Theresa Pratt - 2012-04-15 Oh our blue and gold already says step up hello hi and far out and love you. He's trying to say other stuff just can't make it out yet. He or she is very well behaved. He feeds my large dog and my dog washed his face. He's beat my cat up and knocked him off the railing to the floor below. The guy is such a sweet little guy with a great personality. I need to know how long do you syringe feed them. I don't want him to become dependent on it and not want to eat on his own my neighbor said he should be eating so i've been trying to cut 1 feeding out and givng him the scrambbled eggs baked sweet potato cooked mixed vegetables fresh cooked green beans fresh fruit and he only knibbles
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Charlie Roche - 2012-04-17 From what I gather from your previous question - this little fella is about 10 months old. You can cut back his feedings to 60 cc before you or he goes to bed - just to make sure his belly is full before bed. Gradullay reduce him down to no feedings -- maybe reduce down 10 cc a night for a week. So first week 60 cc each night. Second week 50 cc's, third week 40 cc's. Are you giving him macaw seed mix? Also give him cracked walnuts, cheerios, ritz crackers with honey on them. Macaws eat a lot of protecin more so than vegatables. They do like cooked sweet potatoes but not really into a lot of fruits. Chicken, tuna, macoroni --- Sounds like you are having fun though.
Theresa Pratt - 2012-04-13 I have a blue and gold he or she is about 10 to 11 months should he be winged yet id not when do you wing a macaw he has a slight crooked beak not bad though tried to find the breeder with no luck wanted to see if he was always a small bird hope someone can help
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Charlie Roche - 2012-04-13 You do not have to clip a birds wings, however you do have to be careful if you take her outside. That is what the flight suits or harnesses are for. You don't want to have to catch her out of a tree. Show her safe landings like sofa or bed and teach her windows. All my macaws walked around the home. Vet clipped my cocatoos wing and she went to jump to me and broke her back. Many say clip and many say no.
Theresa Pratt - 2012-04-15 Hi I wanted to know at what age do you start to wean your baby. Ours is somewhere between 10 months and a yr we are still syrine feeding him 2 times a day. I've tried vegetables sweet potatos eggs but he barley picks at these are we doing something wrong what should he weigh at 1 yr old he looks small. I can't feel any ribs but you can feel his little breast bone
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Charlie Roche - 2012-04-15 If your little fella was in the wild - he would be pretty independent by now and fledged from the nest. They like their feedings and I think their humans like it also. However, you should be definitely starting to wean him now. I'd give him 60cc at night before you go to bed (or he does) just like crackers and cookies for a child. I would also feed him cracked walnuts - just get some walnuta and crack them in half - he will know what to do. Cheerios, dehydrated fruit/nut mix from Goldenfeast is great. Crackers with honey - So give him the 60cc before bed so you know he isn't hungry and let him eat on his own. How long - most would tell you tht he should be weaned by now. Me - I'd say let him have the 60cc till he sorta doesn't want it. Shouldn't be much longer.
Susan Lewis - 2012-03-25 I got my Blue and Gold Macaw last week, Cozmo is 15 years old and a welcome addition to our zoo. Cozmo belonged to a family that lived in Pennsylvania and they were moving and unable to keep him. He is very friendly and started talking for us the second day he was here. He has said about 15 different phrases and keeps surprising us with new comments every day. My personal favorite occured last night when all of a sudden in a very clear voice I hear 'Shut Up' coming from his cage. People must realize when they take a parrot into their care that you have a pet that could very well out live you. They demand alot of attention and care, and should never be bought on impulse. I have a dear friend that has a parrot rescue and helped me in getting Cozmo, I would never purchase a parrot, there are so many that are in need of good homes.
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Charlie Roche - 2012-03-26 Parrots are definitely cxomplicated creatures and so intelligent, it is hard to believe. For whatever reason (although I believe I know the reason) they all seem to learn the words 'shut up' or 'quiet'. Of course they are never going to do it. Funny though. They always get the last word in.
Sheila in Upstate N.Y. - 2005-09-30 I have a year old blue and gold name Baloo. He is my baby. He has been mine since he was just over a month old and has bonded totally with me. He goes to my 2 boys and husband once in a while, especially if they are eating. He will follow me around the house saying "up, up" and when he really wants up he says "upupupupupup". He has learned a few other words like hello and peak-a-boo, but they don't quite come out clearly, he's getting there. He loves to give kisses to anyone that wants one. He will sit and watch TV with me and just lay in my arms. When he is really cuddly, he will lay on his back like a dog and want his belly rubbed. He also has his very playful moods and wants to wrestle. When we sit at the table to eat, I have to make him his own special plate or I won't be able to eat in peace, none of us will be able to eat without getting our toes pecked at. He has learned how to climb all the furniture, even the office chair at our computer. Baloo is a very jealous bird. We have a quaker, a blue front amazon, and 4 cockatiels and Baloo does not like it when any of us hold them instead of him. He wants to be the number 1 bird in our house. He does not have to worry though, he is my number 1 bird!!
