upatsix.com - Your Source For Pet Bird Information

Hello guys,

Once again, I am seeking your expertise and advices for one of my little rescues (if you want to call them that way). As some of you know from reading my posts in other sections, I sometimes take birds in threw my practice as a vet tech to help owners who no longer can take care/want their bird. I do my best but I am no expert. We are curently working with a goffins and this little (read enormous from our point of view) guy came in.

His story is a little fishy but here is what we know. He is aproximatly 3 years old (no way to check since not banded). He was handfed by first owner (sold as an unweaned chick ( and then sold to a second family, I am not sure why. This family didn't really know what they were getting into and turned him in since he was too destructive *sigh. They told me he was a sweetheart and very gentle blah blah blah.

Indeed Jazz really wants to please but is lacking basic education. I am curently working on the step up and down command as he does it only when he feels he wants to. He is getting better and better. He seems to be the typical macaw (from what I know), very sweet but a little stubborn.

Here is what I need advice about. He is constsantly trying to regurgitate. Everytime I walk in the room, everytime he sees a woman or even for men sometimes. He was vet checked, tested and everything, he is doing fine physically. I try to ignore it, and even discourage it by not giving it attention but the behavior is the same after 3 weeks. If I put my hand close, he tries to take my finger is his beak and regurgitate, of course, I don't let him.

Also, Jazz is a sweetheart, as long as he doesn't get on the floor. When he does, he runs to the closest piece of clothes or rag, or curtain and tries to feed it by regurgitating. Then, he bundles it up and sits on it, as if he was nesting. When he does that, I can't get near. I have to take a broom, gently push him away and take the "nest" away, then I can pick him up.

I am very carefull with my touching with jazz and limit it to head and feet, I don't beak wreastle and work on games with him. I have thought him to shake hand, to step up, to come on command to try and play with him. I use voice reinforcements (gooooood boy! Yay!) and sometimes treats.

I am really not familiar with macaws and don't really know how to work with his sexual behaviors, I tried contacting specialised rescues to get help with no luck, any advice would be more than welcome.

Feeding you is normal and has very little to do with him going into season (for lack of a better word.)

Do not use the broom around him. Try something else like a brightly colored feather duster. The broom is instinctively scary to him. In fact the most brightly colored duster, when even shown, will be the trick. Sometimes only the mere "sight" of it will prompt to obey. Think of it as the "Flock leader" of your flock, he surely will!

Again forget about all the Ole' Wives tales you might have heard about this species or that of Macaw. Understand your bird for what he is and what he does and not what somebody told you about Military Macaws. I could tell you stories about the Military (and for that matter where that name came from) but all that does is cement a preconceived notion or another. The basic is that this bird (this species) has managed to survive 6 million years on earth, and fly during the time of dinosaurs and large winged meat eating birds. He has survived the others haven't. Know him for the amazing bird he is and let him be just that, a "bird."

Occupy his time with cut up 2x4's and string them through a coat hanger and put in his cage. Make sure the wood is not "treated" like in Wolmanized or other pressure treated wood. Just regular "good" 2x4's cut up in small squares and he will chew through them. Keep him active and feed him a proper Macaw Diet.

When he goes into season "so to speak" you will notice him "rubbing himself" on his perch. Kinda like a dance. You will want to avoid him during this time and instead let him out on his cage to play but have your duster close by.

Hello Purpleheart,

THank you for sharing your knowledge once again.
Did I make it sound like I had preconcieved ideas about Jazz's species? I have very limited knowledge about macaws so I have no opinion as to differences betweed the different species.

I did get a feathered duster to help me out but I was wondering if you had any advice as to his behavior with clother when he gets on the floor. What should we do about that? Also, you talked about leting him out on top of his cage when he is "in heat". Do you mean I should avoid physical ( picking him up or touching him) contact with his during those hormonal moments? Some people told me to avoid letting him on top of his cage, what is you input on that?

THank you again for the advices, I really appreciate it as we are commited to doing what is best for this little( read big) guy.

No not at all hon, this is not an indictment of you personally!

There are many online that take stories about one species of bird and then apply it across the board to every bird in that species. Its kind of like my general statement when it comes to any situation. I am familiar with the good work you are doing in aviculture and that is why I choose to reply to your posting!

When you bird decides to horde up or gather a spot to "protect" is natural and not a particular neuroses, nesting or not. It must be kind of funny watching these antics, but it is just that, antics your bird does all by himself. Look on in amazement and enjoy this part of your bird. They are all individuals and display all kinds of things that we don't understand. As my mother would tell me, stop and smell the roses.