After Years of Thought, I Think It Might Be Time-

Keday

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Dec 7, 2018
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Cain-Parakeet (rest in peace hon)
Abel-Parakeet (rest in peace baby)
((KINDA LONG WALL OF TEXT AAAA SORRY))

After the passing of my last bird back in 2011, there's always been something missing. I am more than confident that it is time for me to bring another bird into my life. I was lucky enough to have two of the sweetest parakeets ever, and I have a couple on and off years of hand-feeding experience with small parrots.

I'll get right to it. I am more than in love with macaws.. everything about them.. And to many it may seem like quite a leap from parakeets to macaws (because it is!), and I'm sure someone will read this and think "man this guy doesn't know what he's talking about/getting into...",

But 7 years gave me plenty of time to not just mull over the pros and cons of such a huge commitment, but it gave me time to grow up, buckle down, and do my research. Not only factually, but in a way personally?

Living in such a population dense area (San Francisco bay area of California) gives me lots of hands on and interpersonal opportunities to learn. Along with a few exotic-leaning pet stores, I have paid many visits to a certain Feathered Follies and have gotten to ask questions not just to the people who work there and care for the parrots, but also to myself.

Things like (while surrounded by large cockatoos and macaws of varying kinds) :
am I willing to and wanting to have this kind of noise? In my home? Yes.
am I going to have the time for this bird? I work from home 5 days a week and when I am physically at work, at least one roommate is home.
is that beak intimidating? Sure, maybe a tad, but I'd smooch it in a heartbeat.
how much money am I willing to spend on a bird? Within reason/based on what I've seen: 3,000 is my cap
do I want to spend nearly every free moment for the next 60+ give or take years caring for such a bird? A million times yes.

I want to give any creature under my care the best possible life I can provide. And the life I provide should never be under the bar of what they need.

I would love to discuss with a current or previous macaw owner my interest and passion. I have a few questions regarding who or where to turn my attention to in regards to adopting or finding a reputable breeder. But in the mean time,as a noobie to the forum, I would really appreciate any community feedback!

Thank you so much in advance, this site has been nothing but welcoming and informative.
 

ChristaNL

Banned
Banned
May 23, 2018
3,559
157
NL= the Netherlands, Europe
Parrots
Sunny a female B&G macaw;
Japie (m) & Appie (f), both are congo african grey;
All are rescues- had to leave their previous homes for 'reasons', are still in contact with them :)
Adopt plze!!
There are so many great birds out there that need a great second-third-fourth-etc. home.

Roommates???
Not a bad thing, but... does that mean you all share space, and how much of that is yours?
Even a smidgin' too small cage for a large macaw is the size of a double full adultsize bunkbed.
(They need to at least be able to spread their wings IN their cage, and those wingspans are impressive)

So as macawowner myself with limited recourses (money and space) do not get a large one!
It is not that they are expensive to buy, but the monthly costs are impressive!
(not even talking about the collateral damage in computerstuf, furniture, books, clothes etc.etc.)
As are their demands of the room their stuff takes up.



Back tot he roommates.. I completly understand you getting used to the large beak...
(I am not a bit as impressed as I used to be - but Sunny started biting a lot less, that helps as well ;) She yells more, unfortunately, one of my regular visitors reacts to it, so she is being rewarded again... -> back to square one).
But how okay are they with it?
(and the huge screach macaws will sometimes make. I got lucky: my neighbours know her (sob)story and are quite forgiving, but she gets loud - and heard!)


Buf if everyone is okay with getting a small, loud special needs kids armed with a chissel&pair of pliers-beak and the power of flight with moodswings in the house... by all means...go for it!


My personal choice would be a smaller sized bird, that is not quite as intimidating to others (less annoying to neighbours etc.) and also far easier housed right, transported and included in activities.
 
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Keday

Keday

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Dec 7, 2018
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Northern California
Parrots
Cain-Parakeet (rest in peace hon)
Abel-Parakeet (rest in peace baby)
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Adopt plze!!
There are so many great birds out there that need a great second-third-fourth-etc. home.

