Newbie here- Thinking about buying a B&G Macaw, need some advice

[DAROCK]

Hello everyone, hope all is well. I was recommend to this wonderful site,by a customer of mine. About me, I'm a 30 year old male,self-employed, I work Mon-Fri 7am- 5pm. My experience with birds, I had some parakeets for about 4 plus years and a cockatiel for 2 years. So yesterday, I went to Parrots of the World in Long Island,NY and I fell in love with the B&G Macaws. So I decided to join the forums and interact with you guys, to decide if a B&G is for me. As for questions, I understand they need a big cage and I have the room for one. If I were to get one, he/she would be in my basement with no big temperature fluctuations,only gets a little hot in the summertime. As for time, I work Mon-Fri 7am 5-pm, so I was thinking of letting him out of the cage as soon as I get home and let him roam around the basement. I was wondering if I need to let him out of the cage everyday -? I also would like to know how loud to they get-? Do they scream all the time-? So basically I'm trying to find out if a B&G Macaw is for me. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you

 

[antoinette]

Welcome to our friendly forum, great members "bird crazy" actually LoL
Browse around, many interesting posts.
Sure many members with Macaw's will give you great advise.
Good luck

 

[Aussie Ben]

Welcome to the forum, this is a great community and you have come to the right place.

I do not have a macaw, but a lot of those questions are parrot general. For a caged bird I would say 'out time' is something that needs to happen at the very least once a day. A bird as intelligent as a B&G needs plenty of social interaction. Birds that are kept in large 'bird rooms' or aviaries have enough room to entertain themselves, but they still need so******ation either from their human companions or other parrots.

Birds like to be kept in areas of the house where they can see/hear and interact with their flock (thats you ) Not necessarily the center of the living room, but somewhere where they can observe daily activities. So unless you have a busy basement with lots of natural light coming in then I wouldn't recommend keeping him down there, he will get very lonely and could develop some pretty nasty mental and physical conditions.

Noise is a difficult one to answer, If you want to see what noise macaws are capable of then 5 minutes on you tube will paint a nice picture for you. Not all birds will scream constantly, but most will, at some stage during the day scream. Depending on the bird it could last 5 minutes or 5 hours. Most birds will only make loud screams at sunrise and sunset or when they are excited. Other loud screams can generally be linked to illness, fear, frustration and boredom, so to some extent screaming can be minimized, but generally not eliminated. All birds are individuals though, so it is hard to say what exactly to expect.

hope this helps

 

[willist]

I own 2 Macaws, my advice to you is DO NOT KEEP a Macaw (or any bird for that matter in the basement), the Macaw should be in the room you spend the most time in. The living room or family room would be best. Also they should be kept in a room with windows they need natural light and they like to see whats going on outside. I think you need to do alot more research before you buy a Macaw. They ARE NOT birds for beginners.

 

[Kaybrauer]

Hello, I am also from Long island NY. I would really recommend going to For Birds Only in Mineola. Its right on Jerhico tpke. Ida (hope i am spelling her name right) Is the owner and is AWESOME. I have been going there for 7 years now and she is very honest. She is a lot more personable then the guy who owns Parrots of the world. In my opinion i would go to her place too and talk to her. She also might be a bit cheaper in price too.

 

[Mel]

Can't help with advise about macs but welcome to the forum. B&G would be my dream bird but they cost more than my car in aust so will have to wait to win the lotto

 

[A Helping Wing]

I run a rescue in Upstate NY (near Poughkeepsie) and we take in mainly large birds and have a good handful of macaws for adoption. A Helping Wing

 

[DAROCK]

