Getting a Macaw?

Hi H.,
Hyacinth macaws are very lovely and rare birds. and will be a big handful to care for *properly.*

Please do extensive research before taking this animal on. A miserable parrot can make life miserable for everyone.
T

I am a bird lover, but let me tell you, so many people I know got these types of birds and ended up getting rid of them because they are a LOT of work.
They are noisy, messy, and require a great deal of care and attention.
They also can live a very, very, very long time so it's a major commitment, to be sure.
The bird was great for the hour you were around it, but you have to think of the 24 hour a day issue.
Like I said, a lot of people discover the hard way that they just aren't cut out for it.

Make sure you read up on these birds, their life-spans, the daily care required and potential illnesses they are prone to before making a decision.

Just my opinion.
Best wishes!

If you decide to do this consider her a permanant toddler in your home. Every bird is different so whether or not she will tolerate your kids is hard to say. But I think how you introduce her to the family and how you teach your children to work with the bird, will determine whether your experience is good or bad.

Birds make wonderful pets but they take a lot of work and live an enormous long life span if taken care of well. She will get attached to your family and become part of it. She will probably have seperation anxiety from losing her previous family. I had a cockatiel that lost his mate. He flew from room to room 'crying' (squawking) for her for hours. It was very sad.

I would get a macaw book and read as much as you can before making this commitment. Being well informed will be imperative. Good luck.

Run, run, RUN. We had a blue-crested Amazon growing up, and while she spoke many words and was (for a bird) quite intelligent, parrots do not make good pets. Every evening around sunset, they scream for a good half hour (it is ear-splitting, and they cannot be stopped until they're good and ready). Also, the bird lived on a perch, and she would call the dogs in a good imitation of my mom's voice. The dogs would come running, and as they'd run by, she would attack them (drawing blood many times). The dogs never learned, poor things. I was never allowed to pet the bird because when I did, she would bite me. I trained her to say, "I'm Rita. I bite hard!" She would announce it to everyone who visited our house.

I don't know, we got this bird when she was already several years old, so maybe the way in which she was raised affected her attitude, but I would NOT recommend a parrot as a pet in a house with young kids.

I've never had a bird as large as a macaw, but have had parakets, and cockatiels. If you are going to get a bird, start small (paraket or canary). They don't live for too many years, and are MUCH MUCH quieter.

The cockatiel I had now lives with my parents. He's 18 years old and the most obnoxious animal. He is loud, messy and drives most people (except my Mom) nutty.

I've been to the bird show at our MN Zoo, and they try awfully hard to convince the audience that big parrots do not make good pets.

Good luck with your decision,
Jessica

An acquaintance of mine has a macaw and it bit her nephew's finger and broke it. She still has the bird, but kids can't get near it now. Please be very careful with your kids and their friends if you do get this bird. They have powerful beaks and can really do damage if they get aggravated.

My mother has a blue & gold macaw (and an african grey parrot). Only take her in if you can commit to her for the long haul...meaning possibly for the rest of your life. I sometimes feel so bad for my mom's macaw b/c although they still love her, she doesn't nearly get as much attention as she did the first couple years they had her...and this type of bird is like a person & needs a lot of TLC. She could very well bite your kids if they aggravate her. I think both birds have at times bitten my mom & her husband for one reason or another (maybe the bird was moody that day, who knows!). I think it depends on how old your kids are, how well behaved they'll be to the bird, and if you can handle it for the long haul. If you suspect your kids will aggravate it, I would say no.

Our neighbors used to have a cockatoo and ended up having to get rid of it after about 5 years for SO many reasons. Frisco was very smart, but a bird's brain never develops much past the toddler age, so like another mom said, he was a constant toddler! He would squawk every night for extended periods of time, and trust me, most of the neighborhood could hear him! He also bit frequently, which meant that he basically hung out in his cage most of the time. Again, after 5 years of this, they decided that he was too much to handle (plus they knew they potentially had decades more to go with him).

Personally, I would NEVER get any sort of bird...they are just too high maintenance for me!

I have to concur with the other two answers. As much as you would LOVE to have this amazing animal, they ARE high maintainence.
You didn't mention the age of your children but even if they understand the danger their friends might not....

If your kids are taken by this idea and stuck on the bird tact you could consider chickens. We have chickens. They are super fun and a great learning experience for the kids AND we get the eggs...

I have heard from a cleaning business owner that birds are very sensitive to cleaners.

I would do ALOT of research first. Talk to a vet with alot of exotic bird experience. Macaws are very intelligent, but can be very picky about the humans they want around. And they tend to not forget if they decide they don't like someone. Like others posters have said they live a LONG time, usually they out live their human owners. My dads friend has two large birds, I believe they are macaws, that he had to put in his will because they will definately outlive him. This man is retired and has alot of time for them, so they work out for him. He built a special room in his house for them. But they HATE his wife. She can't get near them!
You are making a huge committment if you take this bird. Even more so then with a dog actually! So Take your time, and really research this choice. You may be biting off more then you can chew!

My brother raised birds. He came to stay with me when he changed jobs and his African Greys took over the house. He had a couple of large green parrots too. I don't remember their breed. My brother was not able to train his birds to be good house mates. He had a couple of birds that had been trained before he bought them and their behavior went downhill from then.

Sounds like the bird you're interested in has been well trained but keep in mind that you will have to be consistent in disciplining it for it to remain well trained. It is a lot like living with a toddler for the rest of your life. They have very long life spans and become attached to their primary caretaker. This bird will grieve when his present owners leave. Will you be able to manage the bird so that he can successfully grieve and maintain his discipline?

My daughter's aunt and uncle had a Maccaw that bit children when they put their fingers in his cage. And the bird had to stay in his cage anytime children were around. Large birds, like a Maccaw need to time outside their cage. Do the current owners have children? If so, you may be able to continue with the expectations that the bird has learned in behaving for the current owners. If not you will need to train this bird in how to get along with your children.

Parrots are very social beings and need lots of personal interaction. Will you have time to provide that.

Yes, please do a lot of reading about the needs of a Macaw and correlate those needs with what you will be able to provide in your home before taking on this relationship.

A macaw can crack open a walnut with the force of its jaw. You don't say how old your kids are, but a bite from one one of these birds can break the bones in their fingers. And as other posters have said, they are extremely high maintenance, and if they don't get the care and attention they need they can suffer from depression, which can make them cranky and defiant, and they sometimes will loose their feathers. A couple of roommates and I took in a parrot in a similar situation, it was great when we met it, but it decided after it got to our apt, that it didn't like women. It screamed for MTV constantly and we had to keep the TV on for it 24/7 to keep it quiet. It could break out of it's cage, and it ate the wallpaper off of the wall, as well as the entire top of a wicker chair. Needless to say we didn't keep it long, and I will NEVER have a bird again.

Large birds are wonderful creatures. I had many growing up including a Macaw, his name was Glancy, I still remember after 25 years. They are so smart and interesting pets that can really interact with you and your family. If you have small children then I would recommend keeping them away from the bird until you learn it' personality and your children learn how to handle it properly. I would say at least 10 years old before they should get in beaks reach. They are a lot of work and need so much stimulation to be happy, but make up for it with their loyalty and friendship. I would do some research so you understand all that is involved with keeping a parrot. They live a long time. Don't be scared off by other peoples opinions. It is up to each individual if they are a "Bird Lady" or not :) I love them and respect them, but do not have one because I know I don't have the time required or the patience at this point.