Experiences with "Mac;' the Severe by S. Marianne McOmie South Jordan, Utah

It all began one Indian summer day was hers, and heaven help anyone think we might have purchased when, at a local outing of our who tried to get in between them. Jamie anyway. He had been a sev­ club, I met one of the most beautiful Believe me, it was heaven help she erely trained bird and exhibited some green I had ever seen. who tried to get in between, and I signs of nervousness. He was a sweet Our bird club had an annual date at have the scars to prove it. bird but easily cowed by Mac. And the fall fair to show our birds off to We knew so little about Mac, apart even though they appeared to be the public and also to each other. I from the fact that she was a wild­ compatible there were never any had brought a variety of small birds, caught bird, and that whoever had signs that they were really bonding. parakeets, finch and cockatiels. The tamed her had done so with love and Mac did spend a lot of time in the people next to me had brought a kindness. But she was ready for a nest box, as did Jamie. But we were magnificent Scarlet Macaw, a Blue mate. Even though Jeff knew it was never aware ofany copulation. and Gold Macaw and the first mini­ pure flattery when she regurgitated A few months after we had put the macaw I had ever seen, a ravishingly for him, he still found it hard to take. two birds together, we moved to a beautiul Severe Macaw ( severa). larger house. The stress of moving And when she started insisting that I overheard Sue and Bob talking he mount her, well sometimes it is plus the scant care given to the birds helped to contribute to my overlook­ about selling this little green bird. hard to explain to non-bird people I couldn't believe my ears. So I exactly what this bird was doing. ing the first signs of illness in Jamie. I screwed up my courage and ap­ had been feeding and watering the proached Sue. Rather timedly I asked So the search was on for a mate for birds, but had not spent very much how much this bird was worth. My Mac. A good friend of ours located a time in observation. Also I had been hopes were dashed when she told likely mate and we took both birds in very lucky in that we had seen very me that she had just finalized a deal to be surgically sexed. Luckily both little illness in our birds and when I for Mac. Someone was going to trade birds were opposite sexes, although I first observed the diarrhea in Jamie, I her some cockatie~ andavarie~of ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ other birds for her. Well, I asked her to please think of me ifthe deal went sour because I really thought this bird was great. Later on that day, my husband joined me in showing off our birds and he also met the Severe. Like me, Jeff also thought that she was a lovely bird, but he wasn't quite ready to jump through hoops to own her. But we did talk to Sue and she told us the price of the bird if her other deal fell through. She seemed to feel that the deal was solid. A few days after the fair, I flew to Canada to visit my mother. While there, I had a phone call from my husband asking if I still wanted the Severe Macaw. The answer of course was yes, so he said he would make arrangements to get her before I returned home. When I landed at the airport, I could hardly wait to get home and get re-aquainted with Mac. I felt that we had hit it offat the fair. We got home and Mac immediately climbed up on my hand and from there to my husband. I was a conven­ ient bridge. And so it went from then on. Mac wasJeffs bird. She was his, he

afa WATCHI3IRD 47 basically dismissed it. By the time I when the screaming has gone on for realized that he had become weak­ six or seven hours straight, the birds ened, it was too late and he died a day are lucky that they even get a cage later. This was all in the space offour and not a box in the closet. We days from the first symptom. Our vet moved them to a smaller cage which at the time tried valiantly to save him. only measured two by two by three Dr. Sims luckily loved birds and knew feet. It was ample as a temporary what coccidia looked like and began cage and since we attached the nest treatment for coccidia, even before box to the cage Mac and Soc didn't the test results came back. Jamie was care where we placed them. By this necropsied and it was determined time I had built them a new nest box that he had had a chronic case ofcoc­ measuring 16" x 16" x 32". Similar cidia. Ifwe had had tests done on his dimensions had been suggested in a feces and blood before we purchased book