiss? (has said twice, learned from me asking him of i could get a kiss from him)
  •meows
  •barks
  •kisses
  •calls 'Ma" when i leave the room
  •rings his bell whenever I am in the room but stop paying attention to him or when I leave the room

So, I brought him home on 7/26 (9 days ago)
On the first day he got out of his cage when I was trying to take an apple from the bottom of the cage as it was starting to brown. He climbed onto my arm before I knew what was going on and so I thought okay, ill just put him back before anything happens. Right as i thought that he started to climb up on my arm. My friend (his owner before me, she gave him to me as her mom said she had too many pets) told me that when he's on shoulders he loves to bite ears and hair. obviously I didnt want that so i tried to get him to step up onto my other arm. I didnt touch him with the arm, not once, but he lashed out and he bit me...HARD. So, this is my first macaw and even though ive done TONS of research, it was still in the moment reactions. I know youre not supposed to give a macaw a reaction when they bite you but it was the first time i had been bitten by a macaw...and it hurt like...let's just say heck. I yanked my arm away and i guess he was still latched to my arm because he was pulled off of the arm he crawled on and he fell to the floor(not a huge fall, maybe a foot). I had to use a stick (something he's scared of) to "coax" him out from underneath his cage(i tried to use praise, treats, seeds, fruits/veggies, ect, nothing worked to get him out). So the next few days following that he started to trust me again, letting me pet his wings and feet and even scritch his neck a few times. He would put one of his feet on mt finger and just stand there. Then, all of the sudden, a few days ago it's like he hates me. IDK what it is, maybe because I spending a little less time with him than i did a few days before that (not much less, no more than an hour less)? I'm trying to show him that he's not gonna get a reaction out of me by holding my hand close to the cage, just out of his reach, and keeping perfectly still. The first 2-3 days I did this he would lash out, trying to bite me but I didnt move. Yesterday and today when I did it he only lashed out when i first put it there and then left me alone. He hasnt let me pet his wings very much the past few days and I havent attempted letting him stand on my finger yet (I dont want to go back to school in a month with only 9 fingers lol). He used to lash out at me when i would put my fingers on the latches to his food and water bowl doors but I think he's learned that when I take them out it means i cming back with fresh food and water and he hardly lashes at me when i do that now. Any advice on what I should do? I know a lot of people will tell me to take it slow but HOW should I do that? Where should I go from here? I don't want to ruin anything and I just want this to be his forever home. I know I can take care of him. I change his water 2-3 times a day, feed him twice a day, mist him 2x a day, dance with him a few times a day, sit and talk to him alone everyday, eat some of my meals with him when i can share with him, give him toys, speak softly to him, clean his cage/change his papers 2-3 times a week (depending on how bad it gets). Just any help would be appreciated. Thank you so much
♥Sydney and Rowdy
(Oh & btw, for those asking for pics of Rowdy in one of my first post's, I put an album together for him.

 

[Birdman666]

I'm not even sure where to begin with this one...

This is one of those situations where I wish I could do a hands on demonstration.

 

[rowdy]

yeah birdman, its hard to say what to do if you cant be there and like "experiment"

 

[Birdman666]

It's just so much easier to SHOW you than try and write a(nother) book about it...

Third post down in this, there's a bunch of new to macaws links... those should get you started! Read that, and then we'll work on specifics.

http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/54403-just-got-blue-gold-macaw-need-some-advice.html

 

[rowdy]

all right, thanks, we can dm if you would like

 

[JerseyWendy]

LOL Mark!!!

Sidney, who told you not to show a reaction when Rowdy does something undesirable?

Believe me, every single one of my fids know my facial expressions, my tone of voice (what it means) AND a very wide variety of words and sentences, including "Knock it off." :54: When my B&G has a wild feather up his hiney and pinches me, you better believe he gets a reaction out of me. Big macs are extremely smart. They need to learn right from wrong. Showing absolutely no reaction teaches them absolutely nothing (again, JMVHO)

If Rowdy is being 'rowdy' (LOL) / showing any kind of aggression, whether he's bluffing or whether he means business, while you do regular cage maintenance, take him out BEFORE you do anything. Have a simple T-stand handy, preferably place it in another room, away from his cage. And while he's happily perched on the T-stand, do what you have to do in and around the cage.

