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Need Help with an Aggressive Macaw

Discuss the methods and techniques of clicker training, target training and bonding. These are usually the first steps in training a young parrot.

Need Help with an Aggressive Macaw

Postby Melliebelle » Fri Aug 12, 2016 10:58 pm

Hi, everyone! I'm a new member, first-time poster. Hoping you all can help me!

My son has a male Military Macaw named Chucky. They instantly bonded, to the point where the bird's previous owner (my brother in law) just gave us the bird after he did nothing but call my son's name day-and-night for two weeks after they met, lol.

He's a good bird, very loving to my son. My husband and mom can both pick him up. Youngest daughter carries him around.

No lie, this bird wants to kill me. Like "bathe in my blood" kill me. If I come anywhere near him, he lunges and snaps. He throws his food bowl at me, and chases me down the hallway.

Is there any way to correct this behavior, or at least tone it down? We don't have to get to the cuddling phase, but it would be nice to not have to climb over the sofa to escape him!
Melliebelle
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Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Re: Need Help with an Aggressive Macaw

Postby liz » Sat Aug 13, 2016 6:04 am

Welcome to the forum.

These little beings have all the emotions of humans. I have learned from Rambo that they actu#1 ally rate family members. You seem to be the one at the bottom of his list of favorites. There is not much you can do but protect yourself until he gives up on tormenting you. Some times it turns into a game to amuse themselves even if you do not want to play the game.

I was #1 with Rambo with my Momma taking 2nd place and my aunt being the bottom of his list. (He likes to make her scream). When my daughter moved in Momma and my aunt held their position and I was moved to #4 for a few years She has been away a lot this year so he put me back to #1 and to show her how much she neglected him he just dropped her off his list and ignores her.
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liz
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Re: Need Help with an Aggressive Macaw

Postby Wolf » Sat Aug 13, 2016 8:11 am

I do not have any macaws and I can't say that my thoughts on this matter will work or even if they do work are the best way to deal with this. I will share my thoughts with you, but am hoping that someone with more experience with macaws will step up with their thoughts.

I have read that it is not uncommon for macaws to act in this manner and that if they succeed in intimidating you by lunging at you that this behavior will often increase as they seem to think that it is great fun to chase you around. I have read that sometimes the best thing to do is to yell right back at them while you lunge at them. I do not know if this is the way to deal with this or not as it is only from reading that I have any of this information. Hopefully there is a better way and someone that knows more than me will share it with you.
Wolf
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Re: Need Help with an Aggressive Macaw

Postby Pajarita » Sat Aug 13, 2016 11:02 am

Welcome to the forum and I am so sorry that you seem to be the 'target' and nobody else!

Now, parrots are one-person birds BUT they can have a good relationship with a number of people as long as all the 'unchosen' ones realize that they will never be number one. Usually, when you find a bird that gets along with other people like yours does with your husband, mother and daughter, they get along with everybody so there has to be a reason for him acting the way he does with you. Mind you, I am NOT saying it's anything you have done or not done! Parrots have very long memories and, for all we know, something about you (coloration, shape, voice, etc) reminds him of somebody who was not good to him and you are now paying for 'the broken dishes', as we say in Spanish. But it can also be the way you react to his 'acting up' because, sometimes, what we see as aggression is nothing but a game to them. My Freddy Too goes after my husband's feet every single time. Why? Because my husband starts screaming for me to come get him and jumps and runs away from him when all he has to do is say his name, put his hand down and ask him to step up in a sweet tone of voice. Now, it might be too late because Freddy sees my husband as his own personal 'it' in the game and always good for a good laugh. So, one thing you need to do is, as objectively as possible, evaluate your reactions and see if there isn't something like that going on.

But, even if this is the case, it's not as if there is no hope. There is! Wolf is correct that macaws do love to bluff - problem is, with those beaks, who is going to just stand there and bet that the lounge is just bluff, right? Not me, that's for sure! Are you the one that opens up his cage in the morning to let him out and feeds him? Because, if you are not, you have to become that person. Basically, you need to show to him that, although you are not asking for his love, you are asking him to treat you as a flock mate and that means no aggression. You need to establish a routine where you and you alone spend time with him (without other people around) and he also needs to connect 'good things' (food, treats, toys, games) with you . If this means wearing a long skirt that reaches all the way down to the floor or a towel tucked around your waist and hanging down, so be it - you need to find something that would prevent him from going after your feet/legs. If he flies to you to attack, wear one of those long foam tubes (the kind kids use as floaters) around your neck (my parrots hate these things and I think it's because they resemble fat snakes) and, if that doesn't work, tie a broom to your back with the 'hairy' part sticking above your head to make yourself look bigger. You need to make yourself into a presence that makes him think twice before showing any aggression toward you but start with nothing, observe what he goes for and when, and work your way up gradually so as to find exactly what would work as a deterrent for him.

This doesn't mean you should go out of your way to scare him! Not at all! It's just so he gets it into his head that you are not to be attacked, that you are more powerful than him but that you will not EVER do anything to harm him as long as he leaves you alone and that, if he is 'nice', good things will come to him -because you should also ALWAYS praise and reward him profusely when he does not go after you.

Maybe Birdwoman, who has a couple of macaws, can give more advice...
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