SCARLET MACAW HOUSING

[SIERRAS DAD]

1 Year ago I adopted a scarlet macaw from a rescue she is 24 years old I also got this giant cage with her . for the fist month she was super mean and lunging she also gave me a bunch of battle scars but if i got her away from the cage she was pretty good , so I disassembled the cage and got it out of there and bought a big Java tree stand It has food and water bowls on it , So I have been having her live there , she seems fine with it and its been that way for almost a year now she is pretty friendly ( when she wants to ) a few weeks ago I went on vacation and I had a neighbor girl stay at the house while I was gone to house sit and feed and water the dog and bird I decieted to put her in the giant cage while I was gone and make it easier for her to feed her and not have any problems . when I got back home she was as big as a beach ball with all her feather standing straight out and very aggresive , I could hardly get her out of the cage I had to use a broom handle so got the cage out and the tree back within an hour she was back to normal stepping up playing and talking so my question is is it ok to just have her on the tree and never have her in a cage she has never flown but there has been a couple times when I got home from work she was perched on the doggie gate so she must of fell off ? I would like your thoughts on it she probably doest get as much exersize on the tree stand as she would in a cage crawling around

 

[wrench13]

THe main reason for a cage for parrots is to keep them from destroying anything while they are unsupervised. Or from hurting themselves, like chewing wires, etc. Other then that there is no real reason to keep them caged. If she is always supervised, hey let her live on the tree.

 

[bocabill]

I would just leave the cage door open so that she can go in whenever she wants to and if you leave her food and water bowls in their holders that the cage has, believe me, eventually she will want to go in to eat and drink. She will also go inside just to relax and see it as her place of shelter. This way she can alternate between being in her cage and on the stand. That’s what mine do.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

What does Sierra do all day if she doesn't fly and doesn't walk around on the floor? Does she have a view of the outdoors from her stand? Does she watch TV? Does she interact with the dog? Are people home all day to play with or entertain her?

 

[SIERRAS DAD]

She watches parrot TV on you tube and has a view outside to the lake the dog is not at all interested in her at all and Vis versa I do take her to work with me a few days a week she gets a lot of attention

 

[SIERRAS DAD]

I would just leave the cage door open so that she can go in whenever she wants to and if you leave her food and water bowls in their holders that the cage has, believe me, eventually she will want to go in to eat and drink. She will also go inside just to relax and see it as her place of shelter. This way she can alternate between being in her cage and on the stand. That’s what mine do.

I would except she get super mean being on or in the cage Its like nothing I ever saw

 

[DonnaBudgie]

As long as she's happy and not destroying anything I would put the cage away. You're pretty lucky (and so is she) that she doesn't feel compelled to explore your house.

I always thought one of those indoor garden areas that were popular years ago, about 10x10 feet filled with growing plants in a corner of the living area would be a cool place to keep an uncaged parrot like Sierra that didn't explore everything. I would put kitty litter in the bottom and put parrot stands and parrot safe artificial plants an
d trees, and a one to two foot high masonry border to keep the debris inside.

 

[bocabill]

I would except she get super mean being on or in the cage Its like nothing I ever saw

She’s defending her territory. That’s her safe space. Offer her a treat or reward her for coming out and behaving and see if that helps over time.

 

[BirdieDad]

1 Year ago I adopted a scarlet macaw from a rescue she is 24 years old I also got this giant cage with her . for the fist month she was super mean and lunging she also gave me a bunch of battle scars but if i got her away from the cage she was pretty good , so I disassembled the cage and got it out of there and bought a big Java tree stand It has food and water bowls on it , So I have been having her live there , she seems fine with it and its been that way for almost a year now she is pretty friendly ( when she wants to ) a few weeks ago I went on vacation and I had a neighbor girl stay at the house while I was gone to house sit and feed and water the dog and bird I decieted to put her in the giant cage while I was gone and make it easier for her to feed her and not have any problems . when I got back home she was as big as a beach ball with all her feather standing straight out and very aggresive , I could hardly get her out of the cage I had to use a broom handle so got the cage out and the tree back within an hour she was back to normal stepping up playing and talking so my question is is it ok to just have her on the tree and never have her in a cage she has never flown but there has been a couple times when I got home from work she was perched on the doggie gate so she must of fell off ? I would like your thoughts on it she probably doest get as much exersize on the tree stand as she would in a cage crawling around

Hi,

I have observed the following:
1. When my birds are left home for an extended period of time and cared for by an bird-sitter, only my Scarlet will be very angry when I return. She takes being left very personally. I have learned to just open the cage and observe her from afar while she adjusts. A treat placed on top the cage before opening can help restore her to "factory settings".
2. When home, I never cage her unless I cannot watch her or need to do something that she will not allow me to do.
3. Purchase some ladders, ropes, make some toys that encourage foraging. Place them around the house and have a scavenger hunt. This gets her to exercise and she will much happier and learn to love these positive interactions. My Scarlet walks, flys, and runs. So I spend a lot of time pushing her to stay move, a positive unintended consequence is she asks to go to bed by 5:30pm because she is pooped.
4. Take her outside. This is such an underrated element of parrot joy. We go to the park, stores, car rides with the windows down, and we go walk in the mall on Sunday mornings before the crowds. She loves it and so do I.

These are some things I never knew and as a novice, it helped me make her happy.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Since Sierra doesn't fly, taking her outside without a harness MAY be safe but some birds you think can't fly can when faced with the great outdoors with plenty of space to get started. A friend didn't think his English Budgie could fly because he was never able to indoors but he flew away when he stepped outside with him on his shoulder and was never seen again. Indoor birds tend to panic when they fly outdoors and don't stop flying until exhausted and lost.

 

[SailBoat]

Your cage is the correct size for an Amazon, but too small for your Max.
I strongly believe that a cage is the territory of the Parrot and that should be respected.
When assembling a cage, the Parrot should be an active part of the process with them involved with the assembly of each section and/or part.
She is likely deeply concerned that a bad thing may happen when her cage is available, lost of her past home, be-loved prior owner, etc.