Video Macaw constantly squawking

[htee]

Thank you so much guys. i am going to go ahead and get some formula and a bunch of other ingredients etc to add into. I really appreciate all the info youre giving me, I dont know how my baby will end up like if it wasnt for you guys.
@Macawnutz I would still love to hear what you have to say about him, any info about him and not just about this issue. anything you guys have to add, please do. I would like to learn more about how to keep my bird happy

 

[htee]

also.. if all of this dosnt help then what do i do? do i bring him to the vet? what if this is all just his noisy personality?

 

[Hawk12237]

Those look like "baby" behaviors to me; I thought I even saw the slow head-bob they do when they're begging for food. If he doesn't settle with some additional hand-feeding you should take him to a vet for a thorough exam. Did you hand-feed him when you first got him? How long has he been doing this? Are you weighing him? Track his weight, and tell us what he currently weighs.

Was going to say same thing, exhibits baby behavior wanting food/ enjoying food sounds it's making. Might try soft food and hand feeding.

 

[Hawk12237]

also.. if all of this dosnt help then what do i do? do i bring him to the vet? what if this is all just his noisy personality?

I wouldn't say it's noisy personality, that's yet to really develop at that young age. Then I've never had a macaw that young, mine was in 30's when I got it.
But we have good advice in hankmacaw and macawnutz...

 

[htee]

oh i see. okay thanks!. also... shizz. i just weighed him today and hes 2.3lb..............

 

[htee]

so i gave him some formula today and mixed it with a few other things. i fed him until he didn't want it anymore. also gave him some veges for whenever he wants to eat it. He's still squawking a lot.. not sure what to do. Ill link new videos of him now. This is right after only feeding him formula once until he didn't want it and then a bowl of veges.

Is he still asking for more formula?

@Macawnutz @Hankmacaw @Fia Baby

 

[Macawnutz]

Nothing with macaws changes overnight.

No, while it's the same sound to you he is not seeming to be asking for formula in the second videos. There is one wing flip in the one where he is ripping paper but he doesn't seem to be asking for food.
It's a comfort sound, Korbel used to do it often at a bit younger of an age. First lets get you spotting "hungry".

In the first 10 seconds of this video Korbel is asking food. Notice the slow head bob and the wing flip. They will also make a "gacking" type sound that your sweetie also uses for comfort. I would also like to note that Korbel in this video and your bird are about the same age.

Your weight at 1043 grams ( 2.3 pounds ) is not bad but I do not feel it's accurate. To get a true weight you need to weigh him in the morning when he wakes up. Before breakfast and after his first morning poop. I do have a book that lists weights but in the years helping baby BG's I personally would like to see your baby about 1050 at this age. It's not uncommon to be under 1000 but I feel better with the extra. Is your sweetie flying or is he clipped? That's another big difference to weight.

Think of your little one like a baby and imagine those sounds as a fussy baby. What does he need? Now your sweetie has had time to establish making these sounds often and now it is a routine, it will take time to scale it back. BG's are naturally sound makers. I always have people comment about Korbel's noises in video's and really, I barely hear them any longer as I know the difference between "need something" and "I'm just here doing my thing". If Korbel were to make those sounds with head bobbing and wing flipping I would bring him food. If he were making those sounds like in your second videos I would be saying "what's wrong sweetie?" A mother macaw spends her time A. feeding B. preening C. away from the nest and D. sleeping in the nest to keep them warm. When Nova is full and in your lap making those sounds take that time to be hands on. Preen his feathers, open his wings and preen his tail, play with his feet and interact with toys. All the while talking to him in a comforting voice. Ask him questions and tell him he is fine. Sing him songs and play peek a boo. Your sweetie justs sounds "unsure" in your second videos so you just need to build confidence and trust in his surroundings.

If you are keen to fix the wants and needs by reading his behavior early nothing gets persistent. He has a routine now with those sounds. It took months to get to this point and it may take months to undo it. To any person that has raised a young macaw that sound is like a crying baby. Not irritating in the slightest but more "my baby needs something". I'm sure Fia's Baby's first reaction was as mine... "awwww feed and cuddle him". You are raising a bird that could outlive you. He has a lifetime to be independent and right now he wants his parents. Young macaws are a lot to take bring into your home. We say to every new parront. My guys hit 4 years old and I was at my wits end with them... omg the trouble they caused. You have just begun.

