1st Time B&G Owner & Happy to Have Found This Page

Hello all,

I'm a full time student in college, I work full time and I'm a mommy of three boys under 6. I've always wanted a macaw and my father and I had talked about getting one when I was in high school. However, it never happened as my father was a single father and passed away before he had the chance to own one. I was online one day recently and found Rio. Right now wasn't the best time to find a new family member as my schedule is very tight, however, I couldn't resist him. He was being given up due to "housing conditions." I thought for sure when I was on my way to get him that he had to have something wrong with him as it was too good to be true, however, when I pulled up he was well behaved and let me hold him immediately. The owners had his cage outside and said they had just got done washing it (thought nothing of it as I know cages can get dirty especially if not taken care of). When we got home we set up his cage and let him get adapted but it was late at night so we all went to bed. When we got up the next morning the cage was COVERED in cockaroaches!!!! I know these guys can be the devil to get rid of! I cried, I couldn't help it.... We immediately took the cage outside drilled holes in all the hollow bars and spent two in a half hours spraying it with water running air through it with a air compressor and laid down boric acid and bait traps and thought it would be ok. We called an exterminator but couldn't get them out for a week in a half...... the next morning we got up and there were more, we took the cage to a car wash wrapped it in pallet wrap and bombed it not knowing that pesticides were harmful. We spent another two hours at the car wash washing the cage then brought it home and I literally wiped every bar down with vinegar and lemon water and then wiped it down to dry it..... laid down boric acid around the cage and more bait traps and the exterminator has since come out..... Luckily he advised me that pesticides can be harmful to them and that he would take care of them. He believes that there won't be any issues after he came in but we are going to have him come out one more time.....

I took Rio to the vet he is healthy and fine and we hope the additional residents will be gone very soon. Has anyone else had any problems with bugs and their cages? I've started feeding Rio in the morning before work and then I clean his cage EVERY night.... has anyone had something like this happen and been able to get rid of them all? I have little kids and know they can cause health issues with children.

Also, I'm looking at trying sprouting.... would like some advice/insight.... I have a BLACK thumb and I'm worried I won't be able to pull it off... Has anyone used the sprouting companies and is it really worth it?

Rio LOVES my children, I was so worried that he was going to bite them and that I was going to have to watch him, however, he's been excellent and tries to regurgitate for them all the time ( I will be honest, he's exhausting because I have so much going on but he's so fun to have and my kids love him! He's been a great addition to our home minus the "friends" that came with him.

I am SO SORRY about your experience! I've never had to deal with bugs like that but it sounds like you're getting a handle on it. I'm fastidious and clean my birds cage every day. I feel a clean environment is healthy not just for us but for them. Hoping all goes well and things calm down for you!

Oh my gosh, what a nightmare! I think I would have cried, too.

I think at one point or another, we've all had a bug problem. Ants, flies, etc. Sometimes it just doesn't matter how clean you keep your cages.. fresh foods just attract bugs. That sure is a step above and beyond, though. Just saying -- even you find yourself with some bugs here and there, don't get upset. It happens to everyone.

I think you will be okay with sprouting. I have a black thumb, too. I can't even grow tomatoes x.x Think I might have even killed a silk plant once? There are tons of videos on YouTube about sprouting. The trick really just seems to be to keep them rinsed. At least, here in Arizona where it is super dry. I bet it will be even easier in Oklahoma where the stupid things aren't trying to dehydrate themselves.

I would love to see some pictures of your beautiful Rio. I actually just brought home by Blue and Gold macaw (Vandal) yesterday! We can learn all about them together!

Thank you all for the encouragement! Selestine, I am going to try sprouting on Monday, so long as I can get to the sprouts grocery store in town today. ) Seems like it won't be too hard and that it's the healthiest better than commercial food. Hope I can do it and hopefully we can both learn together!

Congratulations on your new addition and thank you for giving Rio a great home. It sounds like it was meant to be if he is getting along with all of you as well as he is. Any idea how old he is? I've never had issues with roaches. Fruit flies in the summer, yes! They key is just keeping the cage clean and cleaning food dishes daily. What a nightmare for you! I hope they don't come back.

Would love to see pics!

Blancaej he is 2 years old. She sent me pictures of him when he was a baby and said that she had known him since he was 5 weeks old but she never said how long she had had him, I kinda feel like she was lying about things and wasn't being completely honest but I didn't care because I knew I could give him a good home and that eventually he would learn to trust me and think our home was as good as I do. :O) yes, I feel like keeping the cage clean is necessary for all of us not just him plus who wants to see a poopy cage when they first walk in since he is the first thing you see :O) I want him to be well socialized, and with how popular our six year old is all the neighborhood kids are here he will be. :O) I have only seen a couple since we bombed the cage and the exterminator came out the next day and I've seen two baby ones but he said that it will take some time for them to all disappear but that they will. He didn't think I needed another session but I told him I would like a second one just to be sure. :O)

Rio was actually named Yiyo (pronounced geo) but our son wanted him to be renamed. Rio has adjusted a thousand times better than I ever imagined. He eats with us at the table and I'm tying to teach him that he has to stay off my shoulder so much bc he starts thinking he's the boss once he's up there and you don't mess with him for a little bit and then try to get him to step down he screams at you lol.....

I have a lot of learning to do, I've been spoiling him since he's first arrived so that way we could all bond now I'm having to start cracking down on him and not giving him drinks out of my cup and everything I eat. :O)

How often do you all let them eat off your plate? He thinks he's entitled to everything now lol

I just wanted to give everyone an update, I'm not sure where I should post one :O) We are doing great. Things are moving a long. I'm still trying to find where I can buy sprouting items locally instead of buying them online but I'm about to cave and just buy them online. I did resort to feeding him a pellet food as he doesn't seem to care for freeze dried foods too much and I don't want him just eating seeds. With that being said one, he doesn't like it much but he does eat it, two, at least I know he's getting minimum nutrition, three, I supplement with fresh fruit and veggies daily usually twice a day AND he eats a ton of food from my plate at dinner time.... well I say a ton, he tries a little bit of everything (still not sure how great of an idea this is) but we have found he LOVES honey infused or vanilla and blue berry oats :O)