New member (again)with Senior Maroon Military Macaw

[Macawnutz]

Thanks! I actually found a bird at reptile gardens in South Dakota - and one that passes away at the national aviary World Bird Sanctuary: Gomer That have a similar mutation!


Since the last time I posted Bonnet has moved from Michigan to NYC so she has been seen by a few more avian specialists. I wish we could figure out if they were all born in the same region and it was some sort of adaptation for the elderly macaw.

My GW passed away a few months ago, she was 77. She had quite a few strange feathers in her late years. A few color changes to specific feathers but nothing like a overall body color change.
If you have exhausted the recommended tests and she is as healthy as she can be, it's time to love her the way she is and move on.

It's actually a beautiful color to me although I keep imagining that she is wet. How about her tail? Is the red and blue uneffected?

 

[iamwhoiam]

Welcome back. Bonnet is beautiful.

 

[sunnysmom]

Welcome back!

 

[Fia Baby]

You asked about adaptions for senior birds, and I don't think you've gotten any yet... My birds aren't senior yet, but I've heard of some changes people make for them, including wrapping perches to soften them for arthritic birds, increasing lighting for birds with limited vision and making sure to keep things the same in their environment. I imagine that regular checks of endocrine and organ function also become more important, just as for us. Does she have any limitations at this point?

 

[Sarahmoluccan]

So fascinating. Beautiful bird. I'm glad to hear the colouring isn't related to her health. I hope you can sort of her other health issues. Senior birds can be somewhat harder to care for that way. It can be a struggle but they are so worth the extra effort

 

[Bonnetbird]

You asked about adaptions for senior birds, and I don't think you've gotten any yet... My birds aren't senior yet, but I've heard of some changes people make for them, including wrapping perches to soften them for arthritic birds, increasing lighting for birds with limited vision and making sure to keep things the same in their environment. I imagine that regular checks of endocrine and organ function also become more important, just as for us. Does she have any limitations at this point?

Bonnet is blind in her left eye - but that doesn’t seem to bother her too much. Her real limitations are due to her feet. She is missing a digit, has some neuropathy possibly due to a stroke or the result of nerve damage from a severe case of bumblefoot when she was being boarded a few years ago. she gets chronic gout which is being medically manage by an avian specialist . She loves climbing and loves soft cozy areas - my problem is that she gets herself stuck. I had gotten her a smaller cage because of her difficulty perching - but instead she just gets stuck now. I plan to get her a bigger cage again with only horizontal bars (she can’t grasp the vertical ones). I also have made sort of a playpen area for her (but she climbs the baby gate) so I have to get that plastic stuff to put over the gate so she can’t climb.

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

welcome

 

[Bonnetbird]

Welcome back. Bonnet is beautiful.

Thank you!

 

[Fia Baby]

Maybe she'd like a platform in her cage? Sounds like you're doing well with her. I think with older animals we need to watch and problem-solve as they change - which you're doing. Does she fall? Sometimes you can raise the grate in a cage to lessen the distance for falling (and you could pad it as well).

 

[Bonnetbird]

Maybe she'd like a platform in her cage? Sounds like you're doing well with her. I think with older animals we need to watch and problem-solve as they change - which you're doing. Does she fall? Sometimes you can raise the grate in a cage to lessen the distance for falling (and you could pad it as well).

I got her a corner platform - she liked when I covered it in fleece but 1. She would only stay there so I would put her water there and then it was getting wet and 2 the way she was sitting on it was putting pressure on sores on her feet. I think I need an entirely new cage that is bigger. My veterinarian suggested a cage that you could put an insert in so that when she has gout episodes/when I am not home I can prevent her from climbing over a certain height in the cage. I also want to create a plastic wall so that she has a floor area she can walk around in when I am not home. I have a baby gate - but she has decided that is her favorite thing to climb. *living in a studio in NYC gives me limitations on some macaw related things. Thanks for your suggestions! I love hearing all of your ideas and hopefully I can use them to create a better space for her.

