Some changes...

[Shezbug]

I am not sharing this for anyone to feel they must say sorry or try fix my "problem"- I am sharing for the awareness I feel others with young macaws (possibly 2's also) need to have and may benefit from.

Most of you here who know me will know full well that I do not agree with clipping for almost all reasons used (the very odd specific health issues in my mind are obviously exempt), so, I am sadly and unfortunately aware that I may need to consider clipping Burt if this situation escalates or continues for too long and I really can't find a safe working way around it, I will fight to the very death of my heart and soul to keep my boy with his rights to his full wings for health, happiness, freedom and joys in flight... just a heads up- I am very stubborn with things I feel and believe so I really will fight harder than ever to not let this situation beat me.

Burt and I have enjoyed an awesome relationship since I brought him home at 5-6 months old and we know each other so well we are sometimes like the one being and can read each others next move so easily- some things have recently changed though and I keep my fingers crossed they are temporary changes but I am prepared to accept the situation as it is if they are not temporary...

Burt and I have had a really really horrible past week together, a day or two after he patiently warned me about touching his bell by gently crushing my finger he came out with a full truck load of tantrums, frustration and anger at absolutely everything in his world, but, especially at me.
I have been bitten a fair few times over the last 5 or so days causing quite a bit of pain, blood spillage, bruising and swelling and he started also attacking me by flying at me to bite including flying at my head- he is an awesome little flying machine!
It got so intense that I actually had to vacate the room at one point for my safety as he is much faster and more athletic than I am so I could not keep up with the ducking, weaving and turning around to watch where he was coming at me from next and each bite he got in was getting harder and filled with more aggression than the last.

I will be totally honest and say that no matter what scenarios I imagined or how much I researched baby changes before following through with bringing a baby bird home, the whole thing has been a touch more crazy and intense than I ever could have seen in my mind- it actually overwhelmed me somewhat which is why I did not share this straight away- I firstly had to come to terms with what was happening and just how much more full on it was than I had read, watched and heard- this bird of mine that came to me as a freshly weaned baby who had only just discovered his wings but not yet actually flown who has come to me regularly for comfort when scared or hurt, rolled about in my lap, snuggled, been so loving, gentle, fun, and also so absolutely adorable was all of a sudden a total stranger to me and was behaving like something out of a horror film, this was/is not my Burt!

Today has actually been ok so far (no warnings, bites or flying attacks) but I can see the mood is still hotly brewing under them pretty cheeks and feathers! He seems rather confused about this new set of feelings/impulses he is acting on and it is honestly just horrible watching how frustrated and angry he has been and knowing that if I want to keep all my body parts I can not go help him problem solve this one new hurdle has been quite hard on my emotions- I feel I have just abandoned him, left him alone to deal with the most unsettling thing he has gone through yet.
I think the only reason today has been ok is because I have been more aware of when this new mood/behavior is heightening to explosion point and when I need to make a change in what is happening around him. I do not expect today's sorta calm to stay full time, but I do really hope the anger continues to be more easily readable for me so I can lessen my part in bringing about or adding to this frustration he is dealing with just now and hopefully I keep learning new ways to safely deal with these full on situations.

This thing that the older more experienced members always say about bringing home a cute baby for that "better bonding" experience being false and dangerous to believe is absolutely totally correct and I am sharing what is happening to me and Burt this last week in the hopes others will be totally prepared for the shocking almost unbelievable changes that can happen to these young birds of ours.
I was fully aware of the likelihood of some extreme changes in behaviors and preferences when bringing home a baby (honestly- the reality is nothing you can actually be fully prepared for even after reading or hearing about it- it is a real shock the system to witness first hand) and I have accepted that things may never be the same again with Burt but that is ok, we will make a new us if need be- I love him unconditionally and I never did have expectations of him or our relationship.

I have been through this exact thing with a few smaller parrots in the past who were cranky and too big for their tail feathers and it was absolutely seriously horrible but OMG dealing with an angry macaw dive bombing, jumping at, lunging at or hunting you is a-whole-nother level of insane, obviously the bites are much worse than the little ones but even them just hitting you with wings as they fly past in a mood or landing on you after flying at you with a bad attitude is something else!

All this said, I still adore baby macs so much more than any other baby out there! My thinking now is... I should find a breeder and offer to raise the babies so I can love on them, kiss their cheeks and watch them discover all the new amazing things they can do with them huge mesmerizing feet, messy wings, tail that gets stuck and knocks everything over and the goofy big beaks then promptly hand them back the day they show any hint of this change

 

[Nnbal]

This is a really tiring process for you.
I don't know how accurate it is, but my uncle had a macaw parrot whose age we don't know exactly, but we guessed it was over 5 years old. And it went through a process just like you described. It took about 2 months very hard.
Later, my uncle said, "My bird went through a difficult transformation process and we went through this process together."
I didn't understand why this process happened, but I didn't want to mess with it too much because it was a happy ending.
Now, when I read your post, it came to mind.
I'm not saying this to console you.
I say this because we really live it.
Burt will be fine too, and spending this process with you will give him a boost.

