Macaw Maintenance?

[Kinny]

I was originally going to purchase a young handraised Blue and Gold Macaw from an extremely reputable breeder/raiser in 2012-2013. But pregnancy complications arose and so i refused to bring home a Macaw only to remain in Hospital.

So im halfway through this next pregnancy and was wondering exactly how much maintenance/what should i expect from a baby BG Macaw? Ive decided i won't get one until #1- this baby is born and #2- my current parrot breeding pairs produce enough young for me to afford to buy a Macaw ($4,500). We have the money It's just that for my birds, usually i have to use what money i get from my birds to get birdie stuff.

I have plenty of time, so i figured why not do EVEN more research? ^^

So, compared to Eclectus and Conures, what are they like to deal with? What are the key things to expect before bringing one into the family?

Input much appreciated

 

[MikeyTN]

Same thing like other birds, training!!!! They need to be trained otherwise they can hurt you pretty good if not trained with beak pressure training and such. Socializing them at a young age is a good thing to do! Other then that, there's not much to them. Oh yea, don't let them scream around kids as they can make them deaf.

 

[MacawLoverOf3]

Yes, the screaming of a Mac and the hearing of a child and be an issue. Another thing that you would be a major concern is little fingers in/on cage that get bit. Donovan's past history included the time he bit the 22 month old's hand who then needed 9 stitches. Things can and do happen.

My opinion is you first complete your family and when the children are of an age and maturity to understand why they need to be cautious around any bird, especially the larger ones, I would not bring any Macaw into the home because the bird does not deserve to be thrown into the rehome cycle because it was doing what is natural for them.

 

[Birdman666]

I have to second that one. I would wait until the kids are at least 5 years old before bringing in a big mac...

You are going to have your hands full with that human baby. Adding a macaw to the mix, well, to me, they are the most toddler-like of parrots. So, they are very attention oriented as well.

 

[KeroRocks]

I have quite a few birds, my mac requires the most work. She requires the most attention, the most to keep her mentally busy. She's NOTHING like any of my other birds. She's much more sensitive and needs more emotionally from me than any of my other birds. (Yara the red front macaw)
I can't imagine having a big Mac and a baby... When my two boys were babies they required so much attention. Holding them, feeding them, constantly in mommy mode. I just can't see how you can give the amount of attention to a big mac and a baby at the same time.

 

[Birdman666]

Is your red front as jealous as mine is?

And that's another dynamic you have to understand here, is that these are attention oriented, emotional birds, that have a natural paid bond instinct.

They don't necessarily understand the phrase "Be quiet you're going to wake the baby!" (And trust me, having been through this one myself, you're going to be saying that one A LOT!)

Neither of my macs are screamers, but when they do go off, they are jet engine noise loud, and that will definitely freak a baby out...

And god forbid the macaw gets jealous of the baby, and the attention you pay the baby, and goes after either you, or the baby because of it...

Not to mention, the curious little hands, stage...

Baby gates are great, but mine learned to climb early on, and they weren't all that effective.

Little hands around cages, and large beaks are NOT a good combination...

I'm not saying don't get one, I'm saying wait until your child(ren) are older...

Unless you have a totally separate aviary set up, that can be closed off from the child, and is soundproofed, which most of us don't.

Then there is still the divided attention thing...

So, I think you'd be better off to wait until your little one's start school.

That's what I did. And that is my honest opinion...

 

[JerseyWendy]

Here you go, Kinny. Have a look of how my mornings start each and every day, 365 days a year.

http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/27542-macaw-chores-big-mess-makers.html

 

[MikeyTN]

You see Wendy's babies are so spoiled rotten that they make that sort of mess for momma to clean up daily.

Mine does minor mess which amounts to nothing like Wendy's. Willie used to make messes like that daily but as he gotten older he no longer does it. Lola never makes messes period, she's a very well behaved girl. She doesn't like play stands, she wants to be on me me me.

I have watched a tv show about a lady raising Hyacinths Macaws as she's been doing it for years. They have a large enclosure in a large room just for them. And they also have outside flights. She have kids as well and she trained her macaws to be good with kids at a young age. Her children can handle the macaws just fine. And they're little children. It can be done but just a lot of training is needed!!!

 

[Kinny]

Noisy messy things! Haha.

Mmmmm... well depending on the baby I would most likely wait a number of years (hence the pairs producing offspring). Actually.. my Daughter doesn't like getting much attention form me, in fact the other day i tried to read her a book and she frowned at me and pushed me away saying "Noo!" And then went off and read the book by herself. She's a Daddy's Girl. And my son is different too, he loves attention of course.. moreso just being talked to (which is easy as ANYTHING) and he actually doesn't like being cuddled/nursed for longer than 10 minutes.. he's rather independant in that regard, and he's only 8 months!

My daughter learned with the smaller birds that you NEVER put fingers in cages, or near them. And she learned VERY quickly no matter the type or size of bird (we have Eclectus too) you ALWAYS give them their own space and let them come to you. The only animal she harasses is the cat haha. She will point at pictures of birds/parrots and point at the beak and say "Ow.." She's a smart one. Both of my kids are very quiet and docile.

I held the cat for my son to 'hold' and pat and i expected him to grab the ears or fur and pull etc. but no.. he just watched me pat the cat and then continued to do the same and just hugged and stroked the cats fur. He's even gentler than my daughter O.O

My daughter used to run around the house with a Green Cheeked Conure on her shoulder. And learned to respect birds. So i know she and my son would be fine with a Macaw, fingers wise. But the next baby.. well.. obviously I don't know what he's like personality-wise but I have a feeling he's a shy one.

Regarding the attention.. You do have a point. 2 quiet kids are relatively easy to look after, in fact I still have plenty of time to do my Art AND watch some TV.. but then that's with 2 kids.. not 3..

And the noise. I never ever say "Shhh! You'll wake the baby!".. well..wait.. The only time I have said that was just the other day but only because the ONLY noise my son can't stand is my daughters shriek.. which isn't even her loudest noise.. for some reason he just hates it.. and he was sick. So I told my daughter to be shhh. But i try not to encourage quietness around my babies/kids, because then they'd have to be in complete silence to sleep.. instead of getting used to noise. I can vacuum, have the washing machine going, have one of the parrots inside and have a movie playing all at once and my kids still sleep fine. So that wouldn't be an issue.. and our neighbours strangely really enjoy the noise of our parrots when they squawk and go off.. >.> strange people.. lol

Oh yessss the socialization! I am VERY big on socializing birds.. or any animal really, with other people, animals etc and especially children. 2 of our Green Cheek Conures i hand-raised quite a while ago were like perfect angels with my son (and he was only a few months old) and very gentle, never nipped, never sat on his skin, only his blankets/clothes and sometimes they'd sleep on his head >.> lol. Never went near faces though and if the child annoyed them, they just moved somewhere else, usually to me. The other 2 were still VERY good with children, but they had a very mischievous streak, so I'd never trust them if they got close to a childs face... and they wouldn't be afraid to nip if the kid didn't treat them perfectly. So yes.. VERY VERY big on socializing birds when they're young.

Thanks for all the input guys/ladies! ^^ It is very helpful!

 

[Jett424]

I reckon it is worth the mess. Everything comes with their cons.