Possibly Getting a Macaw

[Loganscott]

Well I went and met a couple Catalina Macaws ( so beautiful) they seemed to be bonded to each other but let my wife hold them. The lady was not joking they did not seem to like men. I had never experienced that before and always sort of assumed it was people kind of putting their own feelings on the animal.......nope, those birds wanted nothing to do with me, my son, her husband, her son and anytime one of us got with in 5 feeet the whole vibe changed.

Also one of them let out a squeak or what have you that was unreal! Which couldn’t have come at a worse time being as the wife was there. I might have understated the noise level a smidge lol. Now she’s making me do some sound proofing/ dampening to the bird room

I have an appointment to go up to a rescue run by someone I’ve known for a couple years. He’s got several Macaws and a couple Cockatoo’s (he’s insisting on showing me ), but that’s not until mid March. Hopefully I can make a match maybe with one past the puberty thing, which sounds like it might be more to deal with with the bigger birds.

In any case sounds like I need to do a little work on the bird room now.

 

[Parrot_775]

Hello everyone I may be getting a Green Wing Macaw in a year are two I see there the sweetest type I always wanted a Blue And Gold but I decided on Greenwing I have a cockatoo but he prefers women to so that why I want a Macaw I have always wanted a Macaw

 

[Abu Colo]

Hello everyone I may be getting a Green Wing Macaw in a year are two I see there the sweetest type I always wanted a Blue And Gold but I decided on Greenwing I have a cockatoo but he prefers women to so that why I want a Macaw I have always wanted a Macaw

If you always wanted a Blue and Gold, get a Blue and Gold. I haven't heard there is that much a difference in temperament between the two, although Hyacinths are said to be the gentlest. It sounds as if you are getting a hatchling straight from a breeder, and I would think most birds regardless of the species will easily bond at such a tender age.

 

[Kentuckienne]

I have been bitten about ten times by our blue and gold rescue, and each time it was bruises and bandaids. I still have some scars. It's the lower break that does the real damage, not the point. I also lived with an Amazon, and I thought it was easy to tell if he was going to bite, and all I would do is wait a few moments until he decided that he wanted to cooperate. With the macaw, he sometimes will step up, and then bite my arm when he was already there! So I can't really trust that I can read his body language well enough to avoid all bites.

Also, macaws love to bluff, and if they can scare you into letting them get away with things, they will. Birdman wrote an excellent article about this, I think it was Sept 11 2014, in fact the best thing is to click on his photo and read all his posts. It will take a couple hours but you will learn so much about macaws.

I hear that greenwings are AS A RULE gentler than scarlets. Hys are said to be "gentle giants" but I was talking to a woman today who has some, and she laughed at that. She says one young hi knows how big she is and isn't afraid to use it, you can't get her to do anything she doesn't want to do.

The only macaw I know is our B&G, and he is a special case. He has a physical problem that causes him some unknown amount of pain, and he was neglected for many years before being rescued. He is not cuddly or mushy or playful at all, he just sits and stares. But he used to let me pet him, when I first met him, and would sit on my knee for hours. If you stop petting him to soon, he reaches down and clamps that beak very gently around your finger, and lifts it up above his head, then puts his head under it. It's adorable.

 

[Scott]

Stumbling in here a bit late; first, my deepest condolences for the loss of your Grey.

Macaws are incredibly wonderful but challenging parrots, particularly in the early years. I'd vote for a Green Wing, possibly the most mellow of generally available species. The beak is daunting, but as others have posted, they tend to "punch below their size." One of the best macaw threads is this: http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/56384-big-beak-o-phobes-guide-understanding-macaw-beaks.html
Birdman666 has extensive experience and has shared in many threads.

Glad to know you are carefully considering, take your time and visit as many macaw species as possible!

 

[Parrot_775]

If you always wanted a Blue and Gold, get a Blue and Gold. I haven't heard there is that much a difference in temperament between the two, although Hyacinths are said to be the gentlest. It sounds as if you are getting a hatchling straight from a breeder, and I would think most birds regardless of the species will easily bond at such a tender age.[/QUOTE]

Hello ok I may get a Blue and Gold Macaw I also like the Blue Throated Macaw a lot which one would you say is better to get also I wish I could get a Hyacinth Macaw

 

[Cas27]

B&G macaws too me are the best because I rescued mine and he’s my pain in the ... first rescue it took us some time too bond ive had him for a while now and Marty is 9 years of age. He talks great I leave him out sun up too sun down he puts himself too bed, also too those who say macaws don’t talk stop by and hang out you’ll get your mind blown how good he talks only bad thing about him is he’s so bonded too me he screams bloody murder when I’m out of eye sight and it is LOUD.