 

[Monaco]

Too big for their tail feathers!

I'm thinking that our situation is similar in terms of frustrations. I know I contributed, in part just trying to be aware of the progress by swiping the back of my finger down the abdomen. Of course I thought it was fast enough and nonchalant enough, but have definitely made an ekkie faux pas, and not following through with duties of the green persuasion is beyond egregious.

I am ever so hopeful we're both forgiven our transgressions. I'm trying my best to understand that I may be dealing with an outraged, rejected and deceived lover who can neither change my mind nor break up with me and leave for literally greener pastures. Yikes.

May our digits survive, and our companions settle for our parental and platonic love.

 

[camelotshadow]

Could it have anything to do with the new Birdy?
Perhaps a insecurity or jealousy?
They really see more than we give them credit for & who knows what they think.

 

[flyzipper]

Thumbs up from me for your transparency, not for the situation. Thanks for sharing this part of your journey together.

I have faith that you and Burt will work things out.

 

[Shezbug]

Could it have anything to do with the new Birdy?
Perhaps a insecurity or jealousy?
They really see more than we give them credit for & who knows what they think.

I do not think that Birdie being here has contributed to the situation but I can not be sure. They do not seem to show the slightest interest in each others existence.
My interactions with Birdie are not actually seen by Burt either. Burt has seen my son out there chatting to Birdie but I did not notice any reaction to that at all, Birdie and I are not at the stage where he is allowed on me as he only kinda tolerates me, he tries to bite me if I am close enough for longer than a few seconds at a time so he gets short head and neck rubs and after he took a swipe at my son he only gets "chats no pats" from him. I can only go out and chat to Birdie or clean his aviary when Burt is in his cage which is not in sight of Birdie's aviary, although he can not see me he might be able to hear me talking but that would be nothing new because I chat to myself all day so I do not get lonely lol.

I am not saying that it is not possible that Birdie moving in a few months back has not contributed but I think environment, age, diet or me are more likely explanations.

 

[Shezbug]

Thumbs up from me for your transparency, not for the situation. Thanks for sharing this part of your journey together.

I have faith that you and Burt will work things out.

Thank you.
I hope so, its not nice seeing him so frustrated.

 

[TikiMyn]

Wow, what a story. I can not imagine the shock, but Burt is being loved unconditionally. If anything is gonna help him through this, it will be you. I wonder where this adventure will end up for the two of you, but I think it won't be being dive bombed every day(I would be terrified by the way). Hope he finds his flow again soon!

 

[Toy]

I'm sure there are other macaw owners here that have way more experience than I do with our situation. JaJaBinks was female, so she didn't get as bad as your Burt has.

I got JaJaBinks at age 2. I had her a few months shy of 20 years before she past. She was not friendly, due to past abuse. It took me 6 weeks of her constant ACKING, nipping, screaming, lunging, trying to bite me, etc. to get her to accept me/trust me. She was clipped when I got her & I kept her that way so I could take her places. I only took the first 4 flights off each side & never did a hard clip. She loved going to the motorcycle club, out on the porch rides in the truck, etc. Eventually, during winter months, I'd let her flights grown in & fly her down the stairs, thru the house, etc. All tho she preferred to walk most places, even when fully flighted. By now I could kiss her beak, stick my fingers in her mouth, kiss her feet, etc. Around age 10 her hormones kicked in & she would get nasty for a few months. It would usually start late November early December & last into late February early March. Breeding season. She'd do a lot of breeding calling during this time, but more if I paid any attention to her. Breed calling is a loud sort of raspy caw caw sound. It often starts out low & gets louder & louder. It can be ear shattering at times. During this time I avoided her as much as possible & had to limit out of cage time, as she became very agitated & nippy. To my benefit she loved her cage & would stay on or in it most of the time & would go back to her cage on command. That fact alone made it easier for me to deal with her hormone phases. Right now I can't remember at what age she started laying eggs, but she'd only lay 1-3 usually right around Christmas/New Years every year. She wanted nothing to do with them & most would break, as she always laid them from her swing. Once breeding time ended she'd go back to be her normal self.

Burt is growing up & going thru changes. This is often the age many get sent to rescue places, as many owners don't know how or want to deal with them. It's not easy living with a bird that can take your finger off when their hormones rage. It'll take a lot of patience & changes on both your & his part to deal with it. Hopefully those with male macaws can offer you some good suggestions.