 

[htee]

@Macawnutz wow! That paragraph was very helpful. Thanks a lot. I will try my best to follow what you have said. Also i noticed you said “he should be 1050 at this age”. Did you mean 2050?

 

[Fia Baby]

I agree with @Macawnutz - he's been food-insecure for quite some time now and these behaviors have become habit. The food insecurity has been the foundation for all of his other experiences so far. It will take time for them to extinguish. I'm confident they'll gradually go away. I see differences in his behavior already - the wing flipping has reduced dramatically (I think I saw it one time compared to continuously in the first videos) and no more head bobbing. He'll need to have many experiences of having his needs met to start to feel secure - and playing with him and cuddling him is definitely part of the process!! Don't think that this is just his personality though - these sounds and behaviors aren't what you'd see in a secure, mature macaw. I think you've seen a younger but more secure macaw behaving differently and that's what alerted you to this problem. Does he fly? What is his sleeping arrangement? When mine was young I gave her a parrot ladder place horizontally and right next to 2x4, and at night I'd secure a folded towel over the whole contraption to make a bed for her. Your boy might be too old for this, but given where he appears to be developmentally, he might still appreciate a soft bed for sleeping. Mine wouldn't use it during the day, but at night she would, and gradually she let me know when she was too old for such silliness. Think of this bird like a toddler - feed him as much as he wants every time he asks (and that will mean be willing to drop everything a fix him something warm for the time being!), play, cuddle, comfort and be near him as much as possible. Talk and sing, show him what you're doing. Encourage him to explore new things and people, and take him places if you safely can. Play and manipulate his feet and wings (to teach him to allow it later on, when he's a big boy) and teach him to let you put a harness on, if you haven't already. And don't beat yourself up - he'll get through this gradually and be okay. You mentioned that he doesn't like water - start taking him into the shower with you regularly. Macaws LOVE water. Let him sit on the shower rod and watch you have a good time. Give him drinks off of your fingers and sprinkle water on his feet. Hold him land let a fine mist hit him. He'll learn to love it! I think mine would shower with me everyday if I let her!! She hangs upside down from my hand, stands on my shoulders and flaps like a maniac...

 

[Fia Baby]

She means 1050 grams.

 

[htee]

Also... he really hates it when I try and open his wings. Ive been trying to train him where i give him a treat everytime i open it. But for me to open his wings, its super hard. He will run away or bite my hand (not hard) and move it away from his wings.

 

[htee]

She means 1050 grams.

But after she said “its not uncommon to be 1000 under”?

 

[htee]

@Fia Baby do you think i should Try do other things to make him talk quieter? Im worried that since its a habit of his that he will permanantly think its okay to sound like that. I rly hope he dosnt get used to it and grows up maturely like that.



Yes he can fly. I actually tweaked his sleeping pattern a bit because we wake up pretty late and we stay up pretty late and I wanted to spend more time with him. So we put him to bed at midnight until whenver we wake up. We usually wake up in the afternoon or later.


Also wow!! Your macaw sounds lovely. Ive always wished Nova could learn how to shower. I dont know why hes so scared of it. The problem is my shower head dosnt really have a place for him to stand on. Ill try figure out something though

 

[Fia Baby]

She said "It's not uncommon to be under 1000 (grams), but I feel better with the extra." (Switch "under" and "1000") If he were mine I'd want to see his weight come up as well - then I'd know that the extra food was working, I wouldn't worry that he had any underlying infections, I'd know that his nutrition was more than adequate...
Don't do anything to try to get him to be quieter right now - he's not being loud, just insecure. The way through this is to care for him and comfort him, not to try to "train" it away. (And macaws can be very loud - prepare yourself for that - it's who and what they are). Keep the wing lifting light, playful, with lots of cuddling and NO stress. He needs to learn that it's safe and won't hurt him. It can be scary for a bird to allow a person to manipulate his wings.

 

[htee]

Ohh. I see. Okay so ill just feed him non stop whenever he wants until hes 1050 grams? When do i know to stop? What if he becomes overweight?

Also, is there anything wrong with him
Sleeping at midnight? I heard that if they don’t get enough sleep they can start to regress as well?

I have tried to do the wing lifting thing as light as possible and it still dosnt work. Maybe ill do a video on how i do it and you can show me what im doing wrong haha.