we had purchased on the him, we could have been alerted and breeding of . I believe that possibly saved his life. the original dimensions suggested Mac reverted back into a pet bird had been in the nature of 15" x 14" x and became a total pest. She had to 30". All I did was have a sheet of ply­ be with Jeff and would even climb wood cut down into equal pieces. On the stairs looking for him. It didn't the inside of the box, on the side take too long beforeJeff decided that l1wee offou1'youngste1'speeroutofthe where the opening would be, we as much as Mac loved him, it would nestentmnce along with their mothe1~ took some fencing material, (2" x 3", be betterfor all concerned ifMac had Momma Mac. This wasjustbefm·e they 18 gauge) and made a ladder attach­ a new mate. So the search began fledged. ing it to the side with 1 x 2's. This again. We looked all over the country ensured that the edges could not be and saw very few for sale. Just about Then came the day when Mac, who pulled free and we reasoned that this the time we had decided to bite the had regained full flight (without our would be relatively secure. We cut a bullet and send away for an expen­ knowledge), decided that Jeff, her hole near the top, but purposely sive bird we had seen advertised in former mate, was now a threat to her made it on the small side. After hav­ Florida, a call came in from a friend. and Soc. This particular evening she ing observed cockatiels personalizing She had been out at a local bird col­ flew at him and threaten~d him with their nestboxes, we thought that lector and had seen a Severe Macaw. severe bodily injury. That night we macaws might enjoy doing the same. After determining that it was a male took some fencing material and It took Mac and Soc all of one day to and for sale, she called us. fenced them in. enlarge the hole to where they could I went and looked at him a couple A few weeks later they attempted fit comfortably inside. of days later, decided that he was all to gain the entire upstairs for them­ In the meantime I was building that we were looking for and made selves by using the sheer volume of them a larger cage, but before I could Jeff come out a day later to look at their voices to drive us away. All it finish it, the birds had laid eggs, and him. At first Jeff wasn't too sure, but accomplished for them was to ensure were busily setting on them. We then Mac decided the matter for him. their prompt removal to the laundry decided not to risk disturbing the She became even more obnoxious room and a smaller cage. It was birds by moving them into a larger and finally Jeff gave in and we pur­ meant to be a temporary cage. But cage. The first clutch didn't hatch. chased Soc. However, before the pur­ ­ upstairs away from our other birds. .D (/) And we tried to make sure that Mac ~ .c would stay downstairs. It worked for Cl. 28 days. Then Mac managed to outsmart us and found her way up the stairs. I think we can say that it was lust and love at first sight for both birds. Mac reverted to acting like a wild caught bird right away. We could no longer handle her. It really wasn't worth our fingers or face to handle either bird without a pair ofwelder's gloves. We had been keeping them on an open stand in the entryway until we could build a permanent cage for them. And they did stay put for quite Pow'young Severe Macaws were successfully ,·earedby theirparents in an indoor awhile in their temporary quarters. envi1·onment. 48 August I September 1992 Both parents sat on the eggs and hours as we had been told that this appeared to share the egg sitting was so critical. Then there was the duties although the female did sit on next 2 weeks to wait out. And the eggs the majority of the time. A through all of this Mac and Soc per­ month or so after they had aban­ formed like seasoned pro's. Every doned the eggs we found one of the time we checked on the baby, who eggs in the bottom of the cage and we named First, his little crop was Mac busily setting another egg. This full and he looked fat and happy. Plus time round she laid two eggs and sat his growth rate was phenomenal. We on them fully a week past the time were privileged to be able to watch that they should have hatched. We Mac feeding First. By her incredible decided to take one ofthe abandoned care in opening his little and the eggs out and open it up to see what gentleness she showed in feeding there was inside if anything. Since him, I don't think a human mother the egg rattled a little when we shook could have been more sweet with a it we assumed that there was some­ new born baby. thing in it. And there was, a dried up First thrived and grew like a little fetus. Well, we were saddened and weed. The first follicles were yet rather elated at the same time. a good reason for celebration. For With the way the nest box had been every first that this little bird did we built there was no way of taking the Three oftheyoung Severe Macaws celebrated. Mac and Soc were fiercely eggs out to be candled. So it was a attain a chamcte1isticpose atthe top of protective of their baby and each relief to realize that the eggs were fer­ their cage. Theirfather can be seen other, although Soc did look some­ tile and that there was a good chance below. what confused from time to time. If ofgetting baby Severes. there was any movement around his I decided that since Mac had laid peculiar but really didn't pay any cage, he would come boiling out. two sets of eggs that had not mind to it. A few days after the first We aren't real sure when First hatched, that there might be some apple slice had been placed beside actually weaned. We suspect that it concern about calcium depletion. the egg, I peeked in and something was sometime in November, but the But before I could get another cage looked funny inside the box. I could little sneak had her parents conned for them, Mac laid again. She didn't see one egg but the other had disap­ into feeding her sporadically into look ill, but did look a little depleted. peared and there was something December. And since she was I had been adding crushed oyster moving. The interior of the box was shells to theirfood as well as trying to so dark that it was hard to see any­ get them to eat a better balanced thing. I must have looked down into diet. It was only now that Mac the box for 5 or 10 minutes before it actually began to try some of the dawned on me that the little object foodstuffs that we had been putting moving on the bottom of the box in their cage. She had always eaten was a new hatched baby. the apples and oranges but had shied I flew up the stairs to the phone. I away from anything more exotic. had to call Jeff who was on a jobsite And of course they had always been to tell him the news. I didn't sound given all that they could eat of like myself and he actually had to ask apples, oranges and grapes. Plus the who I was. He couldn't figure out fact that they ignored virtually every who this crazy lady was who was try­ Greenwings green vegetable I put in their dishes. I ing to tell him that they had a baby. It Buffon's also put Blair's Superpreen in the wasn't until the crazy lady said seed. macaw baby that he figured out who Hyacinths After Mac had been setting this par­ it was. ticular set of eggs for three weeks, After I hung up the phone, I was in Militarys she suddenly began acting even more an agony of indecision. Had I really aggressive than usual. A couple of seen what I thought I saw? Could it Blue and Golds days before the possible hatch date, I have been Wishful thinking, or was noticed both birds taking the slices of there really a little baby in the bottom Scarlets apple I had been giving them and ofthe box? Redfronts WhenJeff got home a little later he heading into the nestbox with them. • ALL BIRDS ARE ClOSED BANDED I just thought they wanted a snack. did confirm that I was sane and that and VETERINARIAN CHECKED We had been checking the eggs every our beautiful Severe Macaws were • UNRELATED PAIRS AVAILABLE couple of days, just to accustom Mac now parents. and Soc to our right to look in on We did have some concerns about n~anneAbramson them. The next time we checked how they would take to parenthood. I~INT~EMACAWS them the birds had laid slices of But both of us feel that our birds apple' around one of the eggs. The should raise at least the first clutch so BREEDING", RESEARCH apple just barely touched the one egg that they can learn to be parents. We P.O. Box 1271. Fort Bragg, CA 95437 and there was none around the other kept a very close eye on the birds the 707-964-4380 egg. We thought that this was a little first 24 hours and then the next 48

