How long should you keep the Macaw out of it's cage per day?

Just got him he is 8 I keep him out all day until he goes to sleep is that too long. Also I gave him cooked oatmeal and a pecan. I read where it was ok. Is it reallly? I would like to ask my question to an experienced Macaw owner as I have read alot but knowing is best. I have a list on my fridg. letting my family know what he can't eat. Everything is going well but the biting. I want to get him use to us and know all I can and I want a female Scarlet or B&G. We dance and talk most of the day so I am having so much pleasure with him. I just want to hold and hug him and he won't let me right now.
Thanks, I have left him out all day and he never gets off his cage. Put him in his cage at night he is quite all night. At 8 a.m/ he is up and out. I don't think he was out of his cage much as he acts like he don't know what to do.

Mine are outside the cage 24/7... but they are trained and stay put!

I would estimate at least 4 to 8 hours per day as a minimum!!!

A LOT of macaw behavior problems stem from being locked up in a cage.

A good rule of thumb is if you are home, and have a playstand for them, let them out. Put them away at bedtime...

It helps to establish a clear routine. This is when we get up. This is when we get fed. This is when you are on your own. This is your out and playtime with dad. This is your out on your own time. This is bedtime.

I agree with Birdman, when I'm home my boy is out, I always have to be in his sights. I had gone on the treadmill today and he tried to climb on to join me. I placed him in the cage for 45 min and he screamed like crazy, but I'd rather have that then him hurt himself on moving machinery.

I let me guys out for about 4-5 hours a day, weekends longer

I have my RFM out in the morning and evenings. I work in my office and he is in his cage then. I am glad I did this because I am going back into the workforce and will be gone from the home 9 hours a day (with commute and 8 hour shift). He is use to his schedule and if I am late giving him "momma time" he lets me know it.

When Lupe gets home from work this signals me to quit my work in office. She will come in and greet the parrots and yell "RELEASE THE KRAKEN!" in which Valentino's cage will be opened, he goes for the snuggle from Lupe then will fly upstairs into my office and land on my shoulder and begin to pull my hair, sticking tongue in ear and squealing.

Now I have only had my girl for 2 months. When she is out I keep a eye on her. When she starts acting a little over whelmed or gets nippy I put her back in her cage with a treat. She will even ask to go back to her cage if I do not do it fast enough. There are some days she does not come out ( like the day after her harness was put on and she got to go out side) I would open her door and pet her and she would ask to see me, but really just wanted to stay in her space. At this time she is out between 1 to 3 hours a day depending on her mood and what we did that day. Each week she likes being out even more.

Birdman666 said:

Mine are outside the cage 24/7... but they are trained and stay put!

I would estimate at least 4 to 8 hours per day as a minimum!!!

A LOT of macaw behavior problems stem from being locked up in a cage.

A good rule of thumb is if you are home, and have a playstand for them, let them out. Put them away at bedtime...

It helps to establish a clear routine. This is when we get up. This is when we get fed. This is when you are on your own. This is your out and playtime with dad. This is your out on your own time. This is bedtime.

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Very good advice for those that are not able to keep their bird un-caged for long periods of time. My Macaw, Lucy, has not been in a locked cage in about a month. But, I have perches all over and a home office; so I am home almost all the time. She also does not wander off her perch.

My greenwing was locked up in a cage doing life in solitary for 8 years before I got her. SHE ABSOLUTELY CANNOT STAND BEING CAGED. But behaves perfectly, whether I am home or not, if the cage door is open.

Frankly, I stopped closing cage doors on mine about 5-6 years ago. I just didn't see a point to doing it anymore. But again, mine are trained, they have stuff to keep them occupied during the day, and I have a bird room. So, that's a major difference.

If they went on search and destroy missions they would be caged when I was not home. That is a safety issue, plus an I like my home furnishings just the way they are, thank you...

Honestly, what I recommend to people who are unsure, is to encourage them to treat their Macaw in the same fashion that they would treat a dog for daily interaction. If they choose to crate their dog when they're out of the house, that's understandable. However, most people do not keep a dog crated when they are home because they want their pet to be a part of the family.

