New and have questions (B&G Macaw)

[Zalmaran]

Hello! I'm new to this forum and have a few questions. First I'll tell you a little bit about me. I'm fifteen, and home schooled, yes I do have friends, but I spend the majority of the day at home. I live out in the country. I have always loved birds, and had an interest in flight. A few years ago I was perusing falconry, but I couldn't due to my lack of a car. I did however learn a lot about it. I am looking for a big, colorful, loving, extremely affectionate bird as a nearly, if not, lifelong friend. I am particularly interested in a blue and gold macaw. I definately want to raise him/her with unclipped wings, and train him/her to return when called like in falconry. I am not very interested in a smaller bird. I love to sail, and fully intend to one day sail around the world, so any insight into that would be very helpful. As i mentioned Ive always had an interest in flying, and I fly model planes. I was wondering if anyone has ever let their bird fly while flying there planes and what y'all think about it. I enjoy building things so I am highly considering building my own cage to whatever specifications the place and the bird I chose need, so an idea of what materials not to use will be helpful. I have a large Labrador retriever that is sweet and harmless. She once brought me someone's chicken that had run away and jumped on the barge that stops by my house, and not a feather was out of place and once it was here she dropped it and went on. I have a medium sized mutt that can be territorial of the food bowl. I also have a large cat that hasn't ever showed an interest in catching anything. He goes over to my neighbors' flower garden and watches the birds but they've never seen him try to catch one. We did have a bad problem with hawks here several years ago and all but the biggest ones disappeared (23 in all). *One of my main concerns is that the year after next I will be going to a residential high school for " high achieving" students for two years, but it's only about 15 minutes from my house. Also I may be able to keep him/her on campus. The college I want to go to is in New York, and I doubt they would have a problem with him/her, but if they did I shouldn't have trouble finding a place to keep him/her and visit frequently. I would also like to know about people's experiences with their birds meeting new people and how to train them to accept new people do as not to scare off a girlfriend and how they handle babies/children. And also any training programs care routines and basically everything the complete beginner needs to know about raising one of these birds. Thank you for any responses.

 

[Pinkbirdy]

Macaws are wonderful birds they can bond very strongly . These birds can be very loud also. They will not do well if you put him on the back burner [such as when you go to college ] They need YOU everyday and plenty of time made for them [like hours].This I would think be confining for a young adult . He will still be there and waiting if you decide to get him after your done with school .

 

[Mekaisto]

I'm sure many people here will give you great advice about B&G macaws, but since I'm a falconer, I thought I might give you some specific advice about training!

So the first thing I will mention is - there is a BIG difference between flying a falcon, and flying a parrot. Falcons are predatory birds - although many of them do have predators (other falcons, hawks, etc.) they do not tend to panic when they see a predator. If I am flying a falcon, and a predator appears, she will fly down to me, as she sees me as a source of safety. Failing that, she will fly down to the ground, where she is a bit safer than in the air.

Parrots do not think like this. They are flocking birds, so rely on other members of their flock to protect them from danger. Rather than try to hide or fight a predator, they rely on sheer numbers to lessen the chance that they will be killed. If you are flying your parrot in the open, unharnessed, there is a very serious chance that he/she will see a predatory bird, panic, and fly off. It doesn't matter that B&Gs are not native, and predators here would have no idea how to hunt him - the sight of a falcon/eagle/hawk silhouette is enough to cause most prey birds to worry/panic.

When I fly my falcon, she is kitted with a telemetric antenna. This is connected to her jesses. Parrots can not wear jesses, so you would need to buy a tail mount (much more expensive) plus the actual telemetric receiver (I'm not sure how much these cost nowadays, but mine was $1500 when I bought it). Even if my bird had no telemetry, and flew up onto, say, a building, she is trained to her lure, so I can easily get her back. Parrots do not think in this way typically. They may come back to food or yourself, but if they are scared, they are not thinking straight.

If you want to fly your parrot, I would definitely recommend harness training him, and buying a fly line. This means that you won't lose him if he does get frightened. Lines can be a bit of trouble - they get tangled, they get caught on things, but there is no alternative that I'd suggest.

Good luck with your new B&G, if/when you decide to get one!

I forgot to mention also, if you are making a cage for your bird wood is no good, it will have to be brick, metal or some other hard substance - wood to a macaw is just one big toy

 

[Zalmaran]

[ame=http://youtu.be/74uqeVMGtxg]Parrot Freeflight -- the Real Issues and Training Involved in Flying Outdoors - YouTube[/ame] here's an interesting video. 3:30-4:33 shows an encounter with a hawk.

 

[Birdman666]

The dangers of free flighting parrots are very real. I have lost two this way. (one to an owl, and one got hit by a car.) I very nearly lost three more that flew off and got lost, that I successfully tracked down. Plus I had two injure themselves by flying into a window. (They were housed indoors.)

