Is a Red Fronted Macaw for me with my job?

[Kireland6]

Hi, with my current job I travel about 1 week a month. The rest of the time I work from home. I would love to get a Red Fronted Macaw but I am unsure if my lifestyle is compatible? My husband would be home while I travel so he could interact with the bird but he also works. When I am gone the RFM would get around 1-2 hours of interaction with my husband . When I am home I could give it several hours a day. I would buy a very large cage (please feel free to offer suggestions) and would have lots of toys and change out the toys frequently. I currently own a caique and he is fine with the above schedule and is very happy. I want to make sure before I buy a RFM that this type of schedule would be alright. I am interested in the RFM because, my what I have read, they are cuddly, sweet, playful, good talkers, and are one of the more mellow, friendly macaws. The caique likes both me and my husband equally..... Would the RFM be the same if we both spend time with it ? Thanks in advance !

 

[chris-md]

Hello and welcome!

Thank you for doing the research well ahead of time.

In theory, yes, you could accommodate a macaw with your schedule so long as your husband doesn’t travel as well. Would you have access to a bird sitter, either a facility or friend, who could watch the bird?

One thing to consider though is the one person bird syndrome. with your traveling, it’s possible that your bird could choose your husband as a favorite and be aggressive toward you. Not a guarantee, as every bird is different, but choosing one person above everyone else and being aggressive to everyone else is fairly common. Are you prepared to deal with that possibility?

 

[Kireland6]

Hi, we have a pet sitter that takes care of our caique when we are both gone for vacation. That's only 2 weeks a year though. The rest of the time my husband is home. I had thought I read the RFM were more likely to be friendly to the whole family and not just "one person"?. I know all birds are different, but as a generalization? I would be the one home with it several hours a day spending time with it, except that one week a month (average).

 

[SailBoat]

Just where are you going to get a Red-Fronted Macaw?

I haven't heard of one, so did a quick search and found this:

"This particular species of bird is found in Bolivia. The red-fronted macaw (Ara rubrogenys) is a parrot endemic to a small semi-desert mountainous area of Bolivia. It is an endangered species; it has been successfully bred in captivity, and is available, if not common, as a pet."

Very important words in the above statement:

- Endangered species = CITES, Category I, which require a detailed Hatch Certificate for any Red-Fronted Macaw, 3.5 years and younger. If you are simply looking at different Macaws and not their availability. You may find that none are available in your area. If you are considering an Adult Macaw, that is a Cat. I, you should assure that you have good paperwork as part of the purchase.

Are you looking at an Adult or a young Macaw?

 

[Kireland6]

Yes there is a baby available near me in the next few months. The breeder is good and reputable and I will make sure to get all proper paperwork.

 

[SailBoat]

Yes there is a baby available near me in the next few months. The breeder is good and reputable and I will make sure to get all proper paperwork.

That is truly wonderful. Have a conversation with you're breeder. Commonly, a Great Breeder, will assure that the baby is fully weaned on to solid food for at least two weeks prior to selling the chick. Never buy a baby Parrot that is still on formula!!! Ask when they provide a baby for sale?

The CITES Hatch Certificate includes information that the parents are of the same species, detailed information regarding the breeder, business name, State ID and/or IRS number, address, phone number(s), etc... Ask what documents they provide with a baby?

 

[Birdman666]

I've had a red front for 16-17 years or so now. They are one of the easiest to handle love everyone big macs. As long as SOMEONE is there to feed and water and give attention, it should be fine.

Wouldn't want to give mine up!

 

[Wildplasser]

I have several RFM and they are very nice birds. But don't give them to much attention they can turn into devils. If its possible for you buy 2 they really need another bird







[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkAybxuf_cA&t=14s"]Red Front Synergy - YouTube[/ame]

 

[noodles123]

I LOVE the fact that you care enough to ask and look into this because this is such a HUGE decision.

I would not get a parrot of any sort if I traveled more than 1x a year (and even that is hard)--- it is too much work for the sitter (IMO--unless they have a solid relationship, which can take months of exposure and is not guaranteed even if they live with someone--if they hate the sitter they won't come out, or they will but will bite the care-taker and refuse to return to their cage) and it's hard on the bird when you leave for days. Also- Boarding them is a huge health risk due to asymptomatic disease transmission (for which testing isn't required, even in the best facilities, because it's hundreds of dollars each time and inaccurate in asymptomatic spreaders)...There are diseases like PDD and PBFD that can infect other birds VERY easily just through microscopic particles and dander in a shared air-space (among shared surfaces, foods etc)...kind of like COVID 19--only one of those (PDD or PBFD) lives for like 2 years on surfaces (whereas Covid has a much shorter external survival time)...I THINK that PBFD is the more dangerous in terms of longevity (???), but I need to verify because I always forget which one "survives" longest on surfaces and in air-ducts/carpets.