You said he's afraid of perches/sticks. How about a natural tree limb (small part of one...not a ginormous one)? You could use that to get him out. If Rowdy attempts to immediately climb onto your shoulder, use a second branch to deter him. Keep him off your shoulder and away from your face. Shoulder privileges must be earned.

 

[Birdman666]

Yeah.

That little piece of advice kinda tends to backfire. I don't know who started that myth, but it's been going around for a long time now and it's absolutely the wrong approach to take with a macaw.

The way you teach a macaw to control his bite pressure is to constantly communicate when the bird is starting to apply too much bite pressure. The bird needs to know the point where it begins to hurt...

By ignoring bites, the bird doesn't get the feed back he needs. That sucker goes to bite me, and I will either (1) grab his beak and give the command "no biting"; (2) swipe the beak away and give the command "knock it off" or, if he continues being evil, drop his little butt to the floor...

WHERE HE CAN SIT THERE FOR A MINUTE BEING IGNORED, AND THINK ABOUT WHAT HE JUST DID.

The STINK EYE goes a long way...

Birds communicate with each other using their eyes. It's something they pay close attention to... THE COMMAND "KNOCK IT OFF" COMBINED WITH "STINK EYE" is usually enough to freeze the activity in my birdroom if I use just the right tone of voice...

 

[Birdman666]

Secondly, CONFIDENCE and a FIRM HAND are required with macaws.

If that bird figures out you can't control him, it becomes significantly more difficult to control him. They act up MORE! (Because they can!)

Then you have the battle of the out of control toddler on your hands. "Well I got away with it last time! What else can I get away with?" BE CONSISTENT! THE BEHAVIOR STOPS.

IF YOU SHOW FEAR TO A MACAW, THEY WILL ACT UP VIRTUALLY EVERY SINGLE TIME, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY CAN MANIPULATE YOU WITH THEIR BEAK, AND YOU'LL BACK DOWN. YOU ARE SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR THAT SORT OF BEHAVIOR IF YOU DON'T APPROACH CONFIDENTLY, AND MOVE WITH CALM DELIBERATE "IN CONTROL" MOVEMENTS.

You have to approach the bird confidently, and step him up confidently.

CONFIDENCE IS A TWO WAY STREET WITH MACAWS. He has to be confident too. He has to know what you want him to do, and he has to know what you intend to do with him, in order to be confident in his interactions with you. Otherwise, FORGETABOUTIT! They'll do the lunge bite, back you up kinda thing... then you have to deal with lowering those defenses as well.

The correct way to keep a mac off your shoulder is to put your other arm in his path when he tries to go up there. If he attempts to step over it, you pick him up with the other hand, and reverse it... until he gets the message that he is not permitted on shoulders.

Should he get argumentative and bitey?! I answer that one by immediately guess who just got dropped to the floor... and can stay there until they step up nice, and stop giving me attitude!

YOU ARE SENDING THE MESSAGE THAT YOU AREN'T ABLE TO HANDLE HIM, AND HE WILL ACT UP MORE, AND MORE...

This is part of the "macaw testing phase" and unfortunately, he doesn't hate you, he's testing you, and you flunked... THIS IS BIRDIE MANIPULATION, AND YOU BEST BELIEVE THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY THAT SMART!!!

 

[Birdman666]

IF HE ACTS UP, A CLOSED BENT FIST, (so the skin on your hand is tight and there is nothing to latch onto) goes a long way. Use the palm of your hand on that closed bent fist to just calmly push the beak away, and give the "knock it off" command.

The beak may be powerful, but that scrawny little neck is not. Two fingers on the top of the beak, just below the nares, is usually enough to control it.

If he attempts to bite when stepping up, then two finger on the beak and you've got control of him. THEN step him up. Nothing he can do about it.

THESE ARE THE SORTS OF THINGS THAT DEMONSTRATE TO THE BIRD THAT YOU AREN'T GOING TO PUT UP WITH ANY NONSENSE, AND YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONTROL HIM.

They respect that!!!

IF YOU CAN'T, THEY DON'T HAVE TO!!! AND DON'T THEY KNOW IT!!!

(Yeah, well, maybe I don't feel like it. Whatchagonna do about it?! I didn't think so...)

