Best advice for a beginner

[sammy77]

Hello everyone.

My wife & I are in the "very" beginning stages of hopefully getting a Macaw someday in the near future. Honestly, I have wanted one for the past 15+ years.


A bit of background, we have two kids 10 & 4yrs old. Both who absolutely love animals, and caring for them. The only pets we have are saltwater fish. I have had marine fish all my life, and currently have a 350gal tank in our home. I work 8-10hr days, wife is home all day with the kids. Lucky her....not! lol


Within the past few months, I've looked at a few Macaws(Blue & Golds & a Greenwing) in rescue places. I'll be honest, it was a bit scary... All of them had plucked their feathers almost completely. Also, they were all very scared of me, or the thought of handling them. Is a situation like this too much to take on for a newbie? I would like to "save" one if possible, and bring it to a loving home. My wife prefers we start with a young one. I am now starting to think the same.


Now I understand that all Macaws are their own individuals, and can vary within the same breed. We are trying to decide between a B&G, or Greenwing. Is either a better fit for me? Thank you for any advice.

 

[Flboy]

Read everything Birdman666!

 

[Kentuckienne]

Don't rush in. If you are not prepared for how loud and chewy a macaw can be, your macaw might wind up in a rescue some day with no feathers. I have seen rescue birds regrow all their feathers, and ones that picked all their lives because it had become a habit. Many will lunge at you, sometimes out of fear, sometimes out of defensiveness, and sometimes because it's fun to see you jump. We have a rescue macaw who is very fearful and has cage issues - he was confined too much during a prior administration. We can work on the fear, and he did come bite and poop trained, but he will always be shy. So habits may be amenable to change, but the basic personality probably not. It will just be hard to tell in a rescue...but somewhere there is a bird that needs a home that will choose you, you just have to look at enough of them to give it a chance...

 

[Flboy]

Remember, a rescue is not much different than a concentration camp! You live there long enough you learn survival tactics! It takes trust and time to bring out the beauty in that poor creature that is trapped in that environment! Think of your four-year-old living such a life, and that's about what it is, actually much more than just about!

 

[sammy77]

Thank you both. I'm in no hurry whatsoever. There is another rescue place about 2hrs away from us. We are going to wait until the kids are done with school, and then pay a visit.

 

[jdlehman76]

I have also been watching Macaws with the hope of getting one someday. I have seen good birds in the rescues, and I've also seen birds that are probably not going to be the best family birds. If it were me I would keep watching and waiting till the right bird comes along. In the meantime you can work on purchasing your indoor walk in aviary and your outdoor walk in aviary. These will go a long ways to helping your bird to maintain an outgoing social nature.

Josh

 

[GaleriaGila]

Great advice above...
See? You're in the right place.
Good for you, for researching and reaching out.
Glad you found us.

 

[SailBoat]

Read EVERYTHING that Birdman666 has written on this Forum regarding MAC's!!!

Every Thread, every Post and than re-read them. Then make a copy of them and make them available to every member of your family! You will get to a point of being able to understand what they are telling you (Body Language) and what you need to watch for. Once you understand the 'State of Mind' of a MAC, you will be much more successful!

I am an Amazon Snob! I live in the World of Amazons! Having said that, I find MAC's nearly as easy to read as Amazons!

I strongly believe in beginners letting the Parrot choose them and not you choosing the Parrot. Parrots are far better at it then Humans.

Those with years of experience can build a relationship with a Parrot. With a beginner its all DIY and those who came here first, at least you have a guide. But, starting from a place that the Parrot has chosen you. You will be far ahead of those that selected that pretty bird.

 

[Owlet]

Definitely don't rush it. See if you can work with the rescue and have regular visits with the birds to see if they warm up to you. I made the mistake of biting off more than o could chew with my eclectus and the first few months were a struggle. Special needs birds usually take time to warm up to someone but imo they're definitely worth the work.

 

[sammy77]

I will definitely take my time on a search. I've waited years, won't hurt to research some more. I have found quite a few that need to be re-homed from people. Ages ranging from 3 to unknown. Some claiming they just don't have the time, and some for other reasons. It will be interesting..

 

[Birdman666]

As a newbie....

There is so much that goes into rehabbing a "problem bird" that I would honestly recommend you get a baby and start from scratch and raise this bird correctly...

Problem macaws take months to years to rehab depending on what the problem is, and plucking is the hardest problem of all to deal with...

There is so much specific knowledge that you need to have that you're just going to frustrate yourself... and that's not a good situation for humans or bird.

Greenwings are THE BEST family birds. I'd go with a reputable breeder, and start from scratch in your situation.

And I have rehabbed PLENTY of big macs. I know what I'm talking about...

 

[Birdman666]

I have also been watching Macaws with the hope of getting one someday. I have seen good birds in the rescues, and I've also seen birds that are probably not going to be the best family birds. If it were me I would keep watching and waiting till the right bird comes along. In the meantime you can work on purchasing your indoor walk in aviary and your outdoor walk in aviary. These will go a long ways to helping your bird to maintain an outgoing social nature.

Josh

Usually, what you have in those situations is a pair bond bird who was never properly bite pressure trained, never properly socialized, and who overbonded with one person...

THIS IS A BIRD TRAINING ISSUE... NOT A PROBLEM BIRD ISSUE...

PROBLEM BIRDS ARE CREATED...

Screamers are trained to scream (accidentally.)

Biters are trained to bite. (Either accidentally, or by lack of discipline.)

Pluckers are usually just neglected. The worst thing in the world you can do to a macaw is to ignore it... Doing life in solitary is a form of slow torture for such an exhuberant, loving, happy go lucky creature... it just sucks the life out of them...

THEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM ON YOUR HANDS!!!

Happy birds don't do these things. THEY JUST DON'T!!!

They're mush macs.

Unhappy macs get angry, and are upset most of the time.

Those are the birds that bite and throw fits.

It's really just that simple.

These are attention oriented creatures... play with them. It's not optional.