I have done it. I won't even attempt to teach someone how to do this over the internet, because the odds are about 99% of the time you will lose your bird. For a captive bred bird with no flock and no wild forraging skills, that is a death sentence.

I am an aviation nut myself. I got my pilot's license at 19, and I actively skydive. BUT, to free fly a bird, at the same time you are flying a remote controlled plane? That risks a collision with propeller, and I am sorry but something like that would be VERY irresponsible of you... YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF ANY BIRD YOU TAKE IN.

At best, you would spook your bird. At worst you would seriously injure, or kill it. So, NO, BAD IDEA!

As for the rest of your post:

Sail around the world first. Then get a bird. They can't swim, and there is nowhere to land in the middle of ocean. That is also likely a death sentence. Forget the pirate movies, a boat is not an appropriate place for a large parrot. And you'll have enough on your hands, without having to worry about cleaning up bird poop. THEN when you get back, think about getting a bird.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW whether or not you can keep a bird on campus, THEN DON'T GET ONE!!! It's not fair to the bird. These animals have the IQ and attention needs of a human toddler. They need a stable situation in order to thrive. Get YOURSELF in a position to take care of yourself and your future FIRST. THEN, when you have established your place in life, and are in a position to take care of it, if you still want a bird THAT is the appropriate time to get one. If you can't provide for yourself yet, then how can you provide for the bird?!

Sorry, if my opinion seems overly negative, but my advice is colored by over a decade of experience.

 

[KeroRocks]

You make it sound like a college would be accepting of a parrot...NO WAY. Colleges don't even allow hamsters forget large birds that scream and destroy walls. I know what you are thinking, "I will train my bird to behave." birds scream...ALL Birds at some point scream. Macaws have a very loud scream. There is no way you could have a macaw in a dorm. NO college would allow that. Trust me.

A large parrot shouldn't be taken on until you own your own home and have a steady full time job. This means after college, after you spend time figuring out where you want to put down roots, after you have traveled a bit to see the world. Parrots don't react well to their owners going away. If you decide to take that sailing trip around the world you might return to a bird that has bonded to it's caretaker and now hates you.

As for building a cage... a thoughtful idea but parrot beaks can chew through any wood and can break certain metal welds. Parrot cages are built to withstand parrot beaks. It would be very difficult to build an appropriate cage. That's why we buy them and they are expensive. You might think you could weld your own cage... a lot of metals are toxic to parrots. If they chew the bars they can get metal toxicity and die.

There is a lot more to this than you think...

 

[Zalmaran]

I realize there is a lot more to this than it may seem that I do. Making a cage isn't a problem, and I realize wood isn't a good material to use. What I meant to be asking is what type of metals are safe and what types are toxic. I am a designer/engineer, and if there is a problem I will fix it, and if there is a better way to do something I will do it that way. I realize now it was foolish of me to think I could keep a parrot in a dorm room, but as I am really just starting to learn more about this it is expected that some of my ideas will be foolish. I like how Mekaisto pointed out the flaws in a certain idea and how to get around it. As for going to college the one I want to go to is very small and very laid back. I have an idea for converting a trailer into a portable climate controlled cage, and with harness training, and a little sound proofing, it should be simple to attend college and get in enough time. I am a morning person and classes don't start 'till late in the morning. As for sailing around the world, I want to be a naval architect and design my own ship to live aboard. I don't intend to simply sail around the world but visit as many countries and places trying new things along the way, once I am in a position to do this. My ship will be like an average house if not larger and I should be able to keep my bird inside while at sea, and with unclipped wings I doubt he/she will be falling into the ocean. I really don't want to get a parrot late in life knowing chances are it will outlive me, and grieve for several years.

 

[Birdman666]

You do realize that many, if not most countries in the world will not allow you to enter the country with a parrot?! There are restrictions on entering the country, or port, with a bird? You need health certificates, etc, and the bird will need to be kept in quarantine, etc. or it might be seized and destroyed by the local authorities without the proper paperwork?

Do you realize that THIS COUNTRY might not let your friend back in, and that he would be subject to quarantine procedures each time you were out of the country for any length of time?

Any galvanized metal is toxic. Most metals are toxic if chewed on, that's why cages are powder coated. Stainless steel is safe. It's also pricey.

And if the unclipped bird panics and flies off when you are at sea? How far will he have to fly until he reaches land? And if he isn't capable of flying that far, where does he land? Can birds swim if they land in the water? Can they take off again? That's a death sentence for the bird, and you're the one left grieving...

You assume that this well trained bird of yours will just automatically come back every time. It doesn't necessarily work like that. If it happens while you are at sea, it means the bird is dead.

I'm just sayin'...

Just think about it.

