Could i get opinoins on macaws as pets please?

[Calebs Acre]

Many macaws are surrendered because they are VERY jealous of children and they are potentially dangerous around kids. If you are a VERY experienced bird handler, you might be able to judge which birds to trust around children, but it would take you a great deal fo time to attain that type of experience and knowledge.

If you socialize them and spend a great deal of time with them, they will often scream for attention when left alone. They are possessive and crave attention. Again, I LOVE birds, but you have to know what you are getting into before you do it. It's an extremely expensive investment between bird and cage.

I cannot imagine being able to rechannel the screaming. But, then, I am not a bird trainer.

They should have a yearly avian vet exam. My vet does a blood panel and fecal.

If you've ever seen Mark Marrone on TV (Martha Stewart)? He has a store in Rockville Centre, NY (Long Island) called Parrots of the World. He sells fantastic birds and is truly an expert in parrot husbandry. You should look him up and give him a call for advice. He'll give you the low down. Plus, he would be a fanastic source for a good quality bird....if he is willing to ship.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

I kind of have a funny storry, not about a macaw, but about one of the other parrots at our sanctuary. The bird is a little goffin cockatoo named Peaches. She is a little devil, but has the sweetest face you'd ever see. She knows how to manipulate you to the fullest!

Anyways, the lady who owns the sanctuary has had peaches forever and she also has two grandsons. The one grandson used to ride around on a tricycle and Peaches would sit on the handle bars. He loved peaches and peaches was always wonderful with them (She's a sucker for men!) One time she wasn't having a very good day (This was recent) and the one boy went to get her out of her cage (I think he is about ten or so now) and she bit him! It wasn't hard at all, but now he won't even go near her because he thinks she is evil! I've been telling people all along that that bird is evil...they just don't believe me when they see her adorable face! As soon as she cuddles with you, you know she's roped you in and will use you as she pleases!

 

[ninny]

Quote:
Oh no! I hope she didn't hurt him. The goffin is my close second choice for a bird.

 

[EweSheep]

Sorry I dont like to have parrots as pets nor do I have the time for them either. It takes a very dedicated owner to own these macaws.

I've had cockatiels and they are good pets. I didnt have them for long because they dont like drafts in an old farm house so i gave them away to friends.

 

[BroncoHollow]

30 years being owned by different type parrots. I'm not an expert by the least. But any parrot can be tremendous company, a lot of fun and a very rewarding experience. Welcome to the wacky world of parrots!!

You get what you raise with a baby 10 fold. You can rehab parrots but it takes a lot of time, band aids and aspirin for your head. All parrots are unique in personality. I personally like the Greenwings for the large Macaw, but don't overlook the Hyacinth - the gentle giant of them all.... or even the tiny pocket parrots that have hugh personality! Remember Macaws can be incredible shriekers and screamers - so look at your housing situation before you jump.... where as an African Grey for a mid size or smaller parrolett would be a better choice to an apartment dewler....

Please stay away from hybrids - parrots do not hybridize in the wild - lets keep them as nature intended. I'm not taking away from anyone who owns one as they can make awesome pets and be drop dead colors - but parrots are breathtaking in their own right without having to hybrid the species....JMHO

There are so many breeds of parrots, offering the rainbow of color and a diverse spectrum of size and personalities. I'd suggest buying a domestic hand fed baby. Most people sell their parrots because of lack of time and/or for problems with them. A re-homed parrot is often a problem parrot so do be prepared.

The hardest part is to remember you set the schedule - you put as much time in with a baby or new parrot that you can put in for the rest of their lives... thats is not a easy thing to judge considering the lifespan if the bird stays healthy.

Talk to avian vets, find parrots clubs, search on line, read books. Find people who are educated about parrots, not just someone working a summer job at a pet store. Be prepared before you jump in and you'll find owning any parrot to be very rewarding.

Good luck - Have fun!!!!! And let us know what you decide on!

