a set back

hello every one. i have a new obstacle on my mind right now. so yesterday i went out with my mom and aunt, going to fish stores and one of the stores we stopped by was an exotic pet store which also has fish. to my surprise there was a younger b&g there playing around on the top of it's cage, and wanting to adopt a gw i thought it would be a good idea to see if i could visit with the bird or at least try to interact with it. he/she seemed very interested in me as well. so as it's being a goof and making the playful macaw squawks a woman that worked there passed by and told it to be quiet. so i started talking to her about the bird, and how i was looking into getting a gw. immediately she interrupted me and said, "NO YOU DON'T!" they cause thousands of dollars worth of damage to your house, plus they are extremely loud and the dander is outrageous. finding out that the b&g was her's and she couldn't keep it at her house she brought it in to the shop. i was kinda discouraged about everything that i have been doing so far as with doing my research and planning. i finally got to talk to a macaw owner in person and they told me otherwise not to get a macaw but i was better off with a grey. in my opinion a grey is going to have just as much dander as a macaw. but i am fully aware of their chewing and vocalization habits. it hasn't made me hesitant before but i also plan on giving my bird everything a bird could ever dream of. it kinda made me feel like even though i have the best of intentions, they will never be good enough. it's not like the bird is only going to have just a couple of toys and stay in it's cage for most of the day. i do plan on having toy box overflowing, jungle gyms hanging from the ceiling, java stands, and not being in a cage most of the day. i have expectations of being there with the bird just about the majority of the day, week, month, etc. so that being said i don't think i should worry about it ruining my house. if i am there making sure it doesn't start chewing on things that it shouldn't, am i right? i don't know , what do you guys think about this dilemma. i kinda think she could have been one of those impulse buyers but she works at a exotic pet store so i would have hoped that she wasn't because exotics also take some special knowledge also.

My plain and simple reply is: Do NOT listen to her.

IMHO you are planning out everything perfectly for your future GW. Sounds to me like your bird won't be missing out anything.

As for GWs chewing up and destroying your home, of course they are CAPABLE of it, but I'm sure that if you will supervise properly, extensive damage can and will be avoided.

Dander? African Greys are definitely more "dusty" than a Macaw. Yes, you'll be cleaning dust, feathers shafts, feathers, tossed food, scrub walls, etc....but guess what? Other parrots make messes, too. Additionally, other parrots can destroy your house, too, if left unsupervised.

Listen to your heart, birdbrainzz, and please don't let the "opinion" of one person bust your bubble.

thank you wendy! every thing that you just said is pretty much what i was thinking. any kind of bird out there is capable of chewing , messes, noise, and what have you. i think maybe she looked at me as an impulse buyer. little does she know i take great lengths of research into almost anything that i jump into. this being one of the biggest journeys, and life long as well. i even plan on having a will for my bird if he/she out lives me. i am 26 so we are going to have lots and lots of time together. oh and i should probably tell you my name is heather. i think maybe i should put that lil tid bit of info on my profile so the other flock members know my name. that might help a lil

I agree with Wendy, don't bother listening to a lick of what that woman says. SHe sounds like some one who got a macaw for it's exoticness, but should've settled for just a picture of one. Every and any bird and can tear apart a house- it's your responsibility to train, bird proof, and supervise so that doesn't happen. Also you have not seen dander until you have had a cockatoo lol- I can smell the dander on one of those. If she can't handle the playful noises of a macaw, she cant handle any parrot.

My Pionus created a bigger mess on my walls than my greenwing does. The cockatoo is the 'big white termite' who destroys woodwork & furniture - if you let him. The cockatoo and grey together 'dust up' the room.

I'm not saying the greenwing doesn't shed - he does. I'm not saying he doesn't decorate the floor with food & poop. He does. And I am sure if left to his own devices, he woud re-mold the molding in the bird room. And yeah, there is more dust with him than without him.

