Green Wing or B&G?

[riddick07]

I don't have a macaw but I bought a sun conure from Birdie Brains Aviary and her baby macs were super cute. They were right where everyone could say hello and talk to them and they seemed very curious about everyone. She also has volunteers who come in and help socialize and play with all the babies. I know you said you might not live in VA soon but I drove 10 hours round trip to get my sun and it was worth it!

 

[maryclark18]

They are both about the same really.

No bird wants to be caged up all day, but they get used to a daily routine.

Cage a macaw up too much, and don't give it enough attention, and the bird will become pissy/bite-ey.

The more you handle them, and interact with them, the mushier they tend to get.

The more you lock them up and don't pay attention to them, the more they tend to act up.

Macaws do not tolerate being ignored. They will do something to get your attention.

The macaw will not be ignored at all, From the time I get home til 10-11pm the bird would be out able to walk around under supervision. And if the bird is awake it would come out for about in hour before I leave for work.

 

[maryclark18]

I don't have a macaw but I bought a sun conure from Birdie Brains Aviary and her baby macs were super cute. They were right where everyone could say hello and talk to them and they seemed very curious about everyone. She also has volunteers who come in and help socialize and play with all the babies. I know you said you might not live in VA soon but I drove 10 hours round trip to get my sun and it was worth it!

If/when we get a macaw that's where I have plans to get one...I have a feeling were staying here...even though I hate the cost of living here.

 

[Birdman666]

I work full time, as most people do. And I have two big macs.

They get an hour interaction and feeding before work, and then I'm gone until around 6:30 at night. Bedtime for birds at my place is around 10:00.

My birds are out 24/7, and go in and out of their cages as they please, because I have a bird room set up for them.

So, that would be about right.

Another thing you could try, and it worked for me, is just not closing the cage door and leaving them out at night, then putting them away in the morning. That gives them extra out time, even though they are sleeping...

 

[maryclark18]

Great ideas Birdman. But like I said the bird would not be ignored. I hope to take it with me to acceptable places to socialize and everything. Just out of curiosity if you go places with your birds, where are they accepted? Ive been reading/learning everything I can for the past year.

 

[tab_xo]

That is exactly what i do!

Fargo does not sleep in his cage..

He wakes up at 5am... and then he has 3 hours play time out doing whatever he wants until 8am, until i have to put him in his cage if i have to go to work or something!


So far Fargo has been allowed in normal offices, real estates, cheap shops, and clothes shops!

Never tried a food shop, but i do see pictures of people in Australia who take their birds into the grocery store :/ Hmmmm...

 

[Kinny]

That is exactly what i do!

Fargo does not sleep in his cage..

He wakes up at 5am... and then he has 3 hours play time out doing whatever he wants until 8am, until i have to put him in his cage if i have to go to work or something!


So far Fargo has been allowed in normal offices, real estates, cheap shops, and clothes shops!

Never tried a food shop, but i do see pictures of people in Australia who take their birds into the grocery store :/ Hmmmm...

:O I'm in a country town in South Australia and I wasn't allowed to even take my little Green Cheek Conure in the supermarket with a harness and on my shoulder. Not into Target either..or Kmart... nowhere. Apparently my bird could 'upset' other customers and could also infect the food... (even though she was super sweet, loved people and would be glued to my shoulder unable to take off) >.> from a distance.... *grunts grumpily* It's not really ALLOWED here, but i have a friend in Victoria who takes her parrot into all the grocery stores/supermarkets/wherever she goes, and if they don't like it, well, she just doesn't care.. but then she's a rebel lol.

 

[Birdman666]

Well, I take her playstand in the back of my car, and set it up outside at places like Starbucks, and the laundrymat. She stays OUTSIDE... she isn't allowed in.

Which is why stay put training was so important, because otherwise I couldn't do it.

When I go skydiving, my birds come with, and they hang out in a tree while I jump, and I play with them between loads...

And of course, every nice day, I get them out in the front yard tree for an hour or two. They love playing in the tree...

 

[Birdman666]

Great ideas Birdman. But like I said the bird would not be ignored. I hope to take it with me to acceptable places to socialize and everything. Just out of curiosity if you go places with your birds, where are they accepted? Ive been reading/learning everything I can for the past year.

