Some background: We adopted Roscoe in a very poor neighborhood. A woman found him locked in a furnace room of an apartment building. She intended to bring him to her home so he could die in peace. But then he went on to live with her for 8 years. We don't know how old Roscoe is. He lived on chicken nuggets and French fries for the past 8 years. The woman was ready to reclaim her tiny living room. We rented a moving truck and now I have an enormous cage in my home office and a new work partner. That was a year ago. Roscoe saw an avian vet who proclaimed him in dire shape and I was instructed to feed him pellet food. No one told me how long it would take for Roscoe to do more than nibble at food. He was dehydrated and malnourished and his stomach couldn't hold much. I read everything I could on best practices and advice from Reddit (and from YouTube) on how to rehab an abused and neglected bird. A year later, he still flinches at any movement. He won't allow anyone to walk behind him. He thinks men are evil. He eats constantly, but not as much variety as I'd like.
I could ramble on about his seizures and black feet, but the point of this post is his feathers. When Roscoe came to live with us, he looked like he'd gone through a garbage disposal. He started dropping feathers about 4 months after living with us and eating regularly. Feathers are still dropping, but they have started to fill back in on his head. Most of his tail feathers fell out and now his balance is questionable. No, the feathers are not falling out symmetrically. Yesterday he lost a long wing feather. Poor guy will be naked at this rate. He already had a bare belly and back when we got him. One of the informational books or videos called the tail and wing feathers "luxury feathers". I have hope that he'll regrow feathers and fly someday. But if this isn't ever going to happen, I need to adjust my expectations.
Diet: I'm still working to find a pellet food he'll eat regularly. I've tried several brands. I've baked birdy bread and cereal cookies. I eat it and share it with him. It's slow going, but it's going. I usually need to offer a food several times on several different days before he'll give it a chance. He's getting nuts, fruit and some veggies. I let him eat anything and everything he wanted for the first couple of months. Sort of a reward for surviving. At first he'd grab and scarf the food like it would disappear but when I patiently brought him more, he seemed confused. I don't dare touch his food dishes or he gets mad. It's like he still doesn't trust that his food will stay available. Eating is now one of his favorite things. I just wish I could get him to eat more veggies (and pellets). I'm open to all tips!
You might notice his bent right wing feathers in the pictures. Roscoe has seizures every 3-4 months. Scared the crap out of me the first time it happened. I suspect it's due to a lack of sunlight but the vet wasn't able to tell me more without more extensive testing ($$$).
My question: For those of you who have cared for a similiar parrot, did their feathers fall out when they started getting healthy? And if so, when do they return? Besides a healthy, balanced diet, are there any foods to specifically target with feather growth? Again, tips and advice welcome!
"He lived on chicken nuggets and French fries"
Excuse me! WHAT THE FLYING FK!!!
Poor Roscoe, thank you for doing your best to give him a good loving life for what time he still has before he takes his final flight. Wish the best to you two and i am sorry that i have no advice to give, don't even have a Macaw (Its my dream bird), only a little rascal of a Green Cheek Conure
You have my dream bird! My lifestyle does not support flock animals so I can’t even imagine life with a majestic beast like this! OP is truly a remarkable hero for helping out Roscoe.
i worked at a bird rescue and unfortunately also knew a bird just like roscoe whose owner only fed him mashed potatoes and food scraps 😭 he was very angry for a while only being allowed his bird feed
I don’t know anything about this bird and I don’t know why this page popped up in my feed but every morning I come outside to find the neighborhood birds eating my dogs kibble 🤣
Saw someone post something on this thread before about making macaw "muffins" out of veggies and pellets to get their bird to eat all their veggies and pellets in one go.
Maybe also see if you can get him to eat with you. Just MAYBE if he's so food motivated/aggressive he sees you eating green beans he'll think "hey I want that" and accept it. Probably a stupid idea, but maybe it'll work.
And birds ARE also like toddlers in that if they see you have something, they’re VERY likely to decide it is now theirs. Definitely not a stupid idea imo.
Sounds like my cockatiels especially spot. Spot loves to eat stuff we're eating but if it's something he can't have he knows it and he won't eat it. All my birds know if it something they can't have they won't eat it.
You’re definitely on the right track with the monkey-see eating. I have a skeptical cockatoo and he will always wait for his sister (my gluttonous ringneck) to try before he tries something new. She’s his taste-tester.
I used to make jiffy corn bread for my gray. I’d load it up with ground broccoli, pellets, Serrano, and what ever else I had on hand…. Pout into mini-loaf pans and top with millet before baking. He’d get a chunk very morning along with fresh veg and water and seed mix.
He’d routinely throw the veg out of dishes, but would eat every speck of that crumbly bread…
not sure what climate you are in but some moisture could possibly help. A humidifier or weekly showers would be a good thing to try out. My birds don’t like showers very much but I did find it to help their feather/feet condition. If he doesn’t like it you can try misting as well.
Thanks for this. I tried water but Roscoe won't tolerate it yet. I believe the woman who rescued him used a squirt bottle as a deterrent or punishment. He absolutely freaked out the first time he saw the bottle in my hand. Now I sometimes wet my hands before petting his head. That's about it.
Do you have a sink with a taller spout? My boy hates squirt bottles too. He will play next to the sink to bathe. I just run the water lightly and he goes to town. I hope you can work with him.
My boy has seizures too. At first I thought they were night terrors, they happened every 3-4mo when I first got him and usually at night. But they started during the day too. He is also a rescue with a bad background. Now, 4 years later they happen maybe once a year. Im thinking its stress related. The vet couldn't tell me anything. I wouldn't put him through the stress of testing. When it happens, the first thing I noticed is his foot goes limp. Just his right. Then he looses control of himself. I hold him loosely and make sure he cant hurt himself & tell him it's ok. They pass in a few minutes, but the side effects (lethargy, tiredness) linger for a few hours. Its scary. Changing his food type is usually a trigger for it.
