upatsix.com - Your Source For Pet Bird Information

Hello Everyone,

Not sure if everyone read my introduction under the "Hey, I'm new here" section but I'm the new Mom to a 12yr old Blue and Gold (believed to be male) named Cade and a somewhere between 1-2yr old Greenwing (known to be female) named Quin. I also
have a Solomon Island Eclectus female named Bee (Phoebe). Anyway Quin is a total lovebug which is actually a little disconcerting! I'm used to birds who want to strip the flesh from my bones from day one. I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop with her and for her to realise she's supposed to want to bite me!

Cade on the other hand fits right into my comfort zone! From day one he has hissed, lunged and bit every chance he could get. We are starting to make progress though and he's stopped lunging at me when he's in his cage because I feed him a treat every time I walk by. Today I started to open the door and hand him the treats and that has gone well. He's still lunging when out of his cage but I feel we're making baby steps in the right direction. I'm just hoping that he isn't as stubborn as my Bee was when I first got her! then again she has a rather warped sense of humour. I wonder if that's an eclectus thing or if I just got lucky.

Anyway, does anyone else out there have lunging monster macaws? or has had lunging monster macaws? I'd like to hear some hope that he'll eventually get over it!

My macaws were all cookie cats compared to Cade, but I got all 4 as babies, so natch. The fact that he's quit lunging so quickly from inside his cage says a lot about his willingness to change and his valuation of your treats. Keep up the good work! Treats RULE!!!

PS Teehee, of course I didn't really type cookie cats. The auto edit did that

Hi, what are you using for treats ...looking for ideas here Have have Lilly for almost 5 days now, this am got bit and pinched. Funny, was able to hold her without getting bit the 2 times I visited her. Guess I just want things to progress faster than they are.

A sugar snap pea might work well. You could open it and pull out all the peas except one at the end of each half of the pod. Then you can offer it from a 2-inch distance, the length of the pod. If Lilly takes the pea and leaves the pod, you can then put another pea onto the end of it and you're good to go again. If she takes the pod too, you could drop a pea into her food cup if there's no place handy closer by and you're reluctant to hand it directly to her. Sounds like you're probably willing to hand it to her.

Her nippiness after 5 days is a good sign that she's trusting you more. You're being tested, so it's time to tell her (in your nice teacher voice, not a mean drill instructor voice) what you want her to do.

Enjoy!

I got a green wing macaw the end of August. he is about 12 yrs old. He lunges,bites, oh man can he bite. He got me once, I should have gotten stitches, but I taped it together. I have had a recent tetnus shot so I am ok. we are are work in progress. He will step up if i have a perch in my other hand. He talks a little, burps like a drunk, and sings opera. Today was the first day that he steped up and I held him to my chest and we had a great head scratch. I was careful and when he was nice and calm I kissed his head...I still have all my parts, no blood on me...so I tried it again a few hours later and we did it again. He will lunge when he is in the cage, but when the door opens he steps up and looks forward to going to his play gym...I love him....

Hesbird, that was quite touching, he is very lucky to have your patience, understanding, commitment and love! Wish all birds could have that.

Bossofbee, how is Cade doing ? Seeing any progress?