Should I add a Greenwing

[Joannr24]

Hello! This question has probably been asked a dozen times lol.

I have a 18 mo old blue and gold who can be called a "mush-mac" for sure. He and I wrestle and play and snuggle. He is a boisterous little ball of energy with a huge personality. The breeder who bred him has a greenwing macaw born May 22, that she wants to know if I want to reserve.

I think green wings are beautiful, though I've never owned one. My main concern is my blue and gold. Do you think he'd get really upset with a newbie? I had a vet mention to me that my real trouble could come when they both hit sexual maturity in a few years….do you agree with that?

I haven't let the breeder know yet if I want the greenwing because I'm really on the fence about making sure my blue and gold is not negatively affected by this.

Thoughts?

 

[JerseyWendy]

Do you know the gender of the GW baby?

I have both a B&G and a GW. Niko (B&G) was here first. I got him when he was 4 months. Last year in January I added Ripley, when he was 18 months old. Both of mine are males.

Ripley came from a pet shop with hundreds of birds, so he knew how to behave around all sorts of birds.

Niko, OTOH, was only ever around Amazons and Eclectus, and I would never allow them to interact out of fear of something going awfully wrong. So when Ripley came home, Niko had no clue what to do with him, LOL. He was actually quite intimidated for a while, even though Ripley wanted to 'play' with him. It took them a relatively very short time to become BFFs. There was the occasional tail pulling and beak swiping, but that was the extent of it.

My Niko is now at the brink of sexual maturity, but he has yet to show any aggression towards Ripley. Niko will be 6 this year, and Ripley just turned 4. Both of mine are super sweet.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyef0scjACs"]Big Macs - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBvoT8LEW0I"]Ripley2 3 14 14 - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Praenuntius]

Hello! This question has probably been asked a dozen times lol.

I have a 18 mo old blue and gold who can be called a "mush-mac" for sure. He and I wrestle and play and snuggle. He is a boisterous little ball of energy with a huge personality. The breeder who bred him has a greenwing macaw born May 22, that she wants to know if I want to reserve.

I think green wings are beautiful, though I've never owned one. My main concern is my blue and gold. Do you think he'd get really upset with a newbie? I had a vet mention to me that my real trouble could come when they both hit sexual maturity in a few years….do you agree with that?

I haven't let the breeder know yet if I want the greenwing because I'm really on the fence about making sure my blue and gold is not negatively affected by this.

Thoughts?

The blue and gold macaw could get jealous. You'd have to spend a lot of time with both to show that they are both loved.

 

[jezport1]

If the B&G has bonded to you it may see another bird as a threat. My Harlequin is very protective to me especially to my family. She chases my 16 year old son around the house sometimes. Be very careful!

 

[Birdman666]

This very much depends on the birds. Usually macs get along. Not always.

If your B&G is super bonded, then you could have jealousy issues. Macs are pair bond birds, and this one has "his" human... Another bird distracting "his human" attention might not be welcome at all.

Then again, you could have two mushy playmates...

I guess my point would be, if you enjoy the one you have, and you aren't feeling strongly about getting another one.... Do you really want to do that?

I have either had, or fostered, many large macaws. I haven't found a significant problem with macaws at sexual maturity IF the bird has been properly socialized.

Most of the problems you get with macs tend to be discipline issues... where the bird gets the upper hand, and fights to keep it.

The sexual maturity issues with macaws are things like constantly regurging, and frequent masterbation.

The tough time with macaws are the "testing" phase.

 

[Joannr24]

Great input Birdman. I have decided to just keep the Blue & Gold. I also have a Grey & Umbrella cockatoo. I work full time and have horses so my time is limited as well as space. I convinced myself this weekend, I only want one because they are so stunningly gorgeous but it's not fair to my other birds. So I will forego a GW and enjoy my snuggly, A.D.D. Blue & Gold

 

[Joannr24]

I will say though that when I have my African grey or my umbrella cockatoo out he doesn't care at all. Those birds were there before him though so I'm not sure if that matters.

 

[Birdman666]

I will say though that when I have my African grey or my umbrella cockatoo out he doesn't care at all. Those birds were there before him though so I'm not sure if that matters.

I've always thought that it does. This has been the flock structure since the time I arrived...

And one of the keys to socializing and integrating new birds into a flock is to pay attention to the new bird, while making it clear to the other birds that no one's place in the flock is being threatened, and nobody is getting displaced.

It sounds like your macaw would accept another bird just fine...

Then it's a question of do you have time for all of that?

It's the age old question for those of us with MBS... When does "what's one more?" become "One too many..."

I got the answer to that question the last time I bird sat a couple of big macs for a friend of mine.... My macaws were NOT happy.... Pick that bird up, pick me up too... Just try to get anything done while simultaneously holding four big macs... It's not humanly possible!

After they left and peace was restored to my household, I realized just how much I loved my flock just the way it is!

 

[Joannr24]

Totally agree on the time thing and I've read (maybe true maybe not) that the greenwings are more sensitive and more demanding of attention than the blue and golds. Cosmo is actually quite good at entertaining himself and I have him in a double macaw cage right in the middle of the family area. When we go to a different room he has a cage in there too and goes with us.

If I bought a GW, I'd have to drop him down to a smaller cage to fit the GW cage in and i don't know how that would go.

The other option is keep him in a double macaw and drop my umbrella down to a smaller cage. That makes me nervous though because she is 15 and I've had her since she was a baby. She has never plucked, doesn't scream and doesn't need constant attention. I know I'm very lucky and I don't know if changing her cage may rock the boat lol.

 

[JerseyWendy]

What happened to Toby, the miligold??

 

[Birdman666]

Totally agree on the time thing and I've read (maybe true maybe not) that the greenwings are more sensitive and more demanding of attention than the blue and golds. Cosmo is actually quite good at entertaining himself and I have him in a double macaw cage right in the middle of the family area. When we go to a different room he has a cage in there too and goes with us.

If I bought a GW, I'd have to drop him down to a smaller cage to fit the GW cage in and i don't know how that would go.

The other option is keep him in a double macaw and drop my umbrella down to a smaller cage. That makes me nervous though because she is 15 and I've had her since she was a baby. She has never plucked, doesn't scream and doesn't need constant attention. I know I'm very lucky and I don't know if changing her cage may rock the boat lol.

Yeah.

Sounds like you don't need to take on more than you have to me.

 

[Joannr24]

What happened to Toby, the miligold??

Toby could not handle Cosmo. He came from a not so good upbringing and was really bothered by the new baby. I had a friend that loved Milligolds and she wanted Toby so he now lives a happy life

 

[Joannr24]

Totally agree on the time thing and I've read (maybe true maybe not) that the greenwings are more sensitive and more demanding of attention than the blue and golds. Cosmo is actually quite good at entertaining himself and I have him in a double macaw cage right in the middle of the family area. When we go to a different room he has a cage in there too and goes with us.

If I bought a GW, I'd have to drop him down to a smaller cage to fit the GW cage in and i don't know how that would go.

The other option is keep him in a double macaw and drop my umbrella down to a smaller cage. That makes me nervous though because she is 15 and I've had her since she was a baby. She has never plucked, doesn't scream and doesn't need constant attention. I know I'm very lucky and I don't know if changing her cage may rock the boat lol.

Yeah.

Sounds like you don't need to take on more than you have to me.

Yep that is my consensus as well