Macaw Adventures 2023

[BrianB]

It's been a while since I've said much about her but here is Poppy (aka Pop-Tart). After she gave me a bite on my nipple we don't play like we used to. I talk to her and she steps up for me, but aside from a head scratch, she doesn't want a whole lot of attention. She hates my cell phone so it's difficult to get pictures of her. When she first came to us her wings were clipped. I believe she has been clipped most of her life since her chest muscles are underdeveloped. The wings were clipped right past the edge of the yellow so they were pretty short. There wasn't much flight surface at all and if she had fallen she probably would have been injured. Her wings have grown back over the last year and that was an unpleasant experience for both of us. She doesn't like to be touched on her back and as the feathers grew to their full length it changed her body geometry. She would turn in the cage and feathers that were never there brushed up against the side or back of the cage. It made her furious and she would scream and snap at the invisible monster that was touching her. Now that her wings are fully grown and she's made peace with them, you can see how beautiful they are.

The first picture is how she looked when she came to us in the fall of 2021, and the second is today with her wings fully grown. She really is beautiful. I wish she wasn't so rude sometimes, but she's a scarlet so it is what it is.

 

[April]

It's been a while since I've said much about her but here is Poppy (aka Pop-Tart). After she gave me a bite on my nipple we don't play like we used to. I talk to her and she steps up for me, but aside from a head scratch, she doesn't want a whole lot of attention. She hates my cell phone so it's difficult to get pictures of her. When she first came to us her wings were clipped. I believe she has been clipped most of her life since her chest muscles are underdeveloped. The wings were clipped right past the edge of the yellow so they were pretty short. There wasn't much flight surface at all and if she had fallen she probably would have been injured. Her wings have grown back over the last year and that was an unpleasant experience for both of us. She doesn't like to be touched on her back and as the feathers grew to their full length it changed her body geometry. She would turn in the cage and feathers that were never there brushed up against the side or back of the cage. It made her furious and she would scream and snap at the invisible monster that was touching her. Now that her wings are fully grown and she's made peace with them, you can see how beautiful they are.

The first picture is how she looked when she came to us in the fall of 2021, and the second is today with her wings fully grown. She really is beautiful. I wish she wasn't so rude sometimes, but she's a scarlet so it is what it is.

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Oooh she's breathtakingly beautiful! I just adore Scarlets so much,my favorite Macaw species and dream bird that will always stay a dream but that's why I'm always so thrilled when you post pics of her

 

[zoo mom]

What a beauty.

 

[BrianB]

It's been a rough week. We're down a few people at the store so I've been filling in as I can. I haven't been sleeping well since we lost Odin so that isn't helping. Today I took Chewy to work with me and he was well-behaved. He even said Hello to a few people when they entered the store. I must be careful with Sandy and Bam Bam when Chewy is there. He seems to understand that I pick up other birds at the store, but if he sees me sitting with them, I might have to deal with him being jealous. We haven't had any issues with him biting me, but I'm not taking the chance. The last time I was able to sit with Bam Bam he got a little overstimulated and bit me on the hand. Out of reflex, I jerked my hand away and pulled him off of my lap and he ended up on the floor. This crazy boy will not step up when he's on the floor. I have to grab him around the middle of his body like you grab a chicken. He doesn't bite when you do that, but he starts to laugh. Here I am holding this macaw around the middle of his body and he's got his head up in the air laughing like he's completely insane.

I saw down with Sandy the other day and I managed to get a picture of her with her inner eyelid closed. It changes the shape of her eye and the milky color makes her look like she's blind... or possessed

 

[Birdie Mama]

Oh I needed that image in my mind today, thank you for that!

never knew they had an inner eye lid , do all birds have that or just the bigger ones?

 

[SumitaSinh]

Oh I needed that image in my mind today, thank you for that!

never knew they had an inner eye lid , do all birds have that or just the bigger ones?

Everybirdie has a third eyelid. In humans this organ becomes rudimentary ( nictitating membrane), present at inner corner of our eye.

 

[BrianB]

Oh I needed that image in my mind today, thank you for that!

never knew they had an inner eye lid , do all birds have that or just the bigger ones?

All birds have them but you rarely see them. I've only managed to catch Sandys in picture two or three times over the last 3 years. You see it more often in raptors because their eyes are so much bigger. It's a fun way to tell people that Sandy is really evil and that I have photographic proof.

 

[BrianB]

Chewy and Poppy are just a bit jealous of each other. Chewy gets mad and very loud when I hold Poppy and Poppy gets loud when I take Chewy out of his cage. Today I had Poppy on the island with me and Chewy started to pout and complain. I took him out of his cage and Poppy chased us around the island. She wants the attention, but she always wants to rip his face off.

