Question about About Macaws & African Greys

If you had to choose between one or the other, which would you choose and why? Either a Blue & Gold Macaw or a African Grey?

What are the ups and downs of owning either species? I know macaws can be noisy at times, and I know Greys can be moody at times.

I ask these questions because I have the opportunity to get a weaned Blue & Gold macaw or a weaned African Grey. My wife has some what agreed with the African Grey, but she's still leary of a macaw. Mainly because of the size of their BEAK and possiblity for making noise.

Both birds are on my bucket list and I have always wanted both species, especially a Blue & Gold Macaw. A lady in the next town over has a Blue & Gold Macaw and she always has him sitting outside either on top of his cage or in a tree. We always drive slowly by their house or stop to admire the bird. But he will let out a squawk that can be heard down the block, which isn't endearing macaws to my wife nor helping my cause any.

Here's my opinion...

As the parront of a CAG, I'm very partial to them. My Ruby isn't as playful as her macaw sister, but she loves me as much as I love her. She's so smart. I just read Alex & Me, by Irene Pepperberg, and want to start that sort of training with her. I love the way she looks and I love to hear her sweet little voice and I love the size of Greys. She's also very quiet and almost never screeches. The only thing I would change would be to make her more accepting of my other family members, but we can work on that.

I don't have a B&G, so I really don't have any experience with them.

I too am partial to the greys. Most especially for their intellectual development as they grow. When you have a bird you can really talk to and know they understand it is amazing. I also have experienced some greys are better talkers than others. Have no idea what the reason may be. Rosie is a slow to learn talker but she does talk. Some greys will repeat the words or phrases after only a few days teaching and others, like mine. take a long time to say the word.

I think the Macaws are awesome but I have no desire for such a large bird. The ones I have seen at my club meeting were very well behaved but made much more of a mess than a grey.

I look at how spendy macaw toys are, and I think wow. And that is all I know about that. lol

If I were you, I'd go with the African Grey.

You plan on keeping your wife and from the sounds of things she's really REALLY uncomfortable with a macaw. You don't want to get a bird that she begrudgingly agrees to when its a baby only to have to find a new home for it when it grows up and she changes her mind. I'm not saying she WILL change her mind but she might.

Thanks for the input. I have to agree with Darkling. She agreed to a medium sized bird like an African Grey. Which is one of the birds I'm really wanting. But I had a breeder offer me a Baby Blue and Gold for $650.00 weaned. That was one of the reasons I was considering a macaw, plus I was wanting one as well.

I'd go with the grey, you can always look at the macaw down the road. The grey sounds like a great bird for the two of you to grow with. If the bird bonds with the wife later on, you can always get the blue and gold, lol.

The nice thing about the grey's size is that it's big enough to feel like a substantial bird but small enough to travel with, take places etc. Most greys don't tend to screetch (the pet shop grey is likely overstimulated). The blue and golds are much more destructive of everything, he will require a much larger initital investment. The cage will need to be double the size, double the space, the toys, the play stand etc.

good luck.

Thanks for the input pittie, I was looking at that as well and the size cage required for the Macaw would have to be a biggun, not to mention toys. I can pick up chew toys for my Sennie for $1.99 each, but Macaw toys range from $10.00 and up. Plus My Sennie has a playtop cage, but for a Macaw I would most certainly need a sturdy play stand. Then like you pointed out, it's those trips to the vet, not to mention if I had to go some where for a week or so and trying to find a sitter. My Nephew takes care of my Sennie if I have to take off for a week or two. But I don't think he would be to thrilled adding a Macaw to the list.

All of these things are coming into play as I ponder my decision. I had a great offer on a weaned B&G Macaw for $650.00 and if I was into hand feeding I had an offer this morning for a B&G 3 week old baby for $350.00. But I know nothing about hand feeding so I would rather leave that up to the experts and pay the extra for the weaned birds.

I've always wanted both a Grey & a B&G Macaw so I would be thrilled with either. But my wife isn't to keen on a Macaw. She feels their beak can sever a finger hahahaha.

My boyfriend would love a macaw. He talks about it almost daily. "Someday, when I have my macaw..." He says. LOL! I don't know about them. I love to admire them from afar, but they scare me.