Curious about Hormonal Male Macaws

[Hankmacaw]

@SherLar Jasper is a female Greenwinged Macaw - like Hank. except Hank was a male. They bred constantly, but to this day at 26 years old Jasper has not laid and egg. She has been seriously and chronically ill since before she was 6 1/2 years old, when she was given to me. I don't know if that has anything to do with her not laying eggs, but her vet and I think it does. Many hens never lay an egg.

It doesn't matter if they lay eggs that are viable, you as a responsible owner should practice good ownership and make sure the eggs are rendered un-fertile. Several others can tell you how to do this and still let the hen set on them.

When Jasper was given to me she was 6 1/2 years old and not quite sexually mature - she reach maturity in the next five or six months. At first, for the first 6/8 months I kept Hank and jasper in separate cages, but next to each other. Then I would put them in the same cage for short periods of time. Next I put them together permanently and watched them very closely for several days. There was some fussing and some arguments, but I allowed them to sort it out on their own and the almost always did. For all of the time building up to having them live together, they were allowed out of the cages together for short periods, growing longer and longer, of time. I really didn't have any problems.

For the first few months after they had moved in together, Hank was very worried ( would threaten and attack me) when I would take Jasper out with out him or even give her attention. That could not be tolerated, because both had to have twice daily medications. I would back Hank off with a stick and pick Jasper up. Took awhile, but Hank got so he didn't mind, because he knew I would bring Jasper back. After some time - numerous months - I could take either out alone at any time.

One thing that helped is that Jasper was a hand raised and had been given lots of attention when I got her. She was very much a people bird. Very gentle, very sweet and not a mean bone in her body.

They were lovers and friends and it hurt both Jasper and me a lot when Hank died.

 

[SherLar]

Thanks, Hankmacaw.
We may start looking for a companion for Koko. Our bird club often has macaws brought to us for rehoming or adoption.
Many people with chickens use ceramic eggs to encourage their chickens to lay in specific places. I wonder if using such for macaws would allow us to replace any eggs that may be laid in the future with fake eggs, so a female would still have something to sit on.
It's a moot point at the moment, unless and until we add another bird to our family.
Something to think about though.
Thanks for responding.

 

[Bokkapooh]

Have you tried completely separating him away from your other birds? This will probably cool his hormone tank. He will probably contact call more often. Play a radio for him and spend one on one time.

This is the best method when dealing with an angry macaw or any parrot really. Isolation from birds who rile them up and 1-on-1 with a human.

I highly recommend trying this approach .

 

[faislaq]

Thank you for that video @Hankmacaw! Wow, Hank sure was a vocal guy. I loved it when Jasper chimed in. And to my untrained eye, a lot of that beaking looked pretty assertive! When we're finally able to get Buzzard a friend it will be nice to know that even though it looks scary, they're just being goobers. Like how I used to worry when our dogs played roughly when we first got them and now I realize their roughhousing is completely safe and normal.

@SherLar We use dummy eggs to replace our green cheek's eggs all the time, even when there was no chance they were fertile. Harley sits on her eggs for a very long time and occasionally they would break. So now we swap them out as she lays them so she doesn't have to lay more to replace any broken ones and there's no chance of an old one breaking and making her sick.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Yeah, Hank was mouthy and Jasper rarely makes any noise (unless she wants something). Hank also made darned sure he hollered the sun up and down. I'm sure all the neighbors were aware of sunup and sundown. But Hank just always had something to say about everything - not loud just talking in bird language.

The favorite thing he learned to say was, "Hank a perfect bird". That was repeated over and over when he knew he was in trouble.

 

[faislaq]

The favorite thing he learned to say was, "Hank a perfect bird". That was repeated over and over when he knew he was in trouble.

I don't know what's more perfect than that. Too bad Petey can't say something cute to make up for his rampaging.

Too bad Daphne isn't a) older and b) interested, but it is what it is. Too bad you couldn't send him to visit Aunt Sarah or another bird-friendly friend for a few weeks once they get settled in. He might settle down being away from Daff and even go back through his honeymoon phase when he gets back. Sort of like a 'reset' button?

 

[aooratrix]

I don't know what's more perfect than that. Too bad Petey can't say something cute to make up for his rampaging.

Too bad Daphne isn't a) older and b) interested, but it is what it is. Too bad you couldn't send him to visit Aunt Sarah or another bird-friendly friend for a few weeks once they get settled in. He might settle down being away from Daff and even go back through his honeymoon phase when he gets back. Sort of like a 'reset' button?

Petey says "HI!!!" in a really high-pitched voice.

If he goes to visit Aunt Sarah, I might not take him home with me. He's A LOT. Hoping the shot would make some changes or break the cycle.

 

[faislaq]

I meant to visit for a few weeks to break up his routine and change of scenery, but I know she has so much going on. How cute that he says "Hi!" like that. And I pray for y'all that the shot flips his switch back to 'off'.

