We met our new baby Saturday!

[Harlow]

We've been on a waiting list for a Harlequin macaw for a bit now, after 15 years of wanting to add a macaw to the family. I found out the Saturday before last that our baby would be available to meet this past Saturday! I spent that whole week being so excited I was barely able to sleep...

Saturday we went to our breeders house and I was promptly handed this little sweetheart. S/he hatched 6/4 and I'm excited to visit weekly until baby's ready to come home! We'll have the bird DNA sexed once more feathers are in - then the fun part, name selection! I think we have a girls name already...

Here are a couple cell phone pictures, hopefully I'll remember to take the good camera this Saturday.

I went to touch the birds foot (it's huuuuuuge already!) and s/he grabbed my finger. I wasn't allowed to pull it away without a fair amount of whining. It was sweet.

 

[antoinette]

Congrats OMG the baby is so cute
I just want to cuddle and hold baby as well
I can imagine how excited and happy you are
Now the waiting...........
But it is so worth the wait
Thanks for sharing those precious pic's with us

 

[Alwese]

Well let's see now about a little help we can give: First you DO know that you can do DNA testing on the eggshell that the bird was born from to determine sex. Ask if they still have the shell. Next a name: Since he is pretty orange, how about "Sunkist" They are so cute like little pre-historic monsters at that age... I just love him.

 

[Blancaej]

Wow! Congrats on your beautiful baby! Love the pics!

 

[JerseyWendy]

OH MY GOSH.....I just melted!!!! Look at that PRECIOUS, GORGEOUS baby!!!! Many, many congrats!!!! What exciting and happy times.

 

[kendrafitz]

Congrats!!!! You must be thrilled!

 

[kq_fan]

Oh my gosh he/she is so cute! What an adorable baby! Alwese, Sunkist is a great name! Love it!!!!

 

[Poppetsmum]

Awwwww just so cute. You must be so excited. Simply adorable. How I'd love to give him/her a cuddle.

 

[jbail1026]

I LOVE the hand-holding! Precious.

 

[Alwese]

..... Alwese, Sunkist is a great name! Love it!!!!

I'm always watching the names other people pick out for their birds and frankly in the fantasizing of my mind I have names picked out already for every kind of bird I could ever want. Here people seem to pick old men's names for their birds.

 

[Harlow]

Thank you everyone - I am SO excited!

I won't lie Alwese, the female name I've chosen is kind of old-fashioned I tend to stick with the more human names, myself.

 

[calieckies]

Are you getting the Macaw from AZ Parrots? - BC I am pretty sure they DNA test them for you

 

[Harlow]

Yep - as I mentioned, it'll be tested as soon as s/he has more chest feathers. They pull those to send for the test I'm not in a hurry, gives me more time to think of names!

We'll visit again Saturday and I'll upload some updated photos!

 

[noblemacaw]

I am very impressed with AZ Parrots. I want my final parrot to come from them. They are willing to work with my timetable for planing because I will need to work up the funds for all of this to happen.

I wish I lived close enough to visit the baby when that time comes. We are looking to add the last flock member next year. Yes I know a ton of things could happen before next year but this is what I am shooting for. Dee helped me with some issues I was having with Julio's cage. I never realized that with his disability (He is plucked with very little wing and tail feathering so he has issues with balance) that his current cage is too large for him. I have observed that Julio never seems comfortable in his current cage and with Dee's help I have made the decision to get him a cage with the grate higher up to help with falling issues. It is important for Julio to be as comfortable as I can get him to be.

I talked with my friend who owns a parrot supply business and been buying from them for years. They have the best price local for my parrot needs and I found a better cage for Julio that I will be buying this fall. As you know this will free up the larger cage for the last flock member. Oh how things fall in place huh?

Please enjoy your baby visit. I am always looking at their weekly uploads of the visits and it so brings me back to when I use to do the same thing locally. I keep seeing the baby parrots and notice they still have one baby left of the species I am interested in..the time is just not right unfortunately or I would be taking that last baby.

If this particular baby is still available when I am ready to begin payments I am open to taking the older baby. Fate will be on my side and Dee has been awesome with answering my million questions and helping me with the decision of what species would make the best fit with our current flock.

I am very comfortable with my decision because my decision has been made with lots of knowledge and information. I wish I could take my baby this season and have quarantine and adjustment done before I go back to work this late fall but it is what is is going to be.

I look forward to your updates.

Enjoy your baby.

 

[calieckies]

I also like AZ Parrots though I have not purchased a bird from them as their birds normally have wait lists and I am not good at the waiting part I am on their wait list for a few different types of Hybrid Macaws.
They are always very informative and I like how they raise their babies. I always stay on the phone a long time when ever I call them for information or to see what babies they have.

 

[haleybird]

OMG your baby is SOOOOOOO precious! I just melt when I see little babies like that. ..they remind me of baby dinosaurs or dragons <3 I'm so excited for you!! Keep posting more pictures!

I like the name Alice for her. Or Gertrude (Gerty!!) I'm a fan of old fashioned names as well. And the old fashioned-y but eclectic sounding names too...but names are hard to pick out for such majestic creatures, right?? Lol.

 

[Harlow]

I can't recommend AZ Parrots enough - the love they have for these babies is amazing. Our youngest White Bellied Caique came from them, we hadn't intended to add a Macaw for at least another year or two... you see how well that worked!

Everything just kind of fell into place for it to happen now, we decided it was meant to be! Their babies are SO well adjusted, nothing at all phases them. Wylie will sit on the vacuum handle while I'm vacuuming, for reference! The socialization their babies get with other birds and all sorts of humans is hugely helpful to the bird, I think. I have a bunch of birds - and even though I feel I did a good job at socializing and exposing them to the "real world" - none are as well adjusted as Wylie. We had a family gathering over the 4th and my family was over - my sister wanted to see the birds so I went up with her. Next thing I know there were eight of us in the birds room - the other birds were all a bit concerned and confused and Wylie was like "A party? FOR ME?!" and all over everyone - if they wanted him or not!

Dee holds the babies up under her chin to comfort them and Wylie often fakes being upset and wants to cuddle under my chin for awhile. I'm likely reading way too much into it, but I love that he has a "coping mechanism" and I have a way to calm him/comfort him that's so deeply ingrained. I can fully see this bird being 20 years old and still being a faker for a cuddle.

We visit again this afternoon, I'm so excited... was up at 5!

That said - if any of you DO end up purchasing a bird from them and would like your fid to have visits please let me know. I'd be more than happy to go cuddle/play with your baby on Saturdays and take some additional pictures for you!

 

[noblemacaw]

Our plan to get our next parrot from AZ Parrots is in the works. I have been communicating with Dee for the past month and we will be getting our last flock member from them. I cannot wait. If I could gather the needed funds NOW I would be having her send me the last baby but it will have to wait until next breeding season. If you are still interested in visiting my baby for me until baby is ready to be shipped to me that would be very very awesome!

My Illiger's macaw Diego was a under the chin cuddler as well. While relaxing in the evening he use to shove his little feathered body up against my neck and lay there. When ever he was stressed or upset up under the chin up against the neck he could go. I always thought it was because he could feel my pulse there but now I wonder if it was because when he was a baby the breeder cuddled him this way.

I cannot wait to get our baby from AZ Parrots. A year is a long time to wait but in the end it will be well worth it.

 

[diadins]

That is my ideal situation getting to visit baby all the time, unfortunately there are NO macaw breeders anywhere near me! You are very lucky

 

[RockysMom]

awww what a cutey