Feo Update and Questions

[LivingFiction]

I'm smitten. I tell you what, Feo is a sweeter, more loving bird than I ever expected. And he's cuddled his way so deep into my heart that he will be healthy and he will be fine. I am going to will it to be so!

Sadly, I don't have any test results to post, but the very minute I do I will share them. I was told Wednesday by the earliest, but more likely friday.

As far as Feo himself, he is as active as ever. From time to time he'll squeeze a drop of blood or two out of his beak, but it's really nothing to be concerned about, it's not a new wound, he's just not leaving his old one alone, and today it looks noticably better. He's still eating well, and his droppings look normal. Speaking of his droppings, this boy is on his way to being potty trained! He amazes me with how intelligent and trusting he is. I can now wrestle with him on the ground and roll him over, he is completely trusting. Sometimes a little too trusting when he literally throws himself at me expecting me to catch him. Which leads me to my question...

How can I get this bird to stay on a perch/playpen? If I had my way, Feo would be out of his cage almost all the time when I am home. Regardless of how large and full of excellent toys his cage is, I'd just rather have him be able to be part of the family. Hurley is out whenever Jenny is home. He'll sit on a perch with no toys at all and just happily hang out and preen himself. But not Feo. It's in your arms or bust for him, which just doesn't work becuase the work I do have left to do is mostly done from home, so I get pretty busy.

Should I pick him up and immediately return him to his perch? Should I ignore him altogeter and make him wander the ground for a bit (dangerous with all the cords I have around)? Is this just something he will outgrow as he matures and wants more independance?

He's such a good bird, never screams for attention (which has suprised me a lot) he's quiet, gentle, and so loving, I just want to help him to be out more and a part of things.

[mamalovesrico]

I'm so glad to hear Feo is at least looking ok. Wish you could find out the news sooner than Friday, but what can you do.
I don't have a macaw but a U2. Rico is never in his cage when I am home. I just ordered a bunch of cage toppers and toys from waynes parrot toys. Those keep him busy in and on top of his cage. I also ordered a bunch of foot and foraging toys for his cage. He'll play for a while, look out the window for a while, then he naps. Right now he's on the back porch which we are turning into a bird room. He has a large tree out there that he sits on, plays on, naps on etc. I have a radio out there for him, he also talks to my elderly neighbor and she talks to him when she sees him out there.
Mike I don't know how it is with macaw's but I try not to let Rico get used to being on me at all times. It's hard but when I need to do something and can't take Rico with me he used to scream at the top of his lungs until I came back. Now he doesn't. I make sure he has plenty of time a day on his cage, time with me playing, time on his tree, time with me gone and him in his cage, and our cuddle time.
I'm not meaning to ramble, I'm just trying to give you some ideas of what I do. When I'm home, Rico is never in his cage and you know U2's are very destructive. Not a problem with my set up and we have plenty of leather and wood around he could destroy. Hope some of this helps.

[LissaKokoKiwiKaseySam]

I can offer you 2 suggestions...they've worked for me.

1. make sure he cannot climb down off the playstand. If the base is larger and more slick than he can get his claws around, he will stay put. A PVC sleeve will work well. Also make sure it is high enough off the ground he can't STREEETTCCHHH his way the floor.

2. hang a play gym from the ceiling- they have some really cool ones that even have food and water dishes attached to them..Ebay can be a pretty good source. Koko used to hang out on a boing from the ceiling, but then he managed to stretch it to the ground and go walk about, so I had to 'redesign' the rope so that it just looks like a tangled mess, but he loves it, swings with it and it keeps him off the floor!

[Rue]

Here's my .02...

I work from home intermittently as well...

...I don't know if this adds any weight to my opinions (probably not LOL), but I'm an ethologist...

...during the 'middle' of the day...everyone at my house sleeps...my dogs sleep (often in their open crates), the cats sleep, the guinea pigs sleep, out in the pasture - my horses sleep...AND the birds sleep...

...my WC is still very young...if I let him out, he'll bug me...and THEN fall asleep - usually on one of my hands, so I can't use my computer...

...my 10 year old Amazon WON'T come out in the middle of the day...whereas she's eager to step up and leave her cage anywhere from 4:00 on...

...my advice (again, for what it's worth) is to keep to an approximate routine and lock Feo up during 'work' hours. I say approximate because I think an overly strict routine results in it's own hazards - some neurotic individuals become too attatched to a strict routine, and then when life interfers with it (as life always does) they go cuckoo...

Feo is a baby of a potentially very long-lived species - I think it's unfair to expect him to want to stay on his perch at this point in time...he's better off in his cage with his toys (think playpen for a young child - you can't and shouldn't be holding them ALL the time, even if that's want they think they want!)...call to him when he calls (pick your contact call) and otherwise leave him locked up...