Roommates???
Not a bad thing, but... does that mean you all share space, and how much of that is yours?
Even a smidgin' too small cage for a large macaw is the size of a double full adultsize bunkbed.
(They need to at least be able to spread their wings IN their cage, and those wingspans are impressive)

So as macawowner myself with limited recourses (money and space) do not get a large one!
It is not that they are expensive to buy, but the monthly costs are impressive!
(not even talking about the collateral damage in computerstuf, furniture, books, clothes etc.etc.)
As are their demands of the room their stuff takes up.



Back tot he roommates.. I completly understand you getting used to the large beak...
(I am not a bit as impressed as I used to be - but Sunny started biting a lot less, that helps as well ;) She yells more, unfortunately, one of my regular visitors reacts to it, so she is being rewarded again... -> back to square one).
But how okay are they with it?
(and the huge screach macaws will sometimes make. I got lucky: my neighbours know her (sob)story and are quite forgiving, but she gets loud - and heard!)


Buf if everyone is okay with getting a small, loud special needs kids armed with a chissel&pair of pliers-beak and the power of flight with moodswings in the house... by all means...go for it!


My personal choice would be a smaller sized bird, that is not quite as intimidating to others (less annoying to neighbours etc.) and also far easier housed right, transported and included in activities.
Thank you for your insight!

I showed my room mates videos of large parrot screaming matches. At first they were uneasy about the whole idea, but they told me that with the way I talked about parrots, they couldn't not to support me and my passion. ((or maybe they just finally wanted me to shut up about how much I love birds haha :) ))



I'm not really all that afraid of beaks probably on account of my ball python. He's the sweetest darn thing and quite small, but his bad eyesight+feeding time=him gettin' a good grip on my hand a few times. 2 rows of back facing needles locked on your hand for 20 seconds? I can do beaks,,

We actually have an extra room in the house, we considered giving it to the bird entirely. But we've also considered having the bird in my room and using the empty room for storage. Which in your opinion is better?

One of my concerns is that my parakeets would have night frights. I'd rather hear the macaw and be there to soothe them than run down the hallway possibly scaring them more by opening a door, or not notice at all : (

Thank you again for replying!!
 

Allee

Well-known member
Oct 27, 2013
16,852
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U2-Poppy(Poppy lives with her new mommy, Misty now) CAG-Jack, YNA, Bingo, Budgie-Piper, Cockatiel-Sweet Pea Quakers-Harry, Sammy, Wilson ***Zeke (quaker) Twinkle (budgie) forever in our hearts
ChristaNL brought up some great points. The San Francisco Bay Area probably has reputable rescue centers as well as exotic pet shops, volunteering at a rescue could give you an idea of what it's like to care for a Macaw and give you an opportunity to interact with a variety of parrot species.

Sounds like you have your heart set on a Macaw, I won't try to talk you out of it but please give a lot of thought to what you're really asking of your roommate/s, Macaws are loud, messy and take up lots of space, not to mention expensive.
 

Laurasea

Well-known member
Aug 2, 2018
12,593
10,702
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Full house
I'm not trying to talk you out of a macaw. I just want you to set aside money for damages to home/rental and belongings, despite our best parronting efforts, there will be damages to door frames, blinds, perhaps phones, computers, walks and floors, furniture without a doubt. We had a somewhat humourous thread on how much damage can a macaw do, many members had to replace computers ect. You need to set aside a good amount of cash for things you give them to destroy on purpose too ;) vet visit is probably 600 easy, and the food pellets and fresh stuff is expensive for large birds. If you have a bird room for while you are at work great, but the rest of the time will want to be in the mane living area with you, those gyms and play stands are pretty expensive too. I want you to have your dream parrot. I just don't think 3000 will cut it, for the bird, cage ,play stand, vet visit, food, and you really need to set aside some for damages to your home and your roommate stuff, and furniture, it's going to happen. I do hope you rescue, that also helps you as baby birds are very sweet as babies, then puberty hits, your significant other may become a rival, your roommate may move out because of the noise.. I hope to hear of your adventures, and I hope you do realize that it's going to take much more money than you think. I'm just trying to help you prepare, I'm not trying to be a downer. ;) ;) Do a virtual shop on Amazon, for all your toys stand cage, pellets, cage cover, travel cage, perches, nuts, mats for protection of floor, avain harness, puzzle toys, treats.... Dang I'm bringing myself down! I was just scared when I saw the 3000 it's going to take more than that to get yourself set up..
 

