Wrong decision

[Spinx]

Well I have decided not to get the macaw. I'm too afraid. So what suggestions do you have in getting a different type of bird

I really love the bright colors.

Probably a wise choice for you and your family. You like the stunning colors maybe you should look into tucans. They are clown birds and with a huge colorful beak that looks like it could rip your arm off but they are a soft bill and can not bite hard. Plus you'd probably be the only family in town that has one and your kids would LOVE it.
~Brenda~

 

[U2gal]

With a toucan, you'll have to house it in a macaw sized aviary. It has some bad things like cost of space and diet and how flighty they can be

 

[Pugtato]

Well I have decided not to get the macaw. I'm too afraid. So what suggestions do you have in getting a different type of bird

I really love the bright colors.

Probably a wise choice for you and your family. You like the stunning colors maybe you should look into tucans. They are clown birds and with a huge colorful beak that looks like it could rip your arm off but they are a soft bill and can not bite hard. Plus you'd probably be the only family in town that has one and your kids would LOVE it.
~Brenda~

Not knowing much about your situation, I'm just going to tell you what I would tell a friend looking for a "family" bird. I have a Senegal Parrot and I adore her, but just from the information on this forum I would say that a Pionus, Eclectus, or a Green Cheeked Conure would be a great addition to a family if raised properly.

 

[aliray]

Look into the poi group I personally love the african red bellied parrot, they seem to be easy going. Sun or Jendey conures have really bright colors with a much smaller beak and would be good with kids. My only problem with them is the pitch of their voice when they yell, They can be loud but a macaw is a lot louder. I can understand as I am also afraid of the big beaks. I do get a bite or pinch at times mostly from my quaker parrot but he is a fiesty little guy. I also think the smaller birds are easier and cheaper to feed , house, the toys are cheaper. Parakeets and cockateils, and green cheeks are also good cuddly pets as are the lovebirds and parrotlets

 

[horsesculpter]

Lots of wonderful choices and the little sun and Jenday conures certainly have the color you like. They will change your life for the better! Sunny got up this morning, settled onto her play perch, looked around at her world and announced "this is perfect". Now that is getting up on the right side of the bed!!!

 

[Catalina]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I'm going to do some research on love birds. Looks like a good fit for my family.

 

[Abigal7]

I do not have a large macaw. I did recently did get a hahns macaw. I had to pick him up at the cargo building (at the airport ) since he was shipped. He was fussy at first so I did not bother him. While my mon drove the car I talked to him and gave him some treats of papay, cashew, and pineapple (that I order from my safebirdstore). He took the treats from my hand. After a hour into the drive he decided he wanted out and came to me. He has not tried to draw blood. The bugie I had as a child delivered a couple of painful bites before he was tame. When I first got Clover (a green conure) she made me bleed once. The green cheek conure I had through my highschool years drew blood when it latched onto my dad a couple of times. When I got my hahns macaw I went into this expecting the worse. Captian Jack is bigger then a green check conure and his beak is a good size too. Yes, he has nothing on the big macaws but I know he is a macaw at heart. He likes to taste my finger and put his beak over my finger when he is stitting on my hand. I stop him by gently taking his beak away from my finger or I have him step up again. I can feel pressure when he puts his beak down. I am sure if he wanted to he could clap down real hard and do damage (luckily he doesn't). Other macaw owners on this board already stated this (and I read it at other places on the net) but there a stories of macaws likeing to see people jump by pretending they will attack. Birds are not as domesticated as cats or dogs. Some people describe macaws as a parrot that is more dog like in its affection. I do not know if macaw owners will agree with that. I do know of canine examples of macaw bluffing etc. My mom trains dogs and she has been give or cheaply sold dogs such as chihuahuas that will run away, bite, bark and growl until they know you, a Central Asian Shepherd who is not mean (I can pet him and allow him to sniff and lick my hand) but he bluffs and knows alot of people fear him because he is so big. They also have a German Shepherd (that was kept as a family pet) that learned if it growls it can scare you. If you are that worried then it probably would be best to reconsider. There is no shame in that. While I have got nasty bites from small birds they did not require me to go to the hospital. My experience with that has helped made me conclude a bite from a big bird is serious business.

 

[JJones1719]

As seen on my profile picture, I too own a SI Male Eclectus who is just about the sweetest bird ever. Male Eclectus are also very good with children. They are really great talkers. They are great little eaters as well but their diet is a little bit different then other Parrots. Male Eclectus get along with other animals and birds. My Eclectus is named Guapo that means handsome. His colors are very brite. He is mainly brite green with teal on the shoulders, blue to purple wings, candy corn color beak. You don't get much more colorful then this.
My Guapo is not a one person bird, he loves everyone and his favorite passtime is kisses. This he learned on his own. Eclectus for some reason love lips and tongues. Kinda gross.

Male and Female Eclectus are one of the Parrot species that you can tell their sex due to their colors. as described above is the male and the Females are Red and blue/purple with black beaks. It was only just a few years ago did we know they are the same species. fun fact.


The Female Eclectus can be nippy at times but I also know some who are just as sweet. They too require special diets but once you get it down, it's really easy. I would advise you to check them out on Youtube.

Best of luck. Joe

 

[SharlenaSharlena]

Blue Mountain Lorikeets are awesome! I have 2 male/female and they are awesome! They have a special diet but we by a great formula that is easy to prepare and only takes about 10 min in a blender (I also mix in a different fruit with the blend everyday for fun) with hot water for me to make. I give them fruit with organic bee pollen and honey from a local apiary as a snack once a day and they get fed their "nectar" twice a day. Very shnuggly birds and gentle, they always want their tummies scratched, necks scratched and kisses. We recently had 2 friends they had never seen before stay with us for 4th of July weekend and they were initially scared of all birds but spent most of their time with ours and loved them! The birds flew on them, whistled for them and even played on their backs like little dogs! Such clowns!

 

[Mborda]

Please do not take offense to what I am going to say...

First...research! I know they are cute and cuddly when they are babies...but they will get loud and big and love to chew! One of the things I hate most is when a new, uneducated owner buys a bird and a year later, drops it off at a local rescue. They then bird will sit there forever because no one wants an older bird, they want a baby!

Please...consider adopting a smaller bird. I have a Bee Bee parrot that is small, entertaining and won't rip your skin apart. My Blue and Gold Mac?...time will tell!!

 

[JerseyWendy]

The OP is now the proud and happy guardian of a Lovebird named Rio, so I'm closing this thread.