older bird

[hbgray]

:p I have a question: Does anyone have any advise on training a 2year old, gold and blue macaw? We have recently purchased him and he was quite tame with his previous owners. So far, with us, all he wants to do is bite. Does anyone have any advise for me?
Thanks
hbgray

[Redstorm1721]

Yes I can help. First how long have you had your macaw? Sometime they are used to their previous owners, and this can be a problem for a while. He is just really scared and you need to take time with him. Sometimes just sit next to his cage and talk to him,let him know you love him and care for him. You can sing,they love it when you sing to them.Give him a little time to get use to his new suroundings.This is what I had to do when we got our Senegal Parrot. She would bite because she was so scared.Why did they get rid of him? Was it because he bit?Reasons for biting can be alot of things.But I am going to assume you just got him and he is very scared. Remember they are just like a 3 or 4 year old child. Everything is all new to him. At night when its getting dark,sometimes if you sit with him and just talk softly he will see you are not going to hurt him. Something about when it starts to get dark. Like towel him. It will take some time,but it will be very worth it. Just try and think of yourself in a new place and how you would react? He is just scared. Don't try and take him out of his cage right away. I know this is very hard,but he just needs some time to get used to everyone and all his new areas. I hope some of this helps? Goodluck! W/b and let us know. Gail

[birdygirl]

I would open up the cage door at times. Sit in a chair close to the cage and talk to him gently. Also try eating some foods like veggies and other things that he likes when sitting in the chair. He may come out and eat the food you are eating. Remmember the way to some bird's heart is through it's stomach.

[birdgirl]

are his wings cliped?? I always ask that but it's one of the most inportent things you can do to tame your bird.

[Jenny]

I definitely agree with Birdygirl that the way to a bird's heart is through its stomach! When I first got my 15yr. + conure, he only wanted to bite and would not let anyone touch him. I thought he'd take quite a while until I could actually get him to step up, but found out differently! One day I was taking all the sunflower seeds out of a bag of mouse food since they were making my mice too fat, and my conure immediately recognized them (that had been his sole diet) and came right over to me and ate them just a few inches away! After that i bribed him with them some, and within a few days he trusted me enough. I need to ask, how much do you know about the history of your blue & gold macaw? Knowing how they were kept, what things they went through, what kind of experience they had at that house, etc... all help determine the cause of the biting. Have you read "The Beak Book" by Sally Blanchard? That'd probably help. Whatever you do, don't force your bird to do anything or get onto you yet! I would get a t-stand that's about waist high, and attatch a cup and put his favorite foods on it. Then, put it right by his cage and leave the door open. Eventually he won't be able to resist and will come out to eat on it. After he gets used to it and comes out often, you can bring the t-stand with him on it into a bathroom or some other "neutral room" where training him will be much easier, since it's away from his "castle" his cage, and will make him depend on you more. Then start with step-ups, and whatever you do if he bites- try to react to it as little as possible. Making a big deal out of a bite will only make him want to try it some more! I know it's completely against human instincts, but resist the urge no matter how much it might hurt!

[jackie]

i agree with gail. in addition, birds will close their eys, blink, or look away from you when they feel confortable with you there. it's like taking their shield down because they can't see you and they trus you not to do anything to them. if when you talk, sing, whistle etc to him, you close you eyes for a few seconds everyone in a while, it may make him feel more comfortable. this worked with both of my birds. they now imatate me...when i close my eyes for 2 seconds, they'll close there's for 2 seconds....also, when they can't get to sleep at night, when i stand infront of them with my eyes closed for a minute or two, they close their eyse too and doze off in no time. good luck :)

[Redstorm1721]

:D Hi Jackie,I also do that. They put their guard down when it is a little dark. I always sing and when i put my birds to bed I have a music box, they listen to every night. I know when Sunni learns to talk really good her first words will be that song she hears every night. But it is very relaxing for birds if you do this.

[kraustanya]

My red lored amazon was given to me by a friend that it did not like . He had him For years and the bird bit hin constantly. With alot of patience and sweet talking he began to come out of the cage on his own. At first I was the prmary care giver. I would talk to him for hours, read to him and ask him if he was listening. we just tried to spend as much time around him doing evry day things but always mentioned his name the kids did thier homework next to the cage. after a few months he was on my should and then one by one he got used to the kids. We have had P.J. for 6 months now and he thinks he's human. He has never had his wings clipped and never flies any farther than from his cage to my bed to wake me up at the crack of dawn. Just be patience and spend alot of time with him. At least 3 hours a day just talking or reading to him will make a huge difference

[Redstorm1721]

:D Hi Pj's mom,awe what a cute story. I bet he is so cute. How old is he? Do you have a pic so we can see him? I love reds they are most beautiful. At the pet store near me, they had 2 of them,the parents were getting a divorce and they couldn't keep them.One of them would always say where's Jeremy? That was their dog. they, I think, talk great. w/b

[Jenny]

Congratulations on working so patiently with your amazon! I love to hear stories with such happy endings like that. :)

[Mrs.Birdy]

.....before I adopted Marcel, our 3 yr. old Maxi Pionus, I was told he was with 3 different families and he only liked men. I worried about this for a while then on the night he came to our home, he jumped right to my shoulder and accepted me. He's definitely mommy's boy.

He has been living here with us for 1 month now and he also loves my husband and my 14 yr. old son.

However, lately, I noticed he is a little cautious with my daughter. She is home from college now for the summer and he raises all his head feathers and fans his tail whenever she approaches him. It's funny in a way, but I think he wants to protect me. I hope he adjusts to her soon.

Does anyone have any advice?



:confused:

[Redstorm1721]

Thats funny, because my sunni is the same way! She will stretch her head out really far,when my hubby or son are in the room with me. Then she will lightly bite me! Almost like a love bite. It in no way hurts or anything like that. Its a way to say you are mine! She will open her mouth to anyone, like she will bite,but she doesn't. She loves my hubby and me, but not anyone else. Really nothing I can think of for you to do except, keep letting him around lots of your family. Let him know this is your family and its okay to love them as well. He is very attached to you and picked you to love. He wiil tolerate others from what you say,but has chossen you to be with. Have your daughter give him his favorat treat, and maybe if she has some food on her he will go to her? Its worth a try? Have her bring in his breckfest,and maybe she can clean his cage, and spray him down with the mist bottle?You know the kind of things mommy does? Sometimes I have noticed that if I leave the room and let the others in my family spend time with sunni she is really good.But when I am in the room, and they try and pick her up,oh boy she will not let this happen. Good Luck!

[Mrs.Birdy]

.......and I will try it.

I'll let you know how it works out.

Thanks Gail.

Roseanne:)

[birdygirl]

Have your daughter give hima treat like a sunflower seed. Sophie loves them and they make her get used to new people real fast. She loves food. The way to a pi's heart is through it's stomach.

[Redstorm1721]

Okay good luck Roseanne!