 

[noodles123]

Here is something I always post for new parrot people---and I want you to really understand, that adopting a parrot is like adopting a 4-year-old child with special needs who never grows up and lives for 20-80+ years (depending on the species). They are extremely complicated pets. That having been said:

Since you are a first-time owner, I am also posting this (because it's stuff you may or may not know, but definitely need to know). If you already know it, disregard.

I am going to write a ton here because it sounds like you are very new to this and there is a lot to learn. I don't mean to overwhelm you!

One really important thing when keeping a pet bird in the house is that you cannot use scented products or chemicals/fumes in your home (even things that smell nice to us(---things like smoke, perfumes, air freshener, standard cleaners, vaping, burning food, incense, cigarettes, glue, paint, window sealing kits, polishes, aerosol sprays etc can harm your bird's sensitive respiratory system (which is not the same as mammals'). Using products that heat or are heated which contain Teflon/PTFE/PFCs = very very dangerous. These products off-gas and can kill a bird in under 5 minutes. Teflon/PTFE/PFOA/PFCs are most commonly found in the kitchen (pots, pans, cookie sheets, drip trays, air fryers, popcorn poppers, baking mats, crock pots, toasters, toaster ovens, popcorn poppers, waffle irons, electric skillets etc. They can also be found in space-heaters, curling irons, blow-dryers, straighteners, heat lamps, heat guns, irons, ironing board covers etc. These fumes have killed birds through closed doors and on separate floors of a home, so you should replace your cookware with stainless steel, cast iron or ceramic. You may be thinking-- well, I have used them before and my bird is fine, but they kill very inconsistently and it depends on what you are cooking, the age of the pot/pan, the specific bird etc. There was a member who lost many of her birds from a pan she had literally used for years...then one day, her husband cooked an egg (without burning or overheating) and many of them died, while the rest showed signs of respiratory distress.

You will need an avian-safe cleaner to use within your home (both on the bird cage, but also, around the house). Again, chemical cleaners cannot be used in the home unless avian safe. F10 SC (the yellow/clear concentrate) is a great, avian-safe disinfectant. Other (less effective) options include products such as "poop-off", white vinegar + water, grapefruit seed extract + water, baking soda etc. Peroxide is also fairly safe for disinfecting places like your bathroom, but you do not want your bird to come into contact with it.

Some foods are toxic to them--avocado, coffee (even decaf), caffeine, rhubarb, alcohol, onions/garlic/leeks/chives, mushrooms etc. Salt is also very bad for them, as is most human food. They love it, but it's not healthy.

They should not just eat seed--you will want to feed lots of washed fresh vegetables. Fruit is fine in moderation, but too much can lead to obesity and behavioral issues due to sugar. I feed my bird a mix of high-quality seed (no sunflowers, no peanuts) and pellets (in addition to fruit/veg). Fruit pits are toxic, as are apple seeds. Corn cob and certain nut shells (if swallowed in big pieces) can cause blockages, so you should be very cautious if you give your bird nuts in the shell. Peanuts can harbor aspergillosis, and should be avoided altogether (even they you often see them marketed towards parrots).

It is important to make sure that your bird's toys and cage are made of safe metals. Stainless steel is safest. They can get metal poisoning from playing with or mouthing objects made of unsafe metals.

They need a set amount of sleep each night (at least 10 hours) and the largest cage you can manage with lots of different perches. You want to avoid the totally smooth/round ones as they can lead to a condition called bumblefoot. Never place a cage near drafts and never allow cool air to blow on a bird. They are sensitive to drafts and any temperature shift greater than 10 degrees can cause a shock to their system.

They need lots of safe toys and safe wood to chew. Not all wood is safe, so don't just assume you can give them any kind you want.

