goldn1

<br><br>Post edited by: goldn1, at: 2008/11/14 00:09

I'm using clicker training for my B&G macaw, Sammi and she's taking to it extremely well. I found a yahoo group with good step by step instructions and people there to help when you have problems. I haven't ordered a book yet, but plan to so I have more ideas of things to teach her. I got our clicker at a local pet store, it's the one they sell for dogs. I'm thrilled with our results and plan to start training the other birds as soon as I get Sammi a little further along.

In the US the honey treat sticks are put together the same way. Dorian loves them, but when she gets down to the wood I usually pull it out, remove the staple and wire and give it back to her to finish off. I guess the moral is.....if there is wire as a hanger there is probably a staple in there somewhere . Glad you were able to spot it in time!

Thanks I missed the show on the Black Palm, but one of the gals at work saw it and was telling me about it. Funny how I had just held one! I'm not sure which bird you mean.....the only solid blue one I see is the hyacinth macaw next to Sammy on the cage. Which picture are you asking about? I'm afraid Pete would leave me if I even suggested doing a rescue......although he's as big a softie as I am, he just blusters about it first, hehe. For now, it's a dream, maybe after I win the lottery and retire, lol. My daughter's cockatiel is the only bird we bought without a sad story or as a rescue. They all have their own issues, but we love them all anyway and I feel blessed to be able to give a home to the ones we have. My hope is that someday rescues are as well publicized as breeders are, they both fill a roll but more people should know where they can go for help if they can't keep their bird. Especially in California there are a lot of birds just released because for the most part the weather is mild enough for the birds to survive for a while. It's really quite sad. Anyway, I am happy to share the pics with everyone. Wish I could take you all there to experience it....pics don't hardly do it justice!

Tracy, I too am sorry to hear this! You were full of good advice and encouragement since I've been here and I know you are going to be missed a great deal. You helped me a lot when I bit off more than I could chew, and I won't ever forget it. Thank you for all you've done Tracy and please take good care and come back soon if you can. {Feel-bad-00020066}

Noooooooo, say it isn't so! You're going to be missed so much!! I'm sorry to see you go, but trust that you have good reasons {Feel-bad-0002006A}. Take good care of yourself, hope to see you back someday soon!

Congrats! I knew the right one would come along! We too got our grey for $400 with everything, including a crystal flight carrier. Which is a miracle in California. BUT, we also weren't told how many issues she actually had. Spend as much time as you possibly can with the bird before you take it home and ask all the questions you can think of....I usually make up a list before meeting a new bird so I don't forget any. I am sure to ask about favorite foods, any food it hates, best trait and worst trait as well as the standard about health, attitude, age, etc. Usually the longer you talk to someone and watch how they interact with the bird the more you'll learn about that bird. Make sure you can live with the bird the way it is forever, some things are likely to change, but some may never change. Congrats and best of luck! Pam

Jen, Thanks! That black palm was the calmest bird, as long as I didn't try to pet her she'd have sat there forever I think. I can't even explain what it felt like to have her inches from my face. I think I'm more afraid of our blue crown's needle like beak.....for some reason I'm not nearly as afraid of the big beaks, although I've got a nasty bruise on my arm thanks to Miss Sammy already! Thankfully she only bites when she's scared of falling.....it's more a hanging on thing than an anger reaction. Domingo the hyacynith was HUGE, but very skittish and wouldn't let us anywhere near him really. Thanks for the karma .

Sammy is gorgeous, but I may be a little biased....hehehe. She's in perfect feather and she's obviously been well fed for the last month or so anyway. They thinks she's so young because of the eye color (light grey blue) and because there isn't a single scratch or flake on her beak....it looks very babyish. The black palm was amazing....and so sweet! Poor thing had had it's lower beak torn off somehow and Dana has had it rehabing for several months, she's almost back to normal now. I keep trying to convince her the hyacinth needs to come home with me since he and Sammy are IN LOVE, but somehow she isn't convinced {Feel-good-0002006E}. He's one that she is keeping for her own! As far as I can see that's one of the problems with running a rescue, you get them all better and then you don't want to give them up lol! Pat, I did see your posts about your severe macaw. I'm sure with your love and attention and some patience he'll be great. Congrats on rescuing him! Thanks all, I'll post more pics soon!

Enjoy the pics!!

Well, I wasn't for sure we were getting our new Blue and Gold Macaw until we met her on Friday. Her old name was Captain, her new name is Sammy (works for a girl or a boy). Our journey to each other apparently started with her being let loose TWICE by her former owner, they left her in a tree until the humane society finally came and rescued her from there. They held her for a month and no one ever came to claim her. They eventually put her picture and info on Petfinders and I saw it the first day and called them to inquire about her. They wanted $500 because she was a macaw, not because they had invested anything in her (which REALLY ticks me off). I fell in love with her the instant I saw her, I was pretty sure I wanted a greenwing macaw at that point, she changed my mind QUICK. The humane society never called me back, so I gave up hope of getting her and started looking around again and resigned myself to getting a different macaw. I had been talking to Dana from The Wing Foundation for several months and she was keeping an eye out for a sweet macaw for us. A week after I inquired about Sammy Dana emailed me and started telling me this sad story about a blue and gold macaw.....she didn't tell me the name or where she got it but I KNEW it was Captain/Sammy. As I read on, she confirmed it!! She couldn't believe it either when I told her. We agreed that it was fate and she had to come to us as soon as possible. I think I've been like any other new adoptive mom, excited out of my mind and scared to death that something would happen to change the outcome. I couldn't hardly sleep Thursday night, and I was up at 5:30 a.m. Friday even though we weren't leaving until 8 a.m....lol. We drove 2 hours and when we arrived I was ready to scoop her up and run out the door with her. We could hear all the birds from outside when we pulled up, but I still wasn't prepared for what I saw when I went in. Dana has macaws, greys, amazons, toos, you name it. Her life and home are devoted to these magnificent creatures we all love so much. I don't know which took my breath away more, the hyacynith that Sammy was in love with or the Black Palm too that was soooo gorgeous in person. She has birds in almost every room alot of them are very sweet, although she was amazed that we were able to handle some that wouldn't go to anyone else but HER. She even took us in the room where her personal flock is kept and she has a too that would convince almost anyone that is on the fence that they don't want one THAT BAD. Thought we were going to go deaf from that bird! I can't even describe to you how amazing it was to see some of those birds up close and personal that I never expected to see in real life, and how sad it was that so many birds are out there that need us. I swear if I win the lottery I am buying a huge house and rescuing as many birds as I possibly can. So, now with our grey, blue crown conure, green cheek conure and our big beautiful blue and gold macaw we are full. I am done getting birds until I feel like we have more space, time, and attention to give and that's going to be a while. Sammy is the sweetest macaw, she's apparently still pretty young (1-2 years they think) and beaky. But she'll let me pet and scratch her until my arm falls off...lol. She also like to use her tongue alot. She's already scared the blue crown half to death by going visiting cause he had a manzanita perch she wanted to chew on, and I think he's finally decided as long as I can save him from HER I'm not tooooo bad...lol. She's taken to everyone here, and we've all taken to her. She's the final piece to our family puzzle and I couldn't be happier! If any of you live in or near San Franciso, CA and are in the market for a rescue from someone who is in it for the birds please consider The Wing Foundation and Dana. Here's a picture of Sammy and I'll post some of the others in a little bit. Have a greyt day!

I'm sorry the macaw didn't work out. Keep looking on Craigslist and on Petfinders too. I fell in love with a gorgeous blue and gold on Petfinders but didn't have the available cash they wanted for him. A week later a lady I had met at a bird fair that does rescue emailed me this sad, sad story about a bird she had just gotten in. I had a feeling it was him, turned out.....IT WAS, and she wanted us to have him. She had no idea I was already in love with him. She's working with me on the adoption fee because she knows me and we're picking him up in two days. In one year we've gone from "you want a WHAT?" to having a grey, a blue crown conure, a green cheek, a cockatiel and now a gorgeous blue and gold macaw.......lol. We're suckers for sad stories, but he's going to be our last one for a while......unless I move the living room furniture out to the garage! lol I've finally hit my MBS limit! {Feel-good-000200BB} Anyway the point was, keep looking.......just when you're about to give up the bird you were meant to have may drop in to your lap. And he/she will be a very lucky bird.

{Feel-good-0002006E} Yeah, I tried to crop it out...it's not exactly "manly" you know...lol

And.......

GRRRRRRR One more time.