Being a contact person for The Real Macaw's website (www.realmacaw.com), I get occasional e-mail questions from people who have accessed the site. I don't know them, they don't know me, but if they have a question about birds and bird-keeping, I feel it's my responsibility as a club representative to provide the most accurate information I can. When they don't respond, it's kind of sad, since you never know if they took your advice, or bothered to even think about the questions asked of them. Here is one of the questions I received last month, in the hopes that it can help someone else with the same problem..
"I recently purchased a 4-yr. old make Blue & Gold that was very tame for the previous owners who hand-raised him. I have only had him for two days and he wants to bite the **** out of me. My question is, how to make him adapt to us and is it possible that he will always be that way. Thanks for any help you may have in this area."
My reply was as follows - First off, congratulations on your new bird. Second, he will probably warm up to you all, eventually, in his own time. Having given you a wishy washy answer, I'll attempt to explain.
Think of it this way. This bird lived with a family who raised him from a baby. Now, he's lost the only family he knew. I don't know the reason they gave him up, but it's important that you do. He is probably very angry that you "took him away" from his family, but eventually he should settle down and adjust. In the mean time, you've only had him for a couple of days, give him time to sulk and if he was hand tamed, he should crave human contact soon.
Here are some questions for you to consider:
How did you come to acquire him? Had you visited him more than once, giving him time to get to know you? Or did you purchase him on impulse? Why did his family give him up? Was it for screaming, biting, or other bad behavior? Were there financial or noise considerations? Was this bird ever given limits? Was he punished or abused in some way? Do you resemble the previous owner? Is it just you who he bites, or is it all members of your family? Do you approach him in a no-nonsense manner or are you intimidated of his beak? Is he healthy? Did you take him to a vet when you got him? It's important when bringing any animal into your home that they be vet-checked. Do you have other animals in the home? Is he frightened of anything in his surroundings? Did he come from a home with other birds or animals? Is he in the same cage that he lived in before? Does he have plenty of toys? What are his favorite treats? Does he have wooden objects in his cage that he chew and destroy? Sometimes having lots of things that he is permitted to destroy will work off his aggressive energy. Can you pick him up? Is he trained to get up on your arm or a stick? Are you wearing a color that he doesn't like? Are you in contact with his previous owners? Can you ask them some of these questions? Explain that you're not asking to return him, just trying to understand him. Have you owned parrots before?
If you talk quietly when you approach his cage, give him time to warm up to you, go slowly around him, play soft music, and offer him lots of his favorite treats, he should be fine. Many birds are frightened of gloves, so don't use them. If he is stick trained, use a stick for him to get up on. In a couple of days, he can graduate to arms when he feels more secure. You might also want to get a copy of the book, "My Parrot, My Friend." Good luck.
And then I gave him information on the club. I never did hear back from this person. I hope his bird calmed down and began to accept him. But, I may never know.
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