Pan - 2012-02-26 I just got an 11 month old male blue and gold 2 weeks ago. We couldn't decide on a name for him so we just kept throwing names at him until he responded to one, so his name is Freddie. since about an hour after we got him he needs to play with me constantly, and spends alot of time on my head, trying to crack it open like a large nut! He's started playing very rough and bites me anywhere he can get a grip on me, and he bites really hard, and although its only playful biting, it hurts like Hell. Also tonight he pooped on me, the first time since we got him, he usually flies to his stand to poop, then comes back to me. He's a real pain in the neck, but I love him to bits. I don't care if he never talks, his personality more than makes up for it, although I think he tried to say 'hello' this evening
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Charlie Roche - 2012-02-26 He will talk - not real well but he will talk. I don't know what is true but this is real. Macaws - all of mine - seem to go through what I call a teething stage and it is about 1 - 1/2 years old. They chew on me, the rug, the spread, my shirt etc. They bite and chew on anything. Best thing is to grab the beak and say in a loud voice 'NO' or 'NO HURT' and let him know it is wrong. Be firm. Yes, it hurts and it gets too rough. Another thing I did was actually 'TIME OUT' where I would turn themover on their back and hollder 'TIME OUT' and count to 10. They get excited and are having fun and they need to know it gets too rough. Human babies will bite - puppies and so do macaws at this stage. They are not biting to bite - they are just playing too rough and you need to teach them. Yes, they love banging on your head - all is new and fun. You are the teacher and you have to decide what isd acceptable and what is not. Behaviors can be cute at 11 months but maybe not cute when full grown, independent and 10 years so think about what is acceptable behvior to you 10 years from now. You probably don't want the fella on top of your head. He is in control there. You need to be somewhat in control. I like the way you choose the name. That, I think, is the perfect way to do it. Sounds like your having fun - just think - now you get to go into the terrible twos. Enjoy.
Pan - 2012-02-26 Actually it's more of a squawk than a 'hello'. He's not tapping my head, it's more like trying to rip my scalp off! I do roll him on his back, and sometimes he does it himself, but when I try to tickle or stroke him he just bites harder because he thinks we're wrestling. If I try to go anywhere around the apartment, he will fly to my head only a few seconds later. He has tried to remove my ear, my fingers, my wrist, has gone for my eyes, and tried to remove all my finger nails. He does NOT like being told 'NO' when he does the things he shouldn't be doing, but he does it all playfully, and in no way aggressively.
Pan - 2012-02-26 I just got an 11 month old male blue and gold 2 weeks ago. We couldn't decide on a name for him so we just kept throwing names at him until he responded to one, so his name is Freddie. since about an hour after we got him he needs to play with me constantly, and spends alot of time on my head, trying to crack it open like a large nut! He's started playing very rough and bites me anywhere he can get a grip on me, and he bites really hard, and although its only playful biting, it hurts like Hell. Also tonight he pooped on me, the first time since we got him, he usually flies to his stand to poop, then comes back to me. He's a real pain in the neck, but I love him to bits. I don't care if he never talks, his personality more than makes up for it, although I think he tried to say hello this evening
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Charlie Roche - 2012-02-26 He will talk - not real well but he will talk. I don't know what is true but this is real. Macaws - all of mine - seem to go through what I call a teething stage and it is about 1 - 1/2 years old. They chew on me, the rug, the spread, my shirt etc. They bite and chew on anything. Best thing is to grab the beak and say in a loud voice 'NO' or 'NO HURT' and let him know it is wrong. Be firm. Yes, it hurts and it gets too rough. Another thing I did was actually 'TIME OUT' where I would turn themover on their back and hollder 'TIME OUT' and count to 10. They get excited and are having fun and they need to know it gets too rough. Human babies will bite - puppies and so do macaws at this stage. They are not biting to bite - they are just playing too rough and you need to teach them. Yes, they love banging on your head - all is new and fun. You are the teacher and you have to decide what isd acceptable and what is not. Behaviors can be cute at 11 months but maybe not cute when full grown, independent and 10 years so think about what is acceptable behvior to you 10 years from now. You probably don't want the fella on top of your head. He is in control there. You need to be somewhat in control. I like the way you choose the name. That, I think, is the perfect way to do it. Sounds like your having fun - just think - now you get to go into the terrible twos. Enjoy.
Charlie Roche - 2012-02-26 You sorta really have to get some control over Freddie. This is what they do - it is normal but you just can't have him flying around and landing on your head or biting too hard. He could get hurt and you could get hurt. Many would tell you to clip his wings - I won't. I will say that you should firmly tell him 'NO' and put him back on his perch. If he doesn't stay then back in his cage. If he does fly to you, raise your arm up so he lands on your arm - call 'COME' and let him land on your arm - not on your head. Yes, they pull hair and chew on ears - you just have to be firm and it is 'NO' and then on perch or cage. He needs some training. Start with basics while on a perch. 'up' and just on your hand. 'come' and on your arm. 'NO' when poor behavior. Now it is cute and fun and funny but this fella is really going to be able to rule the home if you don't get him a little under control. Put words to anything he does - if he spreads wings say 'PRETTY' Carry him only with your hand and keep your thumb on one of his toes - you have control, he is secure.
