Which Macaw?

[denaw]

Everyone here is Sooo knowledgeable so I thought I would ask. We are selling our home soon and will be building a home in 'the country'. I am going to add a sunroom with a drain built into the floor so that it's easy to spray down and clean, and it will have air and heat as the rest of the hosue.
In the meantime I am researching the bird I would like to buy or adopt when it's done.
I have some experience, as I had a tiel for years until she passed and then a DYH Amazon for about 6 years. My son became very ill and was on Chemo for several years, but the doctor strictly forbid a bird in the home before coming home from the hospital. So I did find a wonderful lady that was in love with Elvis and still has him along with another one. He is still beautiful and thriving! Since my son is grown and does not live with us (his Wegner's went into remission for 7 years, then in 2013 came back full blown, another round of Chemo and was in remission again until this month...we have one more treatment in this round of his Chemo, then will do one treatment ever 6 months) I am dying for another bird. I also hope to retire after the house is built so that I will have all day at home with the new addition.
Since Elvis was very much my bird, my husband felt jilted and has agreed that we can get another bird, he wants a Macaw, as I do.
My question is which Macaw is more apt to bond with the entire family and which is the least aggressive and easiest to train?
TIA!! (Sorry for the long drawn out post)
Dena

 

[thekarens]

I would stay away from scarlet, military and severe, otherwise they are probably all about equal. Not that scarlet, etc aren't wonderful, but IMO they are a bigger challenge.

 

[Mariar]

I've owned a military a long time ago, and she was awesome and right now I have a severe..lots of work...there's so many people out there that can give u great advice..only you will know what's best...good luck in finding your next new addition.

 

[RebelAngel]

I'm no help because I met with a breeder for a B&G and ended up putting a deposit down on a GW!

I just wanted to wish the best with regards to your son's chemo!

 

[Weezerj]

I've never met a Green Wing or blue and gold that I didn't like....(limited experience). That being said, if I was willing to go with a big boy Macaw it would have to be a Blue Throat.

The big guys are a bit intimidating for me tho, so I went with a mini macaw (Illigers).

 

[Birdman666]

The easiest macaws to handle are rfms & btms. Followed by hys and greenwings.

 

[Pinkbirdy]

My advice get two separate cages

 

[denaw]

TheKarens...Thank YOU for your response...Absolute exact information I have been researching....
Mariar...Thank YOU...since I was 10 yrs old and saw my first 2 .. I was in Love....
RebelAngel: This is what I Hope for..to meet a breeder and get to Meet my lil' one and IT Choose me!
Weezerj: After Much research...I agree and "think Im on the Right Track"
Birdman: (hate the 666...lol) I respect Your advice after all the information you provide on this site!!! Red Fronted Macaw or Blue Throated Macaw? Right?...I "believe" I am leaning towards the BTM..I have spent countless hours reading everything and...learning how to make toys..and bite pressure training....I was Never afraid of my DYH....everyone else was..LOL...and I am Sooo Excited to get a new addition....Hard to wait....
Pinkbirdy...ROFL!!! :32:..I Just may end up with more than 2 once I get to know Macs better!!!..I'm building a room especially for them!
The only thing I can say is I WANT ONE NOW..LOL!!!
Anyone know a breeder in Texas...I live about 50 miles north of Houston....In Willis Texas :21:
Thank You EVERYONE!!!
Keep the Information Coming..Im soaking up Every ounce I can get!!!
Dena

 

[denaw]

Another Question..."Sorry"..Male or Female???? I Never had Elvis DNA tested...but loved him/her Uncondiontally!!! Just Curious due to the "Season"..
TIA..
Dena

 

[thekarens]

Male or female makes no difference. Wendy's Parrots up in Dallas would be my first choice unless she has moved to AZ by the time you are ready. The only other place in Texas I know of is Adventures in Birds in Houston where we got Zoe.

 

[RebelAngel]

My breeder is in Fort Worth. As of yesterday she has a Greenwing avail. BnG and hybrid Ruby Gold on eggs.