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Oh no! I hope she didn't hurt him. The goffin is my close second choice for a bird.

LOL, no she didn't hurt him. I don't even think she broke the skin. I guess she just scared him more than anything!

The goffins are adorable! I really do like them and I bet they would make a good started bird. They each have such different personalities. They can be pretty loud though and they seem to be one person birds. Peahces will go to most anybody, but there's no guarantee she'll come back to you! She knows that I will put her back in the cage! We have another one at the sanctuary who is a little insane. He's almost OCD about a lot of things and will scream, scream, scream until he gets what he wants! Peaches is just downright destructive! She's been electrocuted twice and will chew through walls faster than a beaver can chew through a tree!

The problem with cockatoos is that they are much more prone to picking themselves, even in the best of conditions. Macaws are less likely to do so for some reason. They are still very smart, but not quite as clingy as the cockatoos. I also think cockatoos are a little more "human" if that makes any sense. A cockatoo in a cage is like raising a child in a cage. Many will go crazy after awhile!

I was going to put some pictures up, but facebook is giving me a bit of trouble. I'll try to put some up later!​

 

[Eduardo]

Honestly? They are horrible creatures. Chickens are much better. I was looking into getting one because they look so pretty, I was about to get a Hyacinth but then I spent a couple of days with a Scarlet and it was horrible. Screaming and tantrums. Horrible awful animals. I think they are to be admired, there's a big flock that flies by my house screaming their heads off and I like to look at them, from afar. I love the hybrids Camelots and Catalinas, the Blue and Gold are the most gentle but they all belong in the wild. Chickens have been with us longer and much easier to tae care of. I wouldn't recommend them as pets.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Ok, here are some pictures!

Jazz, the greenwing

Peaches, being all cute.

Ugh, facebook is being a pain again. I have some more of Jazz that I want to try and get to. I have to remember to take some of Meadow the blue and gold and Scarlett, the scarlett (LOL).

 

[abluechipstock]

i've read that scarlets can be a bit nippy, but boy they are gorgeous, my friend just lost her blue and gold back in december, she has had that bird for 29 yrs, she was devastated, he was the nicest bird, anyone could handle him

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Honestly? They are horrible creatures. Chickens are much better. I was looking into getting one because they look so pretty, I was about to get a Hyacinth but then I spent a couple of days with a Scarlet and it was horrible. Screaming and tantrums. Horrible awful animals. I think they are to be admired, there's a big flock that flies by my house screaming their heads off and I like to look at them, from afar. I love the Camelots and Blue and Gold but they belong in the wild. Chickens have been with us longer and much easier to tae care of. I wouldn't recommend them as pets.

A well cared for parrot sshould not be throwing tantrums at all. The fact that a bird does shows that it is unhappy about something. Most parrots have their "loud" period for about an hour a day. Any more than that is considered abnormal.

IDK, the noise just doesn't bother me. I enjoy listening to them (most of the time they are NOT screaming) I guess its personal opinion really. Some people can handle it, and those that cannot shouldn't have parrots. That's the very reason so many get surrendered and end up euthanized or without homes. People get them because they think they are "pretty" and don't do the research on them. I'm glad that you decided against owning one, as it does not seem like they are the animal for you.

Sometimes I wish that cockatoos had never been domesticated. A life in a cage is a sad one for most all...whether they were taken from the wild or raised domestically their whole life. They just aren't meant to be kept in a cage.

However, on the flip side, there are certain chickens that are not quite tame enough to keep in a normal poultry environment. Wild jungle fowl, for instance. It can be done, but only certain people can handle the special requirements they need. Its much the same for parrots. Certain people can handle it, and certain people cannot. I know several people who swear that dogs are the most vile creatures on earth. Does that mean I dislike them? Absolutely not. Will I do my research on breed before getting one? Absolutely.

To each their own...but just make sure you research before purchasing ANY animal...chickens included!​