New Macaw Parent Questions!

[Greenclaws]

Ahhh!!! This is all happening so fast. I found a breeder of Jubilee macaws who actually lives one state up from me. I wasn't planning on getting my baby until a month or two from now when id have all my perches and stands and cage purchased and set up (not to mention finances!) However this breeder had two babies available and wouldn't have any babies until next March. She got me in touch with one of her friends who has been handfeeding one of her babies for her. Best part: she lives in Atlanta! Only an hour's drive for me.

As much as I preferred to wait until I had everything ready, the stories she told me about this one baby just stole my heart! She is a total lover, not beaky, already says "mama" and "I love you", and because of that, she says "mama" when she wants attention and never screams. She also gives little kisses on the cheek with her tongue, lets them hold her in their arms on her back, and lays perfectly still to let them trim her toenails! I couldn't refuse the opportunity to meet her. Not to mention she is BEAUTIFUL!! Anyways, the bird is back with the breeder now because she was afraid that she was getting too attached to her friend. But her friend is meeting back up with the breeder tomorrow to pick up more babies to hand feed, and she's bringing back this little girl for me!!! As long as the meeting goes well (I can't imagine it wouldn't!), I'm going to be buying her next week!!!!! IM SO EXCITED!!!


So I have a few first time macaw parent questions for you all...

This baby is about 4 months old. She is already eating pellets and is trying fruits and veggies and the lady said she could be weaned by now. However since she's 75% green wing and they usually take longer to wean, I want to keep offering her her night time feedings until she weans herself. They said to buy Zupreem's bird formula so ill be getting that today along with a syringe. Would anyone suggest any other formula in its place?

She's also eating Zupreem pellets. Should I just get her a small bag of that for now and then switch to a better pellet like Harrison's? Or can I switch her cold turkey? What's the best pellet for a hybrid that is predominantly green wing?

I also don't have her permanent big-girl cage yet. I know baby macaws go in smaller cages until they're a certain age and won't injure themselves from falling in a big cage. I currently have a bird cage that's 3.5 ft wide and 4.5 ft tall. Will that be Ok as a temporary cage for a 4 month old macaw? At what age can she move up to a full sized cage? If its too small, can I use an extra large stainless steel dog crate for a temporary cage? It's big enough for a Great Dane to fit in. There's a bird show in Georgia in two weeks that ill hopefully find a good bird cage at but I need something temporary until then.

I also don't have a stand or anything yet. Can she just hang Out on top of her cage until I buy one? If she goes in the bird cage I mentioned, its on a wheeled base that makes the top of it over 6 ft tall. Is that safe for a young macaw or should I take it off the base? Or is there a cheap simple way to build a stand until I get one at the bird show? I'm spending my whole paycheck plus some on this baby so can't afford lots of expensive accessories until I get paid in two weeks. I also am not crazy about the PVC stands since they're slippery but please let me know if that's my best option for now.

I don't have any perches that are large enough for a macaw's feet. But I have tons of crepe myrtles on my property. Can I use their branches for perches until I buy more? Any sanitizing methods I should use for the cages and perches and toys?

Thanks everyone! I really really hope everything works out. I'm just so excited I can't stop thinking about her! Here's a picture for you all (I can't post more than one?)

 

[Greenclaws]

Anyone?

I already bought her formula and pellet food that she's used to, so that'll afford me a month to do more research.

Mostly just want to know at what age a macaw needs to be moved into a full sized adult cage. And if anyone has actually used crepe myrtles for perches. I'm reading mixed reviews about them but wonder if people are confusing them for myrtle trees, which are a different species and definitely poisonous.

 

[EAI]

I would personally wait for her to be fully weaned. If you don't have any experience weaning babies, the breeder should be the only one doing so. This would mean more waiting for you which means you can continue to save up money.

Did you actually meet her yet? Without the introduction it could be hard to tell if she really is the one for you. Possibly in March you could find another Jubilee Macaw that fits her personality too?

I wouldn't leave her on top of the cage because there is a height advantage for her to which it's easier for her to strike you. And falling 6 ft is quite painfully for anyone, especially fragile bird bodies. PVC playgyms offer you a lot of variety to how you want to build them. They aren't slippery if you put vet wrap over them or seagrass ropes.
It does take quite a lot of planning and is usually cheaper. Just sketching my play gym took 1 1/2 weeks to make sure its perfect.

