Should I buy or Adopt a Macaw?

[ahmadses]

Howdy there possible first time owner of a new Macaw and I was wondering should I buy a baby from a breeder or adopt one? If I should adopt one could someone recommend a place where I could get a blue and gold macaw. I live near Reston, Virginia, I would appreciate it a ton

 

[SailBoat]

First, education yourself! Read everything written by Bridman666 both Threads and Posts in the MAC Forum. This will go along way towards helping you succeed.

A present, the rehoming organizations are filled with a full range of MAC's, from very young to older.

Please take the time to first learn and come back with more questions!

Also, consider letting the Parrot Choose You!

 

[sonja]

You have a HUGE bird rescue right nearby - Phoenix Landing. They have classes you can take to learn what you are in for. Definitely educate yourself very thoroughly, by book and hands- on learning, before getting a macaw.

 

[Kentuckienne]

If it were me, I would adopt. You can have a chance to know what the adult bird is like instead of getting the great surprise at puberty. You can see what traits you care about. For example, our rescue macaw doesn't talk. But some babies won't grow up to talk either, so getting an adult that does talk gives you some guarantee. They may come with bad habits, they may come with good habits, but you will be able to get to know them and decide what works for you. Many bad habits can be retrained, but fearfulness seems to be recalcitrant. And as said, look for the bird that meets your needs and that chooses to come to you if possible.

Gus initially preferred me, but then bonded to my husband. Then he let my sister hold him and scratch his head. Some macaws are easy!

 

[Birdman666]

You have a HUGE bird rescue right nearby - Phoenix Landing. They have classes you can take to learn what you are in for. Definitely educate yourself very thoroughly, by book and hands- on learning, before getting a macaw.

I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU TAKE THE TIME TO AT LEAST VISIT THE RESCUE AND HANDLE SOME BIG MACS BEFORE YOU MAKE THE HUGE COMMITMENT OF GETTING ONE. http://www.phoenixlanding.org/adoption.html YOU MIGHT EVEN FIND YOURSELF "BEING CHOSEN."

http://www.phoenixlanding.org/

These are high attention needs birds. They are a lot of work. Food. Toys. Playstands. This is a four hour a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year job if you take it on. It's like having a kid... (with big birds, come big responsibilities.)

I am a macaw addict so, I am the wrong person to ask about "should I."

You are the only one who can answer that question. These are LIFETIME companion birds.

 

[happy410]

Macaws are alot of work but with that work comes alot of love. Tesla is messier than Happy, goes through ALOT more toys also. The only thing I noticed having big bird vs. small bird is its harder to leave them. Someone who isn't used to big birds are scared of them. So having someone watch them at our house is a little more difficult.
I agree that you should visit rescues and be around Macaws before making a decision but I would recommend that before bringing any parrot into your life. They do change your life forever.

 

[Birdman666]

Macaws are alot of work but with that work comes alot of love. Tesla is messier than Happy, goes through ALOT more toys also. The only thing I noticed having big bird vs. small bird is its harder to leave them. Someone who isn't used to big birds are scared of them. So having someone watch them at our house is a little more difficult.
I agree that you should visit rescues and be around Macaws before making a decision but I would recommend that before bringing any parrot into your life. They do change your life forever.

MACAWS ARE SO MUCH LIKE HUMAN TODDLERS THAT IT'S SCARY SOMETIMES... and I'm definitely going through the "curious little hands" stage with my greenwing at the moment.

Stop that... that's not yours... get off of that... No. Down from there...

 

[Mariar]

Lol great advice given...i have a severe macaw...shes a brat some days.i feel like all i do is tell her no...but then there are those days..that im glad i rescued her.do your homework...ask lots of questions. ..birdman is the go to around here..we just love him ( soory mark, but we do!)

 

[ahmadses]

Macaws are alot of work but with that work comes alot of love. Tesla is messier than Happy, goes through ALOT more toys also. The only thing I noticed having big bird vs. small bird is its harder to leave them. Someone who isn't used to big birds are scared of them. So having someone watch them at our house is a little more difficult.
I agree that you should visit rescues and be around Macaws before making a decision but I would recommend that before bringing any parrot into your life. They do change your life forever.

MACAWS ARE SO MUCH LIKE HUMAN TODDLERS THAT IT'S SCARY SOMETIMES... and I'm definitely going through the "curious little hands" stage with my greenwing at the moment.