 

[Fia Baby]

Feed as much as he wants until he stops asking, regardless of his weight. You weighing to make sure he's gaining, not to keep the lbs off. If he asks you to do this for 6 more months, do it. If his weight balloons to 1300 grams, still do it. This is about his weight, independence and emotional maturity, equally. Getting too fat isn't an issue for baby birds - banish that thought from your mind. Have you ever heard of Maslow's Hierarchy of needs? Think in terms of this pyramid - his basic needs must be met for him to progress to the upper areas. As far as sleeping, a daylight schedule is best, but I think quantity and quality trump the "when." When he does to bed at midnight, does he still get 10-12 hours of sleep in adequate darkness? He needs 10-12 hours of uninterrupted night time sleep, however you arrange it. And opportunities for day time naps in addition.

Start by slipping your hands under his wings for petting. Light and playful, short and sweet. Lots of praise. He knows how you're feeling, so don't stress, just enjoy it and know that it will happen if you keep at it.

 

[Macawnutz]

Yes 1000 grams. BG macaws can weigh anywhere from 800-1100 grams at that age. Korbel is currently 1170 and my female 950. Honestly my female seems larger but Korbel fly's. Muscle is heavier than fat.

You are not feeding him to get him up to any target weight. You are feeding him because he is asking for food. When wild macaws make that sound mama comes running and he wants that security. Just weigh him every few days in the morning so you get an idea of his weight and how he is doing.

Do not try to quiet him, he is being no where near loud. Those are his baby sounds and some day you will miss hearing them!

 

[htee]

Ohhh. I see okay. So basically i just stop feeding him formula until he stops doing the head bobbing and wing flap right? When do i know when he stops eatin baby and eat independently?

Also, how do i give him naps during the day? Whenever i put him in his cage during the day he just plays with his toys and tries to get out. Should i make his room dark?

Im assuming he gets 10-12 hours.. i dont go in his room until after i wake up and eat my breakfast. Im not sure what he does til then cos i dont go into his room. Im hoping he is sleeping and not just biting things though. Usually when i go in his room hes just looking forward. I never see his beak in his back like how birds usually sleep... but i thought maybe he might just be sleeping with his eyes open because i hesrd some burds do that?

 

[Fia Baby]

He'll tell you by refusing the formula. This will happen gradually, over the course of several weeks. Normally, a bird will refuse 1 meal, but than want to be hand-fed later on. This might go on for a couple days - he'll ask, you'll make it, but then he'll only eat a tiny bit, and will eat his big bird food instead. Then at some point later, he'll refuse another meal, and you'll go through the same process. You'll offer, he'll only eat a little... it can be a bit frustrating, but it is normal. This whole process can take a while, and you really need to let him set the pace. Keep offering until he no longer asks. There may be times when he's refused a meal for a couple days but then one day he wants it again. Give it when he asks. It can be stressful time for the human!! This is how normal weaning takes place. How many times does he want you to hand-feed him right now? It is essential that you feed him whenever he asks right now, as much as he wants to eat. This is what parent birds would do. And at the same time they will be showing him how they feed themselves and encouraging him to feed himself.
I would assume he's sleeping in his room as long as it's dark and quiet. Personally, I think you should have him with you as soon as you can in the morning. Mine is with me when I make and eat breakfast. She's either "helping" me or she's eating. Birds are flock creatures - they do everything together. When we keep them as pets, we need to try to provide this for them - the flock experience. Is he in his room by himself? Do you have other birds? Is this just for sleeping at night? Do you have an area in your living area that he's in during the day? He needs to be with you as much as possible - when you're home, he's around, either in a cage or on a play stand, or sitting on/with you. He'll nap when he needs to during the day -mine naps a couple times a day, either in her cage or on her perch. Sometimes I put her in her cage to chill out if she's trying to "help" me too much, but I know she's happier when she's with me or the family.

 

[Macawnutz]

I don't give naps during the day. My guys get up when I get up and go to bed when they want to go to bed.

It used to be 9am they came out and 9pm they went to bed. ( when we are home all day ) Since moving my hy's into their room it's a different story. The hy's keep weird hours no matter what I do. Now they get up at 11- noon and want to go to bed at 7:30pm. I keep pushing the bedtime back as they daylight hours get longer. I'll get back to 9pm by the end of the summer I hope.

During the day... I don't see them sleep. They get quiet and rest but I never see a sleeping bird.