Bad Wing Clipping

[xx shazza xx]

Hi,
I wonder if anyone out there can help me. I have recently bought a 9month old Blue & Gold Macaw, he is very sweet and just today I was checking him over and noticed that his previous owner has had his wings clipped and also 1 or 2 feathers on his tail. The feathers that have been clipped are frayed at the shaft and i was wondering if this could be the cause of the following behaviour :- he lets out a single screach approx every 6-8 seconds and twitching his wings and rolling his head back all at the same time. I have checked him over for other problems, (i am an animal nurse) and other than this he is in very good health, he is very bright and alert and extremely playful and loving, I was just wondering if this is due to this bad wing & tail clip and whether or not getting my avian vet to smooth them out will help my baby boy.

Please help
from xx shazza xx & Harvey

[Monica]

Baby birds are often clumsy, so the frayed feathers could be due to this and nothing to worry about. The behavior also sounds normal, other than the fact that he may be doing it constantly.

Have you tried giving your macaw a good nice soaking bath?

[xx shazza xx]

Hi Monica, thanks so much for your reply, I did try bathing him last week and he hated it, think he didn't get much attention with his previous owners so don't think he has ever had a bath, poor little mite. He has been loaded with affection since coming to live with me & my family so i will keep trying him in the bath.

Thanks again so much for your reply, my mind has been put at ease heaps
Regards

xx shazza xx & Harvey xx

[Monica]

A vet visit may be good regardless to set up a baseline and to ensure he's healthy.

As for the bathes, have you tried in the sink? Have you tried cool water? Ice cold water? Have you tried dancing him into the shower? Using a spray bottle? A plant mister? Maybe a larger flat container that he could bathe in himself? With toys? With ice? Having that large container while running the vacuum?

If he doesn't like bathes perhaps you can try other ways of getting him wet.

[MissV]

Hrmm, you know, actually My Etty is a mess! He's a BGM too, and his tail looks like it's been through hell...and the tips of his wings look like the cutting job butchered them.

But the truth is, he's just 5 months and completely clumsy and not as dillgent or good at preening himself as older birds. If you can smooth your hand over the areas that look damaged, I wouldn't worry about his being in pain. One thing I've noticed with my fids is if they have any discomfort other than itching, they DO NOT want you to touch it and will throw a fit to let you know.


As for the twitching and head rolling...seems pretty normal. Etty's pretty quiet though, but does the same behavior when he's being particularly adamant about not getting off his play top. I just keep my arm there and give him a "Who exactly are YOU trying to scare?" look and I win out in the end. ^^

[xx shazza xx]

Hi MissV
Thank you so much for your reply, I took him into work today to see a vet/nurse, she said all is well with him especially as he plays a lot at home. Harvey will let me stroke him everywhere and will even lie on his back for me to "tickle" his tummy. I too always win when it comes to a battle of wits, he knows i am the boss and will do anything for me.
Thank you for your advice, Harvey seems just like your Etty.
Regards
xx shazza xx & Harvey x

[Monica]

Just to let you know, birds can be good at hiding illnesses. Chances are, he's probably healthy, however if he's never had a thorough vet exam, sooner is better than later!

As for being the "boss," well parrots don't have a pack mentality, like wolves do. Don't dominate your macaw, instead reward him for good behavior. Look into possitive reinforcement.

It's great that your bird will do just about anything for you, however you should not be petting him anywhere except the head region. Tummy tickles may be acceptable, but anywhere on the body besides the head could lead to sexual arousal later in life, and thus to frusteration.