While a dog crate is much smaller than a properly sized cage for a Macaw... you can see what I'm gettin' at here. Your Macaw is a member of your family, and when you're home, open the door to their cage to allow them to be out and social if they choose to be. I personally do the perch thing, where I bring her in with me when I'm working in the bedroom (where my computer is) so she can be a part of things

As per the other points, I may be a new member here, but I have found that they have consolidated some wonderful information on diet that I had previously found scattered across the internet on various websites. It's all here in once nice, neat thread!

http://www.parrotforums.com/general...afe-fresh-foods-toxic-food-lists-sprouts.html

Personally, I cook my own stuff for my bird when it comes to treats and snacks. I have made Oatmeal for my Macaw. I use the unflavored, non-instant, 100% Whole-Grain Tub-O-Oatmeal. I will also sneakily conceal some goodies in there for her since she is still adjusting to pellets and everything is better when it's in fresh food! I know this goes without saying but... I always serve it when it is below room temperature (usually cold). Not only is it safer but it gives the pellets time to soften

I recommend making stuff moreover buying stuff like pre-made cookies because of preservatives, sugars, blahblah... but that's just me ^^

I hope this word-wall helped!

Honestly Our birds have open cage time all day... They are put away at night at 9-10pm depending on how they are behaving. The only time they are locked in their cages is for bed time and around 6-7am they are let back out.
My birds will climb and walk around when we are home. The Big Beaks have their own area of the house closed off from the small beaks... I have never had a issue with a bird destroying thing when we are gone bc we don't leave stuff out. If they destroy something it was my fault for leaving it out.

My situation is a little bit different, since my macaw's a service animal who only stays home when the place I'm going won't accommodate a service animal, but as a rule of thumb for all the birds I've had – I'm home, at least somebody's out(the red factor Canary being the obvious exception).

Currently, Kumiko has two full-size macaw cages: one at my house and one at my friend's where I spend an enormous amount of my time. She has a play stand at each home.

Because she has balance issues, Dr. Kupersmith has insisted on growing out her wings, and she's had flight for about four days now. That's a game changer. She's probably going to have to be harnessed indoors now when something's being cooked or she'll have to be caged. She seems trustworthy enough the few times I've passed out to stay out of trouble, but I've caught her wandering off onto furniture she knows she's not supposed to be on after coming out of the bathroom. If I already wasn't looking into moving, I would've started major bird proofing: as it is, I'm just going to pack up what I think she can get in trouble with for now.

Honestly, given these birds are one rung below cockatoos concerning the"me, me, me"thing, I don't think there's enough adequate hours in the day if you were personally interacting with the bird out of the cage the entire day to make up for that – if the bird can amuse themselves and be content with "flock calls"back and forth to you wherever you are in the home, just leave the bird out and check up occasionally or if you hear anything. BJ's wholesale sells cheap($50 US I think) black and white wireless surveillance cameras and you just take the monitor to what part of the house you're going to be in.... Assuming they still carry the item. Should keep your mind at ease and let your bird play unfettered at the same time.








~I use Dragon NaturallySpeaking 12 preferred voice recognition software to type~

Gladewing, I allowed my military macaw out in the morning and was putting him up at night. He is a year old and just started refusing to step up to go to his cage. He acts horrible. What to do?

Mine are out 24/7. I only close cage doors when I am cleaning up, and there are things I don't want them getting into.

Four hours is absolute minimum.

Eight hours is better.

12 hours is better still.

The more you cage them, the less they like it.

Ticjstar1 said:

Gladewing, I allowed my military macaw out in the morning and was putting him up at night. He is a year old and just started refusing to step up to go to his cage. He acts horrible. What to do?

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Make him step up anyway. Discipline. Get a towel if you have to.

This is birdie manipulation. Just like a toddler who won't go to bed.

If the kid gets to call the shots, he won't go to bed until he feels like it. If he throws fits and gets his way, he'll continue to do it.

This is the "testing phase." You have to pass the test!

"Time for bed." Awwwww... Dad.

If he throws a fit, he gets covered until he quiets down.

Set the routine, and stick to it. He will accept it.