Stop that... that's not yours... get off of that... No. Down from there...

People told me to ask you questions so here I come (sorry lol)
Is the bird expensive?
Should I adopt?
Is a blue and gold a good fit?
Should I buy a cage from amazon/ebay as they are cheaper?
How many toys should I start with?
Is it worth it?
I'm 15 do you think I could handle one?
Would it be ok to take to school once? (To show off)
Is food expensive?
Where should I buy a bird?
How to avoid scammers?
How to get the cheapest price?
What age should I buy/adopt one?
Should I adopt or buy (Remember i'm a first time big bird user)
Should I have an aviery or however you call it (Those cages you bring outside)
How much attention should I give on the first day of buying one.
Are those YOuTubers who say "Secret to teach your bird *Blank* in one day" real/a good method?
I heard starving your bird is a good way to train it, your thoughts?
What should I feed a blue and gold Macaw?
How much is food/month?
Should I leave it alone the first day, week, month?
Should I clip its wings?

Thanks for reading/replying it really helps me out!

ALSO: I have read up on your posts youtube videos borrowed/bought books. Read your cages

 

[happy410]

Okay, lots to answer here. My thoughts are you are not ready for a Macaw. I'm going to let Mark handle this one.

 

[Flboy]

Okay, lots to answer here. My thoughts are you are not ready for a Macaw. I'm going to let Mark handle this one.

I totally agree! Please slow down until you realize where you are at!
I apologize up front for this remark, but at this point it almost looks like you are looking for a trophy!

 

[ahmadses]

Okay, lots to answer here. My thoughts are you are not ready for a Macaw. I'm going to let Mark handle this one.

I totally agree! Please slow down until you realize where you are at!
I apologize up front for this remark, but at this point it almost looks like you are looking for a trophy!

Let me explain, these were just questions I gathered in under a minute (I am good at coming up with questions) I have done around 13 hours of research, but I guess you could be right. I have handled a macaw before and was not intimidated but if you think it'd be a bad I idea... I don't know what to say.

 

[RavensGryf]

I know you are young... but regardless your age, do you really want a toddler who never grows up?

It's not for everyone. I've had parrots over 20 years, but I never want the responsibility of having a Macaw. That would just be too much for me as an independent person. Think carefully with your head, not just your heart .

 

[ahmadses]

I know you are young... but regardless your age, do you really want a toddler who never grows up?

It's not for everyone. I've had parrots over 20 years, but I never want the responsibility of having a Macaw. That would just be too much for me as an independent person. Think carefully with your head, not just your heart .

Well i'll tell you my thoughts and I would appreciate a comment
I'm perfectly fine with a noisy, loud, non-talking, bird. I just want something to show my love and affection to, and I am perfectly OK with having it for the rest of my life. I understand its essentially a toddler that will never grow up and can fly. I don't think my brothers like me, so it'll be a plus to hang with someone. Plus i'll be getting him in the summer which means i'll have a TON of free time. I have researched the best I could and I consider myself quite experienced. I enjoy birds, and I only have two budgies and have handled a MAC before and I am quite excited.

 

[Teddscau]

I have zero experience with large parrots, but I can answer some of your questions.

1. Ignore the "cost" of acquiring the bird. I spend more than $3,000 annually on toys, food, and vet bills for my birds. For a blue and gold macaw, you could easily spend
•$1,000–$2,000 just to "purchase" the bird
•At least $500 to buy a cage (odds are you'll "upgrade" cages every few years)
•At least $600 on toys (annually)
•At least $500 on food (annually)
•At least $300 on vet bills (annually)

I spend at least $3,000 a year on my seven budgies, two kākāriki, and one parrotlet.

2. Always adopt. Most parrots for adoption are adults, so what you see is what you'll get in terms of personality. Babies may be cuddly, but when they hit the terrible twos, they are absolute nightmares. The terrible twos can last anywhere from 6 months to over two years, depending on the species. Luckily, most of my birds came to me as adults since I've quit buying and started adopting from shelters.

Although this shouldn't be a factor, adopted parrots don't cost as much. Adoption fees can be as low as $800 (or less) for a blue and gold.