Jennifer - 2008-12-23 I have a 5 yr old gold/yellow macaw bird. I have had him for 3 yrs and he has been acting weird the last few days and don't know what he is doing or feeling or whats the matter with him. Let me tell you what he is doing. He (Oliver) sits in his swing and puts his butt up in the air and makes these weird sounds that I can't describe. Oliver is constantly wanting my finger to put between his beek and he goes back and forth if this makes any sense. When I got this bird he was a very mean and disturbed bird but now my children and I can hold and cuddle to him. He seems pretty happy most of the time unless we have company, then he yells a lot like he doesn't like a crowd. But like I said lately he has been acting like something is bothering him and didn't know if someone could give me a heads up what he is needing. I have tried doing some research and it's a dead end for me, so please help. Thank you Jennifer/Oliver
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Bryan - 2012-02-05 Jennifer,
Feb 05, 2012
From what you are describing about your Blue and Gold macaw, doing the beak thing by nibbling and chewing on your finger and making certain noises he is bonding to you. by playing along with him he will soon regurgitate his food back to you, DO NOT get offended or grossed out, they do this to thier female Bird mate in the wild.
Sometimes though they will bite harder than they should and it might hurt you. it is important that you set boundries to this behavior early on before it starts to get out of hand, Macaws are very intelligent, sensitive and loving creatures and you have to set boundries, just be firm, speak positive you don't have to yell at them loudly just a gentile somewhat sharp spoken NO!
My wife and I have owned our female B&G macaw for 25 years we are the 3rd owners of her and she will play the beak thing with both of us. as for the squawking when company comes over. Several things are going on here,
First Macaws are social birds, meaning they crave interaction with the family/crowd and or the flock, so make sure your bird is at or near where you and your friends are as they are extremely curious and very much like being the center of attention.
Just rememeber on important thing!!! they are creatures of habit, if you start something and especially if they like if theylike it or get accustomed to it WILL demand it, and they seem to have super accurate clocks built into thier brains,our macaw demands her peanuts given to her at exactly 7:30 in the morning, this is the time my wife leaves for work in the morning, if she does not get them on time she will scream for them. this can be most annoying to us.
They also crave attention and could be jealous of NOT getting any attention since you are paying attention to you friends or guests. so they scream for attention.
A word of Caution if you bring your Macaw close to the action with your other guests and the bird is loose (outside its cage) on a open pertch monitor it closely so it does not lunge at you or guests out of jealously. Also NEVER EVER tease a Macaw as they have bad tempers and can easily hurt you or someone else.
Also you should strongly caution your guests not to poke at your bird or provoke him or touch or pet him without your supervision or presence. thier beaks are large and powerful and they can inflict serious injury to you or anyone else. Sometimes they will bite without any warning or provocation and it will take you years of bonding and reading of your birds body language, they also read our body language and voice inflections as well, sometime they misinterpret our intentions and can become aggressive to you or others and we are left wandering what happened, what did I do?
If you leave the birds immediate sight it might take flight or jump off it's perch out of fear from not being comfortable with your new unfamilar guests and if he has already bonded with you, he will not want you to seperate from him, Macaws mate and bond for life with thier choosen mate both out in the wild and in captivity, if they do not have a bird for a mate, Guess what??? they will choose their human care taker for their lifelong mate.
All things aside, they are wonderful creatures and my wife and I continue to have many great moments with our Macaw, and our African Grey whom is Just way too Smart for his Britches (Grey Feathers) we both find ourselves having short meaninful conversations with our grey he answers us back with just the right words many times sentences at the right time with the proper tone and inflections if you were in the other room you would think you are talking to a human person. by the way our gray does the beak thing with me only since he has bonded with me, but my wife can stil do toher things with him I can't.