Macaw Jealousy

 

[SumitaSinh]

Oh Poppy, you silly girl! Chewy will make such a good mate for you! Why don't you understand?

 

[BrianB]

Oh Poppy, you silly girl! Chewy will make such a good mate for you! Why don't you understand?

They would make beautiful babies but neither of them is interested. I keep telling them I'm married, but they both try to regurgitate for me. Nothing says love like vomit from a macaw.

I was talking about Poppy being clipped all of her life. She makes no attempt to use her wings at all. It's sad because she would be beautiful in flight.

 

[SumitaSinh]

. I keep telling them I'm married, but they both try to regurgitate for me. Nothing says love like vomit from a macaw.

 

[BrianB]

I took Poppy to work with me yesterday. It's been a long time since I took her to the store, well over a year. The last time she bit a customer and she was informed that if she couldn't behave herself she wouldn't be welcomed back. In reality, the owner said I couldn't let customers near her because the store can't take the chance of her biting someone and it becomes a legal issue. I can respect that. She had a rough year last year. It was her first hormonal period and she had no idea what to do with herself. At the same time, she went through a very rough molt and was covered with pin feathers. I tried to work on some of them for her, but she wasn't up for being touched. This was when her flight feathers were growing back and she was a perpetually angry bird as her body shape changed. We worked through it with a lot of talking, but not a lot of physical interaction. She's in a much better state of mind these days but she's a scarlet so I keep in mind that she can be nippy. Yesterday at the store she was very well behaved until some kids came in. She was sitting on my arm while I was rubbing her head. She was relaxed and making small mumbling sounds like a content cat. One of the kids asked if he could hold her and I said that wouldn't be possible because she thinks she is a funny girl and she bites people for her own entertainment.... and then she bit me. I jerked my arm back and she landed on the floor then had to nerve to look offended over it. Rude bird.

 

[Dartman]

HOW DARE YOU DROP ME!!! I do this because I love you and it's for your own good...

 

[BrianB]

Chewy drop-kicked me. He was crawling around on the back of the sofa and I got too close. He kicked me in the face. All I could do was laugh at him. He wasn't happy when I forced him to step up because he wanted to put his beak on the leather. You can't always get what you want.

Drop Kicked by a Macaw

 

[BrianB]

It was bound to happen sooner or later. I let my guard down when Chewy was overstimulated and he bit me. It's what I get for not paying attention. I was holding him and a coworker was holding a green wing not too far away. The birds were posturing at each other and spreading their wings. Enough was enough and the other bird was put away for the evening. She came back to where I was standing and Chewy spread his wings out to her and then nailed me on my arm. He ended up on the floor and made a move toward my leg. His first instinct is to bite again and he lunges at feet if you give him the opportunity. I stomped my foot and yelled NO! He froze in place and looked up at me like "Oh no. I'm in trouble" He backed about a foot and then I leaned down and offered my hand with a very stern command to step up. He went back to his stand and told him I was not happy with him being so rude to me. I didn't have any other issues with him and when we got home I put him in his cage and walked away. He's been very quiet ever since.

It's not like there is ever a good time for a bite, but I'm going out of town for a few days. Felix is afraid of him so he won't get any time out of his cage over the weekend. I'm not sure how my absence is going to affect him. He got me right in the crook of my arm and I have a Dr appointment tomorrow with some blood work scheduled. That's going to be fun to explain because it is right next to where they draw blood. I bruise easily from blood draws and with the bite, it will probably look like a vampire chewed on my arm.

 

[zoo mom]

Sorry you got bit.

 

[April]

Ouchies,he nailed you good. So sorry,I hope it heals quickly.

 

[Kassiani]

I'm sorry Chewy landed one on your arm! It really only takes a moment, that's so true. I hope your appointment and trip go well.

 

[BrianB]

Poor Chewy wouldn't look at me or step up this morning. I finally coaxed him onto my arm and then held him against my chest. He just mumbled while I rubbed his head. I told him I'm not mad at him, but he can't bite me because he is excited. This is the time of day when he usually makes noise and he's been very quiet.

 

[April]

Poor Chewy wouldn't look at me or step up this morning. I finally coaxed him onto my arm and then held him against my chest. He just mumbled while I rubbed his head. I told him I'm not mad at him, but he can't bite me because he is excited. This is the time of day when he usually makes noise and he's been very quiet.

Aww bless his heart he feels bad. What a sensitive soul he is.