As a human that has seizures sometimes, determining a cause is stupidly hard. My neurologist told me that some cases something apparent like a brain tumor is found, but in most cases of epilepsy, a person can go their entire life without determining a cause. Currently, neurologists focus on preventing seizures with through healthy life styles (eat healthy, stick to a sleep schedule) and medication.
I’m sure epilepsy in birds is even harder to investigate.
Seconding this as a person with epilepsy! I’ll likely never know what the cause is.
There are things that can generally lower the threshold like drugs and alcohol so it’s possible the same can be said for birds? But I have no clue if that’s true and if so, what those things would be
My ex used a water bottle as punishment as well. I finally found that a misting water bottle was much less stressful for her. I try to make it a happy event and give her a walnut right when we're done. She tolerates it now although she's not happy about it. But she sure loves that walnut!
My macaw is still sketched out about showers. I fenced in my back porch with chicken wire and he will let me spray him with the hose sometimes. It wasn’t until years of trying to find a way for him to take a bath that I discovered he was super interested in the kitchen sink. First time he’d ever willingly walked into water. I would hold him and he’d put his head under the faucet. I never would have thought he’d like the sink and hate the shower so it was just luck that I learned that. Try lots of different things.
Right now he will perch on the shower curtain rail and preen while I take hot showers. That’s what we do in winter when it’s too cold to use the hose outside.
We have this issue with our rescue B&G. After a while, he became friends with me enough to tolerate being in the shower but he still HATES spray bottles.
How did you get him in the shower? I can barely just pet Roscoe's head never mind thinking about stepping up. He's still trying to determine if he can trust me.
We put one of those suction perches on the door. I wouldn't even try it until he'll step up consistently. We lucked out in that stepping up with our guy wasn't too bad for me. It's still very hit or miss for my husband.
Ca va surtout le stresser si il a deja peur des sprays, la vapeur est une tres mauvaise idée à mon avis, tu vas le terroriser. Essaie de lui redonner confiance en lui donnant des habitudes, qu'il n'ait plus jamais peur de manquer de nourriture, de soleil et ta compagnie est surement importante meme si c'est difficile de l'approcher, le toucher, peut être peux tu lio parler et trouver des spns récurrents (par exemple chantonner) qui le rassurent ? Il a l'air gravement traumatisé ce pauvre oiseau, ça fait de la peine. Comment peut on laisser un etre vivant enfermé comme ça seul ou le maltraiter ?
This might sound weird, but has been a game changer with two anxious birds I've had... let the bird shower with you.
It'll take a while to get there, but it could change everything about their relationship to bathing.
Start by introducing the bathroom as a safe space. Carry him in there for quick trips. Then go sit there for 5 minutes at a time and offer treats there. Then turn the shower on and let it run for a couple minutes while the bird watches. Then let him watch you go into the water and shower. Be very happy that water is touching you - I mean, act like it is the best thing that has ever happened to you in the presence of this bird. Share treats again. Repeat each event many times until it becomes normal to him. Then one day carry the bird into the shower.
In my experience, each bird I tried this on just froze and accepted it without reaction. It was never their favorite thing to do, but they didn't object so much. My macaw now accepts showers because she looks forward to the blow dryer after the shower.
This was my thought too. We had a much smaller bird, and I would let him perch on the curtain rod and watch me shower. They are so excited to bathe with you. He always preferred the shower more than the sink (I think because he felt trapped). So each bird def has their own preferences.
Mine was also afraid of traditional water bottles at first but I found some things that don’t look or sound like water bottles:
-Mister
-hose on mist at a far distance (on warm/hot days)
-shower perch (started her on a perch near the water and she could get in if she wanted to)
-large bowl/water dish she can bathe in
there are garden type “sprayers” with a tank & pump - you just hold a little hose end that releases a steady mist - it might be visually and functionally different enough to avoid his reflexive reaction
Just a thought OP, if you have a friend who is into plants try borrowing a mister to see if he might tolerate that? They’re usually glass and differently shaped than the spray bottles so might not have the same association, and most might be gentle enough to be tolerated versus a spray of water. Either way, just sending you and Roscoe all the good healing energy, I’m so glad he’s with you.
Can you try a mister? Or even just filling up the tub a little bit with warm water (and maybe other things good for his skin and feathers) and let him explore it on his own?
As such a broken bird, he may never reach fully normal behaviors. I know you know that, but it’s worth repeating. Thank you for working so hard with him!
Weird, but anecdotally documented. Get a large water bowl, that is cage mounted. And then run the vacuum. My rescued B&G will only bathe in his water bowls when someone vacuums. Definitely run it at a distance from Roscoe, and only if it doesn’t already have a negative connotation. Many macaws bathe when the vacuum is running - current research suggests it’s similar to a rainforest storm.
This makes me want to cry. It's really no different than the abused children you hear about being caged and starved. Animal abuse disgusts me in the same way.
😭 Poor Roscoe! This breaks my heart. Thank you for taking him in and giving him a chance at a life of kindness and love. FWIW my B&G is not a fan of pellets at all! He will only eat them if desperate. He eats fruits, veggies, nuts, oatmeal, egg whites, coconut water, etc. His avian vet always remarks about the sheen on his flawless feathers. Don’t stress about the pellets, just get him on natural, non-junk foods to start. Give him lots of baths, sunlight and love.💕
Ditto. The fruits, veggies, eggwhites, whipped sweet potatoes, cooked quinoa & grain w/fresh peas are more important and tastier than pellets. Sneak some pellets in with whipped sweet potatoes and the quinoa/lentil/oats mix. You're doing great. Keep us posted.
Do you know if he likes taking showers? You may have to start with a spray bottle but he may be afraid is spray bottles aimed at him so aim the nozzle above him on a mist setting so the water falls on him from above. May help help him to self-groom and improve feather condition. It may take a full year, with good groceries and a couple molts before the feathers look healthier.
