MINI-MACAW

Question
I JUST GOT A YELLOW COLLAR MINI-MACAW.HIS NAME IS SHOTZY. HE IS 12 YEARS OLD. HIS OLD OWNER WAS A FEMALE. SHE SAID SHE HAD TO RE-HOME HIM BECAUSE SHE WAS MOVING AND STARTING A NEW BUSINESS AND COULDN'T SPEND AS MUCH TIME WITH HIM.I TRULY BELIEVE HE PREFERS MEN. HE LOVES MY HUSBAND. HE WILL LET MY HUSBAND DO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING WITH HIM. I, ON THE OTHER HAND HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OR HE BITES ME. SHOTZY ACTS BETTER WHEN MY HUSBAND ISN'T IN THE ROOM BUT STILL ISN'T AS NICE TO ME. HE WAS A GIFT TO ME FROM MY FATHER IN LAW. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. IS THERE ANYWAY I CAN MAKE HIM LOVE ME LIKE HE DOES MY HUSBAND ARE IS IT A HOPELESS CASE.THE LADY HE BOUGHT HIM FROM SAID IF THINGS DON'T GET BETTER SHE WILL TAKE HIM BACK. I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO KEEP HIM IF THE ODDS ARE ON MY SIDE FOR HIM TO LIKE ME MORE THAN HE DOES NOW. I HAVE ASKED MANY PEOPLE AND THEY SAY AS OLD AS HE IS THE ODDS ARE NOT GOOD AND HE JUST PREFERS MEN TO WOMEN. HELP!!! THANK YOU  FOR YOUR HELP.

Answer
-- Here is one thing I can tell you for certain:  The people voicing their opinions so far with regard to the bird being a male-oriented bird forever because he's 12?  They are NOT as well informed about birds as they obviously think they are.  

Given that this bird has another 40+ years to live, 12 yrs old is still pretty young and young means flexible.   Actually, in the bird world being a bird means flexible.  It's why they've been around for billions of years - and we have not.  

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 That said, I'm not going to pretend it will be 'easy'.  It's going to take time and most of all patience.  I had one older woman who saw a Severe macaw who loathed her as a 'challenge' and she didn't give up.  She got bit, she had her feelings hurt, she had the bird run from her, but day after day she treated that bird as if it were the first time and she was nice, sweet, kept plugging away.

NOW (6 months later) she and that bird are best friends.  BEST friends.  To this woman (who is nearly 80 by the way) there was no other choice.  She didn't see another option.  She was going to be friends with that bird or die trying.   

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 What helped a lot was my 'biting, screaming' guideline (it applies to all negative behaviors) and I think it will work for you too

 http://www.4animalcare.org/birds


You CAN do this