The Green Wing Macaw Blue Front Amazon Rescue Caper Part 1/2

Last Updated on February 16, 2023 by Mitch Rezman

Popcorn update:

Catherine, me and our avian vet Dr. Byron decided to bypass the brooding period. We just exposed Popcorn to 72 hours of light to help (hoping) shut down the reproductive system and stem the production of fluid in her abdomen. This past Friday he tapped 7 mL from the right side and 1 mL from the left side and scheduled another tap for next Friday. The cells in the fluid really have not changed in appearance. It’s either an ovarian cyst or tumor. For now I’ll take the tapping over surgery. She gets her meds twice a day. She is not happy about that so I give her a couple of Higgins Millet Bits after each dose. It’s adding to her weight slightly but I don’t care; it’s comfort food for her.

From my inbox:

Hello,

I am not sure if you can send me in the right direction but I love your weekly newsletters which has helped me with my babies. I adopted a Lilac crowned Amazon 4 years ago from a co-worker whose mother in law passed. on 8/01/14 I adopted a Blue Fronted Amazon who was almost dead from neglect and has serious PTSD issues. Your site helped me and I am proud to say I am now able to hold Paco bare armed as of last month with minimal damage.

My local pet store owner told me about the greenwing Macaw and the little blue front whose owners had passed and the son cannot keep them and he asked her if she knew of a good parrot mom, she said she did so when I came in for my special order, I walked out with a phone number. The Maccaw and a Bluefront (sic) were raised together – their owner had died and the son cannot keep them. I went to see them yesterday he has them in his garage which has heat but there is no question that I will adopt them and give them love and a forever home they are healthy and were cared for but I told him that I need to wait two weeks while I make room in my home and order a few supplies. Of course I will get my toys and food from you my problem is the cage.

The one he has is appropriate but 20 years old and I will not be able to get it up my stairs. Instead of spending days on the internet, I thought you may point me in the direction of the best place to buy a good new or used cage that is suitable that breaks down so it can be stairs friendly for 200 or less. I will keep the other cage for outdoor use in good weather. I tried searching locally for possible used cages and of course nothing when I need it. I am bringing them home on the 4th or 5th and would like to have them in the same room as my other birds.

My birds are in their cages when I work but when I get home at 6 or so they are downstairs with me until 11 at night to have their dinner and hang out on the perches we have downstairs. You business truly seems to be all about the birds so I figured I would ask you if you had any ideas for me. I have to be careful on what I am spending to take in these new kids as my husband of 24 years loves me and likes our birds, if I empty our account saving the world, he will not be a happy camper!

Paco is now happy and health although I do have many war wounds from his PTSD. Much better now, worst I get is a bruise. It is because of all of the newsletters that Mitch provides weekly that I believe I am able to love and hold my Paco now. I LOVE your newsletters and that you all seem to care so much about the birds as I do. A big thank you for that.

I am rearranging my whole house for these birds. Of course I will not skimp on the cage. It is just financially at the moment, even though the adoption fee is reasonable, I will have to purchase toys and their pellets and playstands so I am scrambling to try to figure out what I need in the next two weeks. I cannot afford a new cage for the Macaw until about April since all I have left to spend on this rescue I am guessing is about 200.00 for the cage. The cage he already has it HUGE and suitable.

The reason I wanted a new one, was because the one he has, does not breakdown as it is 20 years old and there is no way I will ever get it up my stairs which is where my birdroom is. I wanted to be able to keep them all together while the news babies adjust to a new home and while they are mourning for their owners.

If I have a pet emergency my husband will not balk at my hitting the savings but if I start hitting the account or running up the charge cards, he would come unstuck. He is a good man, loves me, puts up with the birds and is glad that I am going to give them a new home but my initial spending has to be frugal as this was such a last minute adoption. Thank you for the reply, and for your good newsletters.

I will give these birds a good and loving and happy healthy life. I will just move some of my living room furniture into the garage for the next few months and leave the Macaws cage downstairs. Not ideal but we will make it work while I start saving for an appropriate cage for him that is stair friendly and will breakdown for moving and cleaning. I will keep checking your site and hope for a huge sale around April or keep looking for a used cage in my area that may pop up. I can always use the new cage I bought for one of my Amazons of the new one! Robin 🙂

Robin Robin Robin

mitch here

Kudos for the desire to be the Mother Teresa of parrots in your hometown. Your strategy may require some additional thought.

The ouija, aka a spirit board or talking board, is a flat board marked with the letters of the alphabet, the numbers 0–9, the words “yes”, “no”, “hello” (occasionally), and “goodbye”, along with various symbols and graphics.

It uses a planchette (small heart-shaped piece of wood or plastic) as a movable indicator to indicate a spirit’s message by spelling it out on the board during a séance. Participants place their fingers on the planchette, and it is moved about the board to spell out words.

