Could i get opinoins on macaws as pets please?

[ninny]

I loved the one i worked with. He/she was quiet and cuddly the main porbelm with him he was very possessive of me. And death to any one who tried to touch me. To neat of a bird.

 

[ninny]

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Should of gave him a chicken diaper!

 

[Cetawin]

I had a blue and gold macaw for 26 years and she was a wonderful pet. The only real "high maintenance" thing with her was...she had to be rocked before bedtime each night. She would hang upside down while hanging onto my wrist and hand with her feet and I would rock her back and forth. She would yell loudly if I tried to put her to bed at night without rocking her. They need beak trimming and nail clipping. if you want to stop flying you must trim their wings. They can be left unattended while you are at work or confined in a large cage with food and water for a weekend trip.

I had a huge flight cage for Isis and could go away on the weekends if needed but most of the time she and my umbrella cockatoo traveled with me.

I would get a young bird and raise it. Isis was a rescue and it took her time to build trust and so forth. Also, remember that depending on your age, they can easily outlive you so you need to make provisions for after your death...such as who will take care of him/her and so forth. Isis was 22 years old when I got her and she lived with me for almost 27 years. She was almost 50 years old when she died.

 

[seriousbill]

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That's a lovely story, and I'm glad you enjoyed your pet, but I don't think your experience can really be held out as representative. Not everyone has such a carefree time of it. My 5 year old B&G is pretty high maintenance by most people's standards. This doesn't mean I don't love her, but I wouldn't recommend one as a pet to someone who isn't ready for the hormones, the nipping, the expense (toys, vet, etc) the yelling, etc. A lot of people get those sweet, adorable babies and don't realize what they'll have to deal with when they grow up. Most of the macaws I see being offered on Craigslist and Hoobly are from 3-7 years of age, or just about the time they hit maturity

--and there are always plenty of them available any time you care to look. Obviously, there are plenty of people out there who find them overwhelming. When someone asks about a macaw, I don't tell them how sweet it is when she asks for scritches or how funny it is when she says something hilarious, because all I see is myself contributing to one of those ads, hundreds of them, "6 year old Catalina macaw, 800.00 with cage, to a good home" "5 year old B&G..." "3 year old Scarlet..." and on and on.

And by the way, for those who don't know, keeping a B&G and a 'too together is very problematic as well because of pulmonary hypersensitivity syndrome. Here's a good article on it: http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww47eiv.htm

 

[Grumpy Goats]

I met my Catalina Macaw, Baby, at the pet store I worked at. I got to learn how to handle her from the lady who hand fed her and raised her. Baby would hang out with me and everyone she liked at the pet store. (Birds will pick people they like and don't like) Baby was purchased by someone who thought she was pretty and it didn't work out. Many times people will buy a large bird without seeing if the bird likes them. It's extremely important the bird chooses you too.

I was able to get her after the owner got frustrated and gave up on her. She's been with me for 10 years now (she's about 12 years old). It's been "high maintenance" but well worth it to me. I could go on and on about how wonderful she is but I'd rather stress the unfun stuff. If you're not ready to put up with screaming, biting, or won't have the time to give them LOTS of attention, you should turn away now. You can't lose your temper with them!!! You should be able to spend time with them each day. Getting to know your bird is essential in learning to live with each other.

If you don't have time or patience to dedicate to a large parrot, I wouldn't recommend one. They will be very loud at times and will push your buttons more than any dog or cat out there. I think it's more important to know what you're getting into before making the decision to take one home.

 

[mr.mc.]

Hello peeps

I'm a beginner parrot & toucan trainer, and I hope to be a pro some day.

So you want to get a macaw. I have only had one macaw, but I have handled many, and in all my adventures (just with macaws) the most important thing I have found is if the parrot (NOT YOU) gets to chose when he/she gets to do things (like coming out of the cage) he/she will be your best birdie buddy for ever.

 

[Sjisty]

Well, I didn't read all pages of this thread, but I do have a scarlet Macaw. Yes, they can be noisy. Yes, they can bond to only one person. Yes, they are definitely messy.

Grace came into my life as a baby straight out of the nest in 1999. She helped me through a very tough time (loss of my son), giving me something else to focus on. We have a strong bond and I trust her and she trusts me. She "puts up with" my hubby and others, but does obviously prefer me. She doesn't usually bite anyone unless she sees them as a threat to herself or me - she bit a repair man who kept shaking his finger in her face (I warned him).

I burn scented candles all the time. I use Febreeze around the house, not directly near the bird cages. There has been no trouble with her or any of my other birds with this. I don't own teflon.

Cages/toys can be expensive, yes, if you buy them at a pet store. Check out bird fairs/shows in your area. You can get a decent macaw cage for around $300. We actually make and sell toys at pet fairs almost every weekend.

