Sudden behavior changes.

[Hodder]

I'm 20.

I want to say the Blue and Gold Macaw my family got in 2004 is roughly 12 years old. We got Willow from one of my mother's frequent customers where she worked, because my step-father was raised around exotic birds. When we got her, it was stated that the previous owner could no longer care for her because they bought a new B&G..this started aggression in Willow, and she began to rip her neck feathers out.

Everything's been..okay with Willow. She bit me when we first got her, and needless to say, it scared me. It seems like she's horrified of men. Could be because my step-father doesn't tolerate her squawking and nipping, and neither does my husband. My sister (28) dislikes the bird with a passion, and wants nothing to do with her, often calling her a 'Feather Pillow'.

I'm the only person who can really pet Willow, and she definitely becomes more lively when I'm near her.

I want to say everything changed in November, when my husband and I moved in. My husband had no issue with Willow a year and a half ago (we're working on immigration and he's occasionally gone for months at a time), and could pick her up and pet her with ease. Since we came back in November though, she's extremely aggressive.

Every night, she'll toss the bowl of food off the top of her cage after dinner, and then slide down the side in attempt to nip at the dogs who will immediately run over to clean up the mess. Whenever the dogs go off barking, she starts screaming. If it's not the dogs going off, it's a car pulling up in which she'll scream non-stop until the driver is inside of the house.

She's nipping non-stop almost, I can tell my mother's horrified of her.

Her cage is a foot or two from the hallway, so she lunges out whenever anybody walks past her to the bedrooms. This usually freaks my sister out. I'm surprised she hasn't picked up on my sister bitching, "Shut up Willow".



I don't know what to do. This isn't my bird, this is my step-father's bird - who is perfectly capable of picking her up but incapable of playing or petting her. My mother mentioned if we had to rehome her, that the next owners would probably have to euthanize her because she's so 'attached' to us - I don't know if this is true or not.

I'd definitely like to help Willow, personally. She's always been around, I love how she lights up around me, but I don't know what sort of information and tips I should try looking at. I also understand that I would have to get everyone else in the household into a routine of training as well if we want to make this work.



Thanks.

[GlassOnion]

Macaws are famous for doing the lunging/bluff/nipping to get a reaction. They will rule anyone if you show that you are terrified of it. Its an act, basically. I dont mean to dissuade people away from here but there are very few Mac owners here and very little info on their behavior. Go to www.avianavenue.com and post in the 'Macaw Motorway' section. Actually, look through the threads on that section, there are many threads just like yours and owners have given information that pretty much can't be found almost anywhere else.