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
I always think adoption is best, given the number of birds in need of homes. Also, if you get a bird who is past puberty, then you don't have to worry about a significant personality change when the hormones kick in. Plus, I don't know how old you are, but Macaws can live over 80 years, so if you get a baby, you know that your bird will probably out-live you.

Roommates can complicate things in terms of cleaning, Teflon/PTFE/PFOA, scented products and noise levels, BUT it could be done (I just wouldn't ever do it). It would depend on how conscientious they are...people who don't own birds (and even those who do) often fail to notice potentially hazardous practices within their daily routines, and policing others is not fun at all.

If you get a bird, you must be honest with your roommates about the lifestyle changes and possible complications ahead of time, or it isn't fair to them or the bird.
I have listed quite a few in the paragraphs that follow:

If your roommates don't pay attention or want to burn incense/ light candles and clean with chemicals (bleach/Windex/Lysol/Scrubbing Bubbles/Pine-sol etc), curl/straighten hair with irons containing PTFE/PFOA, use aerosol hairspray/perfumes, cook frequently etc, then you will likely have issues because these things are dangerous for birds....even burned food can be deadly.

Also, if the bird is having behavior issues (like screaming for attention), then your roommates will also have to be consistent with any behavioral interventions....In other words, if your plan is to ignore your bird when it screams but one of your roommates can't take it and yells, "HONESTLY BIRD YOUR SCREAMING IS DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!" (or goes over to the bird to make it stop screaming) then this will become a huge problem due to the inconsistency and potentially reinforcing reactions provided by the roommate.

I feel like my bird is a giant imposition when we go to visit my parents' house because they have to completely change the way they cook, clean, iron, do laundry etc. They also have to put up with an behaviors that I am ignoring, which means sometimes tons of attention-seeking screaming (due to the new environment)...It is very difficult for them to ignore it and I feel guilty because they didn't ask me to get a bird, but we are a package-deal lol.
Even when people love a bird, it is easy to slip up or get careless (because too many people don't understand how seriously deadly these tiny mistakes can be)...I have also run into the issue of people defending their dangerous actions by saying, "well I had a bird growing up and we did XYZ (insert dangerous activity here) and the bird was fine!" ---this mindset is very damaging but fairly common. In my mind, it is the equivalent of saying, "it's okay for pregnant women to do drugs because my so and so's mom used them heavily when she was pregnant and her kid turned out just fine."

You should also accept the fact that your bird may like one of your roommates better than you or vice-versa (in all likelihood, you will be the chosen one, but it doesn't always work that way).
Parrots do tend to pick a person and they may be cordial with the others, but they may not be as keen on being handled by them etc. It can make relationships complicated when a bird loves one person more than the rest (especially if they defend that person when others are around). This isn't to say that a properly socialized bird can't get along with others (they can) but it doesn't change the fact that it takes work (and there will always be that one person).

Bottom line: I personally wouldn't trust my past roommates to be as cautious as they need to be around the bird. I lived with my best friend (not at the same time as I had the bird) but I know that she would have done things without even thinking twice (painting nails, buying a toaster without checking to see if coils contain Teflon, microwaving food in plastic containers, burning things by mistake, spraying air-fresheners, lighting candles etc)... If you get a bird, make sure they understand the rules and make sure that you keep an eye on them, as they will likely need reminders.

