The "lets get Charlotte healthy!" Thread.

[BeatriceC]

I'm an experienced bird owner, and have worked with macaws, but I've never owned one. One of the reasons I felt comfortable taking her in is because I knew this forum was here to help me if I have questions. I think I'm mostly okay, but I'm sure I'm going to run into issues where I need help. I was hoping I could make this an ongoing thread so I don't need to post a whole bunch of different threads.

So for anybody who hasn't read my original thread, I will recap her history. I heard about a couple of macaws that needed a new home ASAP. We weren't looking for a new bird right now, but had been considering getting a macaw next year or so. When we heard about these birds we decided to go visit them and see what we could do. I'm only going to give Scarlett's history, since she's the one I have.

Four years ago the people that had her rescued her from what had to be a horrible situation. They found her when somebody was trying to sell her at a garage sale. She had a missing wing that appeared to be surgically removed, but the reason for that was not forthcoming. They took her in and did her best with her. Nine months ago they got a puppy. Scarlett did not handle that well and started plucking. At this point her entire body and legs are plucked clean. Additionally, what feathers she does have are kind of dull. They reported she has a "no touch" policy and could on,y be moved a around using a stick. They also had an older blue and gold who appeared healthy (maybe not quite as vibrant as he should be, but he's also older) And was reported to have no behavior problems.

It was love at first sight for me, and Scarlett reacted in a friendly manner towards me, and there's just something about her that I just couldn't leave her there. The people gave me all her stuff, and we took her home (it did take two trips, and we had to take all the seats out of my mini van to get it all). She's settling in about as well as we could possibly expect. She's easily startled, but can be calmed fair,y quickly, and we have no issues moving her from cage to play perch and back using her stick.

My first concern is her diet. They've been feeding her a chop that consists of cooked pasta, green beans, and a mixture of other types of beans as her main food, then giving her snacks of a small variety of fruits, vegetables and nuts throughout the day. The fruits and veggies they listed were melons, bananas, citrus, mango, carrots, corn, and a "mix of raw nuts". From what I've read, I don't think this is as complete a diet as it should be. additionally, when I tried to give her nuts (walnut) in a shell, she didn't recognize it as food and hasn't really touched the out of shell cashews and macadamia nuts I got for her. She's also barely touching the fresh fruit and veggies. She is eating the chop and drinking plenty of water. The only seed she's touching are the seeds from the cantaloupe, though she didn't eat the fruit itself. I think I need to introduce a greater variety of fresh fruits and veggies and get her eating a few nuts and seeds.

I haven't seen her pluck very much at all, but she's obviously calmer when I keep music going. I think I will be listening to a lot of music for a good long time!

She has an appointment with our avian vet next Tuesday. She is currently in quarantine in her old cage (and moved to a play perch during the day) in a room with a huge window and a sliding glass door that's good for "birdie tv". I've been hanging around close enough so that she knows she's not alone and I can keep an eye on her, but far enough away so she doesn't feel threatened, on,y getting really close to feed her or move her back and forth from cage to play perch. I keep up a little chatter with her to start building trust.

Is there anything else I'm missing?

 

[plumsmum2005]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

Hello. I will just pick out a couple of things to help so here goes

Parrot Food, Recipes and Diet - Parrot Forum - Parrot Owner's Community

this is a link to loads of info relating to food, what's good, what's not.

Sounds good start that she likes chop, that gives you the opportunity to load it with loads of good stuff for her. Please do have a look at some of the recipes, treats like birdie bread stc.

Re the walnuts thing, perhaps she has no recollection of what it is - so show her. Teach her to crack it open etc. Great interaction between you and her let's play crack the nut game! Play a game with the fruit too. You eat some yum, yum noises and do you like some?
So pleased that you found her, sounds like a rough life so far. You sound like you will give her a good life and she will be loved.

 

[BeatriceC]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

Progress this morning! She did not get scared at all when I opened the door to the room she's in! Yesterday she got scared and then calmed after a few minutes of talking to her. She also didn't get scared when I approached her cage with her breakfast. I think that's pretty huge.

I've looked at a couple different chop recipes and birdie bread recipes and I've picked out a favorite of each. I am going to gradually add a few more veggies, fruits and nuts to her chop, reduce the pasta and add a little rice until it's more like JerseyWendy's recipe, and I also like her recipe for Birdie Bread, though I have to locate red palm oil before I can make it.

 

[psychocircus91]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

Sounds like you are on the right track! I'm going to be following along on her story.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

I think I have seen red Palm Oil from the normal bird suppliers over here, just as an idea.

 

[BeatriceC]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

I'm heading to the bird store in a few hours. I'm also going to stop by a Middle Eastern market nearby as they have a huge selection of not-common oils to see what they have. They also have the cheapest produce prices in pretty much all of California (and with three veggie loving teenage boys who can out-eat your average NFL team, plus three other birds, they're pretty much a thrice-weekly stop for me). They also have a huge selection of bulk items like nuts and dried fruits, but I don't think they're as good as Sprouts (a better and cheaper version of Whole Foods), where I got a selection of raw, unsalted nuts and non-sulfur dried fruits yesterday. She ate the dried mangos, though I can't get her to eat fresh ones, and she won't touch even the out of shell nuts. I think I'm going to chop some up and hide them in her chop to see if I can sneak them into her that way.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

I'm heading to the bird store in a few hours. I'm also going to stop by a Middle Eastern market nearby as they have a huge selection of not-common oils to see what they have. They also have the cheapest produce prices in pretty much all of California (and with three veggie loving teenage boys who can out-eat your average NFL team, plus three other birds, they're pretty much a thrice-weekly stop for me). They also have a huge selection of bulk items like nuts and dried fruits, but I don't think they're as good as Sprouts (a better and cheaper version of Whole Foods), where I got a selection of raw, unsalted nuts and non-sulfur dried fruits yesterday. She ate the dried mangos, though I can't get her to eat fresh ones, and she won't touch even the out of shell nuts. I think I'm going to chop some up and hide them in her chop to see if I can sneak them into her that way.

