Parrot proofing list? Other questions

1. What is your parrot house proofing list, besides changing cookware, making sure headers are safe, not using ceiling fans, covering cords etc. What was your personal bird proofing list? So I can know what I need to fully do! Aso, what Teflon free, and safe dishes do you use? Would you provide links is possible? Even for safe heaters to use around birds!!

2. I already know a lot about parrot care, and can't wait to introduce a future macaw to my home. I've been wanting to adopt a macaw, but some people are recommending I adopt a trained one from a breeder. Which should I do? I would like a semi older one of about 20 or so to adopt bringing it into a better life. But others are saying if I wanted to free fly it would be easier to just adopt from a reputable breeder. I would love to do a free fly someday, as well as adopt a well-trained bird. Which should I generally go for? I don't mind age, nor the training.


3. What should I look for when adopting a bird, and looking for free flight trainers? I would love to at least have my bird know how to fly, as well as have recall training done, so if something happens, I couldn't least have a semi better chance of getting my bird to fly backif they get outside.

4. I honestly don't really have any places to adopt parrots around here, I'm wondering if its safe to possibly fly from one side of the USA to the other with a parrot... Or if Ihad to drive etc. I plant move to the middle of the US, so I guess I'd be flying halfway across the US to look for a adorable bird. I feel California maybe my best bet, since I have looked on petfinder and other sites are there are always SOOO many needing home, or breeders in CA.

I'm willing to spend upwards of 5k or over for getting all the first month supplies for a future bird, including the bird itself, extra extra toys, because I don't want to support local pet stores, plus it also seems even my family owned pet store barely has any toys suitable for larger birds like Macaws. I plan to spend a lot on a big walk-in aviary, I think it's 110 inches long, 62 inches wide, and maybe 79 inches tall? I cant remember, but it is over 2 thousand. As well as have extra money aside in case of emergency. Am I too prepared or too thinking about getting a bunch of stuff?? Aso what kind of bedding should I use under the avairy? Butcher paper? Care fresh bedding? Newspaper? I wanted to use corn cob bedding, but I heard something about it off of Mybirdstore.com that made me not get it. Due it it causing a big health issue. I am indeed prepared for eventually getting my future macaw, if anyone says I don't know what I'm getting into, I am aware of the care!!!! I own two ferrets, and a bunch of chickens and ducks, as well shave had experience with a few large birds. How do ferrets relate to birds may you ask? Ferrets are quite like parrots ferrets are like a 2 or 3 year old, they get into a lot of trouble, they want to be where you don't want them, they steal everything you care about. Sometimes ruining it too!!! As we as hold crap, the bites feel like stabs. I have found in my care of two ferrets, soon to be more as my mom and family plan to adopt more (we planned to adopt 3 about a month ago, we went to meet them to get the ferrets, but the people never came.. Never even replied after we asked why they didn't come) so while ferrets and macaws are TWO completely different animals from my personal ferret care, as well as generaly experience with a few large birds,they are quite alike in some ways, just parrots scream, bite harder, and live longer, and ferrets are quiet, and live shorter.. (if I owned ferrets in the future I promise they will never be in contact with my bird, I don't even let them near my chicks or chickens).... I also find chickens are quite like them if you have never been spurred before... I have a high pain tolerance, so I can handle the bites, even if it hurts a TON. I feel I am too prepared for a future parrot, but also I feel there is still SOOOOOOOO much more to learn. But I'm up for it. Either way, whether I own parrots or not, I will still be working with them as I will be going into being a avianvet tech career.

Stainless steel metal on anything he will mouth----you know, cage locks etc (at least when it comes to metal objects)
Look at your house plants and make sure they are away from where the bird could get them (the dirt is unsafe, even if the plant is).
Make sure they cannot access lead paint on windows/woodwork (it is fun to chew and sweet---that having been said, any finished wood is going to be unsafe)
Be careful w/ cords--- you do not want a fried parrot
If your bird is recently clipped, consider putting some padding around the cage in case he/she gets frightened and attempts to fly off.
Bells can be dangerous--it's easy for them to snap off the pendulum and choke on it or get beak stuck in bell.
Consider covering mirrors and using decals or something over windows so that he/she doesn't fly into them.
Ferrets CAN kill/attack birds-- they may be worse than cats in that regard (just depends-- but many warn against simultaneous ownership). Be VERY careful.
Prepare to travel far less and prepare to wake up earlier lol (unless you already get up early)
Try to set up a quiet sleep space for the bird (a room if at all possible)
Get a travel cage that is appropriate.