Jane - 2010-03-13 Advice for those considering becoming the parent of a parrot:
Our blue and gold macaw, Sebastian will have his 12th birthday this coming August. I am writing this because I think it's important for everyone who is considering becoming parent to a parrot to know exactly what they're getting into. Sebastian - or Sabby, as we call him - is the love of our lives, but my husband and I really didn't realize when we first got him 12 years ago at 8 weeks old that bringing him into our lives was actually a decision to be a parent to a two year old for the REST OF OUR LIVES. I said a "two year old" because most studies show that many parrots are at about the same intelligence level and reasoning capacity as a two year old. If a parrot decides to talk, and not all of them do - they usually use the words they learn with cognition & context. In other words, they don't just "parrot" human speech, they also have a good general understanding of what the words mean and they use them at the right times. I said for the "REST OF OUR LIVES" because with good health, Sabby will likely live to be around 80 - essentially the same as human life expectency. So that's a major consideration as well. Not only are you making the decision to take on a two year old, you also need to consider who will be willing to take of the two year old after you die. Sabby's a smart, cute, active, funny, and totally beautiful two year old, but just as every human two year old that I've ever known, he can also be very DEMANDING. He just doesn't understand why he can't have what he wants when he wants it! My husband and I react to his temper tantrums just as we did with our daughter's when she was two. We take him back to his "room" (his cage in our bedroom) and we tell him that we'll get him again when he decides to be nice. And just as my daughter used to do, he plays in his room for awhile & forgets why he was mad. Maybe he even thinks about it what he did a little bit, lol. ;) Sabby loves us all, but I think the nature of parrots usually bonding with one mate for life makes them prone to also have one person in their life at a time who they favor over the others. I know that some parrots are more loving to everyone than others, but I do think that most have a favorite. I'm SO glad that we have that little boy. He is a center of our world, but we were also lucky that my husband and I were in the perfect position to spend all of the time and attention with him that he needs. Our daughter was 18 when we got him. She was another caretaker and buddy for him until she went off to college and recently, my husband and I retired. I wrote this because I think it's very important for people making this decision to do so with their eyes wide open. Parrots are amazing companions and their intellect is incredible, but they require much more attention than your average dog or cat or even ferret, IMHO, and & for the larger parrots, an added consideration is that they may outlive you. Also, if you are absolutely sure you want one, it really is an excellent idea to check into adoption before you consider buying. I've seen many who need a good home and I think that unless they have just gone crazy with grief from lack of attention (unfortunately extreme feather picking is a symptom), you can usually make them very happy again very quickly with just telling them how great they are, encouraging them & just loving them wholeheartedly - just as we do with our kids. :)
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Janine, the bird lady. - 2010-09-20 Jane, I loved your posting and agree whole heartedly in adoption. Our motto is "Dont' breed, don't buy, ADOPT your new best friend". Having adopted 6 exotic birds that were all abused and/or given up, because someone just could not handle the amount of care they needed anymore, I thank you for your posting. There are already far too many of these beautiful creatures needing homes because someone thought it would be "nice to have a talking bird" and ran out and got one before thinking it through or learning all there is to know about being the parent of an exotic bird.
Tracy - 2010-12-04 Thank you so very much for sharing so honestly. You have really shed some light on things to consider before tanking ownership of any bird for that matter. As for me, I have always been a dog and cat person, I recently acquired an interest in birds. My favorite choice is a "Goffin" Cockatoo however, I was told that they are extremely needy. That being said, I have now began to take an interest in the Blue and Gold Macaw. I guess I am experiencing the EMPTY NEST syndrome, my youngest daughter just moved out and I have a void even having my dog and cat. Do you think that the Macaw would be a good choice for a first time bird owner?
Nadine - 2011-08-09 Do you know how to reach anyone about adopting a parrot? I had parrots before and know how much work they can be but would love to get another!
peter blu - 2011-10-20 Hello from sub tropical south africa! I am disabled and spend most of my life confined to my house in kwazulu~natal. Recently(+\- 4 months ago I was given a macaw with severe feather loss. He was dumped at a bird park and abandoned. The caretaker could not manage and decided to rid the park of Cheeta. We immediately took to each other as it were and have formed a very close bond. I also share my house with 2 african greys. The pulling of feathers with Cheeta carries on. He has been to a vet and have no medical problems. Do you perhaps have any advice or suggestions to try? bright blessings. Peter Blu
Charlie Roche - 2011-10-21 Plucking is a real problem and I don't think anyone has come up with a permanent solution or definite reason as to why it occurs. Vets normally say boredom, abuse, not enough socialization or attention. Whatever the reason, it has already occured. Some folks try putting a collar on the bird to prevent the plucking and hopefully break the habit. If you believe your parrot will accept a collar - you could try that. Initially I would try lots of attention, lots of alternate things to play with or do, branches to chew on, toys etc. Let him be around people and try and replace the behavior with a variety of things to do and extra attention. It is very difficult to deal with or change and no reflection on you if you can't change it. Try - spend time and toys and music or TV - anything to provide stimulation and distraction.
Kaylyn - 2011-11-09 That's not just logic. That's really sesnbile.
Rebecca Stevenson - 2012-01-20 Your post made me laugh. Macaws are just so full of personality.
I'm 24 years old and have been looking for the perfect macaw for about a year now. Everyone keeps telling me I am crazy for taking on a long term commitment, but they don't realize I actually spend all my free time with my pets, I don't go out partying like most my age, I stay at home with my babies. I am a social gamers so computers are my form of socialization. (Sounds sad, but I have great friends, and enjoy life with them.)
The life span of a macaw is very frightening, which is why I have decided on one so early in life, most macaws I've met have outlived their owners who were much older than me, and now have severe depression and issues.
I've also have koi fish that currently are about 16 year old, I've been committed to their time and needs for almost my whole life. Koi can live longer than macaws, but indeed are easier to care for, but cost almost as much money in bills and supplies.
I first considered adoption, and I found a few macaws who were well socialized, and very friendly. I was very close to adopting this 24 year old greenwing, but someone else beat me to the punch.
Everyone I've met who owns a bird says they've never been happier. But recommend I get a baby macaw. I did consider this as well, I am in contact with a breeder who specializes in Camelot hybrid macaws, as well as dropping by a few stores so can meets macaws ands on.
I am also starting to volunteer with a macaw adoption, to get more hands on practice with macaws.
