Alright, Past history is past history I'm not going to get into it but I came here for a Help and reason...

I work Temp at a doggy daycare, I am the only one who knows anything about birds and we recently had a gentleman who's a very well kept client there, purchase a scarlet macaw. He has a Weimeriener too (big dog + big bird = bad) which I told him. I also found out he got it last weekend and is handfeeding it and it's about 5 or so months old, Paul gave me advice on it and he said it's fine, anyway I'm going to end up baby sitting this bird which I'm cool with but my co-workers are up in arms about him having a bird. The story changed as to HOW he got the bird through all 7 of my coworkers he told the story to, he told me he got the scarlet from Todd Marcus because his cousin got a B&G there and his father used to keep macaws but he called me in desperation because the bird already hates his girlfriend and most other people in the house and he has no idea what he's doing with it. I'm not comfortable telling him t o take the bird back to the story because he seems very attached to it and the father has bird experience. The bird is in a very very large kings cage, one that I could sit comfortably, and stand in with a little jumping room if you can believe it. (I'm guessing...3K for the cage.) So I went to see him and the bird last night, he had no idea about sleep scheduals for the birds, no clue about what to buy her for fruit and only one toy dangling in the cage. Aparantly though she's been eating just fine her problem is she doesn't like women though. It wasn't too bad when I got there aside I'm short and when she was sitting on my arm that beak went for my right eye so I did that arm wave thing under her to dislodge her before she could get too close and.... I don't know honestly where I'mg oing with this but next weekend there will be a macaw in the house, I've never had experience with big birds to be truthful I've always thought they were big scary territorial things with oversized beaks (Not trying to offend but they are scary o_o I'd never held one until yesterday) So if anyone has advice for what to do with a territorial 5 month old weaning macaw please tell me. I had no clue though, that any pet store would sell a bird without it being fully weaned... I was told some stores do because it helps with bonding but this is the first I've ever heard of a big brand name store selling a baby. I'd also like to note I'm not slinging mud, or trying to get anyone in trouble. I just need to know absolutely as much as possible from anyone and everyone who has big bird experience what to expect and to know because this bird may end up spending a great deal of time being babysat by me as he does travel. I did tell him to get a second macaw if he's going to be out a bunch so she has someone to play with, and did say he needs about 4-7 hours a day to spend with it and I went over a basic list of food....but other than the same fruits that conures eat I have no idea if macaws even eat seeds. Help?

Not too much of a chance of Todd's selling a baby Scarlet macaw unweaned to anybody but an experienced hand feeder. Is this bird still weaning and how are you gonna hand feed it? Tinna the bird will sense your fear and play you for all the chuckles it can get lol.If this bird is only 5 months old I should know it ,I've been there enough in the last 8 months. You will have your hands full but you know where to find us . I would also think if you're babysitting for him he would be giving you the birds fav food along with it right? Just let us know how we can help ya out.

With this person only having this baby for a week, I'm sure this baby is scared and will need time, gentleness, patience and security to adjust to it's new home. You may want to suggest to your friend that during this critical time of adjustment it may not be in the best interest of the bird to be traveling, especially if he's handfeeding formula.

Wow Tinna that is a lot to handle. I know NOTHING about weaning, but it's true, don't let it know you're afraid! A friend of ours showed fear towards Maple, and Maple has tortured her ever since!!!

And of course, we are all here if you need anything.

He meantioned she eats nuts, no clue what nuts, he asked me what he should be feeding her and I was like, "....Cored apples...?" The man is NOT AN EXPERIENCED HAND FEEDER to my knowledge. Maybe it was the fact he was wearing an expensive suit, or maybe he just pulled the name of a bird store out of the hat and gave it to me, I don't want the man called on it because if someone says something asking questions along the lines of the information I've given and I could lose my job, which I'd prefer not so I'm asking this stuff stay here on Parrot chatter. I don't even know how to handfeed a bird beyond that there's a pipe for food and in that pipe is a crop which needs food at the correct temp to go into...except there's aparantly four holes in a macaws mouth....I'm living in Stroudsburg PA btw if there are any members who remember me near there who have advice or I can go visit to learn the proper technique.

I did my best too to not display fear, she bit me hard on my wrist yesterday and all she got instead of a yell of pain was "NO!" in almost a snarl tone (I was trying to use the same technique I do with training dogs) and waved her on my arm.

To Feathers&Fur8,

The man owns a penthouse condo with marble floors and diamond chandilers, I am really uncomfortable staying in a strangers apartment (he did not offer anyway) to take care of a bird. His father has had macaws before, but refuses to take her in if she's handfeeding. I'm not a forceful person. I will try to tell him it's best not to travel around but I don't know if it will make too great a difference. The man has wealth and power. And I am a poor college kid with no spine when it comes to dealing with situations like this that require not only delicacy... but tact.

So in other words...he got the bird for show.
Here I was going to ask if maybe it was stolen.
I bet he wont have her in another month.
Go to a bird store and get formula. If it is a reliable store, they should be able to explain how to feed him.

Tinna, have the man show you how he feeds the bird.

And, NO apple seeds.

Sounds like he should not have a bird in my opinion.

Tinna if you do not mind my saying so you need to not get involved in this situation. If something happens and you feed the bird wrong, not only will you feel bad about the bird but if this guy has "wealth and power" as you have said you will be screwed.

Personally if you do not know how to handfeed steer clear. I have hand fed a Hy and it is not an easy thing to do. Large birds pump hard, if the temp is not just right - they can get burned or infections. I know you want to help but I would hate to see you get hurt.


Also, I do not think that it would be a good idea for this person to get any more birds. All you would end up with is two or more problems who get no attention because he is never there.

Sorry for being brutally honest but I think you would do better to let this one go.

As far as the unweaned bird thing goes, they usually teach the owners how to feed before they leave. I have bought several birds from Todd and can honestly say that they have never forced me to take an unweaned bird. Maybe the guy had them fooled? Who knows.

Good luck kiddo!

I said CORED apples Grandma I remembered that much and explained the seeds are arsenic, come to think of it when I came into his house (btw, it blew me away my coworkers told me when they took his dog home per his request at the end of the day each day that it was nice, I didn't think omg there's 15th century art on the wall) I can only imagine what he's going to do when she gets her beak on his 13th century end table...btw I have no idea what century the art is in, I just look at it, I know it's old, I know he's rich, but he doesn't seem to treat her like a show piece, he got her out of the cage, cradled her and gave her scritches. I don't believe he'll take the bird back, even if I was that kind of person if I pushed the issue of him taking the bird back then the bird may get left in the pent house unsupervised with someone who has even LESS knowledge than I do about the bird. I'm going to see him again this sunday and ask if he would show me the method he wants the bird hand fed in. My boss has been saying that in 3 months when the bird really starts screaming he might just throw it out the window and I don't want to alienate myself from the man in case something bad does happen. Someone has to be there for the bird right...?

Maj, she does eat normal food, maybe I can get by without hand feeding and just see if while I'm there she'll take formula in another form without me putting it down into her crop? But he wants her hand fed... I know you're all saying stay clear but again like what happened with Grandma months ago with the neighbor who found the scarlet? She thought he was doing fine and didn't check in on him until he came over upset the bird was dead and he was doing everything wrong (THIS WAS NOT HER FAULT, it happened as it does sometimes she was not to blame I am not saying she's to blame but I'm quoting the situation) .... I will remind him again on sunday when I see him that I've never hand fed and see if that changes his tune, I'm not due to transport the bird for supervision until the following thursday.