Rio

Rio is a large Blue & Gold Macaw. He has been a resident of HSHAR for almost a year and has made great progress in that time. Rio was a victim of neglect. He was kept in a very small cage with another macaw and was unable to stand up or turn around. His beak was severely overgrown due to lack of chew toys. His beak will require routine trimming throughout his life by an avian veterinarian so that he can eat properly. He had little to no socialization and was extremely aggressive, especially towards men. His previous owner was a man so we can only imagine what caused him such a dislike towards human males. He still reacts violently when he sees a human male by lunging and screaming in sheer terror.

Macaws are large, powerful birds that require lots of handling by a confident owner. They have a tendency to intimidate their owners and this most likely was the case with Rio. A person that is timid with a macaw will be dominated by the bird, causing the bird to suffer greatly. When a macaw or any bird for that matter dominates its owner, the owner tends to push the bird in a corner and ignore it. This unfortunately, only compounds the problem. Macaws are very intelligent, as Rio proves each day. They are extremely social as well. They are usually seen with a mate or in groups in the wild. A life of isolation in many cases leads to very aberrant behaviors which may include feather plucking and self mutilation.

We knew that Rio would provide a challenge but this was a challenge that we eagerly embraced. He is a young bird, about 6 years old, and is constantly looking for reassurance. Within a week of coming to HSHAR he was regurgitating for Valerie. This is a very important part of the bonding process since birds regurgitate for their mates and young. Although Rio does test Valerie on occasion, their bond continues to strengthen. He responds well to voice commands, talks and dances. It is pretty funny to listen to the English speaking birds at the rescue talk to each other and he is usually right in the middle of it adding his two cents every chance he gets. These birds actually live in the house allowing them the much needed attention and interactions they require.

Rio spends many hours out of his cage exploring his surroundings. This is extremely important to help prevent boredom, which is also a contributing factor to very destructive behaviors. He is well supervised during this time.  

Macaws can live up to 70 years. This provides a challenge for all macaw owners. “Who will care for my beloved pet when I am gone?” This is a question that all macaw owners ask or need to ask themselves. Even if the owner provides a future home for their pet, is the macaw comfortable with the future owner and does the future owner want the bird? If you are considering a macaw as a pet please give it very serious thought, this is not a decision that should be made impulsively. If you then decide that this is the pet for you, we ask that you adopt one from a rescue. There are far too many parrots in rescues that need good homes and most rescues will work with you providing support when problems arise. There is no better feeling knowing that you helped a macaw or any animal by providing them a home filled with the love and attention that they need and deserve.

A very special thank you to Dr. Suzanne Topor from Livingston Animal and Avian Hospital in Lutz, Florida for the veterinary support and great care that she has given to Rio and our other feathered friends at
Home Sweet Home Animal Rescue of Tampa Bay!