Now for general information - Macaws, just like most exotic birds, need out-of-cage time, approximately two hours a day. They need at least 45 minutes one-on-one time with human contact daily. Lots of wooden shreddible toys are necessary to satisfy their need to shred/forage. A good pelletized food is a must, as well as fresh fruits/vegetables and some seeds. They are trainable and tendency to scream can be reduced with patience. Also, a plan for the bird after you die is a must - the life expectancy for Macaws is 80 years!

As far as a Macaw diaper - you can actually potty train your Macaw. Grace only goes in her cage or on her stand. Again, it takes time and patience, but it can be done. Birds "go" approximately every 20 minutes, so if you watch and catch the signs you can put her on her stand and say "potty." When she goes, praise her and give her a treat. Eventually she will learn to potty on command.

Good luck!

 

[CheekyMare]

I live where Scarlet Macaws fly wild and are stolen from nests for the pet trade. As a former parrot owner it's my considered opinion that very few people have the time, desire, and education to provide a parrot with the stimulation they need to be happy and emotionally healthy.

It's like having a three year old for 50- 80 years.

(I didn't dump mine, even though they were all dumped on me, they went to a parrot rehabber here and are living a better life than I could have ever given them) ETA: Some of them are even flying free.

They need one on one time daily and kind, consistent, discipline plus someone who won't take the occasional removal of flesh or fingers personally. It's a big responsibility.

 

[pinkfoxfarm]

i have a severe macaw...
hes my baby...
and i agree with alot of what some of the other posters have said...

1: they are HIGH MAINTENCE...
parrots are active inteligent flock animals...they spend their day flying, exploring, eating, chewing, calling...
in a house YOU are the only flock they have...they need major amounts of attention, lots of time, space toys and mental stimulation

2: they are LOUD...theres no such thing as a "quiet" macaw...now whether the noise frequency and volume is too much for you personally is completly up to you...
but ALL parrots are LOUD.
jack jack typically has a good ole calling fit in the morning, then again around dusk, otherise hes generally nto a screamer..
however there are days when he decideds to be loud,especially when he feels you shoud be paying attention to him and your not...
there not robots, and will have days when all they want to do is scream at the top of thier lungs and other days when there quiet...
jack jack tends to get "chatty" in the evenings, volume wise its not a problem, but its distracting if your trying to watch a movie and youve got him next to you barking like the dog, or "uh-oh" ing at the tv...lol

3: they are DESTRUCTIVE, that beak is perfectly designed to crack hard shelled nuts, and it needs to be kept busy...
you will go through toys like crazy, and a good cage is a must because those beaks will tear right though a cheap cage...

4: they are bipolar...i always liken it to them being so smart its frustrating..they know what they want from us but we dont nessicarily know how to read them...they get furstrated...everyone gets bitten at somepoint...the severity will vary...
that beak is also their major form of cumminication and its "NORMAL for birds to bite and pull at echother... when frightend a bird will bite and nip and pull at its flock mates to get them to move away from the danger...
YOU become their "birdy buds" and they dont understand that were highly peircable lol.

5: they are MESSY...
if your a neat freek, a parrot is not for you...
they poop, they splash they throw their food they break things they shred toys, they have dander and shed feathers...lol.
jack jack likes to throw his food TO the dogs then laugh about it...!

6: they live "forever" this is not an animal you'll have for 5-10 years and then move on...larger macaws will surpass 70 years easily. this is the animal you will NEED to put in your will!

7: they are inteligent...even the most escape proof cage will be broken out of if the bird is bored enough and given enough time...hell figure out how to undoo every type of clip and clasp, take your watch off even if you dont notice hes trying...
and unfrotunatly tht alos means removing the keys form your keyboard breaking clasps and removing earings.

if all those things sound like something you can handle every day for the rest of your life (50-80 years being normal!)
then you might be ready for a parrot. lol


i will also say while eveyrone else seems to be suggesting a "baby"
1: a beginner should NEVER be left to hand feed a baby macaw
2: a hand raised baby can still bond to someone else...(my mum had a goffins who despite being hand fed by her he decided dad was his person)
3: there are MANY MANY MANY wonderfull deserving macaws who were purchased by people who thought how cute and how hard could this be...these birds are "damaged goods" but MOST are 100% salvagable in the right hands.
many also come in from families who cant keep thier parents bird after they pased away...

these rescue birds need special anels, people who understand that birds need time, patients to bond and regain trust...these angels must be willing to work with potential existing problems (nipping, bad language, screaming, plucking ect) but for those angels that are willign to work with these birds...they make just as much a wonderfull companion as any direct from breeder "baby" or youngster. so please do NOT rule this option out. takes a little longer to find the right bird, but when that bird picks YOU, you know it and theres something even more special about that bond.

 

[pinkfoxfarm]

Also a parrot is NEVER EVER a "Pet" infact they make terrible "pets"
pets are expected to be trained, well behaved do as their told and "be convenient" (ie you can tell a dog to go lay down when you need some quiet time...trying to do that with a parrot...not so much)
think of having a parrot more like haivng a toddler or a life long COMPANION...you dont run their life...instead you share it with them...
its less "master" and "pet"
instead its "friends" "companions" "partners"