The red-fronted macaws have started breeding and exploring the nest box. They normally breed multiple times a day for 2 weeks and then she will go into the box to lay. We have only seen them mating a few times so they are off to a slow start. I think being in the new and bigger cage has thrown them off a little. We'll know when they get serious because they both scream like dragons while it's happening, and it happens 4 or 5 times each day starting just before sunrise.
New babies will be here before we know it.
Chichi will be 5 months old this coming Friday (Jan 28th) He is slightly crazy, but finally maturing emotionally. I think he associated me with the toe amputation, and he's prone to screaming when I handle him. I have to reassure him that he's ok and he's not going to get hurt. Little does he know that he's scheduled for a wellness exam on Thursday and he's getting a microchip at the same time. I'm sure he will completely hate me after that. Raising him has been a completely different experience than we had with Freya. He has never bitten me, were with Freya I had to actively work so she understood I wasn't afraid of her beak. It wasn't intentional, but she made me bleed a few times with that big beak of hers. Chichi is far more emotional than Freya was. She would get frustrated and cranky sometimes, but Chichi is very high-strung and temperamental. I haven't been able to do any flight training with him because he's so hyper and clumsy. A few days ago I heard flapping and a crash. The hallway light is on a motion sensor and it came on just before the crash. I thought maybe Christopher had taken off of her stand, but when I went out there, Chichi was on the floor. He somehow managed to open two doors on his cage and let himself out. There was a trail of droppings all the way across the house and on the floor where he finally landed. The poor boy flew across the house and was so scared that he pooped himself the whole way. He's almost weaned but being so difficult about it. He will eat pellets and a full dish of veggies. He screams for hand feeding, but won't take it and grabs the syringe with his foot and pushes it away. He went two whole days without taking a drop of formula then he took about 90 ml last night and 60 ml this morning. I got him on the scale and he's 1140 grams (2.5 lb)
Here is my baby boy - the day he hatched, August 28th, 2021, and today just after being fed.

New babies will be here before we know it.
Chichi will be 5 months old this coming Friday (Jan 28th) He is slightly crazy, but finally maturing emotionally. I think he associated me with the toe amputation, and he's prone to screaming when I handle him. I have to reassure him that he's ok and he's not going to get hurt. Little does he know that he's scheduled for a wellness exam on Thursday and he's getting a microchip at the same time. I'm sure he will completely hate me after that. Raising him has been a completely different experience than we had with Freya. He has never bitten me, were with Freya I had to actively work so she understood I wasn't afraid of her beak. It wasn't intentional, but she made me bleed a few times with that big beak of hers. Chichi is far more emotional than Freya was. She would get frustrated and cranky sometimes, but Chichi is very high-strung and temperamental. I haven't been able to do any flight training with him because he's so hyper and clumsy. A few days ago I heard flapping and a crash. The hallway light is on a motion sensor and it came on just before the crash. I thought maybe Christopher had taken off of her stand, but when I went out there, Chichi was on the floor. He somehow managed to open two doors on his cage and let himself out. There was a trail of droppings all the way across the house and on the floor where he finally landed. The poor boy flew across the house and was so scared that he pooped himself the whole way. He's almost weaned but being so difficult about it. He will eat pellets and a full dish of veggies. He screams for hand feeding, but won't take it and grabs the syringe with his foot and pushes it away. He went two whole days without taking a drop of formula then he took about 90 ml last night and 60 ml this morning. I got him on the scale and he's 1140 grams (2.5 lb)
Here is my baby boy - the day he hatched, August 28th, 2021, and today just after being fed.