It sounds horrible, but I think you should wait a little bit more. It is VERY tempting wanting another bird but if your'e not financially ready for a Macaw it's better to save up until you do have A LOT for their expenses. DIY things like the PVC perches and toys should help out a lot.

About the perches, make sure you know its Crepe Myrtles. If you plan to cut it off the tree make sure (this was my method) to rinse it down, wait for it to dry, rinse it again with HOT water, scrub it down with bleach+vinegar+water solution then rinse it with hot water again, and finally wait for it to become completely dry. It's recommended that you clean all supplies before putting them in the bird cage. You could scrub them down with the bleach and vinegar solution to be sure you killed off any parasites or diseases. Make sure you rinse out the food and water bowls extremely well after.

 

[Greenclaws]

Unfortunately the lady who raised this baby is already planning on going to the breeders today to pick my baby up for me. No backing down now unless for some reason, I meet her and she just freaks out and hates me. I already have my heart set on this baby now that I know I'm getting her, I've already got her formula, pellets, ordered her aviator harness, and I'm building her stand this weekend.

This bird is four months old and of all the breeders I've spoken to, none of them would keep a baby much longer than this age. This may be bad practice on all their parts, but it puts me in a position where It would be very hard to find a breeder who will continue to handfeeding indefinitely. I only want to continue handfeeding because I don't want to force her to wean. But they already have her eating pellets and veggies and fruits and told me the formula is no longer necessary. The woman who is bringing her to me is an experienced hand feeder and assured me that since this bird is older and has a very strong feeding response, if I chose to continue offering her her single daily handfeeding, that I wouldn't have any problem getting her to take the formula, and she'll be teaching me how to properly do it.

The lady who raised this bird also recommended I should meet a bird before purchasing it. But she and the breeder also said they had no doubt that I'd love her when I meet her. The reason on jumping on this opportunity instead of waiting is because her personality sounds spectacular. She started talking at a very young age, young enough for both her caretaker and her husband to not believe their ears. She never screams and instead uses her words to communicate. They recently took her to a bird show and when anyone was too scared to hold a macaw, she was the model citizen and would gladly stand on any stranger's arm and let them pet her. Of course I know all of this can go downhill without continued proper socialization and training, but I don't plan on letting that happen. And I think she's a great starting point for the type of macaw I want to raise.


The breeder has agreed to let me meet her before purchasing her. But this is with the assurance that ill be buying her as long as her personality is what they described. She doesn't want to put her bird through the stress of a five hour car ride for someone who might hange their mind for no reason. So, no money has exchanged hands yet, but I'm excited beyond words and I don't see myself suddenly changing my mind tonight. I do appreciate the advice though, just wanted to better describe why I'm choosing to go through with this.

As far as money goes, I found an excellent bird food/cage/toy supplier. He gave me my 5 lb bag of Zupreem formula for $17 when a local pet store quoted me $40 for a 5 lb bag of Kaytee. He sells tons of toys and cages, all whole sale. Best part is he delivered my food to me yesterday and said he'd gladly do so for any cage or accessory I need but can't make it out to his store during business hours to get. I'm not broke, just trying to be patient on the not-so essential items so I can find a good deal. However if any emergency came up or I needed anything last minute, I have the money to spend and wouldn't hesitate to do so to make my baby girl happy

 

[4dugnlee]

Well it certainly sounds like you will be a parront sooner than later Congrats! If it were me personally, I would not hand feed if it doesn't still need it. That's just me...I'd be afraid of doing it wrong

I can't speak for macaws as I've never had one so others will hopefully jump in to give more specific advice.

Again, congrats, and post pics when you can!

 

[Greenclaws]

I would personally wait for her to be fully weaned. If you don't have any experience weaning babies, the breeder should be the only one doing so. This would mean more waiting for you which means you can continue to save up money.

Did you actually meet her yet? Without the introduction it could be hard to tell if she really is the one for you. Possibly in March you could find another Jubilee Macaw that fits her personality too?

I wouldn't leave her on top of the cage because there is a height advantage for her to which it's easier for her to strike you. And falling 6 ft is quite painfully for anyone, especially fragile bird bodies. PVC playgyms offer you a lot of variety to how you want to build them. They aren't slippery if you put vet wrap over them or seagrass ropes.
It does take quite a lot of planning and is usually cheaper. Just sketching my play gym took 1 1/2 weeks to make sure its perfect.

