Some changes...

[Macawnutz]

Cheese, yep, worth it's weight in gold to a macaw.
I keep a bag of shredded thick cut cheddar. One strand is Chaos's gold.

Mine aren't picky about the kind but if I had a loose macaw I would grab all my cheese's.
I'd have a cheese party on the deck and my loose macaw would cave in a hurry.

 

[Hankmacaw]

I have weirdo macaws - never should cheese pass Jasper's lips and Kitty flat ignores any cheese. Hank would eat it, but not enthusiastically.

 

[Macawnutz]

I have weirdo macaws - never should cheese pass Jasper's lips and Kitty flat ignores any cheese. Hank would eat it, but not enthusiastically.

Yah, well mine think tofu will bring instant death. They won't even try it ... just fly away screaming.

 

[TikiMyn]

It is so impressive to read your story! I admire you for adjusting so quickly to his needs(and all the other macaw owners on here of course). Perhaps this is out of the question because Burt is so beaky/destructive, but perhaps having a carafe in the room to tape your interactions with him could help? I am often alone with the birds and use it tape the flock dynamics as they can be touchy.

 

[Shezbug]

I have weirdo macaws - never should cheese pass Jasper's lips and Kitty flat ignores any cheese. Hank would eat it, but not enthusiastically.

Burt is not real excited about cheese but he does not seem to mind parmesan, the others he will often only take a tiny little crumb. I still absolutely love how you describe things not passing Jasper's lips! The picture I get in my head whenever I read that always makes me grin lol.

Yah, well mine think tofu will bring instant death. They won't even try it ... just fly away screaming.

This sounds like what happens here if I try to feed tofu. The screaming is simply because I don't think Burt has discovered that he can fly without alerting the whole town about it.

It is so impressive to read your story! I admire you for adjusting so quickly to his needs(and all the other macaw owners on here of course). Perhaps this is out of the question because Burt is so beaky/destructive, but perhaps having a carafe in the room to tape your interactions with him could help? I am often alone with the birds and use it tape the flock dynamics as they can be touchy.

I am not sure I understand, I do not understand how a carafe would help. We do have one somewhere but it is the sort of thing best kept away from Burt who loves seeing and hearing things smash. I am thinking what I am picturing in my head is maybe not what you are meaning but I am unsure.

 

[Macawnutz]

The screaming is simply because I don't think Burt has discovered that he can fly without alerting the whole town about it.

Yah? I often wondered in your videos what the heck the yelling was when he jumps at you. So that's part of flying?

 

[Sodapop&Co.]

The screaming is simply because I don't think Burt has discovered that he can fly without alerting the whole town about it.

 

[Shezbug]

Yah? I often wondered in your videos what the heck the yelling was when he jumps at you. So that's part of flying?

Ummm ya pretty much till he gets bored with it

 

[sunnysmom]

You are a brave and wonderful person. Face bites are scary. After the fiance's 3rd face bite from Elvis, I think the fiance was ready to rehome Elvis. (Well, actually probably after the 2nd.) I wouldn't let that happen though. Unfortunately, I wasn't home for the bites so I can't really analyze what happened. And I know 'toos aren't the same as macaws but here are my thoughts on my situation, and you can see if any of it is applicable to your situation. I think Elvis bit initially out of frustration/wanting attention. I think he started seeing the fiance as his "mate" and wasn't getting the attention he wanted. The nips turned into full blown bites because of 2 things- he was getting increasingly frustrated because the fiance wasn't paying attention to him and the bites got him attention. I know you're not ignoring Burt but is he wanting something from you when he's biting? I think that's how Elvis learned to communicate with the fiance. And of course, the fiance made a big deal out of getting bit (I understand- it hurts.) but it of course, reinforces the unwanted behavior. I have become really stoic about getting bit. My bites from Elvis have always been either because he got too excited or I just wasn't paying close enough of attention to what I was doing. So different scenario than the fiance. I also usually walk away for a few minutes when I'm bitten (in part to go and stop the bleeding. LOL) but taking myself away from him is the opposite of what he wants. With Elvis I have learned that trying to force him to do anything usually backfires. Positive reinforcement really is key. I was just at our Aviary here and during a bird show, an owl was refusing to go back in his cage. They stopped the show and trainer came out and explained what was going on and for like 15 minutes they worked with the owl until he went back in his cage voluntarily. I was really impressed that they didn't force him to do it- even if that meant stopping the bird show. I have also learned that when Elvis is bored that's when he gets frustrated also (and destructive). He is not a bird to just stand on a perch. He needs to be busy. So, finding things to keep him occupied when he's out of the cage has also helped a lot. So, he has his sock to play catch with. His cupboard filled with foot toys, small containers he can open, etc. When I see people with birds who just stand on a perch, I always wonder am I doing something wrong or is their bird just a more sedate bird than Elvis? It takes a while to figure things out but I know you will.

 

[flyzipper]

Some levity...

http://instagr.am/p/CGx9EcnlMqt/
... I'd normally post something like this in Parrot Memes, but the fine print is, "based on the "amateurs comic by Shen Comix", which is close enough to Shez and so is the subject matter.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Which macaw has the strongest bite?

Green wings are said to have the highest PSI bite. I tend to believe that.