Antoinette,thank you. I was up all night going through the website Howdy Aussie,thank for chiming in. I understand the out time for a B&G, so I should be ok with about 2 hours for him everyday. I was wondering if it has to be a set time everyday -? Or could it be any 2 hours of the day-?
As for the basement,its like a studio apartment,everything is wide open, and I spend most,if not all of my time down there. I have a living room setup,kitchen,dining room and bedroom. So when I get home around 6-7,out he goes !
I was thinking of putting him right across my saltwater tank, so he can check those guys out during the day when I'm not home. Also how do I bird-proof my basement -? I was planning on letting him out in the living room, with toys and perch on the rug. Is it ok for him to go on a rug -? I also came up with an idea, during playtime, I''ll setup up two folding doors,to box the living room up,so we can have our playtime and not to worry about him roaming around the basement. I did some research on the screams, I'm not sure how it varies from baby to adult, but it looks like most if not all scream and it depends on how much time you spend with them.
Hey Willist ! How are you -? Thanks for your input. Regarding the basement, it does have windows, and I do spend all my time there in the evenings and weekends.Its like my living room,dining room and bedroom all together. I have my own place in the basement,while my family lives upstairs. I am doing my research before I buy one, and that's why I join the forums, so I can learn more about a B&G, from you guys Thank you Kay, I'll pay them a visit this week. Should I let them know you sent me there-? Mel,thank you. I always wanted one, but I really want to do all the research,before getting one. A Helping Wing,wow I just checkout your website, and I think its a wonderful thing that you are doing,rescuing and taking care of these wonderful and exotic birds !

 

[natalie]

Hi Darock

First off, it is good of you to be looking and asking questions before making an impulsive decision to get a macaw. They can be a lot of work and are a big commitment....which I'm sure you understand.

I have had a few parrots and they all differ by quite a bit. I'll tell you up front and forward.... Macaws can be nasty little buggers if given any reason to be....if they ever feel they can get the upper hand by biting you....they will play on that. So I think the number one rule to owning one is to not let that big beak intimidate you....respect it....always....but do not let the bird take the upper hand with it. If you are afraid of the beak....do not buy one. It will quickly turn into an uncontrollable situation and I think it leads to a lot of homeless macaws.

That said.... Macaws can also be fun...loving....and great pets. You just need to understand them. Many take to one person while some take to anyone. I think I find macaws to be much more self confident than cockatoos are and are less "needy and clingy"...in general. But remember, in anything that is said, there are ALWAYS individual differences.

My macaw is loud...very loud when she bursts out. But she only has 1 short noisy time each day....usually in the late morning. They scream for different reasons, and to have their needs met, so if you keep your bird healthy and happy, the noise level should remain rather low. When mine is feeling vocal, she prefers to talk and make happy sounds...the screams just get thrown in out of play or the want of attention.

As far as the basement is concerned....if that is where you are, the bird will like it.... my main concern is good ventilation. Make sure there is adequate air flow and the air is not overly moist. Most finished basements are really nice, so I'm imagining it is probably just fine. If it is stuffy, run a fan or even better, an air filter.

If you have time to spend with a macaw and are not afraid of it.... I think you will find they make great pets. Do not expect it to be your best friend the very day or even month you get it home. Many require a very long adjustment period. In this period....you may get bitten frequently. Be prepared for that....if your bird does adjust quickly...consider yourself very fortunate....it all dpends on the age of your bird and how much it has experienced in life. A well socialized bird will adjust to its new home much more quickly than a bird that has not been around too many people....something to consider when you buy or adopt.

Well, good luck to you. If you have any more questions, I'm happy to help.

 

[HRH Di]

Good advice above...I don't have much to add.

We have a Red-front Macaw who just turned 1 year old. She really is incredibly quiet - no morning or evening flock calls, however, she does greet us every morning by saying "HiiiiIIIIiii!" (in a very flirty,drawn-out way). She really is incredible - smart, curious, playful, cuddly, etc.

I also believe that out-of-the-cage time is extremely important. However, quality is more important that quantity. Just being out of the cage with no interaction...he might as well be in his cage. Just like any friend you have to build a relationship with trust and interaction. However, once the relationship is established - there will be down times that you just watch a ball game on TV together, but there will also be times of rough-housing. It sounds like your parrot would have about as much out-of-cage time as our birds do, and our girls and Max seem very well adjusted and happy.

I've come to believe that the "traits" of any parrot are extremely broad and each bird is an individual with his/her very distinct personality. Regardless of how much research you do, there will be things you didn't count on. Patience and flexibility are very good attributes to have when one has a parrot in one's life.

Good luck! You won't believe how much a parrot will enrich your life for so many years to come.