My JaKhu is now 1 year 8 months old. She refuses to stay on her cage, likes to wing slap, is very destructive & nippy/pinchy. We're working on these things. I can see me having to deal with a lot with her in the coming years. I have started to not let her out of her cage at all 1-2 days a week. I'm trying to get her used to this so when her hormones kick in & she can't be handled a lot, she will be able to deal with it. I'm working on making her walk back to her cage, since she refuses to fly. The hardest part so far is getting her to stay on it.

If you feel clipping will help then I say go for it. Clip him for one season then let his flights grow back in & see how it goes. Work with him as much as possible during this time. From now on out no more belly touching. Head, neck, feet, beak is it. Try to set boundaries if possible. Try to avoid situations where he can bite you. This may require a lot of changes, but it's necessary for both him & you. Hopefully he'll learn to deal with the hormones & changes & you won't get bit. Every bird is different, so what works for one will not work for all. Keep us updated, as many will learn from your experiences.

 

[Wardy]

Good luck Shez

 

[faislaq]

I'm so sorry this is happening. If you feel a clip could help save you even a few attacks then I don't see the harm. He's already fledged & like @ Toy said, just try a light trim til his next moult & see how y'all both do.

I feel like you might drag your feet to protect yourself, but what if he goes after your son or mom? Even without a bite that could cause a ton of headaches that you could do without. I know you won't make the decision to trim lightly, but if you do it won't make you want kind of monster either. Maybe it'll give you time to learn those signs and come up with new ways to deflect him until this passes.

Maybe @Macawnutz & @Hankmacaw @macawpower58 might have some helpful suggestions.

 

[Kassiani]

Because Burt started to up his regurgitation game not long ago, and because he just turned 5, I wondered whether this personality change would happen soon. I’m the least qualified to offer advice and know you don’t need it. But I just wanted to offer a little virtual support to you and your poor confused, frustrated, and angry Burt!

 

[Toy]

FYI on wing trimming. This is how I do it.... Get a good set of dog nail clippers for large dogs. I use these: MILLERS FORGE Nail Clipper, Large - Chewy.com The shaft on macaw feathers is thick & tough, so the large dog nail clipper works best. I've tried very sharp scissors, wire cutters, etc. The dog nail clippers will cut thru the shaft like a hot knife thru butter.

I lift the under coverlets up & clip the flight feather off about a inch below the end of the coverlet. That way there is no sharp end poking the side. I do 4 flights starting with the first one going back. Only clipping 4 allows limited distance flight, but they can land & not crash. If there is a blood feather flight I trim the part of the feather sticking out, with scissors, & then go back later & clip it off once it's fully developed. Trimming it back may prevent it getting bent or broke while it grows.

 

[Pat H]

Too big for their tail feathers!

I'm thinking that our situation is similar in terms of frustrations. I know I contributed, in part just trying to be aware of the progress by swiping the back of my finger down the abdomen. Of course I thought it was fast enough and nonchalant enough, but have definitely made an ekkie faux pas, and not following through with duties of the green persuasion is beyond egregious.

I am ever so hopeful we're both forgiven our transgressions. I'm trying my best to understand that I may be dealing with an outraged, rejected and deceived lover who can neither change my mind nor break up with me and leave for literally greener pastures. Yikes.

May our digits survive, and our companions settle for our parental and platonic love.

REALLY LOVE how you state this hormonal issue!

 

[macawpower58]

You are strong Shez, and have a great support system in this forum, you'll muddle your way through this.
I hope others can also learn as you do so.
Most long time members here may remember I had the same problem years ago with Chaos.
It was a not a time I'd wish on anyone.

I cannot remember if Burt shares a room with any of your other birds or not.
Chaos used to share the main room with my zon and too.
His anger and attacks never really extended to them, but his extreme cage territorialism made it dangerous for me to leave them in the same space as he would go after any bird daring to climb or land on the cage.

 

[April]

I'm so sorry that you and Burt are going through this. I hope things calm down and your able to find a solution to protect yourself and that he's able to have his confusion and frustrations smooth out.

 

[sunnysmom]

So sorry you are going through this. I hope he calms down soon.

 

[Nikomania]

Frankly I'm not certain if taking away his flight will improve things or not. I realize you are trying your best to sort things through with Burt and hope that whatever you choose to do will help.

 

[Sodapop&Co.]

That must be really hard, I'm sorry. Wishing the best for you guys.

 

[faislaq]

Frankly I'm not certain if taking away his flight will improve things or not. I realize you are trying your best to sort things through with Burt and hope that whatever you choose to do will help.

I don't think she plans to take away his flight, only slow him down a little to give herself a chance to evade his attacks. He'd still be able to fly but would have to work harder to get to her.

@Shezbug What about time-outs in that big, beautiful cage he's never in? I'm sure he'd get used to it soon enough with some fun branches to shred to distract him.
And until then, let me recommend these babies! https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B081P97C27?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
Puffin broke my lithe pair, but these are even better. You can still hear, but it takes the edge off so you don't give in so easy.