Don’t get a macaw as a pet unless you’re ready.

[budgie22]

Don’t get a macaw or other large parrot as a pet unless you’re ready.

By ‘ready’, I don’t mean seeing a nice one in person or seeing pictures and videos online wondering what will be.
By ‘ready’, I don’t mean wanting a bird to show off to friends.
By ‘ready’, I don’t mean wanting a bird that talks.
By ‘ready’, I don’t mean having no real bird experience and only wanting the look and appeal of a large, colorful bird.


By ‘ready’, I do mean, having enough funds saved up to buy the bird (which can be $2600+/-), to buy the RIGHT cage ($1200+/-), to buy a play stand ($400+/-), to buy a harness ($32+/-), to buy a carrier ($299+/-), to go to the vet for check ups and stool/crop bacteria test ($250+/-), to spend money on toys ($65+/- EACH), and to replace items their freakishly large beak breaks. Including, their carrier, their harness, your phone, phone cords, blinds, curtains, their play stand, their toys, wall trimmings, textured walls, ceiling fans, light fixtures, shelfs, wall decorations, faucets, etc.

• Their beak is freakishly strong and can essentially destroy anything you have/get if given the opportunity.

By ‘ready’ I mean, preparing for the long lifespan a macaw or other large parrot has the ability to have, preparing a plan for when you pass or are too old to care for the bird anymore, it has a home to go to, and won’t be put up for adoption to die alone. (It is also responsible to leave funds for this person as macaws can be expensive).

By ‘ready’ i mean, having the time in your day to donate to a large bird. Conditioning it, training it, spending time with it so it is not lonely.
(Lonely and bored birds can and will scream, self harm, destroy things more frequently, develop difficult to correct behavioral issues, and more just because the person who got them refuses to spend time with them).

By ‘ready’ I mean, knowing that this bird you get will have a can opener for a beak, need regular checkups or vet appointments, has the mind set and mental capacity as a toddler their entire life (terrible 2’s for a long time), will go in and out of being a hormonal teenager with the mind of a toddler (imagine the tantrums!), knowing at least a LITTLE about bird anatomy and physiology so every scare isn’t a potential $300 vet bill (nothing wrong with being safe if you have that money to throw around, though), knowing how to properly train them and correct behavioral issues, knowing they cannot be happy living in a cage all day, knowing they can’t be around some animals due to dust, knowing that they will likely (not definitely) bond to one person and has potential to be aggressive towards others if not conditioned properly, has the likelihood to become VERY territorial of their cage if not conditioned properly, has the likelihood to outlive you, has the likelihood to want to eat everything you eat (so you better know what is/isn’t good for birds).

By ‘ready’, I mean, having more experience with birds than a budgie or a cockatiel (going to a show where they have a macaw that you get to pet at the end doesn’t count). Having experience with small birds is GREAT. You can have great, rewarding relationships and close bonds with them. Having them does not mean you’re ready for a macaw. There are people I know, because they knew all of the above, and did their research properly, they were ready after owning just cockatiels. ONLY because they did all the research that a person could do AND they had a good support system for when speed bumps came up with the bird (destroying things and unexpected behavioral things).
From personal experience, however, owning a small bird is nothing like a macaw.

Eventually, if you’re a good teacher and conditioner and your bird is willing to learn/participate (not all are), you can train your bird to only poop in the cage/playstand, not to chew on things that aren’t theirs while you’re looking (they will still try when you turn around), free fly (fly outside while being trained to come back), and to even be nice/open to everyone like how most birds at shows or bird exhibitions are.

Just like kids, these birds are head strong, stubborn, emotional, and have entire personalities of their own.
They need someone who is able to tackle And handle these head on.

Even typing all this, I don’t feel as if I’ve even captured everything owning a macaw is about.
I love my girl, and I love the ones I’ve connected with at bird rescues in the past.
My girl and I have the best bond you could imagine. I call her my soul pet. I could never see myself parting with her. Our relationship is so incredibly rewarding for me and her.
Yet, knowing the hoops I jumped through to get to this good place, the speed bumps i go through occasionally, and how much work it is time wise to not only have her, but to clean up after her and afford her, I wouldn’t have gotten her in the beginning.
I wasn’t ready when I got her, but I got ready quickly (within two weeks of having her). I decided I was going to be the best owner for my new companion, learning her personality, her likes and dislikes, teaching her things and taking her out to see people to get her used to being around strangers not only was good for her, but it was good for me.
I did all the research I thought was possible, and things that occurred STILL threw me off every now and again.

