"I have macaws and I don't post enough photos."

[scrape]

The other day my mother asked which was our cuddliest bird. Right away I said Buzz! Hubby looked at me incredulously & said, "Yeah, to you maybe." lol Okay, maybe he's right.
View attachment 407859

No worries, it's only a quick smooch on the beak & he's normally not allowed on my shoulder, but Leon had just flown around the room & poor Buzzard was spooked & had climbed up.

Really? Even with two cockatoos?

 

[faislaq]

Really? Even with two cockatoos?

Luv Bug is super cuddly especially with hubby when she's not anting or terrorizing me (attacking my phone, purse strap, the cabinets, refrigerator, pictures or sofa...). But Buzz is always down for lovin' and scritches and smooches.

Puffin loves to be on us, but half the time she nips at us when we go to pet her. And Leon is only hubby's bird and allows scritches and tickles on his own terms.

 

[scrape]

Luv Bug is super cuddly especially with hubby when she's not anting or terrorizing me (attacking my phone, purse strap, the cabinets, refrigerator, pictures or sofa...). But Buzz is always down for lovin' and scritches and smooches.

Puffin loves to be on us, but half the time she nips at us when we go to pet her. And Leon is only hubby's bird and allows scritches and tickles on his own terms.

Aw. What a fun flock. How do they react to guests?

 

[faislaq]

Aw. What a fun flock. How do they react to guests?

The boys readily accept treats but only occasionally step up for others. Puffin and Luv Bug will go to anyone, especially men, but sometimes Bug gets too worked up & starts nipping ears so she gets a time out til she cools off & we try again.

 

[Zara]

How are things progressing with the boys?

And more pics would be lovely!

 

[faislaq]

Mostly the boys are still doing their own things. They both hang out on their cage with the doors open. The most progress I've seen is that they are able to pass more closely by one another without any posturing. Luckily they've never fought, but I admit I am jealous of how well @MiniMacaw's Coari and Bowser hit it off. I keep telling myself it's not even been a year yet & it took 2-3 for Luv Bug and Puffin to get to where they are, sitting near one another, enjoying each other's company and occasionally preening. We've got time.

Well, today for the first observed time Leon pulled Buzz's tail for a change. I suspect there've been many more, but I think Leon is better at backing quickly away and looking innocent or leaving Buzz's defensiveness looking suspicious.

And I will try to get more pics.

 

[faislaq]

These boys are so frustrating, I tell ya. They hang out on opposite sides of the bars almost everyday. They even beak gently now, occasionally. Just admit you like each other and be friends, darn it!

Maybe not the greatest pic, but it's so hard to catch them before they move away from one another. Buzz already has his foot on the bars to push away as I took this one. Guess we're still in the denial phase.

 

[faislaq]

Also, I'm unable to help my darling Buzz with his pins because he always holds my thumb in his mouth & my other fingers are not opposable, while the Big Blue Bluffer demands head scritches and my pin removal service everytime I pass by.

Any suggestions? I mist (read: soak) both boys fairly regularly now but Buzz grumps at me if I manage to slip past his beak when it's busy & grabs my thumb. I need help preening my big, green porcupine.


This is after I managed to "comb out" a couple with my nails.

 

[Shezbug]

Oh my goodness he is adorable

 

[Peachfaced]

Rupert likes to hold the scritching fingers, too. Short of dislocating my super bendy fingers, I have yet to come up with a solution. Perhaps grow more digits??

 

[faislaq]

Rupert likes to hold the scritching fingers, too. Short of dislocating my super bendy fingers, I have yet to come up with a solution. Perhaps grow more digits??

Surely someone here has found a solution & will save us.

 

[Toy]

No major solution here. JaKhu insists on holding my thumb/fingers in her foot or her beak when I try to preen her. I manage to sneak in a pin or two before she grabs me.

 

[Shezbug]

Surely someone here has found a solution & will save us.

You don't have teeth?

 

[Icey]

No solution here. Frankie's head is like a pin cushion these days too. He will put his head down if I ask him to so I can get some of them out, which is nice. After I get a few out the beak tells me "no more for now".
A spray a day seems to help us both get them out, but no quick solutions from me I'm afraid.

 

[faislaq]

I see there's a lot of us in the same boat.

 

[Nnbal]

I think the most effective solution to this situation is time.
All I can do is help him with my nails.

 

[Kassiani]

Yeah, I got nothin’. My budgies don’t let me touch them nor does Opie. Growing the extra digits might help!

 

[Teckechick]

I have a similar problem with Jenks, He will only let me help with the hand he is sitting in. That makes it a bit hard to help him, if I try with the other hand I get the attempted bites. He tends to rub his head on toys and such in the cage to get most of his pins. Little stinkers.

 

[TikiMyn]

Even as a porcupine Buzzard is still beautiful!

 

[flyzipper]

Any suggestions?

Distraction?
I had a pretty good extended session today while Oscar intently looked out the window.