afa WATCHI3JRD 49 hatched July 25, 1989, that would We observed the birds carefully and personality was very hesitant and she place her right around 16 to 18 they took excellent care of this new­ would hold back from being picked 1 weeks of age which, from what I est arrival. The following Wednes­ up. The older two would hang on the have been able to find out, would be day, May 16th, another baby hatched sides of the cage when my husband normal for this . Another of and on Saturday, May 19th, the third would walk by, begging to be let out the reasosns that we wanted First to egg hatched. All three babies were for a quick cuddle and a treat. be parent raised, was she will be used being taken care of. The diet we were We noticed that, size-wise, these as a breeder when she matures. I only feeding the parents changed a little. three babies appeared to be a little use" she", because that is easy to use Luckily for us the earliest corn was larger than First. We attributed this to for the time being. We will be having just coming in the stores at this time the fact that the diet given their par­ First sexed sometime in the future. so we relied heavily on that. They ents was superior to the diet given In the middle of October we had a began going through an ear of corn, them dUring the time First was being new cage built and delivered and an apple, half an orange, one or two fed. moved the birds from the laundry plums and some grapes each day. In October the three babies were room to the family room. All the This was in addition to the increased beautifully feathered out and weaned. birds adjusted quite well to the sunflower seed intake. During this The only exception to this was the move, and Mac and Soc seemed to time I also fed some organically fact that during their stay in the nest revel in the new space. grown broccoli, Swiss chard and box they managed to break all their First was still in with her parents at other safe green vegies. I also pur­ primary wing . Plus the fact this point, and we did have some chased some mangos, but the birds that young macaws resemble pup­ concerns about whether her parents weren't too impressed with them. I pies in their play and are not exactly would continue feeding her. But they always feed the birds some popcorn, gentle with each other. They also all adjusted extremely well to their saltines and whole wheat bread, at all managed to break all their tail new surroundings. times. Any salted foods are given feathers off. However, at the age of We decided to let First stay with sparingly, but I have noticed that the nine months, they are now molting her parents as long as possible, birds seem to crave the salt, and seem and growing in gorgeous new tail and although we did remove her for a to do better when given some salt in wing feathers. period of time each day to accustom their diet. After the babies fledged, they pro­ her to being handled. The three babies grew rapidly and ceeded to eat the nest box so we The middle of January 1990, the it didn't take long for them to double were forced into making a new one. parents began to pick on First and we in size, and then double again. We But we held offplacing it on the cage decided that she should be removed kept on with the routine of checking until the babies had been taken away from the cage for her own safety. their nestbox at least once or twice a for good. Mac and Soc began copulating day and would also pick up the A lesson we had learned after the again almost immediatly but waited babies to check them over, make first clutch was that an abrupt re­ until April to lay eggs. This time she sure they were maintaining their moval of the baby increased the laid four eggs and even though we body weight and were in general noise level in the house for a few were concerned about the calcium good health. Besides which, it's hard days, mainly because the parents depletion of her body, she appeared not to pick up and cuddle a baby called to the baby and vice versa. This to be in good health. Her diet at the macaw. time round we started removing the time consisted of all the fresh fruit We named the birds in this clutch, babies for a couple of hours at a time she could or would eat, plus a lot of Second, Third and Fourth. Second and increased the time of separation peanuts and some sunflower seeds. and Third fledged within hours of until one day we simply didn't put The regular seed mixture fed to them each other. They were the most them back. And this seemed to work is Vita-bird Hookbill. agressive in wanting attention from out very well. There didn't appear to Mother's Day, May 13th, gave us a their parents and us. Fourth fledged be any kind of anxiety at being taken lovely surprise, a brand new baby. several days after the first two. Her away from each other. AFA says THANKS to Conservation, Research and General Fund Supporters The AFA Conservation. Research and General Committeeswould like to thank the following individuals for their generous support. Donations receivedfrom May 1 through June 30, 1992 Maribeth Addleman Arthur Dyck LesUe