Unusual Pets: Macaws

Macaws belong to the family of New World Parrots. They are extremely colourful and are the largest in the Parrot family. These birds inhabit the rainforests in Central America, tropical South America and Mexico. Some of them even live in savannas and woodlands. They are very intelligent birds. Macaws are known to live up to one hundred years, but on an average they live from fifty to seventy-five years. Mini Macaws live up to thirty years. The lifespan of a captive Macaw totally depends on the nutrition and care provided to it.

Although there are many species of Macaws, the most popular in the pet trade are Scarlet Macaws, Military Macaws, Blue and Gold Macaws and Hyacinth Macaws. Their size can vary from twenty inches to forty-two inches, which includes their long tail.

Macaws feed on fruits and nuts. In the wild they also eat clay, which neutralizes the effect of poisonous nuts and seeds, which they accidentally eat. In captivity, the bird can be fed vegetables, fruits, grains, dry fruits, nuts, ice cream, cheese, etc. Care should be taken that the total fat shouldn’t exceed ten percent, as that can be harmful for the bird. They are also known to chew on objects. Because of their intelligence and curiosity, they should be monitored constantly. Macaws make partners for life but the ones that are kept in captivity and don’t have a mate, usually bond with their owner. They feel the need of communication and hence, the owner should talk to the bird constantly. This is also a technique used for bonding with the bird. Macaws that aren’t interacted with suffer mentally and physically. They are not shy to new people. If a stranger is accompanying the owner, they do not hesitate to accept the new face and be friends with them. Macaws normally only bond with one person at a time. If for some reason the person they have bonded with is no longer available, they will bond with a new person. If at a later time the person they had previously bonded with returns, the bird will not have anything to do with that person. It is not known if this is “holding a grudge” or if it is just that they are only capable of bonding with one person at a time.

Sometimes, Macaws have some behavioural problems when kept in captivity. Because of stress development they start to pluck their feathers, bite and even scream. They also have a large beak, which they sometimes use to harm people around them. Their voices are quite loud and when they screech it can be heard over a mile away. Sometimes, when they get excited, even their vocalizations can be quite loud. Macaws can be taught to talk. “Bucko” mom and dad’s Blue and Gold Macaw had a large vocabulary. He even learned “Yabba-Dabba-Doo and a few other terms from watching the “Flinstones” cartoons on television. The best talking birds are the African Grey Parrots, closely followed by Amazon Parrots. However, some Macaws are very good talkers and so are some Cockatoos and some Cockatiels. Mom and dad have a Cockatiel that is more than twenty-eight years old and he can talk very well.

Macaws are extremely playful and active. For this reason their cage needs to be very big and strong as well. It should be big so that the bird can move around freely and it should be strong because the bird is very intelligent and stands a chance of escaping. They have a very strong beak and can snap a metal “Hot Wheels” toy car in half with one bite. The material used to make the cage should be stainless steel and the dimensions should be at least forty by forty-eight by sixty inches high. A cage of this size will cost from $500 to $800 depending upon where you live. The bird is very fond of chewing things, so the cage should have a number of wood pieces or toys, which the Macaw can chew on. Hanging toys and toys on which the bird can climb are also a good choice.

Macaws are considered an endangered species and five of the species have become totally extinct. The problem is deforestation, killing them as farming pests and illegal capture for the pet trade. Therefore, in some states in the United States it is only legal to sell Macaws which have been born in captivity. In other states, they are banned completely. In Canada, you can only have Macaws which have been born domestically. Macaws are great pets, but they require a lot of attention and a lot of work. It is like having a hyperactive one and one-half year old child. Mom and dad eventually had to find a new home for “Bucko” because as they got older, he was just too much for them to handle.

Until next time,

Teia