Macaws are not for everyone. Birds in general are not for everyone.
Good owners are literally god sent, and I find to be the majority of the people on this site.
Bad owners are too plentiful, unfortunately. Most don’t occupy sites like this ether.

*the prices listed are AVERAGE for things in my location, they will differ from area to area usually.
*the things listed are things that I have found essential to know as a macaw owner myself, and have worked with a bird rescue in the past that had 14-17 macaws during the three years i worked with them. I also don’t even feel as if I’ve scratched the surface, but I believe it’s a good start.

For anyone seriously looking for a macaw as a pet coming across this, I wish you the best on your journey, and I hope that you are able to provide it all it needs. I hope you and the bird have the most rewarding relationship, and that you two live happily ever after. <3

here is a picture of my girl in one of her hoodies:

 

[Ali]

Sticky time! @Zara

 

[budgie22]

I wrote this because a family I know want to get a macaw after having 6-7 untame budgies they bred and lost all the babies to (which happens occasionally and can be unfortunate), but it’s happened every time due to unaddressed health issues in the parent birds. When the last one died the woman of the family decided to sell 4 of the Budgies, trying to sell/get rid of all of them, and then she went to a place where you can have close encounters with tame and people/stranger conditioned parrots. She came back and started asking me how to obtain a macaw and how I got my macaw. She really wanted a bird that could talk and she could show off. That was her selling point.
Telling her that I don’t think shes ready, especially being scared of birds for the most part, and not being able to tame baby budgies, I sensed tension from her and the conversation and just told her the prices of everything. She said she didn’t know how much everything was and walked away

If she does get a macaw, I’m worried for its well being, because I know she won’t have the commitment to have it long term, and as soon as it does something ‘unforgivable’, she will want to rid of it too.

I do plan on going into it more extensively if she brings it up again.
She used to bring up the health issues/breeding problems she had with her budgies to me a lot, flat out asking what to do, and when I would tell her what she could do to fix them, she would get A bit frustrated. I always did my best to present everything in a way that seemed like a suggestion, and not a request, just to avoid the tension, but it always seem to arise anyway.

Anywayyyy... i hope everyone has a good day and is staying safe as covid cases spike again. <3

 

[Ali]

What does that mean? I’m confused. Sorry.

I don't know how to explain! When you go to an area, toys at cages bypass for example, there are threads at the top highlighted in green. That is a sticky. It keeps important or useful information at the top of the section it is placed in so it can be found easily

 

[Zara]

Sticky time! @Zara

We have a similar sticky over in Bird boulevard: BEFORE you decide to get a Parrot
It is unlocked so if you would like, you can copy and paste your post over there

 

[tka]

Great write-up!

I think some people can do very well with larger birds after having had budgies and cockatiels - but from what I've observed, these are almost exclusively people who treat their small bird as a parrot. People who do all the enrichment, husbandry, training and so on and take their responsibility towards their budgie or tiel seriously. People who think it's okay to keep their budgie or tiel in a tiny cage with one unsuitable toy and on a diet of sunflower seeds would be hopelessly out of their depth.

 

[Ali]

Great write-up!

I think some people can do very well with larger birds after having had budgies and cockatiels - but from what I've observed, these are almost exclusively people who treat their small bird as a parrot. People who do all the enrichment, husbandry, training and so on and take their responsibility towards their budgie or tiel seriously. People who think it's okay to keep their budgie or tiel in a tiny cage with one unsuitable toy and on a diet of sunflower seeds would be hopelessly out of their depth.

