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New owner, here to read up ;)

Macawnutz

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Welcome to AA... Sounds like you have a little handful. :laugh:

A month is not nearly enough time for her to get into a routine quite yet, everything she has ever known was left when she got on the plane.

If she is not ready for play quiet easy bonding is first. As young as she is could you warm up some comfort food for her? I used to soak pellets in warm water and sit with them to eat. The warm smushys may make her happy.

Gosh, being in IL... In the future, you or any of your friends, you have a GREAT breeder right in your own state. :)
 

Clueless

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Not to mention a great bird show a little further North????
 

Macaw Lover

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When I got Kalea (4y/o) she was scared of just about everything. A plastic bag blowing past her window in the middle of winter set her off screaming. Hearing the sound of a truck at the other end of the block would upset her too. She tends to flee vs bite when she is scared and can run up the 2 sets of stairs faster than you thought a bird could, to hide in the bathroom upstairs. I would always go to comfort her and tell her that nothing was going to hurt her and she has gotten better but will sound the alarm when she sees something outside.

Donovan has a history of biting. Bad bites. When the 22 month baby put hand in cage, bird bit and baby had 9 stitches in that little hand. Owner rehomed to a couple but got a call one day to come get him as he bit the wife and 'took off 1/2 of her thumb nail'. Original owner came to get him and he bite her bad when she went to get him from the cage and she then became leery of handling him and so for the next 4 years he did not come out of his cage much.

Donovan is here to stay. Yes, he has nailed me a few times now but I knew what I was getting into and he is not going anywhere. We have come a long way and he doesn't scream and turn head to attempt/bluff you for a bite as much as in the beginning nor does he bite his foot when he doesn't get what he wants. He is a big coddler and can be very loving and he will demand his night-night cuddle before the lights go out but I know I always have to be aware when handling him.

The original owners bought him from a breeder in Ohio and he was flown out to them and they believe it was the plane ride that freaked him out but I look around and see a lot of birds that were shipped and not behavior issues later. Not knowing how he was raised, I question just how much 1 on 1 handling he got in his early upbringing or if something was just a little bit off, behavior was never addressed and this is the result. I just don't know.

In 10 days it will be two years that he is here and I am thankful for that and all the progress that we have made. He really is a good boy and I believe he is glad that he has come here to live with us and has been loved during this time. We are a work in progress and look forward to the next 20 years being with him.

Sailor needs to be guided in what is acceptable behavior but at the same time must be accepted and respected for her likes/dislikes. Jody is my GW and she too is more of a couch potato. Totally opposite of my Little Monkey Kalea who loves to climb/hang/buzz saw of a chewer and just all over whereas Jody is content and to just watch the world quietly. All people are different and so it is with birds.
 

Kimberla

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Welcome to the Avenue!! This is a wonderful place. Lots of knowledge and people who are always willing to help.
 

SailorGirl

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Welcome to AA... Sounds like you have a little handful. :laugh:

A month is not nearly enough time for her to get into a routine quite yet, everything she has ever known was left when she got on the plane.

If she is not ready for play quiet easy bonding is first. As young as she is could you warm up some comfort food for her? I used to soak pellets in warm water and sit with them to eat. The warm smushys may make her happy.

Gosh, being in IL... In the future, you or any of your friends, you have a GREAT breeder right in your own state. :)
If you're talking about Micro Brood Aviary Brian didn't have any available at the time. We tried. Not quite sure why but when we called him he said he wouldn't have any available until five months from then because his pair were sitting on eggs, and then literally the day after I bought Sailor he called me back and said he had a baby available now. It was too late. If you meant Corbett Birds they didn't have greenwings either at the time and that was the only one we were after. AJ's pet store would be a five month wait as well. As for the bird fair we have trouble getting to events because my husband works six days a week. We have one coming up near us and our daughter is having her tonsils removed tomorrow so that will be missed as well. It's hard for us to get places because of our schedule. We saw threads on another site about birds that came from our breeder that were so sweet and easily held. Well socialized. I honestly thought it would be like that. That we would get to touch her at least a little bit, that she would play with us a little. She stares at us and the look in her eyes changes to mistrust and anger when we approach. So we work on trust building exercises for the meantime.

