Do specific species get along well or poorly with each other?

[lostcause13]

Hi,
I'm a fairly infrequent poster but if anyone remembers me I hope to have two, if not three macaws someday and I was wondering if anyone knew if there are certain combinations to avoid? I know macaws have advanced and individual personalities and any two may just not like each other, but I was wondering if any two species seem predisposed this way. Currently I'm thinking B&G and Greenwing and it seems plenty of people have had this combination successfully. I would like to own a Buffon's someday but it is currently endangered and hard to get, so I don't want to mess with that at this time (I may rescue one after I've had kids or they're old enough to know better than to mess with it). My fiance also wants an amazon, is this raising any red flags to anyone other than the amount of money/time and dedication it would require? Thanks.

 

[Birdman666]

Well, the thing about macaws is they can have jealousy issues...

As for Buffons, they are one of the beakiest macaws to work with, second only to scarlet macaws in my opinion.

 

[BirdyMomma]

Hi.
I have a Military Macaw, and a Yellow Collared Macaw. They do not get to interact too much, because of the vast size difference. Their cages are across the room from each other, and they converse all the time. If one is removed from the room, they call to each other. They both exhibit jealousy with regard to other birds, macaws or other species.

As you seem to be interested in large macaws, I would definitely recommend a Millie. Mine is super affectionate, and playful, and loves to be held and touched.

If you ever consider a mini Mac, I cannot tout the attributes of Yellow Collared Macs enough. Either I hit the Macaw lottery, or they are just superb birds. Affectionate, cuddly, devoted, and super smart.

 

[Birdman666]

Hi.
If you ever consider a mini Mac, I cannot tout the attributes of Yellow Collared Macs enough. Either I hit the Macaw lottery, or they are just superb birds. Affectionate, cuddly, devoted, and super smart.

I've only played with one that belonged to a friend of mine, but that one was the same way... but again, she knew how to raise and socialize both large and mini macs.

The one mini mac I tend to avoid are Severes. Although I do prefer the big boys, because I find them to be somewhat less attitudinous in a lot of respects.

The main things about macaws to remember is socialization, bite pressure training and handling by more than just one person. Do that, and you generally get a mush mac.

Lock them up too much, or allow them to overbond, or become territorial... that would be the opposite of a mush mac.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I can only speak of my 4. My big macs (B&G and a GW) get along splendidly. Both are males and fairly young (4 & almost 3). And I have 2 Amazons who get along great as well (DYH & YN). However, my big macs want nothing to do with the Amazons, on the contrary, if I'd let them "interact", it would not be a happy ending (for my zons).

 

[Birdman666]

See now I can handle both macs plus my red lored zon at the same time.

I CANNOT handle both zons at the same time. My red lored is UBER territorial with the Lilac crowned...

Now I have had SIX OTHER zons that she was not uber-territorial with... so go figure. This one mistakenly tried to take "her spot" the day I brought her home, and my red lored has never let her live that one down...

So this is very much a depends on the bird issue.

Generally, I wouldn't keep a big mac and a zon on the same playstand. But I've had as many as 11 birds, including several macaws, several amazons, and a CAG out at the same time without any conflicts...

But the birds all knew they would be disciplined if there were conflicts, so that was always part of my flock dynamic. And the other birds would "gang up" on the bird causing the conflict. So, they just tended to find their spots, and hung out.

But big bird little bird situations usually end badly for the little bird.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Here are a couple of video clips Jen took on Monday.

Here are my big macs "almost" playing Tug O' War:
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mccVkaQumEA"]Wendy's(5) - YouTube[/ame]

And here are my Amazons playing "Footsie Game" LOL

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMuxUcJf3-0"]Wendy's(2) - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Alwese]

I have a Scarlet, a B&G, and a hybrid of those two species called a Catalina. The Scarlet is the most aggressive and a bully. Kayko my B&G is very meek and cows down to the aggression of the Scarlet, but they will co-exist fairly completely and even preen each other. The Catalina is very powerful and twice the Scarlet's age (20). He and the Scarlet do not get along at all and only recently have I let them both out at the same time because the Catalina will open his cage and let him out. They are both striving to be Alpha Male but the Scarlet has learned to stay far away and let the Catalina sit at the prime spot on the baby gate door.
The only Buffons I have ever seen was huge, and without question the loudest bird I have ever heard. Before my Scarlet was in the pet store, they had a Buffons named Eddie. He would make like he had his foot caught in the top of the cage and holler to high heaven. People would gather around the cage and he would quietly step down now that he had everyone's attention. This trick he would repeat several times a day.