 

[Fia Baby]

A larger, less typical cage may work better than the typical parrot cages. I guess I'd shoot for several perch/platform options, all at the same height, thinking that the choices will alleviate some of the problems. Have you tried attaching a large piece of heavy plexi-glass on your baby gate? I think you could attach it with some screws and some large washers or something similar (you might need to get creative) - then she couldn't climb it.

 

[Bonnetbird]

A larger, less typical cage may work better than the typical parrot cages. I guess I'd shoot for several perch/platform options, all at the same height, thinking that the choices will alleviate some of the problems. Have you tried attaching a large piece of heavy plexi-glass on your baby gate? I think you could attach it with some screws and some large washers or something similar (you might need to get creative) - then she couldn't climb it.

That’s totally the plan! The plexiglass. I might just try and attach the plexiglass directly to the wall. I am going to ask for cage ideas - just not sure where to put the post! I’ve been search for an all horizontal bar cage - but the only ones I can find are too small or corner cages.

 

[Brittany0208]

That’s totally the plan! The plexiglass. I might just try and attach the plexiglass directly to the wall. I am going to ask for cage ideas - just not sure where to put the post! I’ve been search for an all horizontal bar cage - but the only ones I can find are too small or corner cages.

Have you tried a Critter Nation Double Unit? I have the single unit and it has horizontal bars all around, it's being used for my one-legged Vasa, even though I'm sure your Mac is much bigger than him. They may even have a Triple Unit, but I'm not completely sure.

 

[Bonnetbird]

Have you tried a Critter Nation Double Unit? I have the single unit and it has horizontal bars all around, it's being used for my one-legged Vasa, even though I'm sure your Mac is much bigger than him. They may even have a Triple Unit, but I'm not completely sure.

I’ll check it out ! Thanks

 

[Brittany0208]

I’ll check it out ! Thanks

You're welcome

 

[aooratrix]

I think she might benefit from a wooden platform perch. @Macawnutz makes some nice ones. Check them out: Seriously Nutz - Large Basswood Platform Perch - Natural Flat Perches that are cut thick, side or corner mounted. Macaw Cockatoo Large Bird

She might like a horizontal 2x4 perch, too. I'd only use one, though.

I have seen several "raspberry" militaries; one had liver function issues, while the other was a mutation/color form. Nice to see you back. Bonnet is a lucky, pretty girl.

 

[Bonnetbird]

I think she might benefit from a wooden platform perch. @Macawnutz makes some nice ones. Check them out:
She might like a horizontal 2x4 perch, too. I'd only use one, though.

I have seen several "raspberry" militaries; one had liver function issues, while the other was a mutation/color form. Nice to see you back. Bonnet is a lucky, pretty girl.

Thank you so much for your reply! Do you remember where you saw them? It seems there hasn’t been a write about them and if let’s say poor liver function was the common thread I would love to provide that information to avian veterinarians. Bonnet does have get gout and has high uric acid as well as a high WBC count.


I was looking at those perches too! I am currently searching for a new cage or will have someone make one for her.

Her back toes don’t work as well as her front ones - so my only worry would
Be that she have difficulty grasping on that. But it might just be perfect!

Thanks again,

Annie and Bonnet

 

[Bokkapooh]

She is beautiful. Looks like an older gal.

Has she lost her facial feathers? I wonder if that is due to age?

 

[WendyN]

 

[aooratrix]

Thank you so much for your reply! Do you remember where you saw them? It seems there hasn’t been a write about them and if let’s say poor liver function was the common thread I would love to provide that information to avian veterinarians. Bonnet does have get gout and has high uric acid as well as a high WBC count.


I was looking at those perches too! I am currently searching for a new cage or will have someone make one for her.

Her back toes don’t work as well as her front ones - so my only worry would
Be that she have difficulty grasping on that. But it might just be perfect!

Thanks again,

Annie and Bonnet

I'll look but don't hold out much hope.