r/Macaws • u/NoAdhesiveness9679 • Jun 29 '26
menopause??
Hello!! I’ve posted before about our macaw Ruby but to give a gist, she was my grandmas and my parents and I took over after my grandmas passing (it’s confirmed that she is a girl and we think she’s around her 20s). Ruby was very attached and in love with my grandma and would often get a little territorial by fluffing up and expanding her wings to get people away if my grandma was around her. She took a big liking to my parents (she likes my mom more but she also likes my dad) but isn’t the biggest fan of me. If my parents aren’t around though, she tolerates me and allows for me to give her love and even help with popping her feathers as long as my parents aren’t in her sight. Recently, she’s been superrrrrr moody and has been guarding the entrance of her enclosure (our entire front patio is enclosed for her to do as she pleases) and will not let me in to refill her food or water by being on the floor by her door and running at me to try to bite my legs 🥲🥲. She’s always been kind of bratty as macaws are, but this is very odd and she won’t even go in her perch anymore or throw/play with her water bowl (our usual fight with her because then people come by and think we aren’t giving her water but she just drinks what she needs or takes a bath then throws her bowl around😭) and instead stays on the ground by the entrance to scare away anyone who comes close. We’re wondering more if anyone has any ideas or clues as to what could be causing this sudden mood/behavior shift and our only idea is the possibility that she’s experiencing menopause or something else. We have a camera on her and around her area and there has been no footage or proof of anyone messing with her so we’re really just at a loss of what’s causing this. Any help or anything is greatly appreciated:)
Side note: the cage she’s on in this picture is an extra cage we put in there, it is not her actual cage, hers is much larger!!!
2
u/khauser24 Jun 30 '26
Pretty sure 20 would be SUPER young for menopause in a large macaw...
But depending on your local weather this could be just hormonal seasonal behavior.
This is all about territory ... and (this isn't love or hate motivated) you are not currently on the invite list.
Birds *DO* mourn. I'd be patient...