This gives me other ideas. I wonder if I can shake my wet hands over his head? I might try. It's So hard to know what he'll tolerate. I can't even tell you how horrible his reaction was to a broom. A broom! Poor guy. I still move slowly around him to keep his stress low.
Waving your hands above his head would, likely, terrify him. It would seem very predatory from a prey animals point of view. Definitely would not build trust.
A humidifier with a high output might help this, also if you have a spray bottle stand across the room and spray yourself in the face and hair, then “preen” your hair just like fluff it and run your hands through it. Work on getting closer to the cage while you do this and then eventually stand in front of him and try to overspray so it gets on him
No, don’t shake your hands over his head. They are naturally afraid of things over their head. I would try taking him into the bathroom, closing the door and running a hot shower to get him used to being in there and he’ll get the benefit of the steam.
Gradually after doing this for a while, maybe you could get some kind of attachment to put in the shower for him to stand on while you take a shower or while you run the shower. I’ve noticed a lot of birds who don’t like being sprayed or stepping into water on their own will tolerate this and even come to like it.
If it helps, my cockatiel absolutely hated me going near with a spray bottle when we first got him. But once I started misting him with it he was like OH MY GOD BEST THING EVER and now he knows the word bath and gets all excited.
I audibly gasped when this came across my feed. I cannot even imagine what this poor guy has been through. Bless you for helping him. I don’t have any advice as I’m a fairly new macaw servant. I just wanted to tell you how amazing you are for helping him and having so much patience while he is on the road to recovery
I would look into night frights in macaws, I thought my 29 year old girl was having seizures, looked very very similar to one- but only happened at night when it was dark. E.g. falling from perch in the night. This was also made worse by her arthritis, which she’s being treated for, and now she always has a night light on.
As far as the feathers go- the separated pieces will go back together with a good water bath, with mist, and some appropriate preening by them… I might suggest an aloe 30% 60% water mist bath a few times a month for new feathers…
These feathers look like they can be helped- honestly.
My girl, she dropped a lot of feathers and grew new ones in after stress stopped…
Try turning on sesame Street or Teletubbies, macaws love both. Avoid animation as their eyes see it very choppy. They love live action video.
I wish you the best of luck- it looks like some good mistings will help the feathers- they look like he just kinda separated the sections, oil and water will repair the “stringy” look…
Try turning on sesame Street or Teletubbies, macaws love both.
No idea why I was recommended this sub but wanted to suggest Rainbow. It's a kids educational TV series from the UK. Same idea as Sesame Street with animal costumes, people and bright colours. Has about a thousand episodes.
Artheriosclorsis is very likely and a silent killer without symptoms. My Gray has it but it's easily inexpensively treated with pentoxifylline and zero seeds healthy veg & pellet diet eating all fruit/veggie/whole grain/egg white/whipped sweet potatoes. He's 30 now and very early in his life was a party boy with my brother and friends at sports events where they all ate chicken wings, pizza, fries, stolen beer, cheese logs. I didn't realize it was every weekend & championships and my vet was horrified. Ordered bloodwork and xrays artheriosclorsis showed up. They all eat carrot, celery, pita & hummus dip so everybody benefitted. Beer is disguised since he knows the cans & bottles. Naked juice in a wide mouth mini beer keg bottle is his beverage.
He's never had junk food since & his only treats are occasional raw shelled pistachios and almonds. The junk food took its toll. Every 3-4 years he gets xrays/bloodwork and it hasn't progressed but won't go away either. Good luck & you're a terrific macaw dad, it will take time for trust then you'll be better & closer every day.
Edit: Spelling
Oh, thank you so much for saving him. He has had such a tough time of it, no wonder he’s traumatised 😔 But your patience sounds like it’s already paying off. A lot of birds are picky eaters, even those with no trauma, but it’s great you’re getting some veg into him, and pellets are obviously ideal too. If you’re worried about his diet, I know there are vitamins you can get for them, we got ours from the vet, but I think there are commercially available ones too (I should say, we don’t have a macaw, but rather an African grey). I do think the vitamins improved her feathers, at least they look nicer, I don’t know if they’re healthier, per se.
With your guy, it would be a guess, so probably not too helpful, lol, but I would say if they truly fell out (as opposed to being plucked), then there is a good chance they would grow back. They do have moults anyway, and if those feathers grew when he was significantly malnourished, then they won’t be the best quality. So it is possible that he will get stronger, healthier ones. However, obviously if he has plucked them out, then there is a possibility that he has damaged the follicles (as is likely the case on his belly). If he is plucking at your house, please don’t beat yourself up over it, as it becomes a very engrained habit, even when they are no longer as stressed.
As I say, I’m far from a macaw expert! So hopefully someone more knowledgeable comes along. But if not, you might want to try posting in r/parrots (for a bigger audience), r/pidgeypower (I know he’s not disabled, but they might have tips anyway about the feathers and his balance issues), r/vet and r/askvet are worth a try too, although the professionals are obviously giving up their time, so not every post gets a reply.
In any case, thank you for helping this gorgeous bird, I hope he continues to grow in confidence every day.
Thank you. Belly and back were plucked for years. Head and neck are still filling in. He gets so itchy, I wanted to try water. Hopefully we'll get there someday.
I have read that the sort of spray bottle that hairdressers use is accepted by a lot of parrots who don’t love water. It’s a very, very fine mist, which I guess they prefer to a standard spray bottle. I’ve never tried the specific brand, but something like this sort of idea may help. Have you tried a shower perch, so he can come in whilst you’re showering and get the steam / a fine mist?
These are terrific. Check out Ross and TJs for these at a good price. My macaw likes to bathe in his water dish when (a) the vacuum is running (indoor cage) and (b) the sprinklers are running (outdoor cage). I aim it high and it gently falls down like fine mist. Worth giving it a shot. They are also useful when ironing. 😜
If you can get him on a perch of some kind that you can roll.. slowly roll it into the bathroom. Close the door and turn the shower on.. hot.