I would love to just go pick up a macaw tomorrow but a few things are holding me back. First off is noise. I adore the squawks of a demanding macaw, but neighbors might not. I've been researching on possible ways to entertain a macaw to keep the noise level down. Another scary trait is mating season. I hear macaws can become overwhelmed with hormones and many owners have been driven mad by the fuss. And the last is what happens if I need to travel for a week or two, trying to find a caretaker has proven a challenger. Plenty of vets, parrot stores, and airlines that allow pets in my area, but a babysitter is harder.
The beautiful Blue and Gold Macaw is a champion of large Macaws in color and personality!
Oh our blue and gold already says step up hello hi and far out and love you. He's trying to say other stuff just can't make it out yet. He or she is very well behaved. He feeds my large dog and my dog washed his face. He's beat my cat up and knocked him off the railing to the floor below. The guy is such a sweet little guy with a great personality. I need to know how long do you syringe feed them. I don't want him to become dependent on it and not want to eat on his own my neighbor said he should be eating so i've been trying to cut 1 feeding out and givng him the scrambbled eggs baked sweet potato cooked mixed vegetables fresh cooked green beans fresh fruit and he only knibbles
From what I gather from your previous question - this little fella is about 10 months old. You can cut back his feedings to 60 cc before you or he goes to bed - just to make sure his belly is full before bed. Gradullay reduce him down to no feedings -- maybe reduce down 10 cc a night for a week. So first week 60 cc each night. Second week 50 cc's, third week 40 cc's. Are you giving him macaw seed mix? Also give him cracked walnuts, cheerios, ritz crackers with honey on them. Macaws eat a lot of protecin more so than vegatables. They do like cooked sweet potatoes but not really into a lot of fruits. Chicken, tuna, macoroni --- Sounds like you are having fun though.
I have a blue and gold he or she is about 10 to 11 months should he be winged yet id not when do you wing a macaw he has a slight crooked beak not bad though tried to find the breeder with no luck wanted to see if he was always a small bird hope someone can help
You do not have to clip a birds wings, however you do have to be careful if you take her outside. That is what the flight suits or harnesses are for. You don't want to have to catch her out of a tree. Show her safe landings like sofa or bed and teach her windows. All my macaws walked around the home. Vet clipped my cocatoos wing and she went to jump to me and broke her back. Many say clip and many say no.
Hi I wanted to know at what age do you start to wean your baby. Ours is somewhere between 10 months and a yr we are still syrine feeding him 2 times a day. I've tried vegetables sweet potatos eggs but he barley picks at these are we doing something wrong what should he weigh at 1 yr old he looks small. I can't feel any ribs but you can feel his little breast bone
If your little fella was in the wild - he would be pretty independent by now and fledged from the nest. They like their feedings and I think their humans like it also. However, you should be definitely starting to wean him now. I'd give him 60cc at night before you go to bed (or he does) just like crackers and cookies for a child. I would also feed him cracked walnuts - just get some walnuta and crack them in half - he will know what to do. Cheerios, dehydrated fruit/nut mix from Goldenfeast is great. Crackers with honey -
So give him the 60cc before bed so you know he isn't hungry and let him eat on his own. How long - most would tell you tht he should be weaned by now. Me - I'd say let him have the 60cc till he sorta doesn't want it. Shouldn't be much longer.
I got my Blue and Gold Macaw last week, Cozmo is 15 years old and a welcome addition to our zoo. Cozmo belonged to a family that lived in Pennsylvania and they were moving and unable to keep him. He is very friendly and started talking for us the second day he was here. He has said about 15 different phrases and keeps surprising us with new comments every day. My personal favorite occured last night when all of a sudden in a very clear voice I hear 'Shut Up' coming from his cage. People must realize when they take a parrot into their care that you have a pet that could very well out live you. They demand alot of attention and care, and should never be bought on impulse. I have a dear friend that has a parrot rescue and helped me in getting Cozmo, I would never purchase a parrot, there are so many that are in need of good homes.
Parrots are definitely cxomplicated creatures and so intelligent, it is hard to believe. For whatever reason (although I believe I know the reason) they all seem to learn the words 'shut up' or 'quiet'. Of course they are never going to do it. Funny though. They always get the last word in.
I have a year old blue and gold name Baloo. He is my baby. He has been mine since he was just over a month old and has bonded totally with me. He goes to my 2 boys and husband once in a while, especially if they are eating. He will follow me around the house saying "up, up" and when he really wants up he says "upupupupupup". He has learned a few other words like hello and peak-a-boo, but they don't quite come out clearly, he's getting there. He loves to give kisses to anyone that wants one. He will sit and watch TV with me and just lay in my arms. When he is really cuddly, he will lay on his back like a dog and want his belly rubbed. He also has his very playful moods and wants to wrestle. When we sit at the table to eat, I have to make him his own special plate or I won't be able to eat in peace, none of us will be able to eat without getting our toes pecked at. He has learned how to climb all the furniture, even the office chair at our computer. Baloo is a very jealous bird. We have a quaker, a blue front amazon, and 4 cockatiels and Baloo does not like it when any of us hold them instead of him. He wants to be the number 1 bird in our house. He does not have to worry though, he is my number 1 bird!!