She doesn't like mushy cooked stuff, I've tried all that. I've tried unsweetened oatmeal even. I tried cream of wheat cereal. I tried adding a little warm water to her pellets, she refused them every time I tried. Someone suggested applesauce or juice on them, I tried both at different times. She eats them dry just fine. I steamed broccoli, she wouldn't eat it. I grew sprouts, she chews on those. Mushy fruit-nope. Fresh firm fruit yes. Cooked pasta, rice, beans were an oh heck no and I made a giant batch and froze it to give her helpings daily. Nope. Dry veggie pasta? Yep. Dry goldenfeast blends? Oh yes. Cooked goldenfeast blends? They could sit and rot for all she cares, little monkey! I bought a big package of asian medley that you cook and she turns her beak up at it every time. I know there's more but my brain is gone right now. I'm off to get a cup of coffee.
 

Macawnutz

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Yes, Brian's birds are a rare treat.... our Maui was an instant part of the family from the moment he walked into the door. :heart2:

Not that you should think in the past, just the future. I find that the birds that make me work for their trust are my most bonded trusting birds in the end. :xflove:

Sounds like you have half her diet figured out already. :laugh: That's one battle won so you are ahead of the game already. Give her time and all your patience. Teach simple fun behaviors as she seems to enjoy that. Wings, waving, saying simple words. Pine nuts are also most loved by macaws.
 

SailorGirl

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This is what happened a few days ago when I was filling her food bowl, she bit the tip off my old metal food scoop. That's what I mean about how she acts when I approach her. There's no snuggle time right now with her, that's for sure ;) She does climb around fine and seems happy inside her enclosure as long as no one is near her. She does seem to like my son a bit more than the rest of us so that's good. She doesn't get that wild combative look in her eyes towards him. He acts no different than the rest of us, so I don't know why she picked him. Glad she picked anyone though, honestly. I hope with time she'll come around. We're working on it. Thanks for any suggestions, I will take them all into account just in case they help. That's why I'm here, to learn from you guys. Thank you for talking to me about it.
 

Mr Peepers

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More photos of her messing around in the enclosure, it looks to me like she's ok and happy so far. Just not really happy yet when we approach her without a treat in hand. Sorry, the photos are a bit big and blurry because of our big windows.


So beautiful, I love the set up you have for her. :)

,
 

Bokkapooh

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How long have you had her? Sounds like she just needs some time to adjust to your home and family.
 

95talongirl

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Welcome! :)

I've followed your story over on the other parrot forums! It does sound like you are making progress, which is good! Keep up the good work! Your setup is amazing, btw!

I find macaws to be interesting.... everyone seems to say they are so nice and cuddly (at least b&G and greenwings) However, it seems that most of the macaws I have had experience with don't like me. ha! All four of the B&G's at the shelter in Villa Park don't like me... and they are perfectly sweet to like four of the other volunteers. I've had a GW react the same way, too. I've only had one interaction with a B&G, Hyacinth, and Scarlet that didn't lunge at me or try to bite. Maybe they can sense I'm a little apprehensive of them? IDK, but I'll stick to the Amazons!
 

SailorGirl

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Hey talongirl! Man I still love that hawkhead of yours, how's he doing? Maverick, right?
 

SailorGirl

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Welcome! :)

I've followed your story over on the other parrot forums! It does sound like you are making progress, which is good! Keep up the good work! Your setup is amazing, btw!

I find macaws to be interesting.... everyone seems to say they are so nice and cuddly (at least b&G and greenwings) However, it seems that most of the macaws I have had experience with don't like me. ha! All four of the B&G's at the shelter in Villa Park don't like me... and they are perfectly sweet to like four of the other volunteers. I've had a GW react the same way, too. I've only had one interaction with a B&G, Hyacinth, and Scarlet that didn't lunge at me or try to bite. Maybe they can sense I'm a little apprehensive of them? IDK, but I'll stick to the Amazons!
Marybeth's hawkhead came from the same place as my bird. I read her story, saw videos of how easily her bird could be petted and handled on a thread where someone was buying a cuddly baby greenwing from the same place. I fell in love with their stories, ooohed and ahhhed over the photos and dreamed of having the same thing happen at my house. That's not what happened here in the end, so I'm mourning the loss of what could have been I guess. I feel like a little kid whining about how the other kids got something really great-why can't I? Lol, pathetic I know. I'm going to have to have patience, which is not my strong point. Everyone has a weakness right? I'd say that's mine. So I guess it's time to quit whining and keep working on it. Maybe in time I'll get that mush mac I was dreaming of. Maybe I never will and I'll have to put my big girl pants on and deal with it. I guess I'm like some other bird owners in the way that I want love and I'm feeling a bit rejected right now. I shouldn't take it personally but I can't help it. It's like my son said the first time he saw this bird..."Oh my gosh mom I love that bird, I want to hug her and pet her." Then he turned to Sailor and said in the softest voice, like a whisper to just her "I love you, please love me back."

