Need real Severe advice

[MeBooNZoo]

I have been looking for a new feathered friend. I have both Hahns experience and goffin cockatoo experience. Unfortunately for me, I live in an area (read as the sticks) that I can't go visit a new family member and let it "choose me". I wish it were the case. I've looked. However, there is a blue and gold for sale on craigslist today in my city shockingly but I know my limitations. I just don't think I'm ready. What I'd like to know is this. What are your opinions on the severe macaw? I've found one that's 4yrs old for sale, supposedly sweet & pet only material (don't they all say that when they want to sell something?) but I would have to ship. I can't meet. I wasn't looking, I came across this. All the research I've done on the severe leads me to believe, well, they're severe. I can't find much said about them (that isn't a sales pitch), and what I can, isn't flattering. What say you? I'd like your honest, hands on experience.

Thanks in advance!

Stephanie

 

[Chesphoto]

Hey Stephanie,

Welcome to the forum. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you would prefer the blue and gold over the severe macaw. If that is the case, my advice would be not to get a bird that you may feel down the road that you settled for. Also, unless you are buying from a reputable breeder, I think it is risky to have a bird shipped to you. Could be a sick bird, could be a scam.

At one of the shelters that I volunteer at, I have seen a couple of severes that were harder to handle then some of the blue and golds. So if I was correct in reading between the lines, and you do possibly want a blue and gold, go for a visit.

Good luck,
Tom

 

[MikeyTN]

Welcome to the forum Stephanie!!!

You have to be real careful when you ship, you don't know the conditions in person nor the people who your getting the bird from. There's plenty of scams online so you just never know, why don't you visit the B&G Macaw first and see how that goes???

 

[Abigal7]

I will have to agree about being careful about having a bird shipped to you. And if I read craigslist rules correctly they advise not to have anything shipped to you. In some pet adds and on craigslist there are scammers that will tell you they can ship you the bird. To be honest I never read anything nice about Severe macaws. When I did research on mini macaws I quickly concluded a Hahn's, Illigiers or Yellow Collard macaws would be a safer bet for me. I can understand that you are worried about not being ready for a Gold and Blue Macaw but from what I heard if you ever get a large macaw they are usually the ones recommended as a first time large macaw.

 

[MonicaMc]

Not a lot of people will ship birds unless they are breeders... so unless this is a bird that a breeder has or one that you could drive to pick up, I wouldn't necessarily recommend getting the severe.

If the bird is on a bird forum and you've seen plenty of photos and stories of the bird, and videos, and owner is willing to ship, that would be a different story.


I don't have any experience with severes, but two months ago I did have a bird shipped to me from Ohio to Nevada... 3 year old red throated conure, not tame/hand-able but a great potential pet. Hates stepping up on hands. She's currently sitting on my shoulder preening my ear!