The Green Winged Macaw

The average Green Winged Macaw can generate around 400 PSI in one bite – that's much stronger than the average human bite! If you are ever bitten by a Green-Winged Macaw, you will know it.

 

[rocky'smom]

Which macaw has the strongest bite?

Green wings are said to have the highest PSI bite. I tend to believe that.

The Green Winged Macaw

The average Green Winged Macaw can generate around 400 PSI in one bite – that's much stronger than the average human bite! If you are ever bitten by a Green-Winged Macaw, you will know it.

I'll agree with that in heartbeat. The time I got nipped was by green wing Macaw. That bruise lasted about month and hurt like the dickens.

 

[Macawnutz]

Shoot.... they do have the most pressure but they don't hurt the worst. Hands down I'd take a bite from anyone here over Maui! Those scarlets... Sakie my military runs a close second.

 

[Kassiani]

I hope today will be a relatively peaceful one for you and Burt!

 

[Dartman]

Lurch would very much bite because something he wanted wasn't happening. He'd get frustrated, screech, and usually pinch or bite my neck to the point he lost shoulder privileges. Once I started figuring out what many of his wants and triggers were the biting stopped and the patient waiting becuase he knew I'd allow the treat or play time to happen began. We very slowly reached a understanding with each other and he didn't bite near as much after that though for him it was a feature and not a bug. one of his favorite things was to ride into the bathroom and play in the water from the faucet as I did my thing. I got a lot of bites till I figured that out, so I'd ask him if he wanted to play in the water and he'd run down my arm and drink and play till I was done then I'd ask him if he was done and he'd run back up my arm to my shoulder, no bites. He actually learned to wait patiently till I asked him as he knew I would allow it when I asked so no bite needed. He just didn't know how to ask nicely and I was tired of the bites.

 

[Pat H]

Yah, well mine think tofu will bring instant death. They won't even try it ... just fly away screaming.

Q--Do you color or flavor it all all. How big are the pieces? I have the desire to 'experiment' more w/ Tofu-- it's good 4u.

 

[Pat H]

Yes, you do have to pay attention to what ticks them off, no matter what breed!

When we got our Umbrella, I was wearing contact lenses... got bit more than any other bird, tho she was and is the most sweetest one we have. Wasn't until I switched to permanant glasses, that I realized it was my bare face she couldn't deal w/ . Every time I take off my glasses she fluffs up her face and will attack unless I put them back on! I also can't rub hubbies back in her presence-- same thing! SO LEARN YOUR BIRD!

 

[Shezbug]

SO LEARN YOUR BIRD!

I’ve learned my bird but obviously that was cute baby Burt and I’m now having to learn parts of him all over again as the things that he’s reacting to are things that have never once been a problem in the past. Last week he was like someone else’s macaw, not the one I know- I really couldn’t predict anything where before I could just about predict anything and everything he did or would react to.
I do pay attention to Burt and I am learning quite fast (I believe and feel) how to safely deal with and also read all these new behaviours and triggers without setting him off or encouraging the behaviour.
I think it’s probably easier to learn a brand new bird than to relearn a well known one.

 

[flyzipper]

I think it’s probably easier to learn a brand new bird than to relearn a well known one.

Agreed -- possibly because we don't carry expectations for a new bird's behaviour (we shouldn't, at least), and are also more on guard.

The routine with my guys is very predictable, and I too would be caught on my back foot if they suddenly changed.

I don't think it's related to what you're going through with Burt, but I've more consciously started to reward my guys when they're on their typical good behaviour, so I don't take it for granted (and run the risk of them asking for attention by acting out).

You got this.

 

[Shezbug]

Agreed -- possibly because we don't carry expectations for a new bird's behaviour (we shouldn't, at least), and are also more on guard.

The routine with my guys is very predictable, and I too would be caught on my back foot if they suddenly changed.

I don't think it's related to what you're going through with Burt, but I've more consciously started to reward my guys when they're on their typical good behaviour, so I don't take it for granted (and run the risk of them asking for attention by acting out).

You got this.

Lol the cage cleaning is the most painful experience at the moment because it used to take me five minutes to remove poopy papers, old pellet dish, any toys I wanted to replace and do a quick wipe over of bars and perches with food smushed on them but now I have to watch my back, toes and hands- he comes to tell me to get out of the cage and he means business. So I start cleaning then move off to do something else like pick up wood chunks he has chipped up and then he is trying to get them back off me. I feel like the least organised or focused person I know at the moment as I can't even get one paper scrunched up and binned in one go- takes me like three goes just to get rid off one bit of paper which he then promptly claims out of the poop paper bin and drags all over the room .

Yesterday was not too bad at all, he is not quite so angry with me at the moment but he is still very unpredictable and quick to temper if I touch the wrong things (sometimes including my own face or hair) or if my phone sounds off, or if there is something he does not like is outside etc. He is co-operating a little better most times even if it is mostly reluctantly and he even fullfed up and cuddled his head into me for a head beak and cheek rub when I praised him for not following through with a frustrated clamp down on my hand- at the end of the short snuggle rub he put a hole in my jacket lol.

I did not realize just how much I took for granted with how smoothly we knew each other and fit together before and how much being able to predict most of my birds reactions and behaviors made things happen so fast and smooth.

I know we will get through this because I will change how ever I have to. I know he is frustrated and then confused about it all- me too lol.