The bird should sleep in the spare room. With roommates, night-time noise can be a real issue. I would definitely not keep the bird in your room due to the noise issues and health problems that could arise for both you and the bird. I also am unsure as to how you would fit the cage in your room, while sleeping in a bed....The cage should be quite large.
Birds need 10-14 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night...10 is honestly the bare minimum and less than ideal. Without sufficient sleep, birds cannot maintain healthy immune systems and their hormones get all out of wack as well. A sleep deprived bird is an unhealthy bird and may develop screaming/plucking/ aggression issues as well. Once my bird is covered, she settles down and goes to sleep, but if I am clanking around in the same room, I can hear her in there fidgeting with things (meaning, she isn't actually sleeping, even though she is quiet and covered). Additionally, once she truly falls asleep, if I walk into the quiet room then she will startle awake and flap her wings hard (while clinging to her perch). This can be dangerous for birds because they can break feathers against objects in their cage, or even fly into the cage front (night-frights) etc.

I may have missed something, but are you living in an apartment?
If you are, the noise level could cause very real problems very quickly, as you can hear a macaw outside of a house when a macaw screams inside (with windows shut etc). If you get noise complaints, then you could have a real mess on your hands.

You will be bitten, but that is par for the course. When you are, it will probably take a lot of practice in order for you not to react (because it is human nature to flinch etc) but in the event that a bite happens, you must resist the urge to jerk away and react. It can be surprisingly difficult, but it is very important. Once you build trust with your bird, learn its cues and socialize it, biting should decrease significantly. The key is and always will be TIME. Birds move in slow-motion.

Do you have a certified avian vet in your area? If so, you may want to call and find out the cost of general bird wellness exams, gram-stains, blood-work, beak/nail trims, disease testing etc.

In terms of money, the cost of a decent cage is going to set you back somewhere between 600-1000 dollars. Macaws need a lot of space. Buying the bird from another owner will likely cost between $1000-$3000 dollars (even if you get one from a rescue, there will likely be a fee). I have spent close to $1000 this year alone on toys, vet stuff, food, fresh fruit/veg, pellets, avian-safe cleaners, accessories etc etc. You will need a travel cage and a large play/tree perch for the bird to hang out on as well (and those perches are very expensive). Finally, you will probably need a non-ionizing, non-ozone producing Hepa air filter/purifier (+replacement filters), a really good vacuum (free-standing + hand-held cordless), a thermometer with a humidity gauge, a bird scale, plastic floor mats for around the cage, a bird harness and a lifetime supply of paper towels LOL.

Semi-related side-note: Do not assume that you can easily make your own tree perch out of ply-wood or random wood you find outside (you definitely can make your own, it just isn't as easy as I thought it was going to be). Ply-wood/lumber is pressure-washed and/of has been treated with chemicals, so it is not safe. Additionally, some natural woods are poisonous to birds. If you ever do decide to make your own, (after verifying that the wood you have found is not poisonous and after verifying that it has never been treated with pesticides or sprayed with fertilizers, or from a tree growing near a busy road), you must scrub the branches and bake them in the oven in order to kill off fungus, parasites, insects etc. Then, you must reassemble the branches without using toxic glues or external nails/screw etc. Just putting it out there, as I bit off more than I could chew with my recent DIY perch project lol. Now I have half of a tree scratching me in the leg each night as I walk to bed because I am still trying to figure out what to use as a suitable stand.
 