The average parrot goes through at least five homes before finally finding their forever home. If a blue and gold macaw is the right bird for you, and you do your research, you'll be changing a homeless bird's life forever.

3. I don't have any personal experience with macaws, and I doubt you do, either, so keep that in mind. However, in general, well socialized macaws tend to be gentle, have big personalities, get along with everyone (amazons, for example, can be extremely possessive of one human and will visciously attack everyone else), and aren't as demanding as cockatoos. However, macaws are extremely loud, and when the mood strikes, they will sing. And by sing, I mean scream at the top of their lungs. If you live in an apartment, this bird is not for you. These birds also have incredibly strong beaks, so if you're going to act fearfully, yank your hand away, yell out in pain, or be afraid to handle the bird after one bad bite, don't get a macaw. Parrots aren't "mean" or "unpredictable", but until you learn to properly handle your bird, interpret their body language, understand how they think, and know how'll they'll react, you'll probably get bitten.

4. I'd try to find a nice big cage on Craigslist or eBay or something. Make sure you research the enclosure requirements for a blue and gold macaw first (bar spacing, bar thickness, cage size, cage material, etc.), and research different styles and brands. To be honest, I'd go with a stainless steel cage since these birds are strong, so you want a durable cage. Expandable Habitats is a pretty cool manufacturer of stainless steel cages. Costs a few thousand, but you want to buy the best cage you can for your bird. Personally, I'd buy an indoor aviary for a large parrot, but that's just me.

5. I'd start with at least 30 different toys. Noise making toys, durable toys, shreddable toys, foraging toys, etc. You'll need to constantly be replacing shreddable toys.

6. Depends on what you mean by "worth it." When it comes to my birds, money means nothing. I will spend whatever it takes to keep them happy and healthy. I've spent countless hours worrying and crying because of them, but I adore them and would never give them up. Knowing they're happy and that they can live out their days in my home without worrying about being abused, starved, abandoned, or left to die alone makes it all worth it.

7. Don't take this the wrong way, but you are in no way ready to make this sort of commitment. A blue and gold macaw, or any animal for that matter, is a lifetime commitment, whether it be the lifetime of the animal or your own lifetime. Bringing an animal into your life is an even bigger responsibility than raising a child. You might think I'm being overly dramatic, but I'm not. Blue and gold macaws can easily live for more than 50 years. In all honesty, are you, someone who's only 15 years old, willing to make that sort of commitment? Everyday, regardless of if you're tired, sick, going to your best friend's funeral, etc., that bird needs you. Just as a human parent wouldn't (or at least shouldn't) tell they're 2 year old child that they don't feel like looking after them for a few days, caring for a parrot is a 24/7 job. You have to spend at least three hours of quality time EVERY day with the bird, training them, exercising, playing, teaching, socializing, etc. Even when Noah is being an absolute nightmare, I know I have to take him out of the aviary and spend at least a few hours of quality time with him.

A while back, I got really sick. Luckily, it wasn't anything the birds could get. I was extremely weak and was constantly vomiting and I couldn't stand up or eat solids. Still, I'd crawl out of bed, slide down the stairs, wash up, and feed and water my birds. You're probably thinking I could've just had my parents look after them, but only me, as their guardian, understands their needs. I could ask you to give my birds their food and water, but I can guarantee you won't do it properly. Birds like things done certain ways, and only their guardian truly knows how to care for them. I rarely leave my birds for more than 10 hours. Whenever my parents would force me to go on vacation, I always came back to a horror show, as their babysitter never lived up to the high standards of my birds. I've come back to mouldy food, filthy water, empty food dishes, birds with full blown testicular cancer, week-old birdie bread...the list goes on. And the people that I left in charge of my birds are considered "responsible" and "trustworthy". I always leave detailed instructions, but it seems like following a list is too much for most people to handle. I was furious with my cousin when I came back to find that Ju had full-blown testicular cancer. He was moody, antisocial, quiet, and his cere had turned completely brown. Somehow, she didn't notice. At the time, there was only three budgies living with me.

 

[ahmadses]

I have zero experience with large parrots, but I can answer some of your questions.