I am always PRO-RESCUE--- yes, it can be harder to build trust (and some do come w/ trauma or bad habits), but you have a better idea of what you are getting if an adult bird picks you--they are also already sexually mature, which means they are not going to push away in a hormonal nightmare like many young birds do years after adoption. Sometimes an older bird will also already know the basics (like step-ups..whether or not they do it often depends on trust, but it is one less thing to teach). It's also easy to accidentally teach a baby bird bad habits, as they change so much and what is okay when they are little doesn't last....plus, there are a million in need of homes...rescues are overflowing.

noodles123 said:

Stainless steel metal on anything he will mouth----you know, cage locks etc (at least when it comes to metal objects)
Look at your house plants and make sure they are away from where the bird could get them (the dirt is unsafe, even if the plant is).
Make sure they cannot access lead paint on windows/woodwork (it is fun to chew and sweet---that having been said, any finished wood is going to be unsafe)
Be careful w/ cords--- you do not want a fried parrot
If your bird is recently clipped, consider putting some padding around the cage in case he/she gets frightened and attempts to fly off.
Bells can be dangerous--it's easy for them to snap off the pendulum and choke on it or get beak stuck in bell.
Consider covering mirrors and using decals or something over windows so that he/she doesn't fly into them.
Ferrets CAN kill/attack birds-- they may be worse than cats in that regard (just depends-- but many warn against simultaneous ownership). Be VERY careful.
Prepare to travel far less and prepare to wake up earlier lol (unless you already get up early)
Try to set up a quiet sleep space for the bird (a room if at all possible)
Get a travel cage that is appropriate.

I am always PRO-RESCUE--- yes, it can be harder to build trust (and some do come w/ trauma or bad habits), but you have a better idea of what you are getting if an adult bird picks you--they are also already sexually mature, which means they are not going to push away in a hormonal nightmare like many young birds do years after adoption. Sometimes an older bird will also already know the basics (like step-ups..whether or not they do it often depends on trust, but it is one less thing to teach). It's also easy to accidentally teach a baby bird bad habits, as they change so much and what is okay when they are little doesn't last....plus, there are a million in need of homes...rescues are overflowing.

Click to expand...

I rarey travel.. i go on small few hour road trips, but never like a vacation.

Yes, definitely stick to stainless steel for any metals. I actually buy carabeeners from Amazon that are 100% stainless steel that work great to hang toys. In fact I try to buy toys that have stainless steel chains on them already and I simply reuse the chains by putting on my own diy toys. I make most of the toys. I buy untreated macaw-safe wood from hardware stores (I always double check that the wood is safe and contains no extra things like glue). I buy untreated ropes from amazon too.

As for under the aviary/gym, I buy these big brown rolls of thick paper from the hardware store. I think they are about $11.

We prepared a corner in the kitchen for Kass' gym where she will spend most of her time when out. It's the busiest part of the house and her corner is surrounded by huge windows. We ended up removing the blinds cuz on the occasions she manages to get to the window, she chewed up the blinds LOL So we learned that the curtains have to be completely further away from her gym which has a lot of dangling chains that she would use to swing to the curtains.

I hope you are prepared for the house to be chewed up. You cannot get mad or punish. It's what they do. Even with all the toys they can still do it. We have been vigilant of keeping a close watch on her majority of the time and keeping her only where we want her. That said, see previous paragraph about blinds lol. She has chewed up the window sill a bit, and chipped off a bit of my floor when we turned our backs for a second LOL. But we accept it and just learn from our mistakes (which we make over and over again LOL)

This is a video we watched a lot before committing. He's very blunt!

[ame="https://youtu.be/xA6QjVRBMh4"]DON’T buy a Macaw!!! Unless... || Mikey The Macaw - YouTube[/ame]

You don't punish. You train. You give them plenty of things they are allowed to chew up. And you direct them away from things they are not allowed to chew up. They have to understand the word "No." And "time outs" work with big macs. They are attention oriented creatures. "Time out" where they don't get any attention is a form of "punishment" that works with these guys.

If you don't want it chewed up, don't put the cage/playstand right up against your woodwork. Because they will.

Generally speaking, however "macaw proof" isn't. I bought an expensive intelligently engineered "macaw proof" double macaw cage awhile back. The latest in fancy new locks, and latches, etc.

My bird completely dismantled it in short order. Took apart every lock, broke every latch. The cage and treat cup doors are now held shut with bungee cords. Less to lock the bird in, than to keep her from dumping bowls when she's finished eating and drinking... because flinging them across the room is apparently very entertaining...