Baby is home, FINALLY!

[kathyellen]

HI
We brought our blue and gold Macaw "Baby" home Wed. We both had 4 days off so we have had time to settle in before we had to go back to work! She just moved right in like she has always been here, started eating right away,( she's 4 months old) I just had to show her off a little! lol
I love looking at eveyone's pictures. We gave her her first shower yesterday and she really seemed to like it. My husband made her a swing which I see her playing with and she is climbing all over her cage. We bring her out to cuddle and play. We have a really nice perch playstand, but she is not sure of her footing, I hope this will come with time. Any advice from you long time B/G guys would be aprreicated!
Thanks!!
kathy

[kathyellen]

wet baby

[Casa Amazona]

Kathy she's beautiful!

[willowbirdy218]

CONGRATS!! hes a real cutie! :D

[angie]

What a beautiful baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The Outlaw]

Kathy:

She is so pretty. I love those baby BGs the MOST. I would suggest you do this for about another month. On the bottom grate of your cage, invert a couple of empty cardboard boxes (like cases of soda come in) and cover them with paper. Baby macaws are very clumsy and it takes them a long time to learn how to "drive those long tails". Consequently, they fall, A LOT and can break tail feathers and wing feathers. This will cause a lot of blood loss which will scare the bejesus out of you and her. You need to put together a first aid kit that is just for her. You will need these things and more to keep on hand at all times:

1 pair of needle nosed pliers or hemostats (for pulling blood feathers)
a small container of corn starch, a bar of Ivory soap and piece of parafin wax
(to stop blood from blood feathers)
popsicle sticks and gauze (emergency splints)
Some children's pedialite ( for dehydration)
A heating pad (to keep a sick bird warm in an aquarium or plastic bin until
it can be seen by a vet)
Emergency avian vet and veternarian numbers and driving instructions or maps to their offices) Have at least 3 in case you can't get your regular vet
At least $300 in a savings account or a credit card assigned to your bird's health care solely.
Aloe vera juice for burns, cuts and abrasions. Prep H for bird bites.
Neosporin cream (not ointment)
Betadine surgical scrub
Peroxide
Baby bird formula and a syringe (baby macaws need special macaw formula)
Lactaded Ringers solution and syringes

I have a lot more stuff, but I think that's the basics. The reason I suggest you have a designated credit card for her expenses is that ALL avian vetting is very expensive. You are looking at over $300 for a well bird check with gram stains and bloodwork. You can imagine what emergency vet bills are like. They will hit you more in the neighborhood of 1K. Its best to be prepared.

Don't offer your baby macaw any nuts in shell until she is one year old. Her beak is still soft and can become injured. You also absolutely need to obtain a gram scale to take weekly weights of your new baby. She should gain weight every week and finally level off around a year. You should expect her to reach 900+ grams by her first birthday, if not sooner. Please don't forget to do this. Weight loss is the earliest indicator of serious medical problems and you really, really need one for new babies.

I'm so happy for you. I have 4 BGs and two came to me as little guys.

THE OUTLAW

[kathyellen]

Thank you all so much!!
We are so in love with her.

Outlaw, thanks for all the good info. I have a Macaw book I got awhile ago and I am going to go back and read it again.

I appreicate all the input :D

kathy

[The Outlaw]

Kathy:

I'm so glad you gave her a shower and didn't get all stressed out. New big bird owners often make it so much more complicated than it has to be and it makes for a power struggle later on. Your baby will just naturally accept a shower and you'll all be better for it.

I don't know what kind of diet she's on, but I suggest you start now introducing new veggies and fruits so that she'll recognize them as good food sources. Baby birds are just like human toddlers in that they are clueless as to what is food and what is not. Especially push cooked and mashed sweet potatoes if you want to keep those feathers bright and sparkly. I feed some form of either pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots or squash every other day. Also, lots of dark green leafy veggies. What you start her on now will decide whether you wind up with a nippy hyper bird or a happy, healthy well-adjusted pssitazen later on.

Here's another tip: try not to overpreen her and when you DO preen her, be very, very careful about not being too rough. I have a male here that I overpreened and to this day he resents being de-pinned. It was my ignorance. Please, baby birds are inherintly sweet until provoked.

THE OUTLAW

[The Outlaw]

Heather:

Would you please stick my first aid kit info in the FAQ? Thanks.

THE OUTLAW

[Candice]

Awww what a beautiful bird! Congratulations!!! :D