Adopted Macaw Need Some Help

Question
We adopted a blue and gold macaw this past weekend. He is our second bird. We have a bare eyed cockatoo as well. The macaw is about two years old and was rescued by a couple who can no longer handle all of their birds (they have 8 macaws) Jasper has one foot missing since birth however he does not know it! His leg is intact and he is quite adept at getting around. It slows him down not one second. He has been at our house for a few days and is getting to know us. He will gently eat out of our hands and allows us to stroke his beak and will give a warning if something is not to his pleasure. Getting him off the mountainous cage is difficult.He is a large bird and will clamp down on the perch of his playpen with his one foot and I have to literally pry it off. I know that he has to get used to us handling him the way the prior owners did as a simple step up is awkward for him. He has to be sort of scooped up.he does get stressed during this process of course and immediately takes two steps and is on my shoulder which is of course where I do not want him to be. Any thoughts on this removal from cage scenario you can share would be appreciated. I know there is an adjustment period, and he is a very sweet and tame bird and is much better when he is off the cage. The bottom line is he has the ability to inflict damage when he is stressed and it can be a little frightning with a bird of this size. Any suggestions or thoughts work for me! Maybe he just needs more time, but with birds like this he cannot be in command we must.

Answer
I would recomend keeping your macaw off of the top of his cage until he has fully settled in and gotten used to you and your family.

Even though you might try to pick him up in the same way as his previous owners, there is no way that you can do it exactly the same. It will take your new macaw time to get used to this change (as well as the change in his environment, cage, "flock" memebers, etc...)

Also- keeping him off of the top of the cage doesn't have to be a forever thing. But just as it is recomended to keep birds off of shoulders (if they are "shoulder birds" and don't know how to come off of your shoulder nicely)... the birds need to learn that being on top of their cage (or your shoulder) is a previlage, not a right.

Of course, you know this macaw better than I do... so his behavior may have absolutely nothing to do with testing limits or dominance... but you will have to be the judge of this. Do you have problems getting him to step up from his playpen? Or the back of a chair? If not... practice with him on these perches often before allowing him free range on top of his cage.

I hope this helps somewhat.

-Maggie