It sounds horrible, but I think you should wait a little bit more. It is VERY tempting wanting another bird but if your'e not financially ready for a Macaw it's better to save up until you do have A LOT for their expenses. DIY things like the PVC perches and toys should help out a lot.

About the perches, make sure you know its Crepe Myrtles. If you plan to cut it off the tree make sure (this was my method) to rinse it down, wait for it to dry, rinse it again with HOT water, scrub it down with bleach+vinegar+water solution then rinse it with hot water again, and finally wait for it to become completely dry. It's recommended that you clean all supplies before putting them in the bird cage. You could scrub them down with the bleach and vinegar solution to be sure you killed off any parasites or diseases. Make sure you rinse out the food and water bowls extremely well after.

Oops, sorry, I didn't see your advice on the crepe myrtles until just now! Thanks so much, this is great info. I'm going to stick to PVC for her stand but ill be using the tree branches for her temporary cage perches and willies the methods you described. And I'm 100% sure they're crepe myrtles. No mistaking that beautiful wood and those spectacular flower displays!! Ill make sure to use older branches and use sections that are thick and smooth without any twigs or leaves. Thank you!

 

[horsesculpter]

Go ahead and love that baby. She sounds wonderful. I am the proud mama of a Catalina who we wouldn't trade for the world. She was a rescue and was traumatized by the move when we got her but four years later we all have a lot of fun. The only bird we handfed was a Quaker but it is my understanding macaws take longer. She will be undergoing the stress of a new home so yes definitely let her wean herself. She may need the comfort of hand feeding to help with the move. I believe in letting the babies make that decision when they are ready. A new home is enough change for her to start with. I haven't tried Crepe Myrtles although we have plenty. There are websites that list safe woods for parrots. A baby may chew a lot on it. Well heck, my big bird chews on her perches. After reading your wonderful description I would jump on her too. Have a ball. There will be bumps but life is a little bumpy. More fun to share it with somebody!

 

[EAI]

Ee! Hope you can post pictures of the meet!. So sorry for the misunderstanding, at first it seemed like the money was more of the issue but I can see that you can work it out and I'm quite jealous you found such a great deal.
I'd make sure she see's a vet since she was at a bird mart. I haven't gone to one but there are diseases that can be spread there.

 

[Greenclaws]

Ee! Hope you can post pictures of the meet!. So sorry for the misunderstanding, at first it seemed like the money was more of the issue but I can see that you can work it out and I'm quite jealous you found such a great deal.
I'd make sure she see's a vet since she was at a bird mart. I haven't gone to one but there are diseases that can be spread there.

I will try to take as many pics as possible! But no promises as I might be so smitten by her that I forget all about the camera. Haha!

Its been a loooonng day of preparation! I feel like an expecting mom who is literally "nesting". After preparing for the bird, i started rearranging all my plants in my sunroom and taking care of every odd job i could think of because "I wont have time for this once the baby arrives!" Hahaha.

I used your advice for cleaning my crepe myrtle perches. They look great! I bought a long screw in rod, washers, and wing nuts and made them nice and secure like the store bought ones. That wood is DENSE!! My brain was rattling around while I tried to hold the reciprocating saw in place to cut it.

I also drew up a design and mapped out all the PVC fittings ill need for what I think will be a really fun play stand! Unfortunately Home Depot and Lowes don't carry all the fancy fittings I need so I just built her a simple stand today. It will be her portable stand, maybe the one I use to teach recall/flight, and would probably make a good shower stand. Will have to special order all the other fittings tomorrow!

As far as an avian vet. I'm actually afraid to take her. I know its inevitable but I just feel like that would be one of the places where she'd have a high chance of cross contamination from another sick bird. Luckily the breeder has already vaccinated her for Psittacosis, I believe before she went to the show. Is thereany other major shots I need to get for her before I can take her outside and to parks? (Will avoid pet stores and bird shows and won't start going outside until she's completely comfortable on my arm and in her harness.)

Thanks for all the support everyone!