But just because one macaw owner is dissatisfied doesn't mean you will be. Pity the poor B&G who lives with her . . .

Follow your own research & your heart. What isn't satisfactory to one macaw owner might be perfect for another & what a shame if you didn't follow your dream because of someone else's opinion.

Animals are messy, time consuming, expensive, and WORK. This is common knowledge and yet there is an endless supply of people who are SURPRISED when they need to put time and energy into their pets. When people meet Mango and tell me they are going to go get a parrot, I usually try to warn them (strongly) of the lifestyle change and time required. I can imagine people think Im nutts, and that Im trying to discourage them. I really just want to try to avoid a situation where a bird goes into the home of someone with no bird knowledge, and although very interesting and fun for the first weeks it just becomes a burden that ends up on kijiji or worse. Maybe she was just trying to strongly encourage you to understand the responsibility you are taking on? Its possible these people have had some bad experiences and rather than recognize their own hand in it, they blame the bird and tell themselves they would not have these problems had they decided on another species of bird. As a horse trainer, I see this all the time. People mess up, usually something small and fixable, but they are convinced if they just get a "better" horse their problems will be solved. Its very hard to get people to recognize that THEY are the problem, not the animal. Its not like you walked into the store, saw the bird, and decided on a whim you wanted one. Lots of people here have Macaws and love them. You have taken lots of time to prepare, and you are doing all the right things. Im sorry you got discouraged.

Hi Heather,

As everyone else has quite rightly said, yes a macaw *will* change your life..., but that's why you're getting one, right?

I had an Amazon for 16 years, he was an absolute sweetie. He passed away last year and I figured it was time to fulfil my dream of getting a B&G. My 2 (slightly evil and unapproachable) Amazons don't make half the mess of my baby macaw. He destroys perches and toys literally almost as fast as I make them (I'm not very good at DIY...) and I can't even begin to describe the mess, dust and dander and he hasn't even had his first moult yet! Yet.., already I wouldn't be without him. Yes he'd wreck my house and/or kill my cat in an instant if I left him alone, that's why I don't leave him unsupervised!

It sounds like this lady is the reason so many birds are in rehoming centres. You seem to have done your research - your new baby will change your life, but in a most amazing way Don't let her ignorance put you off xx

Tell her to stuff a sock in it and follow your dream. Just my opinion

Wendy and Aliray are absolutely correct. Heck the only time my home is clean is for about an hour after I clean it. Then the cage doors are open and the floor is covered with nearest victim, usually a kleenex box.

You should get that bird and give it a better home than the stupid lady gave it.

WOW! lol i got a lot of responses with this thread. and i must say, i am very thrilled. and relieved that every body pretty much agrees . and this is were i believe i shouldn't have very much problems because i am doing my research, and clearly understand what it's going to take . not with just macaws but it fallows with all bird species. i must agree now that i think of it , awfully silly to let an opinion of one person sway me away from something that i have spent so much time finding out about. and yes anybody who's owned birds before are already clearly aware what they are capable of. shoot a child is capable of taking car keys and attempt to go for a joy ride. some successfully and some not so much. it's the parents fault for not making sure their keys were secure and not keeping an eye on their kid. same as with any parrot. even a little budgie could probably ruin some things if the owner does not make sure their bird stays out of the no no's. this topic makes me think back to when i was having my interview for vet/kennel i work for. i am a kennel keeper so during my interview my boss had asked me if i had any issues dealing with poop scooping dog runs, and cleaning out their crates when they have accidents in them. my response to her was , well if your going to have animals or work with them then your going to not care about their crap either. she then nodded and said that is very true. in a sense i think that relates. ..... so any ways thank you every body for being my cheerleaders. my decisions have not change one bit about getting a gw, instead i think i feel even stronger about them. and the macaw that was at the store, i probably would have tried to adopt it, if i was ready for one or multiples. but there are a few things that need to be done and acquired before i take the plunge into becoming a parront.