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One macaw great! , two macaws crazy?

$arge

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so i love my jack, he’s a B/G rescue. I couldn’t imagine life without him. I often think that I would love another, is that nuts or is that a Mac acquisition disorder? Opinions?
 

Hankmacaw

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Not MAD at all. Just realize that it will be more money for food, toys, perches, cages and most especially vet bills. More of your time will be taken up interacting with both birds and sometimes that won't be easy - considering that macaws can be very jealous. The noise and the mess may double or triple with one bird or both encouraging the other.

Otherwise, it will be a very good thing to do with your single macaw. You can't speak macaw and he can't speak human. Company of ones own species is valuable.

But, if you decide not to get another macaw, your bird can live very happily with just you.
 
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Sarahmoluccan

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Great advice @Hankmacaw I couldn't agree more with it.

I don't have macaws but I did own 2 cockatoos and can talk abit about my experience with that. Zane my M2 (sadly he has now passed on) was very social and love other birds, which which was part of my motivation to get Echo my U2. In my case it was one of the best decisions I ever made. They did end up being good friends to each other but had a bit of a rocky start.

@Hankmacaw is quite right when she says its more than just double the work at times! That came as a bit of a shock to me when first got Echo. Keeping up with one I found was much easier than keeping up with two. If just you who's looking after them they now outnumber you! :laugh: and can pull you in two different directions at once. If they get along it can be nice in the quieter moments when the preen each other and things like that.

The one major downside of adding another bird to your flock is you can never quite predict what ramifications will be. So can be a bit of a crapshoot that way. They may really dislike each or they may preferred each other company to yours. That last one isn't necessarily a bad thing but its good to know that adding another bird can change your relationship you have with your current bird. As long as you are prepared to deal with the unpredictably of it all, adding a new bird can be a really rewarding experience. But if you decide not to that's perfectly ok too :)
 
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Sarah13

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More can be great if you can manage it in regards to both time and finances.
Just be careful if they happen to pair bond. It doesn't always happen of course but if they happen to, you can sometimes lose your best buddy.
 

JLcribber

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MiniMacaw

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I would get a second large macaw if the right one came along. Since my mac was bitten badly by an adult macaw as a baby and he’s a scaredy cat still, I’m not sure how he would do with another. If there’s a very gentle, understanding macaw out there who wouldn’t mind a big blue macaw friend who screams if he sees a bug and hates loud noises that aren’t made by him, then I’d love to bring them home lol.

Toys would be a consideration as others have said. Bowser goes through toys like crazy. I redo his aviary every three to seven days depending on how fast he is with a whole new set of toys. Two feathered beavers would mean I’d need an even bigger toy closet :faint:.
 

lexalayne

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They’re kind of like kids in that as long as you have more than one - and $ and energy are not issues - go for it - except kids are supposed to grow up and move on and macaws don’t - so I guess if we all have 40 years + should be added to exceptions - yikes -
 
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OK Mike

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After hearing the clamor of 3 macaws when I picked Blu up from boarding with the vet I realize that just from the decibel level one macaw is enough for me.
 

Nikomania

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Yeah. Once Dexter made macaw #2, that's when my problems with the neighbors escalated due to their loud calls. They can get each other going in no time flat.
 

$arge

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More can be great if you can manage it in regards to both time and finances.
Just be careful if they happen to pair bond. It doesn't always happen of course but if they happen to, you can sometimes lose your best buddy.
That’s what I fear the most....
 

Macawnutz

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Pairs are not all that bad. All you have to do is respect their relationship and understand the situation. I'd love for all my birds to have a partner, it's natural and makes them happy. I didn't and do not now have any trouble with a bonded pair.
 

Sarah13

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That’s what I fear the most....
You can certainly have a bonded pair successfully especially if you have the time to devote to working with them, the relationship, and the knowledge of basic training/respect and respond to their body language.
It's just something to keep in mind, if they even pair up at all. They may not pair up!
My 2 aren't a bonded pair for example so I'm still their person and all members of my family can comfortably care for or play/handle them but the birds can still enjoy and even benifit from same species company. It can be very good for them.
Being into outdoor free flight, having more than one can have even more advantages but that's an entirely different thread so don't want to detract from your post.

I guess the word of caution simply is, beyond the obvious time and money, to be prepared for whatever the birds end up choosing.
It's not too disimilar from you being the chosen one to your bird then them choosing a new person and you simply have to account for that/behave/interact/even sacrifice accordingly for the sake of their happiness...and at times your flesh.
 
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