“Ouija” is a trademark of Hasbro, Inc but is often used generically to refer to any talking board. Spiritualists believed that the dead were able to contact the living and reportedly used a talking board very similar to a modern Ouija board at their camps in Ohio in 1886 to ostensibly enable faster communication with spirits.

Following its commercial introduction by businessman Elijah Bond on July 1, 1890, the Ouija board was regarded as an innocent parlor game unrelated to the occult until American Spiritualist Pearl Curran popularized its use as a divining tool during World War I.

Some predictions from mitchr

Paco & Quincy stress point 1 – Rearranging the house

Paco & Quincy stress point 2 – New unknown birds in very close quarters

Paco & Quincy stress point 3 – nervous about losing you to the “new” flock

I know the acquisition of the two new birds is a major stress point for you, too – but here is one of many scenarios that can play out.

You can’t leave the 4 birds alone for a minute! That’s how birds get toes bittenoff and legs broken. The next thing that will be broken is your heart when you watch the two Blue Fronts mate regardless of sex because that’s what Amazons do.

You will be demoted from a bird companion (Paco & Quincy) to zookeeper. I would have the Amazons sexed so that you know if you need to take precautions which will avoid more little Amazons or at the very least increased aggression from the Amazons toward you.

Here’s where it gets good – I wouldn’t worry about getting the cage at this point. By the way there are no “new” $200 cages that will house a green wing macaw – this is because Green-Winged macaws are the second largest parrots in the macaw (entire parrot) family with only the Hyacinth macaw being larger. (Some additional reasons are stated below)

Let’s compare the size of Quincy, a Lilac crowned Amazon, and a Green Wing (aka green & red) macaw.

Quincy is a little longer than 1 foot (30.5 cm) and probably weighs 320 grams (maybe) (11 + ounces).

Greenwings are between 26 – 39 inches (66 – 99 cm) long beak-to-tail, have a 4 foot wingspan (about 120 cm) (104 – 125 cm) and weigh between 32 – 60 oz (900 – 1700 grams).

So this bird may be potentially five times bigger than Quincy (remember Paco & Quincy’s stress point 2).

And there’s that whole bigger-bird-bigger-brain-bigger-poop – thing.

Their beaks are basically 4 opposing razor blades with the ability to clamp down with more than 2,000 pounds of pressure per square inch – probably double the strength of Paco’s beak (think $200 cage).

You may no longer need to worry about the Amazons because the blue front will probably bond making it next to impossible to pry either one out of their cage – Amazons will decide to cohabitate when given the chance. Will Quincy become part of a threesome – doubtful.

What you really need to be prepared for is the destruction of your home and the self-destruction by the big green and red bird.

I made this video with big macaws and big cockatoos in mind.

Even with an endless source of material to chew

These work well:

It would be wise to take contraceptive measures for protecting woodwork in this new bird room. You’ll have an angry scared large parrot whose actions are unpredictable but I would plan for the worst.

If you have drywall in your home, I would advocate having it tested for formaldehyde. Birds see drywall as a source of calcium. A brooding green wing macaw can strip a room of drywall, door and window trim in a day.

This whole course of events may trigger feather plucking in a macaw which needs to be watched for in terms of the amount he or she is preening.

I’d probably invest in a box of these (my favorite for swimming and motorcycle riding because they not only keep my ears dry but block out 90% of the noise). Your Green Wing can scream as loud as a landing passenger jet, so you may need them.

Will any and/or all of this actually happen? Hard to say, Ouija boards are unreliable.

mitchr
Mitch or other staff: One more question then I promise not to fill your in-box unless I get in a real pickle.

The birds and their cages will arrive Fri or Sat. They will be in carries. I plan to have fresh fruits and nuts at the ready I use fresh Pine Nuts and Pnuts as training treats

When I went to see the birds, they accepted grapes from my hand. I did not try to handle them, they did not lunge and were curious but I know better than to push yourself on a bird.

My question: I thought I would have Quincy my Lilac on his play stand and Paco on his playstand when the birds arrive. I will put Coco dog in my room or outside until the birds have calmed down. They also have a dog so once they are relaxed some, I will let coco meet them.

I was planning to let the Blue Front out first and place her on the play gym, then put on my leather coat which has a cast under it and see if the Macaw will step up to get out if she does not seem to be totally stressed offer her treats and see if she will not stay with me.

Their current care giver and his sons will be there but I thought they could be out of sight and I am thinking it may be better for me to be the one to remove them if they will let me. If the little one gives me a few hits, not a big deal, the Macaw, I will have to be very very careful. Thank you for the good wishes! Robin

I would advocate keeping Paco in Quincy in their cages for the introduction to reduce the chance of four panicked birds – Keep the questions coming this is great stuff.

Images and or video of the introduction would be greatly appreciated and I would make it worth your while

Talk soon – mitchr

Part 2/2 – next week

written by mitch rezman

approved by catherine tobsing

your zygodactyl foot note