Hi

[christine]

I rehomed my Fid Gus two weeks ago. A blue and gold Macaw. As far as I can find out I will be his 3rd home. The first home he was in he was well loved but the owner got sick passed away and her husband could not take Gus . He had never been out of his cage. The woman loved him but was to much for her to handle physically .
He was given to a woman that turned out to be a pet hoarder. Guss was allowed to fly all around the home and only had stale bread to eat. The animal control could not find fresh water supply for him. Sad situation . Especially since Gus is such a beautiful Macaw. Longest tail I have ever seen on one.
He was mid way thru a molt but now feathers are coming in. He did not like a bath but getting over that .
I have taught him to touch and he will eat out of my hand. I've not had him out of the cage yet. At the suggestion of the vet . They suggested a couple weeks to get adjusted. I can scratch his head ..... well when he wants LOL> He actually turned his back to the cage once wanting me to scratch his back . So sweet.
He was on seed only diet but will eat anything I give him. Fresh fruit and Veggies.

Ok so I am rambling on. I have read so much in the past 3 weeks . So glad to find this site.
I hope to take him out of his cage this weekend.

[Pajarita]

Thank you for taking him in but I do hope from the bottom of my heart that you have experience handling both traumatized and large birds both for your and his sake.

Now, if I were you I would not 'take him out' of his cage, I would open the door and step back. I would do this in a birdproof, large room (macaws need 30 ft to fly) with large stands in three or four different spots so he can land on them (make sure they are not wobbly). Put signs on the outside of thedoor(s) warning people not to walk in. Do it an hour before sunset (he is not been free-fed protein food, right?) and, after he gets out (if he gets out) and when it's getting dark (there should be, of course, no artificial lights on), put the protein food in his bowl (you should have the bowl ready but also have a large, flat one -like a cake pan, for example- in case you can't reach the bowl doors and need to just kind of throw the food on the bottom of the cage.

[Lizz]

Thank you for taking him in but I do hope from the bottom of my heart that you have experience handling both traumatized and large birds both for your and his sake.

Now, if I were you I would not 'take him out' of his cage, I would open the door and step back. I would do this in a birdproof, large room (macaws need 30 ft to fly) with large stands in three or four different spots so he can land on them (make sure they are not wobbly). Put signs on the outside of thedoor(s) warning people not to walk in. Do it an hour before sunset (he is not been free-fed protein food, right?) and, after he gets out (if he gets out) and when it's getting dark (there should be, of course, no artificial lights on), put the protein food in his bowl (you should have the bowl ready but also have a large, flat one -like a cake pan, for example- in case you can't reach the bowl doors and need to just kind of throw the food on the bottom of the cage.

I agree. I don't see the point in putting your hands in the cage when that is the only thing the bird can claim as his own. Instead of going into his room, let him come out in yours.
My birdies like scrambled eggs cooked with olive oil.
Welcome to the forum and bless you for taking him in.

[christine]

Yes he loves hard boiled eggs . In shell where he can peel it himself. He reaches out of the cage when ever I come close and grabs my hand or arm and just hangs on. I have no trouble reaching in the cage to change his food or water. I would never just throw the food in a dish at the bottom. Sorry he does not like to go down to the bottom of his cage. Its um 6 ft tall so lots of room.

[Pajarita]

The 'throw the food at the bottom of the cage' is not a punishment or something done out of laziness, it's to encourage ground foraging and, sometimes, the only way you have of putting fresh food out for an aggressive parrot.

Please don't feed eggs all the time, too much bad cholesterol (parrots don't have a mechanism to get rid of bad cholesterol because it doesn't exist in their natural diet) and way too much protein (it destroys their liver and kidneys). I only feed eggs to mine during breeding season (spring) and then just the white grated and not a lot (maybe 4 eggs for everybirdy), and only from organic/vegetarian/no hormones/no antibiotics free range hens (I eat the crappy supermarket eggs but not my birds ).

[Lizz]

He peels his own egg? Rambo and Myrtle have to share an egg maybe once every 2 weeks. That is about when I eat them. The cockatiels have to share an egg.

We always give our kids better than we get. All my critters are on bottled spring water. I drink tap water.

[Pajarita]

Liz, amazons are particularly sensitive to a high protein, high cholesterol, high fat diet (obesity, fatty liver, high uric acid, high cholesterol, etc) and half an egg every two weeks is a huge amount of bad things for them. Same thing for your tiels, no wonder they have sex all year round, you are feeding them a huge amount of protein on a regular basis. Please reconsider!

[Lizz]

I will. I did not realize that I was giving them too much.

[Pajarita]

My birds get eggs about three times a year and only during breeding season. Parrots don't eat eggs in the wild and, in captivity, they only eat their own when there is a severe dietary deficiency.