 

[Greenclaws]

Go ahead and love that baby. She sounds wonderful. I am the proud mama of a Catalina who we wouldn't trade for the world. She was a rescue and was traumatized by the move when we got her but four years later we all have a lot of fun. The only bird we handfed was a Quaker but it is my understanding macaws take longer. She will be undergoing the stress of a new home so yes definitely let her wean herself. She may need the comfort of hand feeding to help with the move. I believe in letting the babies make that decision when they are ready. A new home is enough change for her to start with. I haven't tried Crepe Myrtles although we have plenty. There are websites that list safe woods for parrots. A baby may chew a lot on it. Well heck, my big bird chews on her perches. After reading your wonderful description I would jump on her too. Have a ball. There will be bumps but life is a little bumpy. More fun to share it with somebody!

Your baby girl is beautiful! I love the orange chested hybrids with green backs! It's originally what I wanted to find in a jubilee, but this little girl stole my heart. She looks more like a ruby macaw than her brother who takes after the harlequin look. I love that your bird enjoys car rides and knows how to sit in a car (in your avatar). I hope my girl learns to be that way!

Thanks for the assurance on the hand feeding. What you say about the stress of a new home and the bird needing the extra comfort makes sense. On that note, should I be doing a morning and night time hand feeding to start out just to make sure she's taking in the food she needs? Right now she only gets one night time feeding.

 

[EAI]

Yeahp, that can happen. Too busy to take pictures haha!

Your baby will really appreciate your cleaning job, make sure you're plants are bird safe incase you want to take your bird in there.
I'm not sure if it would snap the branches but a vice could help secure it while you drill into it.

A simple stand is a great start, as long as there's a place for her to stay. Have you thought of making the heights adjustable? Start off a bit lower to the ground incase she finds that flying to the ground is fun. It'll prevent your lil girl getting seriously hurt.
PVC stands are really cheap too if it helps, the total of mine were around 40 dollars and it's around 5 feet across and almost 6 feet high.

Luckily for me, there has been no birds in the same vet while I took mine for their checkups. Is there a possibility you can set up an appointment where theres no other birds? I'm not so good with the shots so another member might be able to answer that.

Make sure to post pics of the cage set up too! I'd love to see the perches.

 

[Greenclaws]

Here's another question: my boyfriend is installing a multi-CD player and surround sound speakers tomorrow in the sunroom (where the bird will be in her cage when I'm at work.) I have a 10 disc set of nature inspired "relaxing" music that I planned on playing for her when no one's home. It would just be soft background music, nothing crazy. My budgie loves music and I bet he will sing a lot to keep her entertained, and hopefully she will learn to recognize my two Aussies as part of her flock too, so she won't feel so alone.

My question is: is it a good idea to always give your bird background sounds/music, if you then plan on turning it off once people get home? We usually have the TV on when we are home, and I plan on moving her to her play stand in the living room when I'm home. However if she grows used to the background noise, would moments of silence weird her out? Would any of this create a situation where a bird might feel inclined to scream? What does everyone else do for their birds when no one's home?

 

[EAI]

The background music seems like a great idea.

I don't normally do that because my Parakeets help keep the noise up along with the kids by my house (I live behind a school/playground).

Please don't actually take my advice unless someone else supports it, but possibly rotate the days you play the sounds, or keep changing it so she's accustomed to changes.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I have my radio on just about all day long, and I must be honest, once I shut it off, every single one of my fids becomes very quiet. (Yeah...those rare quiet moments, lol).

I think EAI had a great idea by rotating when you turn the soothing sounds on, so your baby doesn't get used to the same old same old on a daily basis (noise wise).

 

[Greenclaws]

Great idea! I can set it on a timer and maybe have it turn off by itself two hours before I get home so she doesn't associate me coming home with her music going off.

I found this cage on Craigslist. What do you guys think of AE cages?? I was holding out for a large white cathedral topped Kings cage but the person who posted this cage didn't include the word "bird" in their post nor have a picture, brand or model so I'm thinking they won't get much interest and I can probably get it for a great deal:

http://m.windycityparrot.com/item/383639

I like the corner concept although it'll take some rearranging on my part. Thoughts?

 

[Birdman666]

I also did monster PVC stands, though mine is 4 ft by 8 ft by 7 ft.

They are simple to make, and way cheaper than anything commercially available.

Mine is in a King's double macaw cage. I prefer dometops for the big guys with the long tails, otherwise the tail gets in the way.

 

[Greenclaws]

Birdman, that cage is listed for $350. Pretty sure I could get it for $200 or $250. Is that a good cage for now? I could put her in it so I can take my time looking for my dream cage. A double king's cage would be amazing!!!