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Keday

Keday

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Dec 7, 2018
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Northern California
Parrots
Cain-Parakeet (rest in peace hon)
Abel-Parakeet (rest in peace baby)
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #7
I'm not trying to talk you out of a macaw. I just want you to set aside money for damages to home/rental and belongings, despite our best parronting efforts, there will be damages to door frames, blinds, perhaps phones, computers, walks and floors, furniture without a doubt. We had a somewhat humourous thread on how much damage can a macaw do, many members had to replace computers ect. You need to set aside a good amount of cash for things you give them to destroy on purpose too ;) vet visit is probably 600 easy, and the food pellets and fresh stuff is expensive for large birds. If you have a bird room for while you are at work great, but the rest of the time will want to be in the mane living area with you, those gyms and play stands are pretty expensive too. I want you to have your dream parrot. I just don't think 3000 will cut it, for the bird, cage ,play stand, vet visit, food, and you really need to set aside some for damages to your home and your roommate stuff, and furniture, it's going to happen. I do hope you rescue, that also helps you as baby birds are very sweet as babies, then puberty hits, your significant other may become a rival, your roommate may move out because of the noise.. I hope to hear of your adventures, and I hope you do realize that it's going to take much more money than you think. I'm just trying to help you prepare, I'm not trying to be a downer. ;) ;) Do a virtual shop on Amazon, for all your toys stand cage, pellets, cage cover, travel cage, perches, nuts, mats for protection of floor, avain harness, puzzle toys, treats.... Dang I'm bringing myself down! I was just scared when I saw the 3000 it's going to take more than that to get yourself set up..
aa! I see how that number would be concerning! But I meant 3,000 for the bird alone!! Sorry for the confusion! I am well aware of the initial as well as reoccurring expenses! My "bird fund" of 3,000 was what I found I'd be able to willingly have available after adding up the cost of a cage, some toys I've been eyeballing on my FF visits too,among other things. I've had 7 years to "window shop" online and irl to get an idea of what I need (and want) and what it's going to cost me in the long run. I am also planning ahead on how many hours I need to be working and commissioned work I need to cycle through per week to keep up with my share of rent/bills every month, fruit and veg/pellet costs, and still have enough for not just emergencies but the occasional "fun stuff" too.

I know my bio says that I am a cook and a freelance artist, and I really don't want this to come across the wrong way(like, bragging/snooty rude) to anyone reading this,, but now and in the foreseeable future? I can honestly say that money isn't really my biggest concern. I've always worked hard and made sure to put my all into everything I do and it has paid off.

But thank you so much for your input Laurasea! I really appreciate your concern and wanting to keep me grounded in the reality of what things cost.
 
OP
Keday

Keday

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Dec 7, 2018
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0
Northern California
Parrots
Cain-Parakeet (rest in peace hon)
Abel-Parakeet (rest in peace baby)
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #8
I always think adoption is best, given the number of birds in need of homes. Also, if you get a bird who is past puberty, then you don't have to worry about a significant personality change when the hormones kick in. Plus, I don't know how old you are, but Macaws can live over 80 years, so if you get a baby, you know that your bird will probably out-live you.

Roommates can complicate things in terms of cleaning, Teflon/PTFE/PFOA, scented products and noise levels, BUT it could be done (I just wouldn't ever do it). It would depend on how conscientious they are...people who don't own birds (and even those who do) often fail to notice potentially hazardous practices within their daily routines, and policing others is not fun at all.

If you get a bird, you must be honest with your roommates about the lifestyle changes and possible complications ahead of time, or it isn't fair to them or the bird.
I have listed quite a few in the paragraphs that follow:

If your roommates don't pay attention or want to burn incense/ light candles and clean with chemicals (bleach/Windex/Lysol/Scrubbing Bubbles/Pine-sol etc), curl/straighten hair with irons containing PTFE/PFOA, use aerosol hairspray/perfumes, cook frequently etc, then you will likely have issues because these things are dangerous for birds....even burned food can be deadly.

Also, if the bird is having behavior issues (like screaming for attention), then your roommates will also have to be consistent with any behavioral interventions....In other words, if your plan is to ignore your bird when it screams but one of your roommates can't take it and yells, "HONESTLY BIRD YOUR SCREAMING IS DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!" (or goes over to the bird to make it stop screaming) then this will become a huge problem due to the inconsistency and potentially reinforcing reactions provided by the roommate.

I feel like my bird is a giant imposition when we go to visit my parents' house because they have to completely change the way they cook, clean, iron, do laundry etc. They also have to put up with an behaviors that I am ignoring, which means sometimes tons of attention-seeking screaming (due to the new environment)...It is very difficult for them to ignore it and I feel guilty because they didn't ask me to get a bird, but we are a package-deal lol.
Even when people love a bird, it is easy to slip up or get careless (because too many people don't understand how seriously deadly these tiny mistakes can be)...I have also run into the issue of people defending their dangerous actions by saying, "well I had a bird growing up and we did XYZ (insert dangerous activity here) and the bird was fine!" ---this mindset is very damaging but fairly common. In my mind, it is the equivalent of saying, "it's okay for pregnant women to do drugs because my so and so's mom used them heavily when she was pregnant and her kid turned out just fine."