I secretly say that to her every single day and my heart breaks when she lets me know with that warning look in her eyes that's not going to happen any time soon.
 

95talongirl

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I can understand the feeling of rejection and hurt!

It can and does happen, as birds are very much individuals. But I have also read many stories about how birds can and do warm up to people with time and patience. :)

I think you will get there with sailor. She is very young, and just experienced a major life change. Keep working with her, and I'm sure she will come around.

Maverick is doing fine! He is very much a hawkhead parrot. Stubborn as all can be, bossy, and fearless. Lol! I have been bitten by him on several occasions. Mostly my fault for not "reading" his signals. So it's not always all cuddles and hugs over here! ;) however, can't really compare the two, as hawkheads are a bit on the feisty side by nature!

Wish you were closer! Would love to stop by and check out your awesome setup!
 

Macawnutz

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;) Yes, how far into IL? :laugh:

I'll come scritch that baby. :xflove: Can we see whole photos of the enclosure? Please....
 

SailorGirl

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Sorry, my daughter just had surgery, I've been busy taking care of her for a couple days now. I managed to snap some photos last night. I wish I had taken some when the enclosure was all shiny and new. My girl is pretty much a destructo-queen, she can chew through almost anything it seems. We've had to replace some of her cool toys with some fudged homemade ones because she really knows how to go through the wood! As you can see in the photos, our toy making skills leave much to be desired. I recently joined a parrot toy-making facebook group to learn how to do it better. I tried to dye the wood blocks with food coloring but they turned out really weak.
Some information on what we used to build this:
When she first arrived she would not go lower to quick lock bowls to eat her food so we installed tall pvc bowl pedestals so her food and water would be near her. Those were not supposed to be in the design, it was only supposed to be manzanita climbing branches lower in the middle of the enclosure. We realized later we made the enclosure too tall and she refused to go lower for quite awhile. It's around 80 inches tall, and on wheels so it can be moved for cleaning around it. She likes it the way it is so I guess the pvc is staying. Kinda unattractive, but it is functional I guess. We added calcium, bee pollen, and cactus wood/clay perches for climbing/chewing on them. The food in the bowl is all she will eat right now, she refuses anything but dry goldenfeast blends/pellets and fresh fruits and veggies. The lowest pvc stand has her dry pellet mix in it. Middle perch water, tallest perch is her fresh food. So it works out well for her. The branches are arranged so she can safely climb from the floor on up to the ceiling in case she ends up down there. All exposed wood was tiled, the wood look you see on the sides is wood look floor tile. We installed the tile over the wood structure with good quality silicone caulking, which was dry and cured before she arrived so no fumes. Tile mortar doesn't stick to wood, it has to be silicone caulking like you use in a shower. I wanted to house her in something nice, big, and comfortable that would nicely contain the messes and be easy to clean. This thing is a breeze to clean, I can broom/dustpan the mess up and mop the floor with vinegar and water. It takes minutes to clean, really easy. The floor is vinyl flooring because the wood floor structure has a little give to it, so it couldn't be tiled. But it cleans so easy that I don't regret it. The mural has plexiglass over it. The hanging atom is made from pvc joints and ribbed blue piping from a home improvement store-really heavy duty and indestructible. I bought a kit ready made from a lady on etsy but it would be easy to find the parts at a home improvement store very inexpensively. It doesn't wear out like the rope ones do and can be cleaned in the shower. We also take it out and hang it outside the cage once in awhile for her to climb on and she really gets that thing swinging. It holds up like a tank and she loves it :) Oh and the doors on the enclosure are standard vinyl screen doors that we took out the screen and installed plexiglass on them. Two doors that open like french doors and we lock it with a standard slide lock installed at the bottom of the doors. She can't get out at all because the lock is on the other side of plexiglass.
 

Newbie GCC

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Wow! Looks great!
 

SailorGirl

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Wow! Looks great!
Thanks, it was a ton of work but well worth it in the end. She really loves it in there.

I forgot to mention the white box on the wall outside the enclosure is a bird food cleaner/recycler. It works on all three sizes of food, really well. I love that thing.
 
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