Breeding tame macaws

[Beachybird]

Hi everyone,

I have a 2.5 yo unsexed Catalina named Mango. I’d like to get him/her a mate to breed. After I determine Mangos sex, should I get a baby macaw or one close to Mangos age? Is my best chance of getting Mango to bond with the new bird by getting a proven breeder or a hand raised tame macaw? Mango is pretty standoffish and independent. She likes to be on her play stand most of the time and she can be snippy. I’m thinking he/she will be more pleasant to her mate. Also, any idea how long they need to be together before they start breeding? I know Mango is too young yet but I figure the parrots will need some bonding time. Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions!

 

[Shezbug]

Way too young to be breeding yet.

Also are you able to keep your macaw and any potential babies in a totally separate air space and area to your old world flock?

 

[macawpower58]

Wow! Breeding macaws, conures and cockatiels!

You're going to be rich!

 

[Beachybird]

I doubt I will be rich. That’s not my intention. I’d like to carry on the species responsibly and keep some cool mutations along the way.

 

[Beachybird]

Way too young to be breeding yet.

Also are you able to keep your macaw and any potential babies in a totally separate air space and area to your old world flock?

As I mentioned, I know Mango is too young. That’s why I was asking if I should find a mate now so they have years to bond along with my other questions.
I do have space to keep babies separate.

 

[Gokha]

Hi, I'm not a breeder and not a Macaw owner. But just want to let you know that there's always 50/50 chances that Mango and your future macaw will not like each other at all, not even talking about bonding and breeding. So you can never know, whether it's better to get an adult or a baby, it's very individual. My cockatiel is 4 years and I got my ringneck as a baby, they never bonded. In fact, ringneck is chasing and bullying the cockatiel sometimes (and he's only 6 months old now). Yes, different species, but the principle is pretty much the same. I have now the same situation with my Galah, all of my birds don't really like each other

As fas as my knowledge goes, breeding pairs are usually made when both are still babies, so they could grow up together and have time to warm up to each other when both are still not aggressive.

 

[Beachybird]

I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. I know matching up pairs is like people. They may simply not like each other. If that happens then it wasn’t meant to be and I’ll have two macaws that get spoiled instead of just one. I have places to separate them if they absolutely hate each other. Lol
Sorry to hear your flock isn’t living in complete harmony. My conures go after my cockatiels so I really have to rotate where they are out at any given time. I think tiels are the most mellow and therefore are the lowest in the pecking order. Good luck with your feather babies!

 

[Gokha]

I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. I know matching up pairs is like people. They may simply not like each other. If that happens then it wasn’t meant to be and I’ll have two macaws that get spoiled instead of just one. I have places to separate them if they absolutely hate each other. Lol
Sorry to hear your flock isn’t living in complete harmony. My conures go after my cockatiels so I really have to rotate where they are out at any given time. I think tiels are the most mellow and therefore are the lowest in the pecking order. Good luck with your feather babies!

Thanks!
I let them out together most of the times, always supervised and make sure each is busy with their own thing in separate places Usually the conflict arises between my ringneck and Galah, both are feisty and Zazu (ringneck) doesn’t understand he’s 3 times smaller in both body and beak size they don’t like to share. Also if one of them starts flying and/or screaming all of sudden, they all start flying like crazy, with Momo (Galah) screaming her head off while at it, not the most pleasant sound but overall it’s manageable I’d say.

good luck with your flock too!

 

[lexalayne]

A friend of mine (internet friend) went looking for a mate for her hybrid yellow dom 3rd generation male. I am out of my depth here but i’ll relay what she told me. She went to an auction for parrots specifically macaws and brought home several female scarlets. I’m not sure of the exact number. Her male “hung” out with these females and became very interested in one of them. I don’t know how long I didn’t ask that question. I asked her what she did with the extra females. they went back to auction and she said they would probably be exported because Asians love hybrid macaws and they buy a lot of scarlets. This still makes my stomach clench I had never heard of these auctions and wondered if it was really true. But i had always wanted a female my breeder had and when she passed away her husband said he would sell her to me because her eggs were never viable and she didn’t care for her mate. After she came home with me i asked what he did with her mate. He said that he went to the auctions and he was sure one of the asian buyers picked him up. There has to be a better way and i’ve read you’re posts you’ll do it.

a better way as in no breeding cages where the female i have now didn’t like her mate but there’s no room to move. or no rejecting at least 3 scarlets, retuning them where they’ll be sent half way across the world. I worry when their on delta dash.