I just got an 11 month old male blue and gold 2 weeks ago. We couldn't decide on a name for him so we just kept throwing names at him until he responded to one, so his name is Freddie. since about an hour after we got him he needs to play with me constantly, and spends alot of time on my head, trying to crack it open like a large nut! He's started playing very rough and bites me anywhere he can get a grip on me, and he bites really hard, and although its only playful biting, it hurts like Hell. Also tonight he pooped on me, the first time since we got him, he usually flies to his stand to poop, then comes back to me. He's a real pain in the neck, but I love him to bits. I don't care if he never talks, his personality more than makes up for it, although I think he tried to say 'hello' this evening
He will talk - not real well but he will talk. I don't know what is true but this is real. Macaws - all of mine - seem to go through what I call a teething stage and it is about 1 - 1/2 years old. They chew on me, the rug, the spread, my shirt etc. They bite and chew on anything. Best thing is to grab the beak and say in a loud voice 'NO' or 'NO HURT' and let him know it is wrong. Be firm. Yes, it hurts and it gets too rough. Another thing I did was actually 'TIME OUT' where I would turn themover on their back and hollder 'TIME OUT' and count to 10. They get excited and are having fun and they need to know it gets too rough. Human babies will bite - puppies and so do macaws at this stage. They are not biting to bite - they are just playing too rough and you need to teach them. Yes, they love banging on your head - all is new and fun. You are the teacher and you have to decide what isd acceptable and what is not. Behaviors can be cute at 11 months but maybe not cute when full grown, independent and 10 years so think about what is acceptable behvior to you 10 years from now. You probably don't want the fella on top of your head. He is in control there. You need to be somewhat in control. I like the way you choose the name. That, I think, is the perfect way to do it. Sounds like your having fun - just think - now you get to go into the terrible twos. Enjoy.
Actually it's more of a squawk than a 'hello'. He's not tapping my head, it's more like trying to rip my scalp off! I do roll him on his back, and sometimes he does it himself, but when I try to tickle or stroke him he just bites harder because he thinks we're wrestling. If I try to go anywhere around the apartment, he will fly to my head only a few seconds later. He has tried to remove my ear, my fingers, my wrist, has gone for my eyes, and tried to remove all my finger nails. He does NOT like being told 'NO' when he does the things he shouldn't be doing, but he does it all playfully, and in no way aggressively.
I just got an 11 month old male blue and gold 2 weeks ago. We couldn't decide on a name for him so we just kept throwing names at him until he responded to one, so his name is Freddie. since about an hour after we got him he needs to play with me constantly, and spends alot of time on my head, trying to crack it open like a large nut! He's started playing very rough and bites me anywhere he can get a grip on me, and he bites really hard, and although its only playful biting, it hurts like Hell. Also tonight he pooped on me, the first time since we got him, he usually flies to his stand to poop, then comes back to me. He's a real pain in the neck, but I love him to bits. I don't care if he never talks, his personality more than makes up for it, although I think he tried to say hello this evening
He will talk - not real well but he will talk. I don't know what is true but this is real. Macaws - all of mine - seem to go through what I call a teething stage and it is about 1 - 1/2 years old. They chew on me, the rug, the spread, my shirt etc. They bite and chew on anything. Best thing is to grab the beak and say in a loud voice 'NO' or 'NO HURT' and let him know it is wrong. Be firm. Yes, it hurts and it gets too rough. Another thing I did was actually 'TIME OUT' where I would turn themover on their back and hollder 'TIME OUT' and count to 10. They get excited and are having fun and they need to know it gets too rough. Human babies will bite - puppies and so do macaws at this stage. They are not biting to bite - they are just playing too rough and you need to teach them. Yes, they love banging on your head - all is new and fun. You are the teacher and you have to decide what isd acceptable and what is not. Behaviors can be cute at 11 months but maybe not cute when full grown, independent and 10 years so think about what is acceptable behvior to you 10 years from now. You probably don't want the fella on top of your head. He is in control there. You need to be somewhat in control. I like the way you choose the name. That, I think, is the perfect way to do it. Sounds like your having fun - just think - now you get to go into the terrible twos. Enjoy.
You sorta really have to get some control over Freddie. This is what they do - it is normal but you just can't have him flying around and landing on your head or biting too hard. He could get hurt and you could get hurt. Many would tell you to clip his wings - I won't. I will say that you should firmly tell him 'NO' and put him back on his perch. If he doesn't stay then back in his cage. If he does fly to you, raise your arm up so he lands on your arm - call 'COME' and let him land on your arm - not on your head. Yes, they pull hair and chew on ears - you just have to be firm and it is 'NO' and then on perch or cage. He needs some training. Start with basics while on a perch. 'up' and just on your hand. 'come' and on your arm. 'NO' when poor behavior. Now it is cute and fun and funny but this fella is really going to be able to rule the home if you don't get him a little under control. Put words to anything he does - if he spreads wings say 'PRETTY' Carry him only with your hand and keep your thumb on one of his toes - you have control, he is secure.