 

[Shezbug]

That was a lovely video of Hank and Jasper @Hankmacaw, thank you for sharing it.

Just curious about them being outside.....did they free fly or not fly at all? I am always amazed when I see birds outside like that and I can not help but wonder what the situation is with them.

They really look so beautiful in the sun light messing around together

 

[lexalayne]

An acquaintance of mine is a respected cockatoo breeder; she told me that she retires her birds to live out their days as "pensioners" around mid to late teens because they're done breeding, usually. Maybe cockatoos' reproductive (hormonal) lives are done at that point?

I agree with this but I’m wondering if the two eggs my 30 year old U2 laid last year out of the blue was an anomaly. She’s always been my “easiest” bird for me at least.

 

[Hankmacaw]

That was a lovely video of Hank and Jasper @Hankmacaw, thank you for sharing it.

Just curious about them being outside.....did they free fly or not fly at all? I am always amazed when I see birds outside like that and I can not help but wonder what the situation is with them.

They really look so beautiful in the sun light messing around together

At that time in their life neither one could fly, because of injuries to their wings. Jasper now flies pretty well and never goes outside without a harness. Hank never could nor would fly - I think it hurt him too bad on the injured wing.

 

[SherLar]

Watching them, hard to say if they remind me of two teenagers in love frolicking, or an old married couple antagonizing each other!

And I don't care what my husband says, we are not buying a gf for our B&G just to help with hormones. If we find we can't manage the hormones, we will find a vet that does the lupron inj.

sherri

 

[SherLar]

Koko, our very polite and kind macaw has become very destructive and aggressive. He regurgitates and preens everything, the paper he just shred, the couch, my shoes, there is no end. My husband has a large bruise on his shoulder from a bite. Koko sought him out to bite him. The dogs are not safe.

Some of you have discussed lupron inj as a possible solution. I wondering what the negative side effects may be.

 

[faislaq]

My husband has a large bruise on his shoulder from a bite. Koko sought him out to bite him. The dogs are not safe.

 

[alshgs]

Oh my. My husband has always wanted a blue and gold but I’m almost terrified of them now after reading this.

sending hugs to everyone dealing with it!

 

[SherLar]

I am not sure that you need to be terrified, but being aware how wrong things can go and how you may have to be on your guard is good. I am sure there are many well behaved macaws out there. Koko, after having completing her transgenderness at 29 yo and laid an egg. Before that, her previous owners were absolutely positive she was a male. And her aggression in the beginning of her hormonal flux seemed to reinforce that. I did let her set on an egg for a couple of days until she completely stopped eating and drinking. I removed the egg and anything she scraped together for a nest, walnut shell, rubber from the industrial tires on her cage, etc. She seemed to snap out of it and started to become her well behaved self, then suddenly last week she laid another darned egg on the bare bottom of her cage. I let her keep her egg, believing she will realize it will not hatch after another week, and as long as she is willing to eat and drink 1-2 times a day.

Our main floor is dark and quiet by 730pm (what a hassle), no meat proteins, very very few nuts or seeds, actually very little food at all, no males in the same room, in fact only a male goffin is housed two rooms away. Have tried increasing baths, no toys to masturbate with, all toys hang from above for her to play with if she chooses to go to her play ground, no nesting materials, very little petting, even of the head, and zero below the ears. Have tried rearranging her cage and moving it. I guess the point I am trying to make, is that all the things one is supposed to do, we do.

The hormone inj, some people say they are safe, some say they aren't, so far we have not had to try that route. Most of the tests and side effects noted are on humans, not on birds, so each person has to make that call on their own.

I find the people here to have good ideas to try, are supportive, and sometimes you just have to not blame and guilt yourself for doing things wrong and realize these birds are hardwired for a lot of their behaviors. Sometimes they resolve, some re-homed, some have professional trainers, and sometimes birds go to sanctuaries. We try our best, and that is all there is.

Sherri

 

[alshgs]

The one we are looking at adopting is around 5-6 years old, was kept in a pet store until a couple begged to adopt him to get him out of there. He has to be toweled to get out of his enclosure so I was hoping to fix that by getting him a bigger cage and letting him come out on his own

 

[hrafn]

The one we are looking at adopting is around 5-6 years old, was kept in a pet store until a couple begged to adopt him to get him out of there. He has to be toweled to get out of his enclosure so I was hoping to fix that by getting him a bigger cage and letting him come out on his own

Worked for Taco.

 

[SherLar]

WOW. How on earth do people justify that crap??? Maybe 40 yrs ago when we were more barbaric, but now? With so much information on birds? I personally can't advise you on that one. Our macaw is much older, tame, and all the good stuff. Even though she just laid her first egg at 29, she has at least had some experience with hormones and learning to behave and all that.

You have a tough decision my friend.

sherri

 

[alshgs]

Worked for Taco.

Are you able to handle him at all now?