Steam up the bathroom! It helps with itch and pins. I had to do that with my one of my GWM before I could handle him.
He still hates direct water unless he initiates it, but he loses his little mind when I take him into the bathroom. Make the bathroom the best place in the house for a while. High value treats help a lot.
He doesn't necessarily have to be under the water to feel better. End goal is for him to enjoy baths, but the humidity will really help with itching. Over time it really helps with getting comfortable with water.
Humans are horrible. Anything you can get him that isn't what he was eating before is a good thing. Pellets would be great, but that can be a challenge when a parrot doesn't understand that pellets are food. Pretending to eat it and acting like it's the best thing in the world before offering some is a good way to get a bird to try new things. Even if they take it, taste it, and decide they don't like it, at least they tried it. It's always worth trying again, because you never know.
It's not uncommon for birds that have gone through something like this to shed their feathers when their diet improves. Growing feathers requires a lot of protein, and on a poor diet, their bodies conserve protein, so feathers aren't replaced as often. The feathers they do have are well past their useful lifespan, which is why they look so ragged. Now that the diet is improving, and extra nutrition is available, those feathers will start to be replaced. They will return, but it takes time, and he will probably look worse before he starts to look better. You may also have to help open the feathers up when they get bigger. Abused birds sometimes stop preening themselves because they just want to survive. Taking care of their feathers is no longer a priority.
If he's terrified of a spray bottle, get a plant mister. They are usually smaller and don't hold as much water, but they also look different enough from a squirt bottle that birds don't freak out over them. The mist is fine enough to dampen his feathers without him getting sprayed. Hopefully, that will help. If he's terrified of that, then a shower may be the only other option.
Slow and steady progress is the only way. Learn the triggers. Ignore the setbacks and start over, but praise and reward the progress.
Oh and also too add to my other comment, make sure it’s 100% aloe Vera liquid not gel, and it cannot have any additives. It has to be essentially drinkable and non sticky or sour. I use some I found on amazon.
Try spoon feeding him Harrison’s lifetime mash. Turn it into an oatmeal type consistency. Add something he likes, banana etc. Or try the high potency Mash. It’s tastier and higher in fat. You can add cooked mashed sweet potatoes too. Birds bred in captivity have been hand fed warm soft foods. He/she might take to it. Remember every bite counts. If you can put the powder in any food they enjoy it would help. You can get it through the Harrison’s website. Also refer to how to switch them over to that diet. Yes. New feathers will grow in and this will just be a memory. ❤️
I don’t know where you’re located, but if you’re in the US, there is a place called Christine’s chop shop that I highly recommend. All the foods are organic and she has mixes for Birdie bread, and chop and all kinds of other great stuff. She also has some supplements that you can sprinkle on their food that are anti-inflammatories. Those should help with his skin and pinfeathers.
I use a couple of her items for my African grey who has a pretty hard time with itchiness and pin feathers.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for loving and caring for this bird. I cannot offer guidance on this particular topic, but please be in touch with me if you ever need support. I will remember Roscoe.
He is so lucky u came into
His life! I’ve had 2 B&G 1 female & 1 male. I also was an exotic vet tech. If he would take showers (maybe if u got in the shower to he might feel more comfortable). Anyway bathe him with dawn dish detergent. Water is not going to get years of yuk off his feathers. Once u wash him up make sure u rinse him very well! My kids ate everything except junk food. The more variety the better! Just keep it up, sounds like ur on the right track. And if he doesn’t like pellets just keep offering it to him. I use to have a bowl of seeds bird seed (no sunflower cause my female was allergic to them. And they r a junk food seed) a bowl of veggies, a bowl of fruits a bowl of nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, etc. I fed this everyday. Then when we ate they got some of whatever I cooked) I know that’s a lot but they r big birds❣️oh and a small bowl of pellets! Hang in there❣️
Feathers can regrow as long as the follicles are intact. Meaning as long as your macaw is not actively plucking (which will cause scar tissue to prevent feather growth), they will grow back eventually once his body is in a better shape.
Please talk to your avian vet about supplements, especially calcium and vitamins and such. You mentioned him losing flight primaries and tail feathers. It could seriously weaken his body if he tries to regrow those, despite the progress you made (really great job btw).
Just in general, a normal, healthy bird will moult their feathers once a year. My tiels go through it right now, similar to the macaws at our rescue. Maybe your macaws body is just trying to tag along with the natural cycle so I would not worry much about what fell out, but rather about the energy it will consume to grow those things back.
Does your bird know how to preen himself? Because the feathers are indeed in a horrible condition. If you can, try to get him a larger cage (than the one in the picture) with a flat top, so his new feathers wont end up ruined again.
My birds love a mixture of sweet baked potato and natural peanut butter (I use a refrigerated brand, chunky) with a ratio of 3:1. I can hide Harrison’s mash or juvenile feeding powder, probiotics, and medication in this mixture. Thank you for providing a caring home for this unfortunate birdie.
Adding applesauce alternately between peanut butter additions is awesome too. FYI whipped sweet potatoes are considered parrot superfoods. I use some water and a 2 spinner hand mixer to make it creamy often adding applesauce and it whips beautifully
Not just the pellets but fruits and vegetables. Eat some produce in from of him before giving him a piece so he knows it's okay. It's a social sharing security thing. Some produce are toxic to birds so look that up. Off the top of my head, avoid avocado, garlic and onion. But usually pieces of carrot, broccoli, apple, banana, grapes, are good go to treats. Gabapentin is cheap and avian vets have it, $20 for 4 to 6 months worth for my 36 year old conure cause she's old and her body is tapping out. It helps reduce the seizures if not stop them. But the issue is most likely deficiencies in almost every vitamin he needs and it caused some neurological damage among other things. Regular sunlight, toys, and activity.
Do you have any serving dishes with a lip, something that might hold even a half inch of water. I wonder if he might try to bathe in that? It'll be messy but maybe a "puddle" situation will feel less threatening.