I have a 5 yr old gold/yellow macaw bird. I have had him for 3 yrs and he has been acting weird the last few days and don't know what he is doing or feeling or whats the matter with him. Let me tell you what he is doing. He (Oliver) sits in his swing and puts his butt up in the air and makes these weird sounds that I can't describe. Oliver is constantly wanting my finger to put between his beek and he goes back and forth if this makes any sense. When I got this bird he was a very mean and disturbed bird but now my children and I can hold and cuddle to him. He seems pretty happy most of the time unless we have company, then he yells a lot like he doesn't like a crowd. But like I said lately he has been acting like something is bothering him and didn't know if someone could give me a heads up what he is needing. I have tried doing some research and it's a dead end for me, so please help. Thank you Jennifer/Oliver
Jennifer,
Feb 05, 2012
From what you are describing about your Blue and Gold macaw, doing the beak thing by nibbling and chewing on your finger and making certain noises he is bonding to you. by playing along with him he will soon regurgitate his food back to you, DO NOT get offended or grossed out, they do this to thier female Bird mate in the wild.
Sometimes though they will bite harder than they should and it might hurt you. it is important that you set boundries to this behavior early on before it starts to get out of hand, Macaws are very intelligent, sensitive and loving creatures and you have to set boundries, just be firm, speak positive you don't have to yell at them loudly just a gentile somewhat sharp spoken NO!
My wife and I have owned our female B&G macaw for 25 years we are the 3rd owners of her and she will play the beak thing with both of us. as for the squawking when company comes over.
Several things are going on here,
First Macaws are social birds, meaning they crave interaction with the family/crowd and or the flock, so make sure your bird is at or near where you and your friends are as they are extremely curious and very much like being the center of attention.
Just rememeber on important thing!!! they are creatures of habit, if you start something and especially if they like if theylike it or get accustomed to it WILL demand it, and they seem to have super accurate clocks built into thier brains,our macaw demands her peanuts given to her at exactly 7:30 in the morning, this is the time my wife leaves for work in the morning, if she does not get them on time she will scream for them. this can be most annoying to us.
They also crave attention and could be jealous of NOT getting any attention since you are paying attention to you friends or guests. so they scream for attention.
A word of Caution if you bring your Macaw close to the action with your other guests and the bird is loose (outside its cage) on a open pertch monitor it closely so it does not lunge at you or guests out of jealously. Also NEVER EVER tease a Macaw as they have bad tempers and can easily hurt you or someone else.
Also you should strongly caution your guests not to poke at your bird or provoke him or touch or pet him without your supervision or presence.
thier beaks are large and powerful and they can inflict serious injury to you or anyone else. Sometimes they will bite without any warning or provocation
and it will take you years of bonding and reading of your birds body language, they also read our body language and voice inflections as well, sometime they misinterpret our intentions and can become aggressive to you or others and we are left wandering what happened, what did I do?
If you leave the birds immediate sight it might take flight or jump off it's perch out of fear from not being comfortable with your new unfamilar guests and if he has already bonded with you, he will not want you to seperate from him, Macaws mate and bond for life with thier choosen mate both out in the wild and in captivity, if they do not have a bird for a mate, Guess what??? they will choose their human care taker for their lifelong mate.
All things aside, they are wonderful creatures and my wife and I continue to have many great moments with our Macaw, and our African Grey whom is Just way too Smart for his Britches (Grey Feathers) we both find ourselves having short meaninful conversations with our grey he answers us back with just the right words many times sentences at the right time with the proper tone and inflections if you were in the other room you would think you are talking to a human person. by the way our gray does the beak thing with me only since he has bonded with me, but my wife can stil do toher things with him I can't.
Both of them may just outlive the both of us.
Hope this helps you
Bryan
Advice for those considering becoming the parent of a parrot:
Our blue and gold macaw, Sebastian will have his 12th birthday this coming August. I am writing this because I think it's important for everyone who is considering becoming parent to a parrot to know exactly what they're getting into.
Sebastian - or Sabby, as we call him - is the love of our lives, but my husband and I really didn't realize when we first got him 12 years ago at 8 weeks old that bringing him into our lives was actually a decision to be a parent to a two year old for the REST OF OUR LIVES.
I said a "two year old" because most studies show that many parrots are at about the same intelligence level and reasoning capacity as a two year old. If a parrot decides to talk, and not all of them do - they usually use the words they learn with cognition & context. In other words, they don't just "parrot" human speech, they also have a good general understanding of what the words mean and they use them at the right times.
I said for the "REST OF OUR LIVES" because with good health, Sabby will likely live to be around 80 - essentially the same as human life expectency. So that's a major consideration as well. Not only are you making the decision to take on a two year old, you also need to consider who will be willing to take of the two year old after you die.
Sabby's a smart, cute, active, funny, and totally beautiful two year old, but just as every human two year old that I've ever known, he can also be very DEMANDING. He just doesn't understand why he can't have what he wants when he wants it! My husband and I react to his temper tantrums just as we did with our daughter's when she was two. We take him back to his "room" (his cage in our bedroom) and we tell him that we'll get him again when he decides to be nice. And just as my daughter used to do, he plays in his room for awhile & forgets why he was mad. Maybe he even thinks about it what he did a little bit, lol. ;)
Sabby loves us all, but I think the nature of parrots usually bonding with one mate for life makes them prone to also have one person in their life at a time who they favor over the others. I know that some parrots are more loving to everyone than others, but I do think that most have a favorite.