 

[denaw]

Birdman666 if I understand correct your name is Mark and the Karens your name is Karen?
Mark, you should do a live video (I'd pay!) showing your exact technique on how to do the pressure biting and the step up, etc on aggressive Macs, I love reading everything I can that you post.
Karen, you got Zoe from Adventures in Houston? How old was Zoe when you got her?
It will be at least a year (hopefully less) before I will have a proper home to bring my new addition to. I will be reading and soaking up everything I can until then and this site is AMAZING!!!
I would love a place to physically take my new addition to, to get hands on formal training.
I believe at this point I do have my heart made up for a BTM when the time is right...
Thanks so much everyone!!!
Dena

 

[Weezerj]

Birdman666 if I understand correct your name is Mark and the Karens your name is Karen?
Mark, you should do a live video (I'd pay!) showing your exact technique on how to do the pressure biting and the step up, etc on aggressive Macs, I love reading everything I can that you post.
Karen, you got Zoe from Adventures in Houston? How old was Zoe when you got her?
It will be at least a year (hopefully less) before I will have a proper home to bring my new addition to. I will be reading and soaking up everything I can until then and this site is AMAZING!!!
I would love a place to physically take my new addition to, to get hands on formal training.
I believe at this point I do have my heart made up for a BTM when the time is right...
Thanks so much everyone!!!
Dena

I also suggest that if possible, spend as much time with parrots as possible. I was making several trips to the local parrot shop each week to handle the parrots to get myself ready. I would bring pine nuts with me to try and get the "skittish" birds used to me and let me handle them (with the shop owners permission of course). This really helped me. I was a lot more comfortable by the time my adoption was ready.

 

[denaw]

Weezerj, I would LOVE to go to a place that isn't too far from me and work with birds on a daily basis, just to be around them! I think I would do this even if I wasn't adopting a new addition. I just cannot find anything pretty close to me. Im about 60 miles North of Houston, Willis Texas. Since I work in Houston, that drive is painful, especially during the week, and I'd love to find a place closer than 60 miles.
Dena

 

[Weezerj]

Have you tried Mary's about birds? Seems to be a bit closer...not sure if they have parrots, website says "We usually have Finches, Canaries, Parakeets and Cockatiels available. Other species of parrots that we sometimes have are Macaws, Amazons, Cockatoos, African Greys, Eclectic, Caiques, Conures, and Quakers. "

 

[Kalel]

My question is which Macaw is more apt to bond with the entire family and which is the least aggressive and easiest to train?

Does anybody happen to know where Blue and Golds fall in this "spectrum"? Thanks!

 

[Birdman666]

My question is which Macaw is more apt to bond with the entire family and which is the least aggressive and easiest to train?

Does anybody happen to know where Blue and Golds fall in this "spectrum"? Thanks!

I would put them as fifth on the list.

1-2 (Tie) RFM, BTM
3. Hyacinth
4. Greenwing
5. B&G/Catalina

Occasionally you'll get a B&G that's a little high strung, but they're usually pretty docile.

I wouldn't hesitate to get any bird on the above list, especially if it's been properly socialized, which more than anything is the key to a well behaved macaw.

The only macaws birds I really hesitate to recommend are the really beaky big macs, and that one particular mini mac...

Scarlet's, Buffons, and Severe's...

The beakier big macs tend to use their beaks to communicate (i.e. they tend to be pinchy) and they tend to have shorter tempers.
Severe's have a very real tendency to OVERBOND with one person, and become one person birds who are just the most lovable bird ever to their person, but bite the #@%$ out of everyone else...

So, those are the only three macaws I really don't recommend.
And it doesn't mean there aren't some really great ones out there, it's just that many, if not most, end up having significantly more problems with those species.

 

[DannyA93]

I see you have a hybrid included on the "list" where would you place the beautiful harlequin?? Ive always had a thing for them lol

 

[Birdman666]

I see you have a hybrid included on the "list" where would you place the beautiful harlequin?? Ive always had a thing for them lol

Same as a Catalina really. Mellow. Docile. Anything with scarlet or buffons mixed in it, will have a latent propensity to be a little more beaky, that's all.

Really, with macaws it's all about socialization anyway, for the most part.

Rachel had a Scarlet that was 180 degrees from the stereotypical pinchy macaw, but that bird was uber socialized from the time it hatched, and it was the biggest mushy lap bird you ever played with... (That was one of Wendy Craig's babies.)

YOU HAVE TO DO THE WORK WITH A MACAW.

I don't recommend the pinchy ones because people tend to get fed up with them and dump them. For that reason, I believe Greenwings are a lot better choice for people who think they wanted a Scarlet.