Macaw homes only - how many hours a day is your macaw in / out of the cage?

[Jenphilly]

This is more a curiosity type question for what everyone actually does...

Please only homes with macaws, it's not about what is suggested or such, but looking for reality from other macaw homes only. Anyone who does not know me, I am the Adoption Coordinator for a parrot rescue and have a blue and gold of my own. I am specifically looking to see the routine / habits of other macaw homes

For everyone with a macaw (or two or nine), how many hours a day is your macaw out of the cage, either on a playstand, hanging out with you, or if a floor bird like Max, just out and about getting into trouble? Looking for typical - don't worry about exceptions for when you have doctor appointments, out for an evening, away on vacation, sick, or anything like that, just the typical day to day routine?

Again, this is more for my curiosity of what other people with happy, stable macaws do everyday!

Thanks for sharing

 

[Chantilly Lace]

Mine are out between 3-5 hours a day, and all day on the weekends. I get up at 5:30 or so with them, and do the chores while they play. But I am lucky and am not working as many hours as I used to. They are on their climbing nets, and fly over to the bed or couch whenever they want to cuddle or get scritches. The duck is flying around and biting the macaw's tails, but they do get along pretty well.

 

[Macawnutz]

For our home and my work, it's really not hours that make or break them, it's about "when I'm home, they want out". To be home and not have them out is not acceptable.

My guys are out when I get up until I leave for work. (2-3 hours) Again when my husband comes home for lunch (1 hour) and when I get home until bedtime (4-5 hours).

At work they are out from the time I get there until I leave. 5-6 hours.

 

[Mitzi]

My husband and I are retired so they are out most all day, if we are home and caged at night.

 

[Joseph012]

Week days- about 5-6 hours depending on my schedule or errands. Weekends over 10 usually. Their cages are indoor aviaries, 7ft x 5ft x 7ftx so even when they are caged for longer than usual, I don’t feel as guilty.

 

[MiniMacaw]

My bowser is out pretty much from breakfast to dinner...about 9 hours unless I have to run errands then he’s in the aviary for that. The severes get out about five hours a day because they demand one on one vs bowser being happy to simply be near playing.

 

[Macawnutz]

Week days- about 5-6 hours depending on my schedule or errands. Weekends over 10 usually. Their cages are indoor aviaries, 7ft x 5ft x 7ftx so even when they are caged for longer than usual, I don’t feel as guilty.

A good point too. We have huge walk in aviaires however if I watch them on camera, they really do very little.

 

[Bokkapooh]

In the summer Mera(and my cockatoos) are out from 330pm-8pm. I try and get them to bed by 830-900.

In the winter I wake them up at 4am. They out for an hour. Then back inside their cages by 530AM. Out at 330-4pm to 6pm. I would have them out until8. But they really want their bed time by 5. Pushing it to 6pm and they're cranky birds.

 

[Bokkapooh]

Ah - weekends


Mera(and my cockatoos) are out from 7AM -6pm. Unless we leave the house. Which I may do for a couple hours for shopping for weekly groceries. Otherwise I'm lazy and home and they're out.

In the summer they're out by 6AM. I do NOT WAKE THEM at4AM in summer. Thwyre up naturally by 5:30. So from 6Am-8pm. Thwyre out of their cages on the weekend in the summer.

 

[Fritzgerald16]

Well, Fritz gets 1 hour in the morning then from roughly 3pm-9pm.
He is a homebody though, so although his door is open and he has the option to wander around sometimes he prefers to just hang out in his cage.
So long explanation short: he has the choice to be out 7 hours a day. He doesn't always choose to be out though.

 

[Jenphilly]

Thank you everyone for your responses

 

[BeanieofJustice]

Sam gets out 5-7 hours (depends on work schedule) on weekdays and he’s out all weekend.

 

[WallyLoopey]

I have one macaw and he lives cage free...
Meaning he's out all the time except for bed. Every day.

 

[Sarah13]

Val (GW) is out 24/7. She is with me in my apartment in NYC.
Rio (B&G) is out 3-5 hours in the late afternoon into the evening before bed. She belongs to my brother and is at my parents' house. She must be supervised when out as she is very destructive and loud so out time is only if someone is there home AND able to atively watch her.

Out of the 4 person family, Rio is bonded to me for some reason even though I only see her a couple weeks two or three times a year for hokidays. Val comes back and forth with me each time on the plane or in the car but still, Rio's out of cage time goes up notably. She then usually 7-8 hours while I am visiting as I can keep both out. Consequently, Val's out time gets reduced as her 24/7 out time gets cut down to that 7-8 hour time (Val can be parked wherever alone but because my parent's only have one bird area and Rio goes after Val/not fair one is out or risk her picking on the caged one, both must be caged if no one is there).

 

[JLcribber]

My "white" Macaws also live in aviaries during the day (sleep room and cages at night). I spend a couple hours with them in the mornings which to me is the most important time because that's when they seem to be more "civilized" for lack of a better term. They get 2-3 hours of my time at the end of the day. Quality (time) over quantity.

 

[Macawnutz]

My "white" Macaws also live in aviaries during the day (sleep room and cages at night).

IMO "white macaw" is justified. I find the needs of the two to be extremely similar. The tantrums of the white ones are a bit more dramatic and childish, macaws are more loud and angry, maybe more thought into retaliation. Less stomping and carrying on.

My amazons are quite different in needs.

 

[faislaq]

We try not to wake the birds before 8. Then they're out for an hour before I go to work. Then they're out again when my husband gets home at 3:30-4 and we cover the cages by 10. Buzzard likes to be out if we're still up, so he'll sleep on his playstand until we go to bed, usually around 11. (If we put him in his cage before that he wakes all the way up and fusses, waking the green cheeks.)
So Buzz is out about 7-8 hours a day on weekdays, all day on weekends unless we both have to go somewhere.

 

[SeverelySweet]

Syd is out for at least an hour or so, 1 on 1 with me, first thing in the morning. Then, depending on the day, he's in and out....total out time is usually 5-6 hours.

It used to be more, but since we moved to Florida, he can no longer be trusted to just hang out on his cage when I'm not in the room. He now goes exploring...and if I'm not looking, he makes a beeline for a particular cabinet...he's done quite a remodeling job on it, siiigh....

 

[faislaq]

depending on the day, he's in and out....total out time is usually 5-6 hours. It used to be more, but since we moved to Florida, he can no longer be trusted to just hang out on his cage when I'm not in the room. He now goes exploring...

I love that he explores now, though! What a wonderful life you've given him, all because you took a chance on an unwanted bird in a pet shop. You are fantastic!

 

[metalstitcher]

@Bokkapooh and @JLcribber I had a question for the both of you since my visit to Washington. Do you adjust the bed time for your birds in the winter with the changing if the sunset since it's so early in the afternoon or just continue to keep them on the same schedule even with it being so dark out at 350 in the afternoon?