Grating is great way of hiding them but do try to get her to see it as something good so you can treat her ITF. You're doing well also

 

[BeatriceC]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

Thanks. I'm kind of hoping that if I hide them at first the flavor won't be so new and she'll explore the whole nuts. That's kind of my thought process on grating/chopping them.

 

[BeatriceC]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

On another topic, I keep accidentally saying Charlotte instead of Scarlett. I don't actually like the name Scarlett. It seems kind of cheesy for a scarlet macaw. But it's the name she came with and I was told that she says a muttered version of it from time to time, so I didn't make any moves to change her name. If I keep screwing up, I just might accidentally change her name anyway. Charlotte is pretty close phonetically, with only one minor phenome change, so it might take.

 

[psychocircus91]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

On another topic, I keep accidentally saying Charlotte instead of Scarlett. I don't actually like the name Scarlett. It seems kind of cheesy for a scarlet macaw. But it's the name she came with and I was told that she says a muttered version of it from time to time, so I didn't make any moves to change her name. If I keep screwing up, I just might accidentally change her name anyway. Charlotte is pretty close phonetically, with only one minor phenome change, so it might take.

You're right. New home, New family. She will likely recognize "Charlotte" as "Scarlett." She might just think you say it a little funny

 

[BeatriceC]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

I'm debating just switching to Charlotte. We shall see. I don't have to make any decisions right away on that topic.

And I'm just amazed at how well she's settling in. I'm going to get a video next time, but she was playing peek-a-boo with me just a little bit ago and she was doing a full fledged Happy Macaw dance when They Might Be Giant's "Birdhouse in Your Soul" came on earlier this morning (yes, I have very eclectic tastes in music). She's still a bit leery of us being too close, but she'll happily get on her stick to move from place to place.

The Middle Eastern market was a bust for the oil, so I'm going to have to order it. Darn.

 

[GraciesMom]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

If you don't want to wait for an order to come in. I get Organic Red Palm Fruit Oil from Sprouts brand is Nutiva. Non GMO verified, Fair for Life, USDA Organic, habitat & orangutan friendly, zero trans fats, unrefined etc.

Only contains oil from red palm fruit.

 

[BeatriceC]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

I didn't see it at Sprouts. I will go back. It's only a mile from my house. If that location doesn't have it, maybe they can get it for me from another store.

ETA: I did look there as well as Vine Ripe. Those are my two go-to stores for bird stuff I can't get or is too expensive at the regular grocery store.

 

[GraciesMom]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

This is the what the jar looks like. I believe it was with the other oils .. coconut oil, safflower etc.

 

[BeatriceC]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

I'm going to eat lunch and then go down to Sprouts. I'd like to get the bread made sooner rather than later.

 

[BeatriceC]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

She's exploring the outside while MrC does yard work.

 

[Blancaej]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

You are doing an awesome job! I get my palm oil from My Safe Bird Store online. Amazon has it but it's more expensive there. So if you can't find it locally try them.

I would try a good pelleted diet to keep in Charlotte's cage that she can nibble on in between meals. I use Zupreem and all my fids like it. It gives them many nutrients.

I would also focus on veggies more then fruit and try to move away from dried fruit eventually and use fresh only. It's just a matter of finding her favorites and will take time.

I put palm oil in my birdie corn bread, mixed veggies and double the eggs the normal recipe calls for. I include the egg shells, too.

My chop is wheat or veggie pasta (my fids love veggie pasta), brown rice, beans and a mix of veggies. They love it!

I give birdie bread and nutriberries for breakfast and chop at night.

Giving nuts in the shell is important for Macs as they need to keep chewing. Try different nuts and like suggested show her how to crack them open. Once she is good about cracking her own nuts put them in foraging toys to make her work for them instead of just giving them to her. Its a good activity for thwm. But you can start that later down the road.

As for the name change, go for it. My Savannah came to me as Sinbad! Couldn't stand the name and she is a girl! Previous owners found that out when she laid an egg at age 9! Anyway, Savannah took to her name quickly!

I look forward to hearing updates!

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[BeatriceC]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

I started with a selection of dried fruits for the sole purpose of seeing what she can be coaxed to eat, as they can sit out a lot longer than fresh fruits. I'm still offering her fresh fruits and veggies (veggies don't attract fruit flies near as fast as fruits), but those have to be changed out frequently. She did eat some pumpkin seeds, but still no nuts. I just need to be patient.

She's outside with MrC right now while I'm inside paying attention to the other birds. She seems equally comfortable with both of us right now, as well as my oldest kid, though isn't sure of the youngest (the middle just moved out to live with his father and step mother a little bit ago, so it's just the four of us right now). Leo is loving the individual attention he's getting right now, overseeing my internet usage from my shoulder. Goofy's all, "meh, I want MrC", and Cookie is being Cookie, sitting on top of his cage staring out the window.

 

[psychocircus91]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

soaking up the sunshine!

 

[Blancaej]

Re: The "lets get Scarlett healthy!" Thread.

She's exploring the outside while MrC does yard work.

She looks like one happy girl!

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk