murfchck Posted July 22, 2012 Author Share Posted July 22, 2012 Forgot to add these! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 I don't know enough about these two and their history, nor about macaws in general to offer advice but I do wonder about them having been buddies in the same home and then separated. Maybe they are afraid they will be taken away again. If that is a possibility and since Oliver is shining with being reunited they might relax after a bit of time together. They look so beautiful in your photos. I am sorry you have been bitten though, I can't begin to imagine. If you still have access to the previous caretakers, they might be able to offer you some insight to how much time Bubba and Oliver were together and what the best techniques were to give them one on one attention. It might be that Bubba was so attached to Oliver that they looked to place him with you as well because he missed him so much. Meanwhile, Oliver was taking in everything new with you and wasn't so preoccupied to pine over Bubba. Just guessing. I just love that you are seeing them happy together, but understand the concern about being able to handle each of them apart as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdhouse Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 I was thinking the same thing, Dee. Maybe they're literally uncontrollably happy to be reunited. That would be a mostly happy dilemma. Of course, everyone still has to figure out how best to survive the craziness. But it sounds like you're a great referee. So I'm hoping for everyone's sake that it's just a matter of time until things settle down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted July 23, 2012 Author Share Posted July 23, 2012 We tried to keep them semi seperated today to see if that would help. For the most part it did! We kept them in the same room but had "time outs" where one would stay on the stand the other would be near but with us. We tried once, leaving Oliver in his room and taking Bubba to the stand but Oliver climbed right over the gate and came out! We took them outside together and Oliver wanted in the aviary so we figured why not. Those two had a blast! Squeeking and screaming and all over the place, Oliver was climbing up the sides, across the top and down the other side. Pat took the hose and put it on a light shower and showered the top of it and the boys were in heaven. Back inside we put a shoebox ontop of Bubbas cage and you would have thought it was a giant pecan the way these two went after it. His cage is now 3" smaller from all the remains of the cardboard on the bottom! Their history is sketchy, it is really hard to get a straight answer. I know the mother rescued Oliver and couldn't handle him so her daughter and husband took him in and they already had Bubba, who they said was naked when they got him also, then he ( the husband ) started getting sick so Oliver was sent back to their mother, a year later i got him. I do not know how much of this is accurate but its all i got. I know for sure they love each other, he screams a blood curdling scream if he even sees or hears the scarlett across the street who he lived with that last year. No love loss seperating them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 This beautiful aviary and the ability to bring in three hard cases just brings tears to my eyes. You really have a great outlook and lots of good ideas. I am humbled by your dedication to all three of your parrots. I seem to remember the red-headed one, was she Mable? These blue and gold boys have a history and it sounds like they are blissful to be reunited. Bless you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted July 24, 2012 Author Share Posted July 24, 2012 Thank you. The red head was MaryAnne, who my neighbors took in when i took Oliver. I didn't feel i was able to care for the two but couldn't leave her there. She also came from the same family i got my boys from. I found out her name was Ginger. My grey, Bongo, was just neglicted emotionally, he is thriving now, just won't talk!! Hubby said that the aviary we have will be for the macaws and we will build Bongo a seperate one as he is scared to death of the macaws. ( who can blame him? ) I will admit, caring for the two macaws has been more overwhelming than i thought it would be. I keep telling myself it has only been 8 days since Bubba came to us and we have made huge progress with him, but the stress is so high. He not only has the wing issue and is plucking again ( i found some downey feathers in the cage this morning ) but he has something going on with his crop or maybe airsac that makes him look deformed at times and he makes weird noises when it does that. Lol. AND, the both now are wandering around the house whenever they want! I thought i had lost Bubba this morning, finally found him on Bongos cage in the living room! ( he was inside his cage in his room when i walked outside ) Okay, enough whining from me! All will be good, all will be good, all WILL be good! Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 Birds-2 File Cabinet- 0 This time hubby got to see the fun. He said Bubba was on top of it, looking like one of those bobbing glass decorations, beating a bag of food up and Oliver was inside the cabinet playing peek a boo with him while getting into another bag food. Oh joy! The fun is while trying to pick one of them up, the other one is nipping at you. Nipping is not really right, biting would be more accurate. The are a team when up to no good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Ah yes, MaryAnn. Mable is Emma's new sister. Sorry about that. You sure do have your hands full, kind of like being the substitute teacher and all the kids are giving you the trial by fire. You really aren't whining though. Where better to talk about the challenges you face than with people who are already in awe at the lengths you have gone to with all these parrots. It is so thoughtful that your husband will build a second aviary so Bongo feels safe. My first thought was when you take Oliver and Bubba outside, that is a respite for Bongo to have the whole house to himself... within view of the filing cabinet playground. LOL. We have a plucking issue with Gilbert and it is disheartening when I see him have a setback. I usually can pinpoint what "upset his apple cart". The move to your home is still so new for Bubba and for him to see Oliver again and reconnect may have been happy but a stressful change nonetheless. The little downy feathers may have just dropped out because he is adapting to a change, I bet you have lost a few hairs on your pillow too. LOL. When you feel overwhelmed sometimes, and you will, talk to a friend. I think I would like to be your friend, and I know everyone here feels the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 Thank you. You brought happy tears to my eyes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted July 27, 2012 Author Share Posted July 27, 2012 I finally got the nerve to try my hand with butternut squash. It was a hit i think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted July 28, 2012 Author Share Posted July 28, 2012 Bird- 1/2 File cabinet- 1 Garbage can- 0 I put the garbage can in front of the file cabinet, who knew. I got 5 minutes of the funniest video of them to date. Here is a picture, it is of Oliver heading in to join Bubba who is already inside! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Ah a modern nesting site... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted July 29, 2012 Author Share Posted July 29, 2012 Got an issue. Oliver started pulling out Bubbas feathers today after this incident. Had to seperate them which really upset Bubba. Yet this evening he didn't mess with them at all. Going to be watching close. Other than seperating them, not sure what to do to stop this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLB Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 I have been on vacation for the last week and was eager to hear how things were going. Thank you so much for your continued posts. I think it is helpful for everyone to see such a candid picture of your experience with these birds. I can relate to the craziness as I have a heart for rescue and after 10 years some level of craziness is just expected. Now we have the birds to add to the fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 I have to say that photo in the trash can was made funnier by knowing Bubba was already in there when Oliver climbed in to join him. You just have to wonder what Bubba was thinking to lead the way and what he was thinking when Oliver popped in there too. A guy just can't get any privacy around here. LOL. It is a complex issue to understand plucking when it is just one bird and that seems to magnify by tenfold when there are two. Hopefully everything will level off and you will get a break and then patterns may emerge that will give you clues to his behavior. You are doing such a great job working with these three parrots. My hat is off to you. You are an inspiration. Kudos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted July 31, 2012 Author Share Posted July 31, 2012 It is really weird but Oliver is the booger, Bubba is a sweet guy. Here they are enjoying a mango cookie, then out of no where Oliver snatched Bubbas cookie away and beaked him. I know its a right to passage and they are just setting the pecking order but Bubba never wins. Lol I was thinking about spraying Bubba with something bird safe but ickie tasting to maybe keep Oliver from plucking him. Bubba likes getting sprayed with the aloe so.... I am grasping at straws here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 Oh did we have fun tonight. A friend came over, who loves Bongo, and he got to meet Bubba. Boy did Bubba show off for him. He made all his noises except the little girl scream and we decided on noise he made sounded like the "wuzzzz up" from the bud light commercial so we started working on it, by gosh he smart as a whip. He did his chicken noise so i added a monkey sound and he picked it up quick. I wasn't told he made that one so i am going to ask them. The whole time we were doing this Oliver was right beside him with his head cocked to the side just watching. My guess is he will pick this up too! I try to not get in pictures but this one i had to share. My first real Bubba kisses and he let me pet him on the wing and chest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Your posts make me smile, your pictures are enchanting. Bubba and Oliver look like bookends on the perch with their mango cookies. I wish I had some words of wisdom for you to stop Oliver from being a bugger, but I think we are going to learn something from you. You have a lot going on but I think your house must have much laughter and fun. I just noticed again that you are in the DFW area. My husband is on a business trip to Dallas where he goes frequently. We lived in Fort Worth for a while while my kids were in elementary school. Plus, my daughter will be flying through DFW on her way to a job interview in Odessa. It is such a small world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 Ahh yes, Odessa. I worked there for a few months, then Midland for a month with my last job. You should join your hubby on a trip here! Bring Gilbert! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted August 6, 2012 Author Share Posted August 6, 2012 Yet another new thread i had to start... In the grey lounge, titled " i didn't do it this time, but i didn't say no" Bongo, Oliver and Bubba have a sister. I'm going to change my screen name to Noah..... 2 of everything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Like potato chips bettcha cannot keep just one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 I am feeling that magnet drawing me to come see your flock. She was offered the job! Starts at the end of this month so we will definitely be coming through in a U-Haul. It is a twenty hour drive from here to Abilene and we have hauled furniture between there and Georgia a time or two (or ten) and Midland/Odessa is not that much further. If I am coming through, Gilbert will be with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted August 7, 2012 Author Share Posted August 7, 2012 Yeah on the job! I do hope you come thru so we can all meet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Sounds like fun! A bird board meet up could be an event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted August 7, 2012 Author Share Posted August 7, 2012 It should be! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now