Living Room Jungle

[aooratrix]

Yesterday was hot and very humid; we also got a downpour, so the birds were relegated to the java trees and ring stand that comprise our "jungle." After I put Morgan in her cage, I got out the 3 youngest macaws. Annie & Harry Boy were social with me, but Daff was more interested in food. I enjoyed observing the relationship Annie and Daff enjoy. They allopreen, play, talk, and squabble together. Even though there's bickering, it's your normal, minor macaw disagreement, way more sound than fury.

Harry put himself to bed, so I got Petey out with the girls. He did zero lunging and very little gaping at me. He mostly just deliberately spread his wings at me. Interesting. Annie flew over to "take his temperature" , and he promptly kicked her off the tree. I went into the other room to check something. When I came back, Daff was sitting on the tree with Petey. She flew over when I left the room, and I didn't hear it. He wasted trying to kick her off the tree, but she didn't seem overly interested. Still, she did fly over there. I am NOT losing Daff to Petey. If that seems to be happening, I will take steps. Of course, this just happened one time, last night, and we'll see how it goes. I got them out together to see what would happen. I'd still like to see Daff rebuff Petey. The saga continues.

 

[Icey]

That's how Frankie and Bebe started out. He wanted nothing to do with her. Now they are inseparable.
It's great to hear he's not trying to bite you anymore or lunging at you. Maybe he's calming down a bit

 

[aooratrix]

That's how Frankie and Bebe started out. He wanted nothing to do with her. Now they are inseparable.
It's great to hear he's not trying to bite you anymore or lunging at you. Maybe he's calming down a bit

Oh, he's back at it today. Missed me by a micron, too. They're not going to be a pair in any way. Daff can pal around with Annie.

 

[Macawnutz]

There is nothing wrong with a pair... It's sweet and you don't "lose" them. You share.

Goodness, not a bird here I wouldnt let pair up if it made them happy.

 

[Big Blues]

Our buddies bickered at first; power playing. We have a flock with several buddies and we are able to be friends with them together too. Jealousy can happen but watching body language really helps with next steps so they will play with you plus their buddy. I pick our buddies up together and play with them together...it can be a slow process but over time but it can work well for all.

 

[Shezbug]

I know Petey has been a dork to you of late but I do so love reading about your interactions with him. I am a little curious of why you won't let them be a pair, has it got to do with not wanting to breed? I have no judgement either way, just being nosey I suppose

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

I've never let Henry socialize with Lola for fear they would bond to each other and not be friendly to me. They do share the same space by just a few feet but have never really wanted to be together. Quite the opposite. There have been several times where I've not put my plexiguard "gate" to keep Henry from wandering into her space and he walked over to her cage and climbed up. He has a pretty healthy fear of Lola biting him so that's good. Even to the point getting him off her cage is a small challenge getting him to climb back down and back to his own cage because he is very concerned she'll get him while he's climbing down. He's not perch trained so he won't step up unless he's on the floor so I just use the perch to "herd" him back. I have however, observed them touching beaks with great intrepidation. I don't think I ever need to worry over them ever bonding. He is very protective of her despite them not spending touchy time together.

Now, when it comes to the conures... Rocket spends time on Astro's cage every evening. He has ZERO interest in her and she has no interest in him but they share the same out time. Rocket invades her space and she avoids him. Astro is super sensitive to being touched. If I want to pet her she will crouch down and go butt up every time so petting her is pretty much out of the question. I don't want to encourage any egg laying.

Ruby...would love nothing more than visits with Casey and will invite him to mate with her if I allow them time out. I used to let them have out time together when I clean their cages but I caught her plucking feathers from him too many times so I don't allow them to be together anymore. She's been trained to stay on me when they are out. She has an obsessive compulsive nature and is all over me... looking in my face from my shoulder, pecking at my lips with her way of communicating, nibbling my ears, and will lick my face if I have makeup on, lick me all over behind my ears, neck.. especially if I've been sweating. She's a lickaholic! Little Miss Scarlette and Casey are buddies.. they squabble, preen and try to hide under the paper and also try to mate. Emphasis on "try"... I always intervene much to Casey's displeasure. He's like my mini amazon... he hates me, would love to bite me and I don't pick him up without a perch. Sigh... it's tough being the sex police...

 

[Fergus Mom]

The saga continues.

The jungle saga sounds like a heck of a place to do a study of Social observations of the Macaw!

 

[aooratrix]

I know Petey has been a dork to you of late but I do so love reading about your interactions with him. I am a little curious of why you won't let them be a pair, has it got to do with not wanting to breed? I have no judgement either way, just being nosey I suppose

I don't want to give any encouragement to a potential pair bond. And I have no intention in breeding. That's what Petey wants.

 

[aooratrix]

There is nothing wrong with a pair... It's sweet and you don't "lose" them. You share.

Goodness, not a bird here I wouldnt let pair up if it made them happy.

The way Petey is protective, it's clear he wants a mate. If Daff bonded with him, I could lose her to that. I'm just not willing to risk it. In your recent video, Sam tolerated you there to film. If I tried that, he'd attack me relentlessly. Daff can continue being buds with Annie.

