I'm glad you've done the research to know what to expect. So here's my .02.
When it comes to birds, think of it like raising children. There's no single good source of information. Like children, every bird is different. I'm just going to refer to them as children from this point on.. I hope you don't mind.
The one most important thing about owning a bird (any bird) is trust and patience. No matter what happens, you can't show anger. You can express disapproval, but it has to be constructive and kind.
If you think you're going to get through owning a macaw for even a year without ever getting bitten.. uhm.. not going to happen. Is it going to hurt.. oh yeah.. It's going to REALLY hurt.
All birds will get hormonal occasionally. If you're lucky, not more than once a year. If you're really unlucky, it's going to be a quarterly thing.. There's just no way to tell.
A macaw will just randomly turn on you at any moment. You'll never see it coming.. One minute, they're going to be the sweetest thing in the world and the next.. BAM! Your finger is in their beak and they're clamping down hard!
Nothing you can do about it, but express disapproval, don't show them a reaction. It's just the way they're wired. Think of it as a really Bipolar significant other and you'll get an inkling of what it's like.
My macaw gets VERY angry with me when I'm away for business. While I don't go away much, he will always get very upset and show it when he sees me come home. He's pretty much a little pain in the butt (biting, etc) until I get him home. Then over the next few days, he'll calm down and become sweet again. When I got a girlfriend, he just.. GOT ANGRY. I couldn't even touch him until I dumped her. It was just his thing.. He's apparently decided I'm his mate.. I didn't realize it until he showed me the ultimate sign of affection after she was gone.. He regurgitated on me.
ok.. enough with the stories.. you wanted information. I started a blog for my macaw and actually put together a few pages of solid information. Specifically, how to gain a bird's trust and bird-proofing your house. My macaw is cageless. It's just what I decided. He walks around the house like it's his. He feels safe enough to sleep on his back in the middle of the floor. He visits me when I eat and lay in bed. He goes up to the bedroom perch and goes to sleep when he gets tired.
He's also a rescue. Let's just say he was a complete headcase when I first got him, but he's turned into the most wonderful, loving little guy and I couldn't even imagine my life without him.
Nutrition: You're going to spend money feeding him. Birdseed and pellets alone ARE NOT enough. Fruits, veggies, a bit of protein. All of these are things you'll need to regularly give him.. (daily).
Attention and Time: spend a few hours a day at a minimum with him. If you don't, they get neurotic. They'll pluck and self-mutilate. Play with them, train them.. they're super intelligent.. If you don't challenge them, they're going to get bored and start doing some serious damage to your house / home.
Health: You think a regular vet is expensive? You haven't been hit with the avian vet bill yet. A bird NEEDs an avian vet. Don't even think about going to a regular vet unless you're willing to risk his life.. Let's just say that there are many stories out there of people taking their birds to a regular vet only to have them killed accidently.
There are so many things you'll need to know about and much of it is bird specific. Every bird will exhibit their own personality and require different methods of dealing with them.
There is one thing I can recommend (that I believe is universal). If you're going to get a bird, consider rescuing one and not getting one from a breeder. There are too many "throw away birds" that have been abandoned by irresponsible former owners. The problem is these birds are scooped up by the "animal traffickers" and sold for profit to other irresponsible owners.
If you're committing to a macaw or any bird for that matter, you should be dedicated enough to take the good with the bad. Get the bad out of the way up front. The worst time you're ever going to have with a new bird is the beginning. If you gain a bird's trust up front (rehabilitate), then everything after that is a walk in the park. Why? You've seen the worst of the bird.
I will only rescue animals. I occasionally will rescue and rehabilitate a bird, but it's only because I see the bird in such a horrible situation, I can't bear to see it suffer. In fact, I'm going to drive 8 hours round trip tomorrow to rescue a macaw. He's going to be my second macaw and buddy to my little stinker.
If you have any specific questions, please feel free to ask me. I'll be more than happy to help.
Sorry for being so negative, but I see so many people get into birds, because they think it's cool to have a bird that talks.. Wrong reason to get one if that's all you want. They're much more intelligent and loving than dogs in my opinion.
Here's my birdy blog:
My Macaw
It definitely gives you a glimmer of what macaw ownership is like. In the short time Pretty Birdy (my macaw) has been with me, he's probably caused close to $7-8K in damage. Have I ever lost my temper with him? Absolutely not. I laugh it off. As for the bites? Let's just say my arm looks like it's been through a blender. Would I do it all over again? Absolutely! Am I still getting another macaw tomorrow? Absolutely.
Ask me anything and I'll be more than happy to help with advice and whatever else I can!
Cheers.