...as he matures he'll start to be more content not being held - and then he can have longer periods on his stand - but because he's used to playing in his cage he'll be fine even if you ever have to go away for an unexpected day or so and leave him behind...(OR if you have children, a new baby will always take priority over a pet, as they well should, but so many pets are given away with the advent of a new child due to overdependence...again, if the animal can stand to be caged a bit more during this time period, things will get back to normal without the animal loosing it's home)...

Now, I have no idea about macaws specifically - but I imagine he'll start being more content on his own within the year...one year, or even more, out of a potential 100, isn't too much...

BTW, glad to hear his beak isn't distressing him overly much...

[LivingFiction]

Well criminy, I wouldn't have expected this...

I posted this question, then put Feo on his playstand and sat next to him. The way he ususally gets down, it by grabbing the perch with his beak, swinging under it, then sliding down the post. So every time he'd put his beak down and start to swing, I caught him by his butt and pushed him back up and said No. Then he started looking like he was going to fly off, so I stood up in front of him, and sure enough he flew at me. I caught him and put him immediately back on his perch. After doing this 10 or 15 times, he finally stopped and stood there. We must have stared at each other for a solid 2 minutes, then he reached down in his food dish and started munching on a pellet. I went and grabbed my laptop, read this thread, and he hasn't tried to get down once since. Right now he's gnawing on aunt Nancy's toy.

Looks like I may have won one round of a battle of wills! I guess we'll see how long this lasts.

Truth be told, I'd love to just let him run around on the ground, climbing from his cage to his perches and hopping around as he pleased, but sadly, our home is not a safe place for him to do that. There are too many things he could destroy, and enough of them could potentially hurt him, that I'm just not comfortable letting him be on the floor unless I can give him my undivided attention.

I agree with the advice to not allow him to become used to being on me all the time though. That's exactly what I don't want. I know myself, and I know I'm not really a cockatoo person, that's why I didn't get one. I love them, especially the RB2's, but I don't want a teddy bear bird, I want a little more independance. I also agree that he's a baby, and I'm enjoying this baby cuddle time, I'm just thinking of the long run. I want to make sure that I don't teach him bad behavior by allowing things now that I can't continue to provide later.

[LissaKokoKiwiKaseySam]

next time your back is turned..believe me.. Feo is watching you!!

[basketbagley]

It's so nice to hear how much he loves you! makes me want one really bad!!!

This is a rather inexpensive hanging gym I found on e-bay. They had much bigger birds on their pics, but my little guys enjoy it as well. of course you add your own toys. i believe it was under $40. worth a try I think!

[The Outlaw]

Michael:

I can't even tell you how many times an HOUR I have to return the criminals to their starting positions. If it weren't for my sheepdog that constantly rats them out, I'd never get a thing done around here. The ONLY macaw that I have that actually stays where I put her is the Fabulous Margarita. She is just the perfect pet. The boys and their accomplice, Mia, are just too curious. Winters at ********** and very, very long. That's why I happily great spring when I can at least send them outside for 5 hours a day and let them burn off some steam. Today, the temps will just be too hot, so it will be a "challenge" keeping them all safe and entertained. I think the dog wants a raise.

[LivingFiction]

wow, it's been a half hour, and not a single attempt to come down. I'm floored.

That hanging gym looks like fun. I might have to look into that.

I don't know how you can even begin to cope Nancy. So many culprits, the dog is a good idea though. I'll get a dog to regulate the birds How hot is too hot? These are tropical birds, I was going to bring Feo outside while I do some yardwork, but I don't want to overheat him.

[Casa Amazona]

And even the best behaved fid has his or her days. Kiwi is the model fid and is completely trustworthy to be left on his playstand while I run short errands (which I do throughout the day). He likes to help me work, so in the morning when I go into my office if I don't put him on his playstand (within eyesight of my desk) he contact moans until I remember he wants to go to work, too. Yesterday the line at the bank was a bit longer than usual. Everything appeared normal as I pulled back into the driveway and, of course, everyone greeted me as I came in the door. Glancing at the playstand I realized something was missing and looked over at Kiwi's cage -- which is where he ALWAYS immediately goes when he falls off the playstand. No Kiwi. Something (one) caught my eye on the floor beside the fireplace. There was Kiwi, beak open, just getting ready to take the first of many satisfying chomps out of my practically-new-and-so-far-undamaged recliner. Whew!!!

You're going to have way too much fun with your new baby living with you. I can offer you no advice at all about Macaws other than to love him -- and you already got that one.