Herman Helen Ringus Tammy Billie Belinda Engstrom Jerome Horning Ron & Joanne Schoenwald Gerard Boyle Exotic Bird Club ofFlorida DianeJett David Staley Nancy Brody Barbara Fielding-Zellmer Carl & Diana Karlovsky Ted Stephens ToniCanvanaugh MaryL.Giep Kate La Duke. MurielTomkins Laura Chalifoux Marianne Hayes Dr. & Mrs. Donald Myers NancyTravis Joyce CHUs Steven Heckscher Kalene McCrary Nicole van der Heyden. D.V.M. Mary Colliflower Carol Heller Yvonne Patterson 50 August / September 1992 After placing the new nest box on was to take the chick back to have only been out ofits' splint a few days, the cage, we observed an increase in the hobble checked again. Friday there is still plenty oftime. copulation. This went on for several morning I noticed a discoloration and The parents were observed copu­ weeks. At the end of November we a slight swelling in the leg. We were lating a few days after this chick was went out oftown for a few days. Dur­ already scheduled to go in that after­ pulled and had laid three new eggs ing the time we were away Mac laid noon, so I kept the chick as quiet as within three weeks of us pulling this two eggs, with a third one laid the possibleJor those few hours. In the chick. The first egg hatched right on day after we returned. The one egg afternoon, when we went in Dr. schedule with the second egg hatch­ hatched on December 26th. During Nebecker determined that the leg ing a couple of days after the first. the month ofDecember the humidity was broken, and took x-rays to see The third egg did not hatch. Barring level in the house was very low. We exactly where the break occurred. any unforeseen circumstances, we think this is why only one egg We dis~overed that there were will allow them to raise any more hatched. breaks in the proximal and distal of babies on their own. This single chick grew and thrived the Tibiotarsus. We then splinted the We made a choice when we for several weeks. We checked the leg with a Hexalite molded splint. allowed Mac to follow her natural nest box one day and one leg was This was to be kept on for a period of instincts. She was ready to mate and sticking straight up in the air. We'd four weeks and then the leg was to wanted to do so. I am sure that we never seen anything like this before. be x-rayed again. With any luck the could have kept her as a wonderful And not wanting to make a bad situa­ splint could be removed at that time. pet for many more years. But it tion even worse, we elected to do The splint was removed and the leg would not have been fair to her or to nothing to this bird until our veterin­ x-rayed after four weeks. The leg had her species in general. arian could check him out. Luckily healed beaut@lly, but because ofthe I would like to urge others who for us, Dr. Corey Nebecker, our vet, nature of the breaks and the location, have a single bird who is exhibiting is also a bird lover and quite know­ a total immobilization of the leg was mating urges, to allow it to breed, ledgeable about avian matters. Dr. not easy to effect. So the leg had whether by setting the birds up your­ Nebecker also practices not too far what is called a mal-union. However, self, haVing a breeding loan with from our home and was able to come because of the age of the chick (just another like-minded individual, trad­ by within the hour after we called barely past nine weeks of age) we all ing the bird or selling it outright. Avi­ him. Again we were lucky that we believe that the leg will straighten culturists have a responsibility and a happened to call him when he had an itself out. For the moment, the knee duty to ensure the continuation of all open spot in his appointment book. appears stiff and the muscles some­ avian species in the best way we At this time we elected not to remove what wasted. But since, the leg has knowhow.• the baby bird from his parents until suchatimeaswasneed~ltodoso.