 

[aooratrix]

Our buddies bickered at first; power playing. We have a flock with several buddies and we are able to be friends with them together too. Jealousy can happen but watching body language really helps with next steps so they will play with you plus their buddy. I pick our buddies up together and play with them together...it can be a slow process but over time but it can work well for all.

I can do the same with Annie and Daff, too. Petey wants more from Daff, has identified me as the obstacle, and tries to remove me constantly. He acts exactly the same as macaws I've seen that are bonded and produce chicks. It's not just buddies.

 

[Macawnutz]

The way Petey is protective, it's clear he wants a mate. If Daff bonded with him, I could lose her to that. I'm just not willing to risk it. In your recent video, Sam tolerated you there to film. If I tried that, he'd attack me relentlessly. Daff can continue being buds with Annie.

I disagree that you would lose her to "that". but this is new to you and time will teach.

I just need you to hang in there Matt. You will figure this out, I promise.

 

[aooratrix]

I disagree that you would lose her to "that". but this is new to you and time will teach.

I just need you to hang in there Matt. You will figure this out, I promise.

So you've never heard of people losing relationships with pets when they formed a bond? Would you be willing to risk losing Korbel to pair bond with another macaw? I don't have the dynamics here that you do: I have two girls and one SUPER hormonal male jerk.

 

[aooratrix]

I KNEW I shouldn't have taken another boy, but I wanted to give an older bird a home.

 

[Macawnutz]

So you've never heard of people losing relationships with pets when they formed a bond? Would you be willing to risk losing Korbel to pair bond with another macaw? I don't have the dynamics here that you do: I have two girls and one SUPER hormonal male jerk.

I will double that down. If Korbel & Kailua wanted to share their lives together I would rearrange everything to accommodate that. Shoot, if they laid eggs I would give them a nest box and buy stock in fake eggs. In fact, someday I hope those two fall for each other. Nothing would make me happier.

Would I lose them? No. Things would be different and rules to follow but I would figure it out.

 

[Big Blues]

I can do the same with Annie and Daff, too. Petey wants more from Daff, has identified me as the obstacle, and tries to remove me constantly. He acts exactly the same as macaws I've seen that are bonded and produce chicks. It's not just buddies.

Our male and female Hys act that way in the spring; their behavior becomes hostile with us. We detract them with comic behavior, songs and treats or when they want to be left alone we let them be. Spring is my least favorite time of the year. I know it’s difficult for members to make suggestions Until we walk a day in your shoes.

 

[BirdManDan]

I don't want to give any encouragement to a potential pair bond. And I have no intention in breeding. That's what Petey wants.

That's what fake eggs are for.. LOL

 

[Hankmacaw]

Like JR said, we aren't walking in your shoes. I can only tell you how Hank and Jasper interacted with each other and with me. Hank was not a bird friendly bird when I got him. When I would go to the store to visit him he was always on a swing by himself and would not let any of the other birds near him. For the first three years I owned him alone and although he was deathly ill a lot of that time he was still dangerous.

When Jasper was given to me she was 6 1/2 yo and Hank 21/22. They were kept in separate cages for several month and during that time Jasper became sexually mature. After she became mature, I would put them in the same cage or let them out together in the aviary for a little while every day. It went very well and I put them together permanently within a couple of weeks. They did fine, except Jasper would boss Hank around mercilessly and was the absolute ruler of the roost. Jasper had been raised as the only bird, so Hank had to teach her many things - it was fun watching.

For quite awhile Jasper wouldn't let Hank preen or feed her, but Hank was persistent and patient and she finally allowed him to touch her. It was several months before they ever bred and I don't think they were successful. Hank was crazy silly in love with Jasper and Jasper not so much so.

With my relationship with them there were starts and stops, failures and successes. I found that I couldn't let them out for free time together - they became gangstas and were not controllable. I had to scoot them into their aviary with a broom a couple of times. Both of my birds by this time knew exactly what "NO" meant and would pay attention (as long as my back wasn't turned), so I found that I could say no to Hank very firmly and pick Jasper up and take her out and then I could bring Hank out with no problem. As a couple of years went by, I could take them out one at a time or both at once very easily. Hank learned that I was always going to bring her back. Sometimes he would be happy to get rid of her for awhile, because she would pester, pester, pester him to death and he would never fight back. That was his beloved.

It took time and patience and more firmness than I liked at times with Hank, but he never held it against me. This was just my experience and all birds are different, but after they lived together there was almost no more hormonal problem.

 

[rocky'smom]

Hang in there Matthew, it will pass. I will see how the macaws are at the clinic tomorrow, they were extremely feisty the last time I saw them. I'll let you know tomorrow afternoon, ok.

 

[Serin]

Birds should be allowed the freedom to form pair bonds if they wish. They're intelligent beings, especially these large parrots, and not our playthings.
We take these animals in and already control every aspect of their lives.
If the only way to maintain a bond with a bird is to keep it from bonding with another who it would prefer, I would not want that relationship. I want the animal to genuinely like my company, not only accept it if it has no other option.

Just my unwanted two cents.