I'm SO glad that we have that little boy. He is a center of our world, but we were also lucky that my husband and I were in the perfect position to spend all of the time and attention with him that he needs. Our daughter was 18 when we got him. She was another caretaker and buddy for him until she went off to college and recently, my husband and I retired.
I wrote this because I think it's very important for people making this decision to do so with their eyes wide open. Parrots are amazing companions and their intellect is incredible, but they require much more attention than your average dog or cat or even ferret, IMHO, and & for the larger parrots, an added consideration is that they may outlive you. Also, if you are absolutely sure you want one, it really is an excellent idea to check into adoption before you consider buying. I've seen many who need a good home and I think that unless they have just gone crazy with grief from lack of attention (unfortunately extreme feather picking is a symptom), you can usually make them very happy again very quickly with just telling them how great they are, encouraging them & just loving them wholeheartedly - just as we do with our kids. :)
Jane,
I loved your posting and agree whole heartedly in adoption. Our motto is "Dont' breed, don't buy, ADOPT your new best friend". Having adopted 6 exotic birds that were all abused and/or given up, because someone just could not handle the amount of care they needed anymore, I thank you for your posting. There are already far too many of these beautiful creatures needing homes because someone thought it would be "nice to have a talking bird" and ran out and got one before thinking it through or learning all there is to know about being the parent of an exotic bird.
Thank you so very much for sharing so honestly. You have really shed some light on things to consider before tanking ownership of any bird for that matter. As for me, I have always been a dog and cat person, I recently acquired an interest in birds. My favorite choice is a "Goffin" Cockatoo however, I was told that they are extremely needy. That being said, I have now began to take an interest in the Blue and Gold Macaw. I guess I am experiencing the EMPTY NEST syndrome, my youngest daughter just moved out and I have a void even having my dog and cat. Do you think that the Macaw would be a good choice for a first time bird owner?
Do you know how to reach anyone about adopting a parrot?
I had parrots before and know how much work they can be but would love to get another!
Hello from sub tropical south africa! I am disabled and spend most of my life confined to my house in kwazulu~natal. Recently(+\- 4 months ago I was given a macaw with severe feather loss. He was dumped at a bird park and abandoned. The caretaker could not manage and decided to rid the park of Cheeta. We immediately took to each other as it were and have formed a very close bond. I also share my house with 2 african greys. The pulling of feathers with Cheeta carries on. He has been to a vet and have no medical problems. Do you perhaps have any advice or suggestions to try? bright blessings. Peter Blu
Plucking is a real problem and I don't think anyone has come up with a permanent solution or definite reason as to why it occurs. Vets normally say boredom, abuse, not enough socialization or attention. Whatever the reason, it has already occured. Some folks try putting a collar on the bird to prevent the plucking and hopefully break the habit. If you believe your parrot will accept a collar - you could try that. Initially I would try lots of attention, lots of alternate things to play with or do, branches to chew on, toys etc. Let him be around people and try and replace the behavior with a variety of things to do and extra attention. It is very difficult to deal with or change and no reflection on you if you can't change it. Try - spend time and toys and music or TV - anything to provide stimulation and distraction.
That's not just logic. That's really sesnbile.
Your post made me laugh. Macaws are just so full of personality.
I'm 24 years old and have been looking for the perfect macaw for about a year now. Everyone keeps telling me I am crazy for taking on a long term commitment, but they don't realize I actually spend all my free time with my pets, I don't go out partying like most my age, I stay at home with my babies. I am a social gamers so computers are my form of socialization. (Sounds sad, but I have great friends, and enjoy life with them.)
The life span of a macaw is very frightening, which is why I have decided on one so early in life, most macaws I've met have outlived their owners who were much older than me, and now have severe depression and issues.
I've also have koi fish that currently are about 16 year old, I've been committed to their time and needs for almost my whole life. Koi can live longer than macaws, but indeed are easier to care for, but cost almost as much money in bills and supplies.
I first considered adoption, and I found a few macaws who were well socialized, and very friendly. I was very close to adopting this 24 year old greenwing, but someone else beat me to the punch.
Everyone I've met who owns a bird says they've never been happier. But recommend I get a baby macaw. I did consider this as well, I am in contact with a breeder who specializes in Camelot hybrid macaws, as well as dropping by a few stores so can meets macaws ands on.
I am also starting to volunteer with a macaw adoption, to get more hands on practice with macaws.
I would love to just go pick up a macaw tomorrow but a few things are holding me back. First off is noise. I adore the squawks of a demanding macaw, but neighbors might not. I've been researching on possible ways to entertain a macaw to keep the noise level down. Another scary trait is mating season. I hear macaws can become overwhelmed with hormones and many owners have been driven mad by the fuss. And the last is what happens if I need to travel for a week or two, trying to find a caretaker has proven a challenger. Plenty of vets, parrot stores, and airlines that allow pets in my area, but a babysitter is harder.