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i have a blue and gold macaw who is 7 i bought him from a private seller because i wanted one and could not stand the conditions he was in. he was severly abbused and while i think i have made alot of headway with him he still wont comeout of his cage on his own i have spent countless hours on th itnrnet learning about him and what i can do to gain his full trust he is healthy now has stopeed feather plucking and wil even giv me kisses and he loves to sit and groom my hair however he does not step up if he is in the cage he will do it if he is out of the cage he would rather nip your hand then he drops his head and waits for you to pet him. however i have to get him out of the cage so i can bathe and clean his cage and also to go to the vet. i was told to towel him and get him used to being toweled but i do not want to have to force him to comeout any advice would be appreciated

It's best to ignore the biting...

Have you tried picking him up by pushing against his stomach? Or lifting his toes? Maybe by forcing him to step backwards? i.e. put your hands under his tail behind him and feel his legs/feet and see if he'll step backwards.

Also, try to encourage him to come out..... such as bribing! If there's something he really really likes, offer it to him, but out of the cage.

Hello, I have a rescued moluccan macaw that won't let me touch him at all. However he will step up onto a perch. I have a one inch dowel that I bought at ACO, I slowly put it into his cage and nudge his belly while saying step up. When he's out of his cage and I need to put him away I do the same. While you have your macaw out you should have him stepping up a lot! You do know that he should never be higher up that you, that's when he thinks he's the dominant one. That includes riding on your shoulder. Good luck, Rhonda

I DEFINETLY WOULD NOT TOWEL HIM. IT COULD LEAD TO BIGGER ISSUES OF MISTRUST. SOUNDS LIKE HE JUST LIKES THE SECURITY HIS CAGE OFFERS HIM. TRY LEAVING THE DOOR OPEN AND LETTING HIM COME OUT AND EXPLORE ON HIS OWN THEN WHEN HE'S OUT HAVE HIM STEP UP. OR USE A PERCH FOR HIM TO STEP UP ONTO. HOW EVER YOU ATTEPMT TO DO IT CONSISTANCY IS THE KEY AND DON'T LET HIM INTIMIDATE YOU IF HE KNOWS YOUR SCARED YOUR SCR$W$D

Hi Pixie There is a way to build up trust that may work for you.My friends macaws all love me. I give them walnuts whenever I come over. I started out by offering them the nuts and making them reach for it so I wouldnt get bit . When thy took it without trying to bit. I would praise them over and over with a happy voise. After a while I put my arm up like I wanted them to step up but not close enough for them to , at the higth of there feet and offer them a nut at the beak high. Praise them well if they take the nut with no attept to bit. The next day you move the lower arm closer and you make them reach a little for the nut. What you are trying to do at this point is to get one foot on your arm. Then give them the nut. The next step is to get both feet on your arm even if they step off after getting the nut. and so on. One thing to remember is to be higher than the bird when giving the stepup command. Even if it means standing on a chair. Another thing to keep in mind. At 7 he may start going into the ten years . Good luck

I agree with the perch method. There is a school of thought and practice out there that tells owners to use a stick (perch) to step up. I don't know who thought this darm method up, as I have always trained "all my babies to perch up on my hands." But then again one look at my hands and arms (right now) you'd think I just came back from Iraq. But with 9 Macaws plus babies (another 8 more) going through flight training I am taking my lumps (who said that raising birds makes you rich needs their head examined!)

SoI think that may be the case with your B&G, it might have been perch trained by a whimpy owner who couldn't handle the cuts and bleeding that it takes to have a Macaw as a companion. I would say a bunch of things like use a glove (bad idea to begin with) or offer treats, but sooner or later you'll just have to suffer like the rest of us and "Give Blood" for your friend. Remember don't shout when they grip or scrape skin this will almost always lead to "games" like the "Beak Bumpen" to see if you are scared. They will continue to test you and see if your "worthy to be their friend."

I always say to new prospective Macaw owners that if they want a pet that is not going to bite or scrape you, get a fish. But then again that reminds me of the parana story, I'll just leave it here.

PurpleHeart wrote: (who said that raising birds makes you rich needs their head examined!) I always say to new prospective Macaw owners that if they want a pet that is not going to bite or scrape you, get a fish.

WORDS OF WISDOM

Not sure if anyone has said this but what works for me sometimes is to sit down and look away. sit in a chair turn your back but be close enough for the bird to get to you. My severe is hard head but if I say "suit yourself" sit down and look away or read a book, here he comes.