 

[Beachybird]

Thanks!
I let them out together most of the times, always supervised and make sure each is busy with their own thing in separate places Usually the conflict arises between my ringneck and Galah, both are feisty and Zazu (ringneck) doesn’t understand he’s 3 times smaller in both body and beak size they don’t like to share. Also if one of them starts flying and/or screaming all of sudden, they all start flying like crazy, with Momo (Galah) screaming her head off while at it, not the most pleasant sound but overall it’s manageable I’d say.

good luck with your flock too!

lol. Mine all fly at once too and I could swear I’m in a rainforest! It’s a really attention getting sound for sure.

 

[Beachybird]

A friend of mine (internet friend) went looking for a mate for her hybrid yellow dom 3rd generation male. I am out of my depth here but i’ll relay what she told me. She went to an auction for parrots specifically macaws and brought home several female scarlets. I’m not sure of the exact number. Her male “hung” out with these females and became very interested in one of them. I don’t know how long I didn’t ask that question. I asked her what she did with the extra females. they went back to auction and she said they would probably be exported because Asians love hybrid macaws and they buy a lot of scarlets. This still makes my stomach clench I had never heard of these auctions and wondered if it was really true. But i had always wanted a female my breeder had and when she passed away her husband said he would sell her to me because her eggs were never viable and she didn’t care for her mate. After she came home with me i asked what he did with her mate. He said that he went to the auctions and he was sure one of the asian buyers picked him up. There has to be a better way and i’ve read you’re posts you’ll do it.

a better way as in no breeding cages where the female i have now didn’t like her mate but there’s no room to move. or no rejecting at least 3 scarlets, retuning them where they’ll be sent half way across the world. I worry when their on delta dash.

Yikes! No auctions. I didn’t know they existed either. No international shipping. It’s an animal for crying out loud. I’m keeping my aviary simple. Animals first, then people. That’s always been my belief. I also believe nothing should be caged. Own a cage for your animals safety but use it minimally.
I’m glad you got a bird you wanted though

 

[lexalayne]

she’s my sweetie and she loves people

 

[Beachybird]

WOW! Beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Shezbug]

lol. Mine all fly at once too and I could swear I’m in a rainforest! It’s a really attention getting sound for sure.

I’m just curious.... do your cockatiels fly with your macaw?

 

[Beachybird]

Of course not

 

[Monica]

I doubt I will be rich. That’s not my intention. I’d like to carry on the species responsibly and keep some cool mutations along the way.

I'm just curious.... why exactly do you want to breed macaws?


A catalina is neither a species nor a mutation... so just wondering?

 

[Beachybird]

I’m just curious too....why are so many on this site so miserable and snarky with their condescending questions? Just wondering....
Never proclaimed a Catalina to be a mutation. The quote you provided was in response to a statement about three types of birds.

 

[Monica]

Honest question.

Are you interested in breeding more catalinas? Or other hybrids mixed with catalina? If a second macaw and your catalina actually got along well enough to produce that is.


I know one breeder who *refuses* to create hybrids (i.e. hybridizing two pure species together), however *loves* the hybrids that are already out there and will breed hybrid to hybrid and I believe has also done hybrid to pure?


I realize you may not have thought that far ahead since it may be just something you are considering at this point in time and haven't thought out the logistics of it all.

 

[Beachybird]

I’m not sure what my intentions are anymore. When I figure out what my plans are, if any, I will keep them private because there are too many haters on this site. I don’t feel safe expressing any more opinions here. Sorry.

 

[Monica]

No offense was meant. I am glad that you are researching this well beforehand and plan on taking any measures necessary to keep your flock happy and healthy.