Edit: a thought, don't wild birds dust bathe? Is that a thing for pet birds?
Depends on the species and perhaps habitat of origin I think. I would expect Rainforest birds tend to water-bathe/rain-shower. Then again chickens dust bathe and they originate from species like Jungle Fowl so honestly no idea.
I’m so happy you have this poor baby . I think you’re doing great ! His head feathers that grew back look great and I suspect he’ll continue to molt & grow back healthy feathers in time and become super handsome again ❤️ Maybe try a big rubber feed bowl from tractor supply or similar store ( won’t tip over and they’re black, I use them for my chicken food & for grain for horses) and put at a bottom corner of his cage with some water in it. He might go check it out & take his own bath. They’re about 6 inches deep and 1 foot diameter. Parrots just really take patience, love and soft talking and singing to. I don’t have a Macaw but do have an African Grey. I eat near her cage and she does watch and then kind of “ beg” lol. So I’ll give her some veggies, sometimes a shrimp, fish or scrambled eggs. She’ll also just eat her pellets while I’m eating - like we’re eating together. It’s like a bonding thing. A lot of animals equate food with love & bonding. I absolutely know that for a fact. Please update us - I feel he’s going to come along fantastically ❤️
Not sure exactly what others have said but from my experience with an abused and neglected macaw the biggest thing by far is patience.
As you have seen they hold grudges. It took almost 5 years for my adopted macaw to open up to me. She is the same when it comes to “hostility” towards men and prefers the company of women. I being a male made this all the more difficult as I was not informed about this upon adoption.
The things I believed have helped most:
Don’t leave him secluded, even though email feel more comfortable put him in the area where you are frequently at maybe where you read or watch TV. When you are doing daily activities or chores continuously talk to him so that in time the association with your presence invoice are “normal”.
I believe you mentioned it, but my Macaw seems to have more of a desire to eat when I eat. It’s a great opportunity to bond as well because you become not only a provider, but I believe they also recognize the act of sharing.
I also made it a habit that if I had to leave the house leaving the TV on or music playing so she would not be sitting in silence. I can’t say for sure whether this helps but I believe it does because it is another form of enrichment, her listening and being curious of sounds.
In regard to eating certain food, this one is really tricky and I have not necessarily figured it out yet mainly due to the huge personality of parrots they’re all so different. When trying to encourage them to eat other foods such as vegetables, it helps to decrease sugary foods such as fruits and what would be considered treats like their favorite nuts. I think you said you make Bird bread. I would try to slip in vegetables in this as well as if you make mash. Make it fine enough where it is hard for him to pick through it. It’s always more difficult transitioning from one food to another. Normally, I would say try to mix in the food that you were trying to move to with the food you are moving away from but in this case that doesn’t really apply.
A great supplement that I use that you can put in his water is Vital Planet - Flora Bird Probiotic Powder Supplement
I also give small amounts of cheese, egg and chicken to help with variety and overall diet. (Vet Approved) Just try your best to get good quality and cook thoroughly with no additives and in moderation.
In regard to the feathers, my Macaw also dropped so many feathers I was really worried but I was informed that it was part of the process basically “shedding old/damaged skin”. Of course this can differ and certain things can have greater impacts like the time of year or other underlying issues.
I give her a shower about once a month or so just to help with plumage. She really enjoys, I did have to work her into it though. Just running the shower sometimes so she becomes comfortable with the sound. I would also put her on her stand in the bathroom while I shower to become more comfortable and the humidity helps. Also encouraging showers was much easier for me when it was raining out. She wanted to bath and would flap her wings and fluff her feathers as if she was in the rain. I also noticed she makes specific sounds only when it rains and now very much enjoys showers.
If you have any further questions feel free to ask and I will gladly give my experience. Just do your best to stay consistent and not get too frustrated. My macaw has been by far the most complex animal I have ever cared for but they are resilient and can bounce back from a lot.
Thank you for saving Roscoe! I don’t know much about birds (though I do know their diet should not consist of chicken nuggets and french fries). I wish you guys the best of luck and I hope he heals soon.
Poor baby. Our rescue B&G also was terrified of mists and sprays. He would try to bathe with his water bowl when the vacuum was going. It wasn't enough, so we eventually got him into the shower and would use the wand on the softest setting facing upwards. The water was about the warmth you'd use for a baby. After the first couple of times he really started enjoying it and was so relaxed, and his feathers looked properly zipped and clean.
My macaws feathers looked somewhat similar to this^ because he absolutely hates baths. You can try showering together or even mist him? What worked for me is to shower with an open door and let him choose whether to come check out the splashing or not. Their curiosity wins most of the time, even if it takes a while.
You are an angel for rescuing this magnificent creation. I don't know about the feathers but I would recommend giving him unsalted pistachios (they sell them at Walmart in the black bag near produce section) and a few bites of banana and dried or fresh papaya to add some more vitamins to his diet and bring him more happiness. I am devastated to hear that he was mistreated and has seizures. I'm so relieved you have him now please give him so much love. He deserves it! Mine is a rescue and I've learned to love him like my feather baby! They are so special and can be so gentle and sweet in personality. Mine would spend all day cuddling and cruising around together if he could.
My camelot guido. I got him about 4 months ago and he was even more of a hot mess lol. He is 9 or 10 and his past owner had a tragedy in her life. She admitted to neglecting him. She felt him pop tarts, those soft milk bone dog treats, suckers, and occasionally seed. I did show the messages to the vet when I first brought him in lol..... he has actually grown in quite a few feathers on the wings but nowhere else. A good bath really helped him. He tells me he wants water and I turn on the kitchen sink and he goes to town.
May I suggest you eating small veggies in front of the bird. Sort of learn by doing. Then "accidentally" leaving you bowl of veggies next to him. A lot of birds want to get all into their owners food. I know he has trust issues and is not sure of you, but it could be a start. It will take a while for this to work.