 

[Zalmaran]

I have thought about it as much as I can at this time. I'd like to be informed of the processes of traveling internationally properly, and which countries I can and can't go to instead of being told it's basically impossible. I know people have done it, I just haven't been able to find out anymore about there stories other than that.

 

[Dinosrawr]

I'm just curious about the very real possibility of you encountering a storm while sailing around the world, or if you lose wind for approximately a month. I think it's a great goal, but you won't be able to provide an appropriate diet for a bird while sailing because of their very specific needs for fresh vegetables and fruits daily. As well as exercise. Also, how do you plan to manage fresh water for your bird to bathe in and drink as well as for yourself? What will you do if you encounter a food shortage for your bird? As for building a boat that is house like, I can imagine the cost will be hefty and the time will be plenty. Yachts, which are the closest boats similar to houses, cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions, and you will need a license to operate your boat. Sailing boats with housing spaces are actually very small, because if it's only you sailing the sail boat has to be small enough to manage by yourself. There's a lot of work into just controlling the sail and steering the boat properly even with weather conditions permitted, as I'm sure you know.

To travel internationally, you actually have very strict rules regarding animals. It's actually illegal to take meat, let alone a living animal across borders (even from Canada to America) if they suspect it is contaminated in any way. We personally can't educate you on international travelling because that means we'd have to research every country you plan to visit, which is something you will have to do after deciding your travel plan. I think it's wonderful and I'd love to do the same, but I don't think it's realistic to bring a parrot along, too. If you feel you won't be in the same place for more than 3 years, I don't think it's a good idea to get a large parrot because of their dependency on you. When you move into different places, it's not YOUR choice to keep it - it's your landlord's. You don't have that choice until you have personally purchased the space yourself and have a mortgage.

To tackle the challenge of sailing worldwide, I would look to professionals and talk to them. E-mail or phone them to get as many resources from a primary source. They'll tell you their own struggles and how they accomplished it, what they feel is required, etc. Also get their perspective on having a parrot on board. I'm sure they'll enlighten you.

 

[Birdman666]

I have thought about it as much as I can at this time. I'd like to be informed of the processes of traveling internationally properly, and which countries I can and can't go to instead of being told it's basically impossible. I know people have done it, I just haven't been able to find out anymore about there stories other than that.

Every single country is different. Some places "cull" (kill) "contraband items."

To get back in the US you need a vet health certificate, proof of ownership, and the bird has to go through quarantine at a USDA quarantine facility.

It's ILLEGAL to bring non-native birds into places like Australia and New Zealand.

Traveling with parrots internationally is VERY difficult. Intentionally. They are trying to cut down on the wild bird smuggling trade, and potentially invasive species. AND there are still countries out there that fear "bird flu" and other transmitted diseases.

No offense, but if you're the one planning the trip - YOU NEED TO DO THE WORK!!!

The purpose of this is to educate and enlighten you to some of the risks, difficulties, and things to expect for what you are contemplating...

The days when you could just hoist a sail, and go where the wind takes you don't exist anymore. (If in fact they ever did. Passports, and passport restrictions have been around for a long time.)

OH, AND I WORKED IN MARITIME LAW FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS... HAD CLIENTS WHO HAVE DONE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.
They didn't take any pets along. And this was maritime law, which means some of these people were seriously injured and/or died...

So, I do know a little something about the risks involved in something like what you are contemplating.

Good luck to you.

 

[Birdman666]

About that "homemade cage" idea. This will give you some idea of what macaw bite pressure, and birdie determination can do... Keep in mind that this is an industrial strength KINGS cage designed to house birds like this one:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ozZFsGAEJs]Hyacinth Macaw destroys cage - YouTube[/ame]

So, homemade better be UBER-STURDY...

 

[Mekaisto]

Oof, I hope the owners of that Hyacinth get a new cage soon!

I think it's great you're learning about B&Gs first, rather that just going out to buy one and 'learning' how to care for it afterwards, after all is said and done!

At the stage of your life you're at now, I'd say wait a couple more years before making any long-term life decisions. Wait until you're out of college, and have a definite plan for your life. The reason I say this isn't because you're not mature enough, but your life is about to go through a LOT of changes!

When I graduated high school, I had my life planned out - go to university, get my degree, become an avian vet. But it didn't all go to plan! In my second year of uni I got a part time job working with birds of prey, and after graduating have spent the last few years of my life travelling all over the world working with all sorts of animals - from lions in Africa, to Spix's macaws in Qatar!

Now if I had gotten a parrot before university, because I was going to become a vet and practice in Melbourne, that parrot would now have been either sold or dumped on a family member - not fair to either!

I know that it's extremely hard to resist, especially when so many people on these forums are so happy and proud of their birds, but it will be worth it in the end, waiting for the right time.