macaws and pregnancies

Hello! I use to have an account on here but it is gone now. Oh well. So back story on my military macaw. He is a rescue from his previous owner that really abused him physically. He is about 6 or 7 years old. He has choosen me as his human versus my husband. To which Huey likes to bully around a lot. But its getting better day by day. So my question is....we found out a few months ago that I am indeed pregnant. And since the belly is getting bigger and even before that huey has gotten more clingy than normal. Like wanting to be on my belly or chest and just wants to stand there. Now can he tell of the baby inside me? And is it more of a jealousy type thing or this baby is mine? May I mention he likes to regurgitate also which has been an on going issue.

Not per se...

He can sense that your body is changing and there is something different about you. Therefore, he gets worried that you are still okay, and gets clingy...

Macaw clingy bird syndrome.

It happens. It's normal.

Jealousy comes later, when the baby gets "his" attention... (That happens quite often too.)

They can be trained out of it. Just keep bird away from baby. Curious little fingers and jealous big beaks are a bad combination.

This is where a bird room comes in handy!

I Agree with Birdman666 Especially the keep him away from baby part. They don't get babies like dogs get babies. Yes he will bite not knowing he is wrong. babies spook birds for sure. When Maya was young, i made the mistake of letting her play with my ex-wifes niece(7yo). The kid started getting loud while playing with Maya on the floor, let out a scream which spooked Maya, and Maya took off her ear because of how frightened she was. She had to have surgery to get the ear back on. It looks fine now, but that was a nightmare. I didn't blame Maya at all. She got scared. It's what they do if they get scared. But yeah, babies and birds, especially macaws do not mix. But that doesn't mean it isnt hopeless. just be careful That bird needs a home just as much as your baby does So keep up the good work and TY For rescuing her. You are a solution!

As someone who grew up with parrots, I do not necessarily agree that Huey being extra clingy is some "omen" of bad things to come, nor would I assume he's going to become a jealous rage monster once the baby comes. Animals can absolutely detect your hormonal changes and that you are pregnant. And it sounds to me like he's curious and behaving in a very loving manner (as gross as regurgitation may be). My mom said when she was pregnant with me, one of the amazons, (who hates my dad) became very clingy. The day my mom brought me home from the hospital, that bird adopted me as her own. My mom couldn't keep her away from my crib, and she totally "got" me as much as any dog would (especially when I was very sick as a child, you never saw a more comforting and protective animal in your life my mom had to force her out of my room so she would eat). The reasons I love parrots today is because of her! And I did get bit pretty bad in the cheek as a child by the cockatoo. I was reprimanded because I dropped him as I was too little to properly hold him (thats why he bit me). It taught me not to disobey my parents or disrespect the birds. My husband and I plan to have children, and Kiwi if nothing else, will be socialized around our children, and the children will be taught from a young age to respect Kiwi. I actually look forward to having kids with our bird. I think he will really enjoy seeing and interacting with little humans!

I would *personally* just see how things go as your pregnancy progresses. You will be able to judge better once the baby gets here, and can go from there. Huey may already feel a loving bond with that baby for all you know, and everyone here is assuming he's going to try and eat the baby or something! If there is a little jealousy, it's more than likely going to be because Huey sees the baby with things or getting attention he's not. Have some baby toys for Huey, so he can play too. Let him rip up old pacifiers. Let him have a nibble of baby food. Basically, don't make him feel excluded from the family! Look at it as having 2 kids, one human and one feathered I'm confident you won't neglect either ones needs for care, love or affection! One last thing to keep in mind, rowdy, unpredictable children are perceived as a threat by a bird, and rightly so. Children should be taught to be very calm and mindful when around the parrots as they become mobile and you won't have the same kind of issues as if they get too loud.

[2 of the vicious and bloodthirsty, finger amputating birds I grew up with]




(I still have all my fingers and toes BTW)

I hope i didn't come off the wrong way Kiwi. I was only trying to state that caution is key. Absolutely your right it's a case by case situation. I was only trying to make a point that Birds, (And an abused macaw in this case) are potentially dangerous to infants and toddlers. All i meant to do was give caution because there is always a chance that unless you have the friendliest of birds, like your mom's Amazon in that case, there is always a risk of losing an eye or worse :O That's all i was getting at. I'm sorry if my post came off as rude.

Although this is a little different Fargo gets extra extra clingy when I have a baby possum or wallaby in my care!


I never show him, however the joey will be in a pouch under my blanket/shirt.. and SOMEHOW, without me letting Fargo see, he immediately knows there is a baby!


He will climb on my lap, and just sit there fluffed up, and then tries to regurgitate..

It is sooo strange.. He senses something different and just turns into an even more clingy bird who tries to be the father to these babies!



Of course the situation is a bit different, but it is still interesting to see how they can pick up on different things



When the babies are older they are allowed to meet Fargo, and then he becomes into basically a father, he sits on top of them, and tries to feed them.. Very strange how he takes on that role.. I am the mother, he is the father hahaha






Like Kiwi said, just see how it goes.. You may not have an issue at all!


Fargo has never gotten jealous with the animals i take care of, he just immediately acts extra clingy with them!


Take it slow and steady.. Fargo has been socialised with different people, so he has no problems with children!

Actually my parents other 2 birds (the green cheek amazon and cockatoo) they hand reared from chicks. The DYH Lucy was a wild caught, and one could argue that the experience of a wild bird destined for the US pet trade in the 1970s of being plucked out of the wild as an adult bird then manhandled and isolated in quarantine would qualify as traumatic and abusive (she's very aggressive towards men and still hates hands). And abused amazons may not have quite as big of beaks, but they're no walk in the park.

I'm not offended, just more trying to say keep an open mind and positive attitude because Huey may surprise the whole family He sounds like he's having a favorable reaction to the pregnancy already, and I for one, think that positivity should be encouraged and built upon Common sense applies of course, but I personally believe in the power of positive thinking and that animals pick up our emotions (yes, even parrots). If everyone is afraid he'll attack the child, he'll pick upon that. If people are thinking he will love and be kind to the baby, he'll pick up on that too. Which "vibes" would you rather him pick up on? I think I called Kiwi my "gentle friend" enough times, it eventually became true!

Tab- Adorable pics of Fargo! I think it's great to see a "daddy personality" bird too And a VERY big bird having a sweet interaction with a VERY small child at that! Fargo is almost as big as the baby lol.

Timothy said:

my ex-wifes niece(7yo). Maya took off her ear

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Holy smokes....that is insane...just bam ear is off....i can't even imagine. I would assume the parents weren't too amused by that situation.

jasper19 said:

Timothy said:

my ex-wifes niece(7yo). Maya took off her ear

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Holy smokes....that is insane...just bam ear is off....i can't even imagine. I would assume the parents weren't too amused by that situation.

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Well, at the time, me and my ex wife were engaged, and had a baby due in like 2 months, so her sister, the mother of the niece, was in very good spirits and didn't want to jeopardize the marriage. (Nah, my exwife took care of that by getting caught cheating 4 times in a year. 4th time i didn't forgive her ^^)

Gabbyg_289 said:

Hello! I use to have an account on here but it is gone now. Oh well. ...

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Now that's strange. Accounts don't just disappear. What was your username?