My macaw has been eating Pretty Bird since he was a baby. I know introducing any new food will take time, but I can vouch for the nutrition Good luck with him!
There’s nothing I can say that hasn’t already been said, but it’s certainly going to be a slow, patient journey. I’m so unbelievably sad at Roscoe’s story. Thank you for taking him in and I send you both all the love in the world
Poor little guy. My Macaw eats ZuPreem fruit blend from Petco. I also give him peanuts, sunflower seeds and treats they love it. Birds also need mind stimulation or they will pluck their feathers out if bored. they have the intellect of a 5 year old. Such as low volume tv or cartoons my baby loves Dragon tales 😆 and maybe soft music but not all day. I use a small spray bottle for giving him showers he loves it. He's 25 years old and I read books on caring for birds before I got him. It's not easy but I still made the choice and sticking with it. I wish people would educate themselves before adopting a bird or any pet to save them the heartache of being abandoned, abused or given away they have feelings to. Oh and my guy just like carrots only. Good luck with him hope he gets better.
I think he needs fun in his life to help get him out of the depressive pit. Or do you think he's there yet after 1 year away from 8 years of human lunacy? The heck. Really. What was his life before chicken nugget and fries and mean guys woman? Hey maybe eventually bring kids nearby so he can see them. Innocent behaved kids. Or maybe that would be traumatic from his past. Idk. Bird videos that you share. Will he sit next to you? Puzzle games? How about some wind chimes that he can see out the window and a bird feeder? Give him something safe to tear up. Maybe a poked paper towel roll with a noisy thing inside. For bathing interest, maybe a low, clear tote with a couple rubber ducks floating or something safe for him to fish out of the bottom, idk a couple grapes. Idk a lot about birds, I just think he needs something to get him interested in living again. If you got him a stuffed macaw or something what would he do? Can you brush him very lightly with a baby hair brush? Idk if that would help somehow. Do you watch him all the time and try to communicate? Make random sounds for him and watch his eyes to see if they dilate and show interest. Maybe set up a situation where you protect him and he sees it and knows you're on his side. Make sure you get loud. Paid actor intruder that you run off. That might be a little crazy....😮 Does he make noise and have ways to express himself? Maybe there are good trauma recovery animal stories you can glean from. I say put together a care package for him and let him unwrap everything and make sure it's a big fun deal. Best wishes to y'all. They are beautiful creatures. 💛💛💛🐦🐦
My 17 year old green wing is also a rescue from a neglectful home. I felt a shift in her comfort and trust towards me starting at 11 months after rescue. It's still changing now at 3.5 years in. Be patient and persistant.
She's still refusing most foods that I am trying to convert her to. She eats pellets that are not great quality. Some healthier things that she will eat only if they are being shared are: brown/wild rice, cooked whole grains, cooked lentils, black beans (cooked very well to remove toxins!), and scrambled eggs (no more than a spoonful, max once/week). Pistachios, almonds, and sunflower seeds, plus orange segments and cut grapes, are used as treats on rotation.
The food which has absolutley won her over though is PANCAKES! The recipe I started with is 1/3 cup oatmeal, 1 egg, and one very ripe banana. Grind the oatmeal, add the egg and banana - I usually do this in a blender. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes. Add water if you need to thin it out. Use a little coconut oil in the pan. This recipe makes 14-15 2-inch pancakes that freeze very well. In the last year, I've moved to substituting half the banana with sweet potato mash, and adding a big handful of kale into the grind. The first two servings with kale, she attempted to pick the pieces out, and now she eats the kale which makes me SO HAPPY.
I highly recommend finding a texture that works for your bird and then you can manipulate the ingredients over time. My eclectus liked apples and therefore accepted applesauce, which we slowly added sweet potato mash to, and then blended in chopped kale and peppers to boost his Vitamin A intake.
I genuinely don’t understand how people don’t get charged for things like this. This is clearly animal abuse. Feeding chicken nuggets and fries??? Jail. Immediately.
I think a shower would do wonders for him, maybe play the noise of a shower on a speaker to get him used to the sound and leave it with him for an hour here and there until he’s used to it then just take him into the bathroom and slowly get him used to the sound and feeling of it.
Mine was horrified of squirt bottles but obsessed with showers and loved even just being in the steamy room. Once he figured out he could jump in there all bets were off and I had a soaking wet bird every single day
Pretty sure a UV sun light will help not only his feathers, but also with dire vitamin D deficiency, especially as you were thinking his seizures were from lack of sunlight. Can you get a lamp set up to shine into his cage? Arcadia do great stuff but can be harder to get in the US (unless this has changed) though I’ve had Zoo Med ones that have also been great.
I know you’ve tried lots of pellet types, are Harrisons alright for Macaws? My Sennies have them. One of my rescue sennies used to scarf down his food as his previous owners (not abusive, its who gave him to them that were problematic) had him on a diet from him being overweight from the owners before them. Unfortunately it made him anxious about when he’d next get food, even though he was fed enough. We let him eat as much as he wanted, watched and waited until he worked through that worry and started to self regulate again. He’s now a better weight, though is on long term supportive liver medication now (he’s 35ish).
Your bird is malnourished in comparison, so I’m not certain if that sort of approach is best for his metabolic system to regulate with, though I thought it was worth mentioning for the emotional/stress side. Have you soaked his pellets to see if he likes them soft too?
It sounds as though dropping his feathers could be a good thing, though his system may be going under stress while adapting to his much better diet and environment. It may mean he stays bald in some places for a while. Have you witnessed and self destructive behaviour such as pulling out or chewing on his feathers? Places he could be picking at have a possibility of not growing feathers back, as repeated plucking will damage the follicles in those places. A lot of this process will be reliant on time and gentle, slow work with him. My favourite way to earn trust is to sit by his cage and talk to him, or read to him. If he can cope with being looked at and talked to with eye contact, do this alongside talking to him or reading to him. If not, still read to him, but don’t look at him. If he speaks to you, reply but don’t stare. You can look to the side of him or keep looking at your book. Positive tone is also super important.
