My Hahns Macaw (also im new here :) )

[rockyroo]

Hello,
I'm new here. I have a Hahns macaw that we bought last year. His name is Rocky. We was told he was 10 years old and male. By now he will be 11. We are not to sure if he is male but we are not sure as we don't know the differences. I am hoping if i tell you the things he says and his personality you may be able to help me. Also he is not tame, i can stroke him some times but he won't come on our shoulders or arm.

His personality: Very loud squarker, like biting fingers and wont let any hands near him ( we think this is because he has a defected beak, so we think he has just been grabbed and had it trimmed in the past where as we take him to the vets but it is starting to sort its self out), lets me, a 14 year old female, stroke him most of the time and kiss his beak, sometimes will let my mum stroke him, doesnt like my dad or my 9 year old brother unless my brother talks to him about computer games. When i'm at school he always screams for me, weather anyone else talks to him, he wont take any notice its just me he wants. I have read though that they are a one person bird, so am i that one person? Also one minute he can be very loving, but the next he is some evil thing. Another thing, anything comes in the back garden like a cat or a squirrel, he will squark his head off until it either goes away or we shut the curtain. He doesn't like it when my dads friends come in. I just think he dont like men.

Things he says:
Hello (in different tones)
Hello There (in different tones)
Whats that?
Out
Get in there
Shut up
No
He laughs in 3 different ways
He coughs when you cough
He sneezes when you sneeze
He snivels when you snivel
when your stroking him, he says thats good
Sarah (my mum)
Wheres sarah? (my mum)
Grant (my dad)
Bailey (my brother)
And he never stops squarking Kira (me)

Thanks

 

[birdman78]

Hello and Welcome.

 

[Birdasaurus]

Welcome!

I don't know much about whether or not the attitudes are different between males and females, but he sounds a lot like my Hahn's. I don't really consider them one-person birds though, as mine is very friendly to everyone, but it definitely could be the result of how he was raised the 10 years before you had him. The rest sounds so familiar...the angel one minute and a green little devil the next

 

[rockyroo]

Thanks

And he also has his own little language, that he just sits there and just talks to his self, it sound like jibberish

 

[Nikki]

to the Ave! Rocky is a cutie! It does sound like he has chosen you as his person.

 

[rockyroo]

Nikki, thats a good thing for me, hopefully i might get somewhere with him, but for my parents, thats not a good thing because of when im at school all he shouts for is me

 

[Kristy]

Rocky is beautiful!!

Welcome to the Avian Avenue!!

Parrots with time can change, your fellow may in time become more tame than you could have ever imagined.

One of the most unique and endearing qualities of Parrots is that they are still wild animals and are not always interested in making us happy.

Glad you found us, jump right in and we love photos so post some more!

 

[Holiday]

Hi Kira,

Your Hahn's sounds like a typical Hahn's. They are known to be a bit nippy, but otherwise pretty sweet. It's not unusual for them to pick a special person that they favor over others--lots of macaws and mini-macaws do that. There is no way to tell the gender of the bird unless you have a DNA test done (your avian vet can do this for you the next time you take Rocky in for his checkup ).

 

[rockyroo]

Haha ok
Dont worry i will take more photos but he never stays still

Also he just reminded me when he said it, he also says Hello Rocky, Rocky, he woofs like a dog, quacks like a duck and says i gotta go.

Another problem we have is his waste, he always disposes out side his cage, he is only just starting to go in and do it, any tips on getting him to do it inside all the time??

He also has a facination of newspapers, when he is on the table, if a news paper is in sight, he has to chew it, when my mum is reading it, he will chew it and wont let go.

 

[Kristy]

any tips on getting him to do it inside all the time??

Just put a plastic mat on the floor or newspapers on the floor.

Some folks have potty trained birds but it's natural for them to relieve themselves when they need to.

So just work with the poo, instead of changing the birds habits.

As far as newspapers, anything you have must be great and they want to try it to. lol

 

[rockyroo]

Lol. We have newspaper on the floor and in the base of his cage and it gets changed everyday. He is getting there and is starting to go inside and do it.

 

[ortegah]

Sounds like the rehome I just took in. My Hahns is 12 and he too will snap at fingers. I think it's just their nature to be that way. I can pet him typically for a few seconds before he snaps at me. Just keep working with him and I bet he'll come around...oh and welcome!!!

 

[rockyroo]

Thank you all, you have helped
I will try and get a video up of him talking at some point

 

[birdman78]

If you are interested in getting him sexed, this place seems to be a good choice.
Avian Services Center: DNA sexing and disease testing for all species of birds.

 

[rockyroo]

Ok thanks. I don't think we are going to get it done because it costs about £30 in United Kingdom to have it done, but we are pretty sure he is male, but thanks anyway

 

[Parlay]

What a cutie, Rocky is. It sounds like he possibly might not have been treated well by men in the past. Or perhaps he just likes you much more than anyone else in your family.

We have a Hahn's who will be 2 in April and he is the sweetest little bird imaginable. However, he does not seem to be typical for a Hahn's. He was hand-feed from day one, so all he knows is humans as his flock (although he was with siblings and other Hahn's when he was a baby).

Rocky does sound like he is probably male. But unless you have him DNA'd the only way you will know for sure is if "he" lays an egg as there are not really any noticeable ways to sex a Hahn's. We thought for sure Paddington was female when we first got him, but once the results were in we found out he was male.

I look forward to hearing more stories and seeing more pictures of Rocky.

 

[Hope Riddle]

Haha :

Another problem we have is his waste, he always disposes out side his cage, he is only just starting to go in and do it, any tips on getting him to do it inside all the time??

He also has a facination of newspapers, when he is on the table, if a news paper is in sight, he has to chew it, when my mum is reading it, he will chew it and wont let go.

My blue and gold has the same facination with newspapers, so I use old sheets and just throw them in the washer with bleach. He don't bother them. I put one under his cage and it also saves a lot of sweeping.