Ottawa Parrot Club – Guest Speaker Sept 20, 2009

We will be the guest speaker for the Ottawa Parrot Club on Sept 20, 2009.  Details about the meeting can be found on their website

http://www.ottawaparrotclub.org/opc/index.php

How To Safely Handle a Large Unruly Bird

I was asked by our rescue network to demonstrate by video how to safely handle a large unruly parrot for grooming purposes.  For this video we used a Semi Wild Catalina Macaw who was only here for two days. 

Grooming a large unruly Parrot without Assistance

I was asked by members of our rescue network to provide a training video on how to groom a large, hard to manage bird without assistance from anyone.  Although the video quality is not great, it does show the technique on how to hold and maintain a large bird.  The bird used in the video was a Catalina Macaw that was only at the rescue

Bella – Blue and Gold Macaw

Bella is a female blue and gold macaw and is approximately 6 yrs old.  She came in with Rocky the Catalina from the same rescuer.  Here is what I recieved from her rescuer.

“i was told  bella was 6 years old, was a pet, then the owner decided they did not want her and they sold her, this person put her in a breeding program, bella was with 2 male mccaw, because he though that she will like one but it became a competition between the two males, they were very mean to her, after unsuccessful breeding he gave her to this store”

Bella is very underweight and bald to the skin and nervous right now.  We will be working on all these issues to get her healthy and happy again.  We are waiting on some test results from her vet to help us determine the best course of action for Bella at this time.

Rocky – Catalina Macaw

Rocky is a Catalina Macaw (sorry there is no wiki as this is a cross breed between a blue and gold macaw and a scarlet).  Rocky started her life as a pet but at some point the owners put her into a breeding program.  When she was unsucceessful at breeding, (the breeder did not DNA her and put her in with another female) she was abused by the breeder and eventually sold to a petstore.  She was then purchased by a rescuer who tried to help Rocky as best as she could.  She realized Rocky required more work than she was able to give, she contacted us to help Rocky.    She is partially plucked on the chest area but we are hopeful we can feather her up again.  She also has a ruptured air sac which is a common affliction for macaws where their neck area puffs out a bit when the birds are excited but goes back to normal when they relax.  It does not harm them and surgery for repairing this is only done in the worst cases.  She was DNA’s and it was found at this point she was a female.  She seems to prefer men and was quite talkative with my husband last night and was giving him kisses and dancing.  We feel she will come around rather quickly and will be working on diet and feathering for her.