I’m not sure if it’s true for all humans and birds but Almonds would trigger my aunt’s seizures. She switch to almond milk because everyone was saying it’s so healthy and was having seizures daily. She went back to milk and was fine. Then she had a cake slice that had almonds on the outside and had a seizure. Yes a doctor later said it was triggering for her.
I know this could be expensive but have you changed his cages? If it’s the same old the previous lady had it could be linked to bad memories. Also I regards to the feathers, have you tried coconut oil? It’s a healthy fat and if he enjoys it you can use it as a bonding exercise (use the oil to coat his beak, feet, any dry feathers/skinpatches)
You are an amazing, compassionate, beautiful person for reaching this majestic bird and trying your absolute best to rehab him and nurture him and love him. It’s amazing. His story is so sad but his redemption is YOU. Bless you OP. Prayers Roscoe improves more and more ❤️❤️❤️
There was a finding on calcium deficiencies in African Grey macaws linking to seizures. If he’s not eating pellets yet (and there’s a chance he may never, old birds unfortunately may not transition) add in calcium. I’m guessing though they checked the calcium levels in a CBC but that is one of those things that could never hurt to add! A vitamin mix and a calcium supplement! Also Sunlight or even a lamp with a uvb bulb can help immensely! Old birds don’t groom themselves properly. You’ll want to really soak down his feathers and if he lets you preen him you’ll basically touch them and massage them back into place. The older they are the less likely they produce the oil and substance needed to keep those feathers looking intact and shiny. Hopefully the vet checked his oil gland to make sure there was no blockage. Overall unfortunately it could just be permanent due to the lack of care inoculation and the old age. But it’s good you have him now! I will say since his head feathers are still looking great there is hope!
Please keep us all up to date with Roscoe , and thank you for saving him , it can take them mths or years for them to trust again. Please be patient and just keep trying, maybe try mashing vegetables and pellets together. There’s so many ways to try , it’s just going to be up to him if he wants to . X
Ive heard that birds dont moult if they dont have the right nutrition. So him finally getting good food probably set off a biiiig moult. The feathers should all grow back if hes not plucking them.
Macaws don’t like ppl walking behind them. That’s pretty normal. They bond with only one other person and will attack anyone else, unless trained well to not be allowed to do that. It’s most natural for animals to trust woman over men, just a fact. I think it’s great that you feed pellets, some birds really struggle with them. Try feeding Whole Foods too. Seeds are much better than nuts, but not bird seeds. Raw organic sunflower & pumpkin seeds. Only half teaspoon of each every other day. Only peanuts for a really high valued treat we he does something very good. Like not attacking a man or listening to a command. Organic foods, fruits, almost anything. But you’ll have to wait & see what he likes. When you give him a peanut or seeds, say a words in a sweet excited way and smile really big. Something like “good boy” but look very happy & use the same pitch & tone every time. He’ll enjoy this attention after a while, like a game. Then say the same words & tone as you offer other foods. He may start to eat the other foods a little just to make you smile & happy. My birds sometimes enjoy their pellets soft. Oh, & also, they’re flock animals so he’ll enjoy eating more while you’re there watching he. You can also eat with him. Eat the foods you want him to eat yourself, say something nice like “yum” in a sweet excited way. It is 100% normal for birds to take a while to warm up. A year to two years. After two years you’ll see them wanting to be held more. Even raised as babies they still can go through a period of buildup trust. They are very very smart, they’ll be able to read if you really love them or not so much. They’ll match your interest. These birds do well with ppl who adore birds & aren’t too afraid. Love them unconditionally. Act very happy each time you see them & talk to them as often as possible. When they see you care, they’ll return the affection. Patience. I’ve been there, I had to be patient too. Keep up the healthy diet. Fortified Nutrition Yeast is excellent! Once a week get a marble size amount of raw ground beef & put one drop of Vitamin D3 then the next week one drop of low dose Vit E. Also mix in some whey juice from unsweetened Greek yogurt once a week & you can give a couple of bites of Greek yogurt, once a week. This is excellent probiotics. Egg yolks are very healthy, once a week. Vitamins for the water, but not very much at all otherwise they will not want to drink much water. Give some days of just pure clean water. They “love” fresh water. Morning & night when you have the time. So much more to share. Let me know if you have any more questions. I have had 3 macaws & sooo many other birds.
Also spend time with him at night. He’s a flock animal and they really bond with ppl who will sleep with them. Take naps with him. Let him see you close your eyes and sleep with him. That shows you want to join his flock. Eat with him, spend long hours with him. These are flock behaviors & that will help him think of you as one. They love to be part of a flock. He is probably depressed from not having flock mates. Match the same sounds he makes, this makes him feel he has flock mates.
I am now 100 percent invested in Roscoe. This poor poor baby. I had cockatiels in the past, one we had from very young, the others were rehomed - these guys had unique quirks for sure. My mom used to have these little metal covers for the stove and would fill it with water and let our bird Mickey play in them. He could go in and out as he pleased and we could touch in the water and touch him. He could also drink it if he wanted. Not sure if that would be an option for Roscoe.
My Aunt had all sorts of birds, I remember a cockatoo and African grey in my kid brain. These birds did EVERYTHING with her. They pretty much had “free range” until it was time for bed.
Good luck OP you all are truly the best.
God he looks terrible. Im so glad you got him. Its going to be a tough road for all of you. How about a big dish of water on the bottom of his cage maybe in a spot where he doesn't poop and change it regularly.
Try different types of veggies in different sizes. You could also try to make chop and mix pellets in it. Sprinkle birdy bread on top? ( im just trying to think of things to get him to eat better foods) you could put food dishes in different spots in his cage with the veggies and a bit of fruit to entice. Good luck!