1. Ignore the "cost" of acquiring the bird. I spend more than $3,000 annually on toys, food, and vet bills for my birds. For a blue and gold macaw, you could easily spend
•$1,000—$2,000 just to "purchase" the bird
•At least $500 to buy a cage (odds are you'll "upgrade" cages every few years)
•At least $600 on toys (annually)
•At least $500 on food (annually)
•At least $300 on vet bills (annually)

I spend at least $3,000 a year on my seven budgies, two kākāriki, and one parrotlet.

2. Always adopt. Most parrots for adoption are adults, so what you see is what you'll get in terms of personality. Babies may be cuddly, but when they hit the terrible twos, they are absolute nightmares. The terrible twos can last anywhere from 6 months to over two years, depending on the species. Luckily, most of my birds came to me as adults since I've quit buying and started adopting from shelters.

Although this shouldn't be a factor, adopted parrots don't cost as much. Adoption fees can be as low as $800 (or less) for a blue and gold.

The average parrot goes through at least five homes before finally finding their forever home. If a blue and gold macaw is the right bird for you, and you do your research, you'll be changing a homeless bird's life forever.

3. I don't have any personal experience with macaws, and I doubt you do, either, so keep that in mind. However, in general, well socialized macaws tend to be gentle, have big personalities, get along with everyone (amazons, for example, can be extremely possessive of one human and will visciously attack everyone else), and aren't as demanding as cockatoos. However, macaws are extremely loud, and when the mood strikes, they will sing. And by sing, I mean scream at the top of their lungs. If you live in an apartment, this bird is not for you. These birds also have incredibly strong beaks, so if you're going to act fearfully, yank your hand away, yell out in pain, or be afraid to handle the bird after one bad bite, don't get a macaw. Parrots aren't "mean" or "unpredictable", but until you learn to properly handle your bird, interpret their body language, understand how they think, and know how'll they'll react, you'll probably get bitten.

4. I'd try to find a nice big cage on Craigslist or eBay or something. Make sure you research the enclosure requirements for a blue and gold macaw first (bar spacing, bar thickness, cage size, cage material, etc.), and research different styles and brands. To be honest, I'd go with a stainless steel cage since these birds are strong, so you want a durable cage. Expandable Habitats is a pretty cool manufacturer of stainless steel cages. Costs a few thousand, but you want to buy the best cage you can for your bird. Personally, I'd buy an indoor aviary for a large parrot, but that's just me.

5. I'd start with at least 30 different toys. Noise making toys, durable toys, shreddable toys, foraging toys, etc. You'll need to constantly be replacing shreddable toys.

6. Depends on what you mean by "worth it." When it comes to my birds, money means nothing. I will spend whatever it takes to keep them happy and healthy. I've spent countless hours worrying and crying because of them, but I adore them and would never give them up. Knowing they're happy and that they can live out their days in my home without worrying about being abused, starved, abandoned, or left to die alone makes it all worth it.

7. Don't take this the wrong way, but you are in no way ready to make this sort of commitment. A blue and gold macaw, or any animal for that matter, is a lifetime commitment, whether it be the lifetime of the animal or your own lifetime. Bringing an animal into your life is an even bigger responsibility than raising a child. You might think I'm being overly dramatic, but I'm not. Blue and gold macaws can easily live for more than 50 years. In all honesty, are you, someone who's only 15 years old, willing to make that sort of commitment? Everyday, regardless of if you're tired, sick, going to your best friend's funeral, etc., that bird needs you. Just as a human parent wouldn't (or at least shouldn't) tell they're 2 year old child that they don't feel like looking after them for a few days, caring for a parrot is a 24/7 job. You have to spend at least three hours of quality time EVERY day with the bird, training them, exercising, playing, teaching, socializing, etc. Even when Noah is being an absolute nightmare, I know I have to take him out of the aviary and spend at least a few hours of quality time with him.

A while back, I got really sick. Luckily, it wasn't anything the birds could get. I was extremely weak and was constantly vomiting and I couldn't stand up or eat solids. Still, I'd crawl out of bed, slide down the stairs, wash up, and feed and water my birds. You're probably thinking I could've just had my parents look after them, but only me, as their guardian, understands their needs. I could ask you to give my birds their food and water, but I can guarantee you won't do it properly. Birds like things done certain ways, and only their guardian truly knows how to care for them. I rarely leave my birds for more than 10 hours. Whenever my parents would force me to go on vacation, I always came back to a horror show, as their babysitter never lived up to the high standards of my birds. I've come back to mouldy food, filthy water, empty food dishes, birds with full blown testicular cancer, week-old birdie bread...the list goes on. And the people that I left in charge of my birds are considered "responsible" and "trustworthy". I always leave detailed instructions, but it seems like following a list is too much for most people to handle. I was furious with my cousin when I came back to find that Ju had full-blown testicular cancer. He was moody, antisocial, quiet, and his cere had turned completely brown. Somehow, she didn't notice. At the time, there was only three budgies living with me.