You should also accept the fact that your bird may like one of your roommates better than you or vice-versa (in all likelihood, you will be the chosen one, but it doesn't always work that way).
Parrots do tend to pick a person and they may be cordial with the others, but they may not be as keen on being handled by them etc. It can make relationships complicated when a bird loves one person more than the rest (especially if they defend that person when others are around). This isn't to say that a properly socialized bird can't get along with others (they can) but it doesn't change the fact that it takes work (and there will always be that one person).

Bottom line: I personally wouldn't trust my past roommates to be as cautious as they need to be around the bird. I lived with my best friend (not at the same time as I had the bird) but I know that she would have done things without even thinking twice (painting nails, buying a toaster without checking to see if coils contain Teflon, microwaving food in plastic containers, burning things by mistake, spraying air-fresheners, lighting candles etc)... If you get a bird, make sure they understand the rules and make sure that you keep an eye on them, as they will likely need reminders.

The bird should sleep in the spare room. With roommates, night-time noise can be a real issue. I would definitely not keep the bird in your room due to the noise issues and health problems that could arise for both you and the bird. I also am unsure as to how you would fit the cage in your room, while sleeping in a bed....The cage should be quite large.
Birds need 10-14 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night...10 is honestly the bare minimum and less than ideal. Without sufficient sleep, birds cannot maintain healthy immune systems and their hormones get all out of wack as well. A sleep deprived bird is an unhealthy bird and may develop screaming/plucking/ aggression issues as well. Once my bird is covered, she settles down and goes to sleep, but if I am clanking around in the same room, I can hear her in there fidgeting with things (meaning, she isn't actually sleeping, even though she is quiet and covered). Additionally, once she truly falls asleep, if I walk into the quiet room then she will startle awake and flap her wings hard (while clinging to her perch). This can be dangerous for birds because they can break feathers against objects in their cage, or even fly into the cage front (night-frights) etc.

I may have missed something, but are you living in an apartment?
If you are, the noise level could cause very real problems very quickly, as you can hear a macaw outside of a house when a macaw screams inside (with windows shut etc). If you get noise complaints, then you could have a real mess on your hands.

You will be bitten, but that is par for the course. When you are, it will probably take a lot of practice in order for you not to react (because it is human nature to flinch etc) but in the event that a bite happens, you must resist the urge to jerk away and react. It can be surprisingly difficult, but it is very important. Once you build trust with your bird, learn its cues and socialize it, biting should decrease significantly. The key is and always will be TIME. Birds move in slow-motion.

Do you have a certified avian vet in your area? If so, you may want to call and find out the cost of general bird wellness exams, gram-stains, blood-work, beak/nail trims, disease testing etc.

In terms of money, the cost of a decent cage is going to set you back somewhere between 600-1000 dollars. Macaws need a lot of space. Buying the bird from another owner will likely cost between $1000-$3000 dollars (even if you get one from a rescue, there will likely be a fee). I have spent close to $1000 this year alone on toys, vet stuff, food, fresh fruit/veg, pellets, avian-safe cleaners, accessories etc etc. You will need a travel cage and a large play/tree perch for the bird to hang out on as well (and those perches are very expensive). Finally, you will probably need a non-ionizing, non-ozone producing Hepa air filter/purifier (+replacement filters), a really good vacuum (free-standing + hand-held cordless), a thermometer with a humidity gauge, a bird scale, plastic floor mats for around the cage, a bird harness and a lifetime supply of paper towels LOL.