 

[Kaybrauer]

Heyy!! Definetly let hew know that i sent you down. Just tell her "the girls who grooms your dogs sent me here". She will know who u are talking about lol. Dont forget that all birds (when the wings are clipped!!!!!) love to go outside with u. I love taking mine out in the backyard and letting them sit with me while i read or water the flowers. Its good for them to get some sun. Let me know how ur visit goes. Sge is a really sweet woman.

 

[DAROCK]

Natalie, thanks for you input I'm aware they're a lot of work, and I've spent the past few weeks,up all night reading everything and anything on the forums regarding the Blue & Gold's. You say they can be nasty at times,does that differ from getting them when they are small, or basically they get a little nasty as they get older. The pet shop in Long Island that are selling the Baby Blue and Gold's have them ranging from 3 months old up to 6 months old. I was wondering if I should get a young one,that would require hand feeding or get one that is 6 month plus. They have them for $ 1500 with a year guarantee. How does that sound-? Where did you guys get your Blue and Gold's -? As for the beak, I guess I would have to wait until I get one, to really understand them. Like if they attempt to bite me,do I pull my hand away really fast-? Or do I say, "No don't do that" -? If I do happen to get a baby, do they still require out time, or do I have to wait until they adjust to the environment -? My basement is finish, and during the summer time I usually run a fan or two. Thanks again Natalie !
I really can't believe how much help I've gotten over the past week, thank you guys HRH,thank you. I can't wait to spend some quality time with my new friend. I just thinking really hard on where to buy him-? Is $ 1500 too much for a baby-? I'm just a little undecided on where to buy him.
Kay, I might pay them a visit this afternoon. I'm looking forward to it !

 

[natalie]

Darock, I'll try to answer all your questions the best I can...

Any bird has the potential to become quite nasty... understand that in everything you do with your bird....every time that you interact with him, you are teaching him something and therefore developing his personality.

How he is treated and taught will have a big factor in how friendly he is.

that being said, what you actually buy depends on the bird and your experience and confidence level. For some people it is better to go with an older well adjusted friendly bird.... this is because he has already been taught several good things as a youngster and was handled by someone who already knew how to teach him well. Expect to pay a lot of money for a parrot like this. ...it is like buying a well trained dog.

Or buy a baby. I do not reccomend you handfeeding yourself....leave that to the experienced breeder....buy it when it is weaned and can eat on its own. A baby lets you bond to it much more strongly and will learn from you all its life. But you do need to be pretty grounded in what you teach it.
Here is an example of what could go wrong:
You are teaching your young B&G to step up onto your hand..he gets frightened and bites you....hard. You jump back and yell ow! and decide to leave him alone for a while.... the bird saw the reaction and realizes that biting you got you to leave him alone. So later, he bites you again to make you stop and now you scold him....
2 things just went wrong here.
You first sent hm the wrong message that he can bite you and "teach" you to go away .... then the second time you confuse him by trying to teach him it is wrong.

This kind of unsteady interaction and fear of being bitten can likely lead to a mean and confused bird.

So in raising your own young bird....decide early on what you want your bird to learn and set out to fairly and clearly teach it to him...always staying on your own set of rules.
If a bird learns that he can ever win a training session by biting you...they do become nasty biters...all birds....so it is important to not let them think you are afraid of their beak.

When Holly was learning step up, she always bit me. She was 20 years old and not handled much at all when I got her. She had a lot of fear and had to learn everything. I first got her used to touch before getting her to step up....eventually I used a dowel to step her up so that I was not getting ripped open.... then used the flat of one hand to "press her beak" while my other arm stepped her up. she steps up easily this way and soon I will not have to press the beak with one hand..... it works because it takes the beak out of the equation. Their beaks are their only defense so if they know you do not fear it, they have nothing else to use against you.
So the point is to never make them think they have to. Always be kind to him and always teach him right from wrong, and handle him every day. You will find a baby grows into a very loving pet when taught well and fairly.

On the underside of buying an older one .... you never know how it was treated or neglected and you may end up with a mistrusting bird who bites out of fear .... these birds really belong with someone experienced. .. This was Holly's case, and I can share her story if you are ever interested.

You will find a large range of prices on baby B&G's. There are some very good breeders here on the forum too. Judge on the health of the birds, the knowledge of the breeder and their willingness to help .. and of course, how good their health guarantee is. A good breeder is always worth paying a little extra money for. FYI

If a bird attempts to bite you .... you may get a lot of different opinions here, because peopel train their birds differently....
But here is mine:
The first reaction to a bite is to pull away ... it hurts! But to a bird, this is giving him power over you. Instead, the best thing to do is what the bird does not expect and push just slightly forward towards the bird and say "NO" sharply each time....yes, it hurts, yes, you may be bruised and bleeding .... but it will happen more often if you do not teach your bird not to bite.
Then do again what you were doing before....as long as it was nice. Some people poke their birds and annoy it...the birds bites and they yell at it and keep poking it.... I think we all see the problem there.
Holly got poked a lot by her old owners. .. this causes more biting and mistrust.
Just teach ... reward ... play ... and hold often. Reprimand only when necessary and get right back to the good stuff. Birds are smart and remember everything. Always leave their side on a good note.... it makes them want you to come back later.

 

[DAROCK]

Natalie, you are the best. Thank you for all the wonderful information So I would like to let you know how my visit at the pet store went. Well about a week ago, I went to Parrots of the Word in Long Island,NY to get some supplies for my GF rabbit. So as she was in the back checking out the rabbits, I went to the gorgeous show room they have,with most of the popular parrots,African Grey's and so on. As soon as I walked in,I notice they have two cages full of Blue and Gold's. One as soon as you come in, maybe about 10-12, most of them were babies and the other cage to the back, had a few babies with some older ones. So I stayed in there for about an hour,observing the Blue and Gold's asking questions and so on. Then after wards, I started to continue my research and then I found you guys
So after doing all the research and talking with you guys , I decided to take the next step and look for a cage. I might go with one from King's Cages. So yesterday, I decided to move one step further in acquiring a Blue and Gold. I first visited "For Birds Only" located on Jericho Turnpike, which I was recommended by Kay, thanks again ! Its a great store, full of many many birds. They're were all over,and all the exotic birds were in a room all the way to the back. So I seen a Blue and Gold, and asked a few questions, and found out it was about 9 months old and the only they have. So the guy took him out for me, and he went right on my hand and started to check me out. He looked pretty good, but his feathers were pretty ruffled. I try to pet him,but he didn't allow me. I asked a few more questions and was told that the bird was for $ 1700, so I said ok and told the guy I'll be back and do some more research. So that was about 7:20, so I decided to rush over to Parrots of the World, before they close at 8:00. I made it there in time, but most of the Blue and Gold's were sleeping, because it was almost closing time. But then I notice one Blue and Gold, that was walking around in the bottom of the cage. He had no available perch,because the rest of the Blue and Gold's were taking up extra space. So,from right there and then, he stand right out to me. I watch and observed he's eyes,feathers,feet and he was very alert. Either though it was closing time,Marc said "Hey would you like to pet one of them", I said sure. So he went to take one out from the perch, but I asked him if it was ok to checkout the one in the bottom, he said sure no problem.He took him out, put him on a perch and he looked so happy to be out of the cage, he started to flap his wings in excitement, and then Marc said, rub his neck,he'll love it. And so I did, and he enjoyed,then Marc said I'll leave him with you to check him out, so he put him on a different perch and I stayed with him for about 10 min's, petting him and he was very alert and responsive . So I decided that I wanted him and asked if I can leave a deposit,he said sure, then he said he'll tag him with a ring. The one that was on him, was pretty dirty and faded so he put on a new on.BTW, HE'S 6 months old. So that's about it guys, what do you think -? Natalie, I was going to go for a baby, put I changed my mind, because of the hand feeding stuff. I also love your profile pic, Holly is gorgeous !

 

[HRH Di]

How exciting! You know it's right when it's love at first sight. (Hey, I made a rhyme!) When do you get to bring him home?

 

[Bobby34231]

Hi darock and welcome to the forum, I guess the one thing that stands out the most in your postings is the limited time you'll be spending with the bird, macaws are very social birds and need interaction, with you being gone at least 12 hours a day, and then interacting with him in the evening when he really should be winding down instead of gearing up should be something to consider, birds are more or less a dawn to dusk kind of pet, cutting into their sleep time by keeping him up late on top of limited interaction time will most likely result in a problem bird in short order, you state you have a girlfriend, so that may just be that much more time that you'll be away from him to spend with her, I don't want this to sound like I'm condeming you, just want to point out what would be best for you and the bird, they're a big investment, not only in money, but in time and understanding, I wish you good luck in your decision....

 

[DAROCK]

Thanks,HRH ! Bring him home -? I wish I could of bring him home last night. I still haven't found a cage yet. I am so undecided on which one and what color should I get. I'm sticking to King's Cages, because they're located in New Jersey, so I can pick it up tomorrow,set it up and maybe get the bird tomorrow night. So far I'm leaning towards this one
King's Cages - Avian and Pet Bird Cages, Supplies, Food, Toys, Perches, Aviaries, Pluck No More

Bobby,thank you I understand they are a very demanding bird,but luckily I'm self-employed, so I'll change up my hours, which is something I needed to do in a longtime. So I plan to wake up a little earlier in the morning, spend sometime with him before I go to work and get home by 6pm and spend a few hours with him before he's ready to go to sleep. Also, my parents and my brothers live upstairs, and they will be checking on him from time to time.

 

[Bobby34231]

I truely hope that works out for you I had a thought after posting my first response, the #1 reason I see in ads of birds for sale or re-homing is........"I just don't have the time to spend with him/her anymore and he/she deserves better".......just a lot of peoples way of saying the bird is driving me crazy with all the screaming and I can't even pick it up anymore without getting the crap bit out of me :11: as they say, don't take life to serious, unless your responsible for that life

 

[DAROCK]

Very nice quote Bobby. I will most definitely put all my time and effort into this guy. To better understand him and make him a part of my family. I can't wait to bring him home.Hopefully tomorrow. It took my forever to find a cage, but I'm getting - King's Cages - Avian and Pet Bird Cages, Supplies, Food, Toys, Perches, Aviaries, Pluck No More
I not sure what color to get, maybe the Black/Gold -?

I wanted the 506, but its too high for my basement. So I made a space,right across from my saltwater tank,and he'll be in between two windows. As for lighting,I forgot the name of the light Marc told me about, I might pick it up tomorrow,if I get the bird.

 

[natalie]

Wow! You found one! Congratulations! That is so exciting. He sounds like he will be great if you can pick him right up and play with him, when you are a stranger to him. That will give you both a great start!!

I do agree with what bobby said ... do take heed. It is easier now to think everything will work out great, because you are excited to get your new bird home. Simply keep in mind that new routines are hard to get used to, daily life sets in, the new becomes old....life is stressful and now you will have a new baby on top of it who may be screaming at you for attention on a day you are late for work. .... it happens. Be prepared for those days and make sure your bird is worth the extra stress...even when he is not so exciting anymore.

I think stress is what it boils down to for a lot of people who realize they don't have time for their bird anymore. They just stop giving it to the bird and the bird gets stressed....and creates a stressful environment for everyone else.... and it all goes crazy and the bird has to go. .... It just gets out of hand faster than people realize it will. So when it is said they need "DAILY" attention.... that is very accurate. 1 day is never more important than another day .... they need it all the time. If you truly are prepared for that, then I'd say you will be ok.

Remember, you have a lot of support here. You picked out a great cage too .... It is very similar to my California cage....which I love. Are you thinking of getting a parrot stand too? If your place is small, you may not need one so badly, but I need one because I'm not always in the same room .... so Holly can come join me in the kitchen or on the porch with her rolling stand.

I bet you are really excited!! Take it slow....I think with this young bird, the two of you will be quick friends. Remember even as sweet as he is, he needs time to adjust to his new home....his stress will be high. Don't be afraid to handle him, but be wary of overdoing it. I think if handling is put off too much in the beginning, it tends to make birds feel like their only security is their cage... but really, they should feel like your home is their home. Holly always saw her cage as a separation from the house ... she is still trying to get over that ... it is her only safe haven ... and that is not a good feeling for a bird to have.
Judge your interaction in the beginning by the bird's reaction to it. Talk slowly and in a higher voice, and in time...add excitement to your talks with him. He'll like it.

Good luck ... and we are here to help you out when you get him home.