They hide illness and so you have to watch them to make sure they are eating normally and pooping normally etc. You should try to find an avian vet (certified avian) if at all possible and take your bird AT LEAST 1 x yearly for an exam. An avian vet is NOT the same as an exotics vet who sees birds--- so if a certified avian vet is available within a few hours of where you live, you will want to set up care.

All parrots can easily confuse the relationship with their human for a sexual one. You don't want this to happen, even though it seems sweet at first. Stick to petting on the head and neck only (the rest is sexual) and do not allow your bird to play in shadowy places, like boxes or under furniture, as these spaces are similar nesting sites and are hormonal triggers. NO SNUGGLE HUTS/TENTS!

Food and water should be replaced daily--- wash the containers daily. Never leave wet food out for more than a few hours (as it can lead to bacterial growth). Never try to medicate a bird via drinking water and never add vitamins to water. Vitamins can be over-dosed easily and harm a bird. Plus, when you add things to water, it makes it impossible to know how much they have gotten and it also encourages bacterial growth. Sometimes it can prevent them from drinking adequately if they don't like the flavor of whatever it is you added.

These birds have the intelligence of a 4-year-old human, but they are wild animals (not domesticated like dogs). This means that they see the world (and humans) in a very unique way and so you must learn about their behavior in order to prevent problems (screaming, plucking etc). They need lots of time out of their cage daily and a lot of interaction (at least a few hours). At the same time, you don't want to spend TOO much time with a bird of they will become overly dependent and not know what to do with themselves when you go to work etc.

Finally, baby birds are ALWAYS sweet compared to adult birds. When your bird hits puberty, expect that it will exhibit some annoying and problematic behaviors (much like a teen). A through knowledge of behavior and setting expectations at an early age will make your life easier when that time comes, but do prepare yourself and expect that things will not always be so smooth-sailing. Think about a baby human compared to a teen...

I am sure there is more...but that is a basic overview of caring for birds.

Here is an excerpt from another post (which you may want to reference when shopping/ calling about Teflon:
The most insidious is the Teflon/ptfe/pfoa/pfcs because you have to call the company to verify that anything that heats or is intended to be heated does not contain these substances ("PTFE free" doesn't mean PFC free and so there are a lot of marketing gimmicks out there to make people buy what seems like healthier cook-ware, even though it still contains a version of the same chemicals). Also-- these chemicals can be woven into fabric, mixed into metal during the moulding process, applied as a powder, applied as a clear-coat, or mixed with a colored coating. You cannot assume that you will be able to identify them visually, so, when you call, you must provide all abbreviations and full names + spellings of each chemical compound (and then they usually give you "the run around" for a week or so IF they ever answer your questions at all---because sometimes it's a "trade secret"). It's all very sketchy and DuPont (manufacturer of Teflon) claims that off-gassing only occurs at really high temperatures, but there have been numerous documented/scientific and anecdotal reports of birds passing away at temperatures in the 300 F range (and again, it kills through closed doors and on different floors).
FYI- Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
A perfluorinated compound (PFC)
Teflon (a common brand-name of non-stick cookware containing these chemicals)

10- 12 hours nightly for sleep, so if you get up at 6 and make a bunch of noise, you will wake the bird up (even if they are still covered). If they wake up at 6, bed should be between 6-8. You want to keep it around the same time if possible (because that's how it is in nature).

Food- I leave a high quality mix of pellets and some seed in my bird's cage (no peanuts, no sunflowers, avoid fillers like corn etc)..Fruit/veg daily (more veg than fruit if at all possible--and not too much fruit). Citrus and fruits high in vitamin C should be given in extreme moderation because they can cause "Iron Storage Disease" (for a cockatoo, 1 small tangerine slice 1-2 times a week was okay, according to my vet). She gets something interesting/ cooked (no salt or sugar or unsafe spaces-- like a grain) 2x daily as well but she is picky as heck, so you have to watch it because some birds will fill up on one thing and not get proper nutrients or they will eat too much and become obese.


OH-- something I didn't mention in my last post-- stainless steel is really one of the only safe metals for them. Research the heck out of your cage and make sure that if it uses a powder-coating it is truly non-toxic. Birds can get metal poisoning from playing with sketchy toys (many made in China do not adhere to best practices) and just mouthing things like money, bolts, locks etc can cause toxic impacts...A man I know allowed his bird to play with un-used toothbrushes and (unbeknownst to him) there were small copper bits that held the bristles in place-- this nearly killed his bird even though the bird didn't actually swallow the pieces