Hello (and Help) from NYC

[NotSoGreen]

I have had my military macaw, Bonnet since I was 8 (and adore her)She was my father's bird and had a previous owner before that. She was wild born so her exact age is unknown - but she is somewhere between 35-40.

I now have a slight problem, she has lived at my family home in Michigan but now I'm moving to be with the rest of my family in NYC and don't know what to do (as there are not many affordable/bird friendly places). I hope to find a place that will work.

Has anyone ever done long term Boarding or had to deal with moving to a big city with a macaw ?


Also... Did I mention she randomly turned red a few years ago and the vet never figured out why

[Pajarita]

I have never boarded and hope never to have to board any of my birds. I'll be honest with you, with me, it's not only that I would not want them to suffer thinking I have abandoned them but also the horror stories one hears...

Where do you need the boarding, in Michigan or in NYC? I live in NJ and would be more than happy to keep your bird for a while if you need it here.

As to her red suffusion, has your avian vet considered liver malfunction? Because, in other species, this is the cause for it. Has she had a bile acid test done in the last six months?

[NotSoGreen]

Thank you so much for the reply!

She has had a full work up - even x-rays and she is healthy. She even went through a full molt and has maintained the red color. So she is healthy, just red.

She is currently boarding with our wonderful avian vet in Michigan - am looking at NYC options So thank you for your offer and I might contact you to discuss.


Happy New Year !

[Pajarita]

Sure, no problem. Glad to help. But, if I may insist on this, has she had a bile acids test? Because that is the one and only test we have for liver function and continue to molt to red doesn't mean it's normal as that is the way that red suffusion works. There are red mutations (like the red factor grays) but they are born that way. When you have a bird that was not born red and turns red after a time, liver malfunction is the usual answer. It's very common with lovebirds but it happens to other species - see these:

http://www.lovebirdpictures.com/parrot/ ... n_lovebird

http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/comm ... -Suffusion

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Gen ... pics/12262

https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... 43_168-193
(the above one is an entire treatise and you will have to look for the reference but it's there).

The next one is the one that explains that the red color in birds is made in the liver.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 074854.htm