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After Dr. Nebecker arrived, we retreived the baby from his nest box and Dr. Nebecker examined him. He determined it was a left Femuro Tibu­ NORSHORE PETS lar Joint Luxation. Basically, his knee Acollection of the finest went out of joint. Cause, possibly a genetic malformation, malposition in supplies available for your birds. the egg, a developmental problem or "Chaffer" most probably, a parent caused one ofour five petcockatiels injury. At any rate, the treatment was KELLOGG'S: Petamine/ Budgimine, Song reasonably simple. We had to put the Food, Seedies. plus other mixes. joint back in place and keep it there. KELLOGG'S pelleted cage bird food, To keep it in place a hobble was put Tweats and Hand Feeding Formula. on, in effect making the good leg SILVER SONG'S fortified diets for all cage hold the bad leg in place. birds, plus Mineralite Grit. This was to have been left in place for a period of two weeks. However, Lafeber. Nekton, Rich Health, Hoei. it did need to be checked every few Prevue/ Hendryx. Fritz, Super Pet, Lustar, Duro-lite, Mardel. Next to Nature days to make sure that all was pro­ ceeding normally. All of this took Books. Nets. Feeders. Stands. Cages place on a Friday. The following • Seeds. Nest boxes. Vitamins Wednesday I took the baby back to CATALOG $3.00, Dr. Nebecker to have the hobble refundable with first order changed and check on the joint. Pick up or shipped U.P.S. Because of the fact that we did have to hobble the chick, I had started to Rt. 1, Box 100, Coloma, WI 54930 HOURS: hand feed him. The hobble was Mon.- Fri. 8 - 4 changed and a new one was placed 1(800) 245-6732 • (715) 228-4040 Sat. 9 - noon on the legs. All appeared normal. The Central Time following day I noticed that the hob­ ble had slipped a little. On Friday, I afa WATCHl3IRD 51 Chester CountyBird Breeders Portland's and Rose CityExotic Bird Club Keystone Cockatiel Club presents its with NCS/ACS The Watchblrd olfers free publicityfor member 5thAnnualAll Bird Show present a club bird shows by announcing the dates and and Bird Expo Bird Show locations of the shows. To have your show November7&8,1992 listed It Is necessary to get the data to the September 12,1992 Watchblrd four to five months before the show Washington CountyFairgrounds Valley Forge Convention Plaza date. For example, Ifyour show takes place the Hillsboro, Oregon Forinformation, call: first week ofOCtober, It should be listed In the 25 minutes from Portland (215) 644-9337 August/September Issue. The deadline for that Issue Is June 1st. (Copy/article deadline Budgerigar Exhibitors: Is two months precedingpublication date.) two shows oneweekend Boston CockatielSociety Saturday, Nov. 7,1992 SeventhAnnual Exotic Bird Show Rose City Exotic Bird Club September 26, 1992 Judge Gary Hicken Brighton Lodge BPOE Northwest Bird Club Sunday, Nov. 8, 1992 326Washington St. All Exotic Birds Cascade Budgerigar Club Brighton, MA October31-November 1,1992 Judge Dennis Lalevee For information: Jackson CountyExpo Hall Both shows ABS points, Carol Riley Marr (508) 283-8356 Forinformation: ABS show standards ShowManager MargaretYoung Kaytee (503) 535-1869 . Fly-in entries accepted, GreatAmerican Bird Show ShowSecretaryRita Boget for details please call (503) 641-4457 October 3 - 4, 1992 (503) 846-7702 Landmark Hotel, Metairie, 1A For show entries or Contact: Claudia M. Leistikow vendor space information: 1 (800) 669-9580 Ron orJune Marks, The Greater Pittsburgh Show& Expo Managers New Hampshire Cage Bird Society's 19235 SWPilkington Road Avicultural Society 17thAnnualAll-Bird Show Lake Oswego, OR97035 17thAnnual Bird Show November7,1992 Phone (503) 684-3799 October 10, 1992 Judges: Hudson Memorial School SigLarson - Type Canaries Hudson, N.H. Otto Mahnke - Colorbred Canaries San Diego Bird Show Formore information contact: Brenda Geesey - Finches/Softbills 27thAnnual Show Bill Sager, D.V.M. Jon Hoffman - Parrottypes November 7 - 8, 1992 P.O. Box 575 RayJohnson - Cockatiels For info, call Deborah Morrison Littleton, MA 01460 Dan Land - Lovebirds/Am. Budgies (619) 534-0869 (business) Phone (508) 486-3101 Joe Sabella - English Budgies or (619) 466-4999 (home) Coleen Sullivan-Baier - Talking/ Trained/Pet Birds Greater Kansas City Show secretary: Santa ClaraValley Canary & Avicultural Society's Margie Jonnet Exotic Bird Club Bird Show Annual Bird Show 434 Northview Drive, November 27 . 29, 1992 October 17, 1992 Verona, PA 15147 Wilcox High School Location: Phone (412) 795-1904 3250 Monroe, Santa Clara, CA Ramada Inn South Forinformation: 5701 Longview Road Delilah gUieto (408) 748-1152 Kansas City, MO 64137 Showmanager: PhiladelphiaAvicultural Society Steven Shaw 2ndAnnual Exotic Bird Show Cascade CanaryBreeders PequeaIntermediate School Association Capitol CityBird Society 166 S. New Holland Rd. 24thAnnual CanaryShow 16thAnnual Show Intercourse, PA November 28 - 29, 1992 October 24 - 25, 1992 For information: Day's Inn Placer CountyFairgrounds Jackor Sybil Francis (717) 442-4495 6802Tacoma Mall Blvd. All American City Blvd. Tacoma, WA 98409 Roseville, CA 95678 Forinformation: Forinformation: Bruce Breniman (206) 486-8673 Carol Roberts (916) 622-1073 TerryAlbertson (206) 839-6533

52 August/ September 1992