I don't want to be the one that disagrees but here goes. I too have my macaw (he is only 6 months old) out much of the day. However, I think it is vital to allow your macaw to learn how to occupy themselves in their cage. I am not saying that they should stay in there most of the day however I think that they need to learn that their cage is a positive place and that there are things that they can do while in there. I believe in having alot of stimulating toys in the cage and changing them up weekly. I think that a lot of the screaming issues with our birds stem from them not learning how to occupy themselves when they are alone. If a bird is constantly out and if this is a lifestyle that you can sustain for the life of the bird then I guess that is alright. I know however that there are times when my bird must be in the cage and I am responsible for teaching him that the cage is not a bad place.

brianlinkles said:

I don't want to be the one that disagrees but here goes. I too have my macaw (he is only 6 months old) out much of the day. However, I think it is vital to allow your macaw to learn how to occupy themselves in their cage. I am not saying that they should stay in there most of the day however I think that they need to learn that their cage is a positive place and that there are things that they can do while in there. I believe in having alot of stimulating toys in the cage and changing them up weekly. I think that a lot of the screaming issues with our birds stem from them not learning how to occupy themselves when they are alone. If a bird is constantly out and if this is a lifestyle that you can sustain for the life of the bird then I guess that is alright. I know however that there are times when my bird must be in the cage and I am responsible for teaching him that the cage is not a bad place.

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I don't disagree with that statement in any way shape or form!

They absolutely have to be taught to self entertain.

What happens though, is if they get locked up for days at a time, you are almost certain to get a macaw with behavior problems. If they don't get a minimum amount of out time and interaction, they do tend to get mad, and that's when the behavior problems start. And one of the main components I've found most "problem birds" have in common was being locked up too much, and not handled enough...

Mine was locked up CONTINUOUSLY for 8 years without being handled when I got her. She was a rescue. SHE ABSOLUTELY HATES THE DOOR CLOSING.

I used to cage mine when I went to work, years ago. BUT guess what. There isn't a single bird who doesn't know how to open the cage door on his or her own.

When you come home, to find they've let themselves out. Gone back and forth to their playstands, played with their toys, and done zero damage, you pretty much stop worrying about it at that point. (That was somewhere close to 7-8 years ago for me.)

Short of putting padlocks on all the cages - which still wouldn't work with the macaws because - hello - they have also taken their treat cup doors off!

Plan A fails, time for plan B. Crash boom! Food all over the floor!

I only close cage doors when I'm cleaning... primarily to keep them from being "helpful."

We keep all our birds out the majority of the day. We have the rare occasions were we are unable to get them out like they should that day which most of us have those days from time to time. Our birds usually come out at about 8am and get put up around 8pm. Our macs get quiet crabby if they're not in their cages no later then 815, and will pinch the cap out of you if you hold them unless you're taking them to their cage. I swear our Goffin cockatoos never sleep, and will yell and scream if you tell them goodnight or say bedtime. Our cockatiels are pretty mellow and are more eh whatever when it comes to going to bed.

Since we work full time Zoe gets 4 to 5 hours out time on week nights and the majority of the day on the weekends. That doesn't mean she's on us that whole time. I agree they need to learn to self entertain, but they don't have to be locked up to do that. Give them a play gym/area with things to do, multiple areas is even better.

thekarens said:

Since we work full time Zoe gets 4 to 5 hours out time on week nights and the majority of the day on the weekends. That doesn't mean she's on us that whole time. I agree they need to learn to self entertain, but they don't have to be locked up to do that. Give them a play gym/area with things to do, multiple areas is even better.

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I'm actually amazed Zoe hasn't taken her cage apart yet. The BTM I hand fed figured that one out the first day!

It took Sweepea almost 6 months to figure it out. Another hour to figure out taking the door off gets around the "padlock" issue...

I'm just saying... that particular issue is waiting in the wings at some point with a BTM.

Birdman666 said:

thekarens said:

Since we work full time Zoe gets 4 to 5 hours out time on week nights and the majority of the day on the weekends. That doesn't mean she's on us that whole time. I agree they need to learn to self entertain, but they don't have to be locked up to do that. Give them a play gym/area with things to do, multiple areas is even better.

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I'm actually amazed Zoe hasn't taken her cage apart yet. The BTM I hand fed figured that one out the first day!

It took Sweepea almost 6 months to figure it out. Another hour to figure out taking the door off gets around the "padlock" issue...

I'm just saying... that particular issue is waiting in the wings at some point with a BTM.

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She's too busy trying to dismantle the other cages. She hates for me to leave the room and if I do she flies to another cage and starts to take it apart. Her favorite is my linnies flight cage.