Introducing a baby Hyacinth to other macaws

[Olivier]

Hi,

I currently have a male and female Blue & gold macaw which I successfully introduced to each other when about 10 months old. They share the same cage and became inseparable friends.

The process was very methodical: 1/ the two cages were at proximity and getting closer for about 6 weeks while rotating the birds between cages on a weekly basis to avoid territoriality issues 2/ then next to each other for 2 weeks making sure that there were no fighting 3/ Placing them in the same cage at night for 1 week and i would sleep next to the birds in order to intervene shd there be a fight. All steps above went very smoothly and this was the best decision ever: they keep each other company while at the same time remaining very close to their human referent.

I am building a new outdoor aviary of 3x6x3m (10x20x10ft). Of course the macaws would continue to spend a considerable amount of time free flying indoor when I am around, which they enjoy tremendously.

I am considering acquiring a baby hyacinth. I already researched extensively this species and understand all their specific needs, especially food wise. The objective would be to introduce the baby hyacinth to the other two macaws and ultimately to get them to share the same aviary.

My queries are as follows: does anyone have the experience of a hyacinth sharing the same aviary with another macaw species? If yes, what was the process involved? Any key pitfalls to avoid?

Thank you for your feedback.

 

[Kiwibird]

I know from what I've heard, Hy's tend to be goofy, good natured birds. They are rare and extremely expensive. Be sure you acquire one from a reputable source, as there are a ton of scam "breeders" and/or individuals "selling" their hyacinth macaws for a couple thousand bucks, which seems like a good deal on a $10K-25K bird.

Always keep in mind, parrots are intelligent and often obstinate creatures with their own opinions. There is always a risk they simply won't like each other, even if the reason is not immediately apparent to us. Keeping them close but separated for a few weeks and then seeing how they'd do in a supervised interaction is probably the best plan (this would, of course start after the new one was quarantined as per recommended standard procedures for any new bird). It is somewhat rare for well-adjusted, properly socialized parrots to aggressively reject a newcomer but it does happen. Just be sure you have a plan for if they don't like each other as to how you'd handle having to keep them separated long term.

I also wanted to add- you should NEVER leave your birds in the aviary when you aren't home. In additional to the normal risks of leaving birds in an outdoor aviary unattended, you have the added risk of the value of a hy making your birds/home a target for criminals. Criminals know these birds fetch high prices but also know anyone who can afford one likely has other valuables to steal as well. Be careful who knows you have this bird and don't leave him/her out in the open.

 

[ChristaNL]

Key pitfall: birds mature!


Great job on combining 2 baby-birds, and I am glad they like each other a lot.
but.... they will get hormonal eventually.


And a broody couple of macaws will not tolerate a third wheel near them.

 

[Olivier]

Tx a lot for ur very relevant points!

RE. the security issue: this is a key concern which I will investigate further. The house is in a gated community, there are 14 CCTVs on the estate, a Malinois dog is guarding the premisses and of course the aviary will be locked. Based on your comment I will install a security motion sensor covering the aviary area which will be connected to the alarm system. I would think that the birds are most at risk at night when sleeping so the motion sensor should also trigger a powerful flashlight which would wake them up. Or maybe they should spend the nights in their indoor cage? Will also raise this issue with a friend of mine who is a security consultant expert.

Thanks again for inputs.

 

[Olivier]

Wow.... I did not anticipate the sexual maturity and hormonal issues !

Thank you for your comments and X fingers

 

[Kiwibird]

I'm guessing you must live somewhere where the climate is suitable for birds to be outdoors all the time and it sounds as though you have the means to have a secure aviary constructed/security measures to keep them safe. Discuss with the builder a way to keep a continuous water supply somewhere in the aviary. One of the biggest risks past dangerous animals getting into an aviary (or thieves) would be the water dish gets tipped and the birds die of dehydration. My husband had a coworker who's bird died this exact way- his water dish was tipped over on a hot day and he died before the guy got home from work. The other risk is not having a suitable area of shade/to hide from the sun. I would imagine, given the description of your situation, solutions to both these potential issues could be built into the aviary. No matter how nice the aviary, do not leave them outside if it's over 90 or under 60 degrees F. Parrots are not designed for more extreme temperatures either way.

Knowing you live in a gated community, I would also imagine you are in an HOA. Ensure you will be able to keep your birds outdoors 24/7 without the noise violating your HOA bylaws. Imagine the sound of 3 macaws who get spooked by a raccoon or something at 3am! Or them sounding off morning vocalizations for the whole neighborhood with the sun coming up at 4-something AM during the summer. My HOA definitely has rules about disruptive pets and can force you to get rid of them or move, as do most that I'm aware of. Be sure rules regarding noise before/after a certain time wouldn't become a problem because birds will be birds.

Personally, I wouldn't leave a bird outside overnight even in the most secure aviary ever built. They're social animals and once 'domesticated', they feel safest and sleep best knowing their humans are nearby. You summed up the parrot psyche well here:

they keep each other company while at the same time remaining very close to their human referent.

Would you feel more comfortable sleeping in your backyard or your bedroom? Pet birds feel similarly, as domestic life is what/all they know. Bring them in at night, hang out with them for a bit and let them sleep inside the house somewhere. Living room, office, spare room...doesn't matter too much if they're only in there for sleeping.

 

[Olivier]

Thank you very much for your comments.

I live in South East Asia so the temperature is not an issue. The aviary will have a roof area which is also walled in a corner in order to protect the birds from the sun and a times high wind conditions.

The continuous water suggestion is a great piece of advice. There is a tap water located nearby. After a quick web research, I can extend a hose to an automatic drinking bowl for livestock with a valve stopping the flow when the bowl is full. However this tap is on the irrigation system which is connected to a tank collecting rainwater so will need to check the water quality.

RE. HOA rules, it is a low density community and my house is at the top of the hill and somewhat isolated from the rest of the Estate. Also the wind direction blows away from the other houses so I think that it should be fine. But the isolation factor compounds the security issue.

Lastly and based on your comment the birds will sleep indoor. As you said, I will also sleep much better knowing that they are in the house

Thank you again for all your recommendations !