My birds know they can expect a visit from my old friend Mr. Towel, if they misbehave to that extent.

SO THEY DON'T!!!

 

[Christinenc2000]

Yeah I reacted last night to just a nip.
No doubt will hear the new word when I get home

 

[Mariar]

Yea I called sissy a little sh## the other day..guess what her new word is. I didn't call her that to her face I told my fiancé that she was being that. very smart birds..very.

 

[ToMang07]

The beak may be powerful, but that scrawny little neck is not. Two fingers on the top of the beak, just below the nares, is usually enough to control it.

I'm glad you posted that. The few times I have had Willow get all feisty that's exactly what I did, along with telling her "NO." If she does it again I'm usually quick to pick her up (before she realizes what I'm doing) and into the cage she goes to time-out. Half/one hour later, she can come out as long as she's calmed down.

I have noticed that if it gets to the "angry" biting stage, speed is my friend. Putting her in the cage I have about 1 second before she comes back (MAD) and tries to get me before my hands are out, and about a half a second before she goes for the latch through the bars, lol

I do find it interesting that she's smart enough to know NOT to bite me while she's being carried....however that's a time game for both of us, lol

 

[ToMang07]

Yea I called sissy a little sh## the other day..guess what her new word is. I didn't call her that to her face I told my fiancé that she was being that. very smart birds..very.

I tell Willow "We're having roast Cockatoo for dinner if you keep that up" when she gets in a mood, lol

 

[JerseyWendy]

Yeah I reacted last night to just a nip.
No doubt will hear the new word when I get home

I tell Willow "We're having roast Cockatoo for dinner if you keep that up" when she gets in a mood, lol

Mine have been threatened with getting to know the microwave.....from the INSIDE..... :21:

 

[Birdman666]

Yea I called sissy a little sh## the other day..guess what her new word is. I didn't call her that to her face I told my fiancé that she was being that. very smart birds..very.

I tell Willow "We're having roast Cockatoo for dinner if you keep that up" when she gets in a mood, lol

I USED TO SHOW DEMITRE THE HONEY BBQ GLAZE, AND A SKEWER...

You wanna be an appetizer?! Keep it up.

That bird could be quite a stinker...

 

[ToMang07]

I USED TO SHOW DEMITRE THE HONEY BBQ GLAZE, AND A SKEWER...

You wanna be an appetizer?! Keep it up.

That bird could be quite a stinker...

 

[Birdman666]

Yea I called sissy a little sh## the other day..guess what her new word is. I didn't call her that to her face I told my fiancé that she was being that. very smart birds..very.

One of the phrases that Tusk knows in context, and uses in context is:

"QUIT BEING AN <bleep>HOLE!"

I have actually seen this bird look someone in the eye who was bothering him, and say "Knock it off! Quit being an <bleep>hole!"

When he starts doing that stuff, you know he's getting upset and it's time to intervene.

(Funniest part, is he usually says it to the macaw, when play is getting a little bit rough. Usually, after he instigated the play, but is now losing the game.)

 

[Mariar]

I'm laughing right now...doolie use to call u a 'mother fer' if you were bothering him..which meant he was about to attack. Body language .verbal language ..very important.

 

[Birdman666]

I'm laughing right now...doolie use to call u a 'mother fer' if you were bothering him..which meant he was about to attack. Body language .verbal language ..very important.

If he heard that phrase used by a human who was going into attack mode, and the human got another human to back down...

Hmmm.... that's a handy phrase to know.

I used the phrase "GET OUT OF HERE!" to chase a cat off exactly ONCE.

The next day, TUSK had that phrase down perfectly...

THIS ONE IS USEFUL!

Now he even uses it on people...

 

[ToMang07]

I'm laughing right now...doolie use to call u a 'mother fer' if you were bothering him..which meant he was about to attack. Body language .verbal language ..very important.

If he heard that phrase used by a human who was going into attack mode, and the human got another human to back down...

Hmmm.... that's a handy phrase to know.

I used the phrase "GET OUT OF HERE!" to chase a cat off exactly ONCE.

The next day, TUSK had that phrase down perfectly...

THIS ONE IS USEFUL!

Now he even uses it on people...

Is Tusk the Grey?