Trained Parrot BlogParrot Wizard Online Parrot Toy StoreThe Parrot Forum

Hello I'm new and I need advice

New to the parrot forum? Introduce yourself and your flock to us.

Hello I'm new and I need advice

Postby Deathrosez » Tue Jun 20, 2017 5:50 pm

Hi, my name is Paige and I'm new to this, I've owned several birds in the past and I'm getting back into it but I sort of have a problem, I'm getting a handed down blue and gold macaw, she was raised by a grandmother in our family and she's only 21 years old and her name is Gabby, I'm afraid that the grandmother isn't going to live past this year and Gabby is really attached and I'm not sure how she's going to handle the passing of the grandmother so I need some advice on how to help Gabby with the stress that she is going to face, it's going to be a rough time for Gabby and i want to do everything in my power to make her comfortable, any advice you can give me?
Deathrosez
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 5
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Blue and gold macaw
Flight: Yes

Re: Hello I'm new and I need advice

Postby Bird woman » Tue Jun 20, 2017 9:46 pm

Are you able to spend time with gabby? If so then it would be so smart to start working with the bird now and develope a relationship. I just rehomed a 40 yr. old macaw from an owner that had him for 35 years and it was not a problem but the new home was way better than the old one. BW
User avatar
Bird woman
Amazon
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 869
Location: Southern , Oregon
Number of Birds Owned: 10
Types of Birds Owned: 2 mollucans, 2 LSC'S, 2 macaws, 1 bare-eye, 1 grey, 1 goffin and max the quaker
Flight: Yes

Re: Hello I'm new and I need advice

Postby Deathrosez » Tue Jun 20, 2017 10:23 pm

Sadly I'm not able to spend time with Gabby, she lives 6 to 8 hours away, I've only met her once :/ she's beautiful with a great personality but she's also shy around strangers, I would like to spend more time with her but it's such a great distance to visit :/
Deathrosez
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 5
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Blue and gold macaw
Flight: Yes

Re: Hello I'm new and I need advice

Postby Pajarita » Wed Jun 21, 2017 9:34 am

Hi, Rose and welcome to the forum! Hmmm, she is way too far away for your visits to do any good because, for her to get used to you at all, you would need to visit for hours often -which, obviously, is not feasible if they live 6 hours away... What, exactly, is the arrangement? I don't mean to sound heartless or cold but is everybody waiting for the grandmother to pass away before you get the bird? Because, what I would suggest is that you get your house ready for her by birdproofing the room where her cage will be, separating the area from the rest of the room so you can put lots of stuff there for her (nets, perches, swings hanging from the ceiling, maybe even a new cage if the one she has is old or inadequate and protecting the wall behind it, etc] and, when this is ready, I would go spend a few days with the grandmother so I could see and interact with the bird everyday and, at the end of this visit, bring her back with me. This way, she leaves her beloved owner BEFORE things go bad (like the lady getting sick and having to go to the hospital with the bird left alone behind or in somebody else's home, etc] which would add more trauma to the whole transition.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Hello I'm new and I need advice

Postby Deathrosez » Wed Jun 21, 2017 2:25 pm

It's more like no one in the family wants Gabby, I'm the only one who wants her, and the grandmother doesn't want to give her up until she's not able to take care of her anymore, she has a nurse that comes and visits her but she's just refusing to take her meds so that's the situation and she has a new cage big cage and she has a rope swing that will come with her, she will be put in a pretty spacious room by a big window so she can see the backyard, I will look for extra things to keep her busy, anything else i can do? Cuz id really hate for her to be uncomfortable and start plucking her feathers from stress
Deathrosez
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 5
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Blue and gold macaw
Flight: Yes

Re: Hello I'm new and I need advice

Postby Pajarita » Wed Jun 21, 2017 3:16 pm

Hmmm, we [old people :D ] get real stubborn in our old age and, although I can understand why the grandmother doesn't want to give her up yet, it's a shame that she feels that way because she is not benefitting the bird.

It seems to me that you don't really have much choice... You could make a huge effort and go there once a week to spend the day with both the grandmother and the macaw - it might change the grandmother's mind when she sees how committed you are to the bird's happiness and how you are willing to sacrifice for her AND it will start the process of her becoming used to you.

But, if you can't, then you will have to wait until the grandmother gives her to you and hope for the best. When that happens, there are things you can do to minimize the stress. For example, one thing I would do is to arrange for me not to have anything to do outside the house for a number of days and to have a nice room ready for her. People tend to underestimate these birds intelligence and their capacity for adaptation... All my birds came from somewhere and somebody else and they all did VERY well. Parrots are smart and they know when they are being treated right and she won't be the first bird to go from one owner to another [it's estimated that large parrots go through 7 owners in their lifetime] so, if she is not plucking now and her conditions in your home are better than they were before (and I am sure they will be because an old, sick person cannot take good care of a macaw!], she will adapt very fast and quite happily. So, don't worry too much about it. Cross that bridge when you get to it and, in the meantime, I would suggest you volunteer at a rescue where they have macaws so you can start learning their body language and how to handle them. And, whenever you have the opportunity, go visit her because even if you only manage to do it a few times, she will remember you and that will work in your and her favor.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Hello I'm new and I need advice

Postby Deathrosez » Wed Jun 21, 2017 11:38 pm

Thanks that helps alot, there sadly isn't a bird sanctuary here, I do have some experience with some cockatoos and raising baby cockatiel to adults, it would be nice to have some more experience with them but at least out of the whole family I have experience with handling birds, I was also wondering if getting her a harness and taking her on walks will help build a bond with her?
Deathrosez
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 5
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Blue and gold macaw
Flight: Yes

Re: Hello I'm new and I need advice

Postby liz » Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:36 am

I have found that the critters need to see their dead human. Rainbow did not get a chance to see her "Grandma" after her passing. He searched and called her for weeks before he gave up. Even now she calls "Grandma" every once in a while to see if she would answer.
User avatar
liz
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 7234
Location: Hernando FL
Number of Birds Owned: 12
Types of Birds Owned: DYH Amazon Rambo
BF Amazon Myrtle
Cockatiels: Shadow Tammy Flutter Phoenix Jackie
Andy Impy Louise Twila Leroy
Flight: Yes

Re: Hello I'm new and I need advice

Postby Navre » Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:43 am

Thanks for taking Gabby. Whenever you get her, it will be a huge blessing to her. So many birds in her situation end up in rescues.

Gabby will get used to you once you take her. do you live alone, or with other people? Do you have other pets?
Navre
African Grey
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 1909
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Turquoise Green Cheek Conure
Hooded Parrot
Flight: Yes

Re: Hello I'm new and I need advice

Postby Bird woman » Thu Jun 22, 2017 7:59 am

I'm sure that gabby is pretty limited in things she gets to do right now as your grandmother gets older so this will be a new and exciting time for her. Make sure your grandmother or gabby's care provider writes down a list of foods fed and daily routine / a day in gabby life. Tell her to be specific as she can so you know everything about her routine and gabby habits. You will have no problem , just try to keep everything as quiet and uneventful as possible when the transition happens. How is gabby with other people when there over at her house /is she scocilized and will she go to others? BW
User avatar
Bird woman
Amazon
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 869
Location: Southern , Oregon
Number of Birds Owned: 10
Types of Birds Owned: 2 mollucans, 2 LSC'S, 2 macaws, 1 bare-eye, 1 grey, 1 goffin and max the quaker
Flight: Yes

Next

Return to Introductions

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 20 guests

Parrot ForumArticles IndexTraining Step UpParrot Training BlogPoicephalus Parrot InformationParrot Wizard Store