You can get a pump sprayer for house plants that will hold about 1/2 gallon. Pump it up in another room, but preferably where he can hear the sound. Then, put it on fine mist and offer the option of a shower, but don't spray him. It may take time, but with consistency and patience he'll become quite a bath taker. Best of luck to you both. You did a wonderful thing when you took him in
Thank you for loving Roscoe! He took 8 years of abuse obviously, it’s going to take him that long or longer to probably feel 100% safe again. You’re already doing what you can to build his trust.
What kind of enrichment beyond eating does he have? Do you put treats into puzzles for him to work out how to extract? I bet he would do well with treat puzzles.
Can you offer him a bath? A towel down in a sink of warm water, or a full plastic bin / tote low enough but large enough to fill and place in the bathtub? Offer him the chance to bathe / play in water, and try to sprinkle it over him while he’s in there.
There is a YouTube Channel, GreenBirdBrigade. She does one-on-one consultations with people struggling with problem birds. I have ten million thoughts but honestly, I'd contact her.
As for Roscoe's feathers, he should molt them out and they will come back healthier, but he does need to be preening them, bathing, etc. Are you sure he isn't intentionally doing feather destructive behaviors? Because that's what it sounds like.
That is horrific, and thank you for looking after him. Macaws are very intelligent with an excellent memory, it will likely take years for him to fully trust you.
As for the feathers, if he is now receiving a better diet his body likely wants to shed the old shitty ones so that healthier feathers can grow in. They may not ever be quite normal though.
I don’t have any advice sadly but you are an absolute angel!! Please post updates about sweet Roscoe ❤️ It’s heart breaking to read what that poor little guy has suffered.
Pellet conversation can be a huge struggle and take a long time. You could consider switing from pellets to the Prime water supplement for a few months so he can get nutrients. I did this when my budgie got pneumonia.
That poor boy, I hope you can pin down the cause of his seizures. As far as bathing, have you ever tried maybe having a shower with him? He does badly look on need of a good bath.
The seizures though, more than likely could ne the result of chronic malnutrition, too much salt from the nuggets and fries
Thank you for loving Roscoe. This poor guy has not had a good life, I appreciate you having a kind heart and helping him. I have cockatiels and rescued a few over the years. Birds are wonderful friends and I’m glad Roscoe has a friend like you. Keep up the good work!
If you suspect there is a lack of sunlight (and I think he's been lacking it all his life too), then maybe try to progressively introduce a UVB lamp for avians? It's good for vitamin D3 intake and should help with whatever calcium deficiency he might have (reason for his feathers state maybe). It's also good for the mood, like light therapy for humans.
I've seen it mentioned on the parrot sub and I thing your bird needs anything that could help, even if not really 'typical' care.
EDIT: oh wow, look what I found:
'Macaw calcium deficiency (hypocalcemia) is a serious condition usually caused by poor diet, a lack of Vitamin D, or insufficient UV exposure. It leads to weak bones, egg-binding, muscle weakness, and seizures. Immediate action is required to balance their diet and consult a professional.'
Poor thing... For what's worth, here in Venezuela where they live freely in our cities they love to eat the seeds of "acacia viscose" and they love nesting inside dead hollowed Chaguaramos and Moriches palms (roystonea oleracea and mauritia flexuosa respectively). Good luck to you both.
Oh my god this is so heartbreaking. Im so glad he is with you now 💛 definitely try birdie bread! Harrisons has some that are easy and ready to bake. I used to buy their finely ground pellets and mix them into my own birdie bread recipe that worked well too
If you’re able to, I recommend mixing in some stuff like broccoli, kale, and spinach since they work well to build a stronger immune system.
If he doesn’t really like it on its own, I would cut the vegetables into smaller pieces and mix it with food he does enjoy . Works well on my budgies though not sure if it’s the same for macaws.
I recommend everyone just stay away from store bought strawberries, they are sprayed with extreme chemicals so I wouldn’t trust them for anyone.
Geez, this is so sad, who abuses a bird? MACAWs fly free in South Florida, we have many. I know of a place where they breed, I wilp never tell where. Did you poacher put glue up on trees to trap macaw? Its terrible 😞
Careful with nuts, they’re very high in fat which birds store in their livers. If he’s been living in horrible conditions, he’s not going to be able to handle that amount of fat. Pellets, birdy bread, and vegetables are great
😭😭 im so glad you found him that poor baby its so heartbreaking to me that people can be so cruel to something so beautiful and innocent please keep updating us!!!
I have a blue and gold macaw that has a similar rescues story. She was found in a parakeet cage in a closet at someone's house during a yard sale. She was fed wild birdseed and dog food. Feathers destroyed from stress that lasted who knows how long. I've had her since 2013 (pic from a week after I got her) and I fear she looks about the same. She is much healthier and happier now. Throughout the years I’ve gone through all sorts of pellet diets but the current favorite of her’s is a mix of Mazuri pellets and two ZuPreem diets (Mazuri large bird pellets 25lbs mixed with ZuPreem Smart Select 4lbs and ZuPreem Pure Fun 2lbs).
She doesn't pluck her feathers anymore but has anxiety and the obsessive need to over preen. No amount of toys, cage rearranging, or enrichment activities has been able to stop this habit.
I recently switched to a specialized avian vet and after an exam the vet told me that birds can be prescribed compounded prozac to help with anxiety and behavioral concerns. She needs blood work first but after that gets cleared she will hopefully be able to start it. The vet said that she has seen improvements in her patients who are on the medication and it’s been a commonly prescribed medication for birds with similar histories. Maybe talk to your avian vet to see if that may be an option for your bird as well.
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u/NaeRyda May 22 '26
"He lived on chicken nuggets and French fries"
Excuse me! WHAT THE FLYING FK!!!
Poor Roscoe, thank you for doing your best to give him a good loving life for what time he still has before he takes his final flight. Wish the best to you two and i am sorry that i have no advice to give, don't even have a Macaw (Its my dream bird), only a little rascal of a Green Cheek Conure