It's the locked up factor. My greenwing especially HATES to be locked up.

She'll sit on top of her cage all day long, and won't go anywhere. But close the cage door, and she hates it...

SHE WAS A RESCUE, HOWEVER, AND DID 8 YEARS IN SOLITARY... SO THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH IT.

I haven't closed her cage door since she came home.

 

[Chesphoto]

I take Skittles with me a lot when I run errands. She been in Trader Joe's, Fry's grocery, Starbucks, Costco, PetSmart and a bunch of other places. However she has been in her travel crate, except at the pet stores where everyone loves seeing her.

The only place that has refused to allow her in has been Wal-Mart.

But once out of the stores, she gets out of the crate for a bit before we run the next errand.

 

[Birdman666]

Both my macaws are shoulder birds. Their "crate" is my shoulder.

I do, however, have a nice portable playstand that I use as their "home away from home." No matter where we go, they have something familiar that is theirs.

 

[Mike]

Alright as you probably know im thinking of getting a macaw in the future. Well I would really love a Blue and Gold. But Ive also heard that the green wings are very friendly and want attention. Can a blue and gold be the same way possibly?

Why not get both? Maybe you'll end up with a baby Harlequin!

 

[maryclark18]

Alright as you probably know im thinking of getting a macaw in the future. Well I would really love a Blue and Gold. But Ive also heard that the green wings are very friendly and want attention. Can a blue and gold be the same way possibly?

Why not get both? Maybe you'll end up with a baby Harlequin!

Well I havnt had a macaw before and I don't want to start with two lol...but in the future depending on how the BG goes I may invest in a GW

 

[Mike]

Good decision.

BGs are my second favorite. I'd love having a female to go with my GW female. I've thought about getting a BG as a stablemate to my GW, but four things have kept me from it: 1) Concern about the impact on my relationship with my GW, 2) fear that having a second bird would trigger self mutilation (she already damages feathers on her wings), 3) additional noise from both a second bird and the play shouting they'd do, and 4) knowing the additional work it would take to keep up with their cleanliness.

 

[maryclark18]

Good decision.

BGs are my second favorite. I'd love having a female to go with my GW female. I've thought about getting a BG as a stablemate to my GW, but four things have kept me from it: 1) Concern about the impact on my relationship with my GW, 2) fear that having a second bird would trigger self mutilation (she already damages feathers on her wings), 3) additional noise from both a second bird and the play shouting they'd do, and 4) knowing the additional work it would take to keep up with their cleanliness.

Exactly why I don't want to start with two! But like I said maybe in the future

 

[maryclark18]

And instead of buying a baby, id like to adopt an adult. Though I'm afraid the bird may have behavioral problems that I cant handle or resolve.

 

[Mike]

And instead of buying a baby, id like to adopt an adult. Though I'm afraid the bird may have behavioral problems that I cant handle or resolve.

You've mentioned the most obvious disadvantage to getting an adult--pre established behavior. There are a couple of advantages, however--sexing, health, and behavior.

Getting an adult let's you choose the gender. I wanted male, but Mardy turned out to be female.

Health issues can be discovered before you let the bird into your heart. Throw a few hundred dollars at your Avian Vet and they'll run a battery of tests to let you know if the bird is healthy or not.

Spend a few morning and evening visits with the bird and see how beaky and noisy it is. Few surprises that way.

I got a baby. I visited her every weekend from month two through month six. By the time I brought her home the transition was smooth. She was happy and so was my family. During weening Mardy developed a behavior that she retains three years later. The behavior is damaging to her wing feathers. Getting her young did not stop that from happening.

Take your time picking out the bird you get. Don't worry so much about cost or looks. You'll have this bird for a long time. You won't care about either, but you'll be stuck with their gender, behavior, and health issues.

Good luck. Enjoy the process.

 

[Jett424]

I cant decide between Scarlet or GW!!!

 

[maryclark18]

One question...When we start actively looking for a bird and still can't decide...what about getting a Harlequin? I know they are a hybrid and ive heard they are the best of gw/bg and then again the worst gw/bg. Yes I know socialization is important and so on.

 

[Mike]

They're very pretty, but they are neither a GW nor a BG. Adding more options doesn't make the choosing any easier.