I saw a 'breeding pair' of parrotlets for sale the other day on Preloved (up your way actually @tka ) They were lovely looking birds (which surprised me although the feathers weren't great), but were in a tiny little cage, which was quite dirty. The food bowl was in the first picture (it was one of those long plastic ones with two compartments) and both sides were full to the top with sunflower seeds. Nothing else. I was going to 'rescue' them ( unfortunately they were very cheap) but within the next 5 or 6 hours they had gone. I was praying that they had gone to an experienced owner, rather than a new owner that was going to leave them in the tiny cage with a full sunflower diet. I felt so bad and quite angry.

 

[msplantladi]

AWESOME !!!!!!!!! I wish more people understood the time & devotion it takes to own a large bird. So sad how many get rehomed over & over again or end up in rescues because someone thought they would be neat to have.

 

[BrianB]

We have a similar sticky over in Bird boulevard: BEFORE you decide to get a Parrot
It is unlocked so if you would like, you can copy and paste your post over there

Can I copy this to my website, or at least put a link to it?

I work at an exotic bird store a few days a week and I can't tell you how many people come in with no bird experience and they just want a bird that talks. They want a macaw, and of course, they want a hyacinth because it's big and beautiful. They want an African Grey because they hear they are the best talkers. They want an Amazon because of the colors. They want a cockatoo because they are silly. They a bird that doesn't bite, etc, etc, etc. Some people just don't get it and this is a good way to educate them.

 

[Zara]

Can I copy this to my website, or at least put a link to it?

Feel free to post links to the AA threads
All new or existing bird owners, or even people intrested in birds or thinking about bringing home a bird are welcomed here.

 

[hrafn]

I think this largely applies to parrots in general, big or small.

 

[Zara]

or small.

I think especially the small. But definitely, all birds.

 

[mak]

Can I copy this to my website, or at least put a link to it?

I work at an exotic bird store a few days a week and I can't tell you how many people come in with no bird experience and they just want a bird that talks. They want a macaw, and of course, they want a hyacinth because it's big and beautiful. They want an African Grey because they hear they are the best talkers. They want an Amazon because of the colors. They want a cockatoo because they are silly. They a bird that doesn't bite, etc, etc, etc. Some people just don't get it and this is a good way to educate them.

I also wanted a beautiful bird that talks, doesn't bite, lets me pet it, doesn't require so much attention, loves to cuddle, and is silly.....
so I went to the toy store and bought one. I feed it 2 batteries and whatever I say it learns to repeat.

 

[Zara]

I also wanted a beautiful bird that talks, doesn't bite, lets me pet it, doesn't require so much attention, loves to cuddle, and is silly.....
so I went to the toy store and bought one. I feed it 2 batteries and whatever I say it learns to repeat.

These don´t make sounds, but the kids love doing the sound effects (they have been taught and shown how noisy Macs are);

https://forums.avianavenue.com/index.php?threads/i-bought-my-2-year-old-nephews-a-b-g-macaw.224762/

 

[mak]

These don´t make sounds, but the kids love doing the sound effects (they have been taught and shown how noisy Macs are);

https://forums.avianavenue.com/index.php?threads/i-bought-my-2-year-old-nephews-a-b-g-macaw.224762/

oooh so cute! (also the nephews)

 

[BrianB]

I also wanted a beautiful bird that talks, doesn't bite, lets me pet it, doesn't require so much attention, loves to cuddle, and is silly.....
so I went to the toy store and bought one. I feed it 2 batteries and whatever I say it learns to repeat.

I've pointed to some of the carved wooden birds we have hanging from the ceiling and tell them that's about the only thing that will meet their expectations.

 

[Mizzely]

I think it applies to all animals. There isn't a single species that isn't a victim of impulse buying by someone who has no idea what they are doing and/or can't care for the animal in a way that they thrive.

 

[Mantis64]

I think it applies to all animals. There isn't a single species that isn't a victim of impulse buying by someone who has no idea what they are doing and/or can't care for the animal in a way that they thrive.

I know it's so sad I've seen it a lot with hamsters I was in a store once and there where three kids who at first stuck there fingers in a hamster cage and it bit them. They then went to an employee and asked to buy that specific hamster didnt mention anything about a cage or food they just wanted the hamster. I was relieved that the employee refused to sell to them as they where to young. Who knew what they would have done with the hamster.