Semi-related side-note: Do not assume that you can easily make your own tree perch out of ply-wood or random wood you find outside (you definitely can make your own, it just isn't as easy as I thought it was going to be). Ply-wood/lumber is pressure-washed and/of has been treated with chemicals, so it is not safe. Additionally, some natural woods are poisonous to birds. If you ever do decide to make your own, (after verifying that the wood you have found is not poisonous and after verifying that it has never been treated with pesticides or sprayed with fertilizers, or from a tree growing near a busy road), you must scrub the branches and bake them in the oven in order to kill off fungus, parasites, insects etc. Then, you must reassemble the branches without using toxic glues or external nails/screw etc. Just putting it out there, as I bit off more than I could chew with my recent DIY perch project lol. Now I have half of a tree scratching me in the leg each night as I walk to bed because I am still trying to figure out what to use as a suitable stand.
Where to start!
No! I do not live in an apartment.
There is an avian vet that FF referred me to that's a city over.
And I will definitely take into account just what I am asking of my room mates. So far- they all seem to be very open and willing, but yeah, I'm 100% sure no one is absolutely thrilled about the changes I am potentially asking of them.

This thread is honestly me testing the waters of macaw parronting before I make my final decision to dive in. It may be much further down the road that I do! I just want to make sure that I do all I can to prepare myself with information and feedback from people who have the experience that others may not have.

Something I did not mention!!:
I am in no rush to get a macaw!
Things change! Another huge factor that is fairly new and slipped my mind is that I am considering moving (no room mates) to a house in Arizona.
IF I DECIDE TO MOVE I WILL NOT GET A MACAW BEFORE THE MOVE,
I can't express with words how much I just, don't want to subject a bird, or any animal really, to such a life change as adoption followed immediately by MOVING HOUSES. I feel like that's just unfair and would put an unimaginable amount of stress on any intelligent creature. I am in no rush. I am still in the "water testing" stage and am more than willing to wait until things are settled down if I move to bring a bird into my life.

Thank you Noodles!!
 

ChristaNL

Banned
Banned
May 23, 2018
3,559
157
NL= the Netherlands, Europe
Parrots
Sunny a female B&G macaw;
Japie (m) & Appie (f), both are congo african grey;
All are rescues- had to leave their previous homes for 'reasons', are still in contact with them :)
one other thing: if you really really like a screaming bird..... give it its own room!


Macaws belong in the middle of everything, otherwise they feel excluded and start screaming their heads of (contactcalls).


The worst screams I get are the sitiations where I am talking to (birdshy) people just outside my house-- she knows I am there (she can hear me) but not close enough for her to see.
WRAAAAAAAAAAAAH WRAAAAAAAAAAAAH WRAAAAAAAAAAH WRAAAAAAAAAAAH WRAAAAAAAAAAAAH = 1 contactcall, she will do several ...




So... getting your bird its own bedroom is great (longs sleeping hours), but waking hours should be in the company of their humans (of get 4 or 5 parrrots together in a room for companie during the working day -> read the birdman666 posts, in my humble opinion: he did it right!)
 

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Your welcome and Christina is absolutely right--the cage in the room would just be for sleeping in my mind, then then you would need a couple very large free-standing perches in the main areas of the home (along with food/water stations at each).


It's like Arial (sp?) on The Little Mermain, "I wanna be where the people are...I wanna see wanna see em' dancin'...walkin' around on those..what do you call em" FEEEEET!"



lol
 

itzjbean

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Jan 27, 2017
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It's great that you're reaching out here first. Be sure to read ALL of Birdman666's posts about macaws, he's our local mac expert and really has some great info in his threads.

Also be sure to check out this thread, the cost of owning parrots. Expect initial startup costs (macaw, cage, toys) to be around $4,000-$8000. Expect to pay $100-300 a month on toys and food for your mac for 40+ years. Hope you have around $10k saved. Not including any vet visits, perches, travel cages, travel carrier, etc. It adds up!!!

Birds like stability and routine. If you have roommates now but end up moving, your macaw may become very upset (possibly growing attached to your roommates) and will end up with screaming behavioral issues if not given enough attention. They don't do well being alone all day. They don't do well moving around a lot. They don't do well adjusting to lots of changes.

So my best advice....buy a house somewhere with no roommates and THEN get your macaw. Make sure you are not moving anywhere for a while and plan to be home a majority of the day (and weekends!) or your mac will let you hear about it.
 

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