new parrot owners here

[mauijim]

hi all. my family and i have just adopted two macaws: a hyacinth named jake, and a green-wing named zeek. these are the first birds i have owned since i had a parakeet as a child (i'm 44), but i worked at the birmingham zoo for a couple of years and have been around other animals all my life.
i literally just brought these birds home about an hour and a half ago. they have an arch-top, steel cage that has 3 places for food bowls, two perches, and some chains hanging down from the top-- one holding another food bowl in it. the cage is six feet tall at the highest point, and 4 feet by 5 feet square.
since this is a "get aquainted" post, i guess i should give everyone a little background info about our home. we live in tuscaloosa, alabama. my wife and i are in out mid forties, and have two children still at home: a boy, 10, and a girl, 9. my daughter is crazy about animals, and my son is fond of them as well. there are two dogs in our family. they are littermates from a yorkie mom and dachshund dad. (theyre called 'dorkies'). they are a little on the high-strung side, but not outrageously so. their temperment is typical of most small breeds, and the bark quite a bit. we also have 2 cats that are inside about 10% of the time.
out house is in the back of a subdivision and secluded. two story, wood floors, bedrooms upstairs. i guess that about covers it for our background.
im full of questions, so im about to start asking some. i would just ask folks to please be patient with me.
i look forward to a good relationship with these birds and this community.

 

[Pheonix Rising]

Hi there and welcome to the forum
congrats on your new fids ( feathered kids )
noticing you have just brought them home please remember to give the birds a settle in time and not try handling them straight away
everything is totally new and strange to these birds right now
I suggest at least 2 days possibly more
before trying to handle these birds
sit and speak with them , read to them , offer them treats etc just take things slow
you'll know when their ready to come out

Also are they in one cage or seperate ?
If one cage then you may want to consider getting another one and seperating them
so as to keep their pet quality

Sleep is very important to them also
they need at least 12hrs uninterupted sleep each night in a dark quiet area of the house

Please check out and read up on diet for these guys
also the toxic foods list
and toxic materials ( Teflon / non stick cook ware ) and zinc are just a couple I can think of straight off my head

And also I suggest a avian vet check by a certified avian vet

Good luck and welcome
feel free to ask questions lots of knowledgable members here

 

[JawzX]

welcome! I'm sure someone else will mention this too, but I recommend you pick up a copy of the book Parrots for Dummies, it's available at most petco and petsmart stores, as well as book stores... It's a great resource for bird owners old and new and many of us own a copy. I probably can't answer questions you have that are specific to Macaws, but there are members here who defiinately can

as Pheonix says, take it easy the first few days and read up on what's safe and not safe for your new birds. If you search this forum or google do "toxic list for parrrots" you'll be off to a good start, no avocado, and keep teflon non-stick pans out of use atleast until you understand the risks...

you mention the chains with the food dish.... What other things are in the cage? Perches? Toys? How did you get these birds and what do you know of their history? Answers to these questions will help us help you more effectively.

hope you find this forum useful and friendly and good luck with the new fids!

 

[myparrothelp]

Hello. Congratulations on your new feathered friends. Parrots are beautiful and challenging, and yet rewarding and worth all the time and effort. There is much that you will need to know if you aren't familiar with parrots. I have a parrot blog which is free to view that i am currently working on that has topics about toxins, foraging toys, organic air fresheners, biting problems etc. You can also leave me comments on my blog page or on here with any questions you may have You are very lucky that you have a green winged and a hyacinth! Not only are they beautiful and impressive, but are also the largest of the macaws and the most gentle of all the parrot species profiles (although every bird as an individual may vary)
I am sure that there are also many people on this forum who will give you plenty of advice!
cangratulations again
www.myparrothelp.wordpress.com