Thank you so much for all this information and your honest opinion, what do you think I could do to be more.. well prepared or more ready, I know you can NEVER be 100% perfectly ready, but what I can I do to improve. I would honestly like the truth on this question. Do you think because i'm 15 I wouldn't be able to make a commitment to the bird/Like feed it, play with it If I were say, sick like you, or heartbroken. I appreciate all your advice, and thank you.

 

[happy410]

I agree with all the above. I just worry at your age, there are to many factors. What will you do with a Macaw when you go off to college? What if your future significant other doesn't like birds? As stated above the financial responsibility is a large amount. You still have alot of changes in your life to go through to take on this huge responsibility.
Please don't take any comments the wrong way, only trying to help.

 

[SailBoat]

Well i'll tell you my thoughts and I would appreciate a comment
I'm perfectly fine with a noisy, loud, non-talking, bird. I just want something to show my love and affection to, and I am perfectly OK with having it for the rest of my life. I understand its essentially a toddler that will never grow up and can fly. I don't think my brothers like me, so it'll be a plus to hang with someone. Plus i'll be getting him in the summer which means i'll have a TON of free time. I have researched the best I could and I consider myself quite experienced. I enjoy birds, and I only have two budgies and have handled a MAC before and I am quite excited.

You have an extended list of questions. To address them will require quite a bit of time. Since you have confirmed that you have done the research and consider yourself quite experienced (your words). I would like to get a feel of your knowledge Base. This to keep from talking down to you and it would be helpful to understand your level of Parrot Knowledge. To do that I need to ask you a question:

"It's 3:00 am and by chance you have rolled-over still somewhat asleep, but, your mind locks into a sound. As you shake-off the dullness of a sleepy mind. The clarity of what you are hearing centers both directionally and in tone. Its a clicking kind of noise and it is coming from the direction of your MAC's cage. You turn on your bed side lamp and go to the cage to investigate.

The clicking is clearly coming from the direction of your MAC. You notice that on each click, your MAC is also bobbing its tail."

The question: What is likely the cause of the Clicking Sound and what is likely the cause of the Tail Bobbing? What should you do next?

 

[ahmadses]

I agree with all the above. I just worry at your age, there are to many factors. What will you do with a Macaw when you go off to college? What if your future significant other doesn't like birds? As stated above the financial responsibility is a large amount. You still have alot of changes in your life to go through to take on this huge responsibility.
Please don't take any comments the wrong way, only trying to help.

Thanks so much for the comments. As to answer one question, I have looked into Colleges that allow pets. I would ditch my significant other (assuming i've had this macaw since this summer), (I don't know maybe I wont?, you never know). The finance is hard, but my dad is willing to pay for it as of right now.
Another comment about the money. Don't you technically take that risk with a lot of things? Cars, kids, homes? (I'm only 15 so please don't be too harsh but I want honest comments.

 

[BirdSquawk]

I think unless you have your own income/car/ample year-round free time, you will probably be overwhelmed by a macaw.
Have you ever owned any parrots? If the answer is no, I think a macaw would be a very poor choice. You can prepare all you want, but actually taking care of a bird is much different than books and videos show. You have to be ready to commit hours and hours to a large bird, not to mention large amounts of money.
If you love being around big birds, volunteer at a rescue. It will give you lots of hands on experience about how unique parrots are!
Take some time to read everything you can get your hands on about parrots. I'd recommend Of Parrots and People by Mira Tweti and Parrots for Dummies (TONS of info about the day to day needs of parrots). After you think you've learned it all, keep looking. Then you can start to think about what kind of bird you can realistically keep happy and healthy, and you both will be glad you did your research.
I wish you the best on your journey, and hope you find the right match.
EDIT: I looked back and saw you have budgies. I think my point still stands. There is a HUGE difference between budgies and macaws.