MACAWS PARROTS

DIET/FEEDING

Start with a pelleted food as the basis for your macaw's diet and then supplement it with a wide range of healthy fresh foods (grains, vegetables, fruits, etc.). Pellets should make up 25-50 percent of the diet, seeds should be no more than 10 percent of the diet (as they are too high in fat), and the rest of the diet should be fresh healthy foods. Many people will offer their macaws a small portion of whatever they are eating, as long as it does not include any chocolate, caffeine, salt, or sugar (favorite items include cooked pasta, applesauce, and cereal). In their natural habitat, macaws feed on native seeds, fruits, flowers, leaves, palm nuts, figs, nectar, and, in some regions, clay from exposed river banks. The dietary needs of some macaw species differ from that of other parrots because they need more fat in their diet. The wild macaw’s diet tends to be high in fat, which is acceptable for a bird that spends its day flying through the rainforest, finding food, nesting, and rearing chicks.Nuts should be reserved as a treat. For any other special diet required by the pet, consult the site's VET service.

CARE & TRAINING

A macaw needs a cage tall enough to prevent its tail feathers from hitting the cage bottom, which can cause the tail feathers to bend or break. Overall, a macaw needs a much larger cage and play stand than other parrot species, so a potential owner should take space considerations into account.

BASIC TRAINING RULES FOR A MACAW

1. Never hit your bird. If you do so, you might as well just take the bird back to the store and get a new one, because you broke the trust.
2. Always use positive reinforcement. If your macaw doesn't do what he or she was asked to do, simply say nothing and don't offer a treat.
3. Make sure all your movements are slow and deliberate. Never sneak up on your bird. By making your movements slow, your macaw will be able to follow and learn quicker.
4. Keep sessions short. 15-20 minutes of training is plenty. Feel free to do two sessions a day, just make sure you spread them out.
5. Try not to take a day off. Trick-training relies on consistent training every day
6. Your reward treat should be easy to eat. If your reward treat is a huge walnut, the time you must wait for your feathery friend to break it and eat is wasted. Use something that does not have to be cracked and is easily broken into small pieces.
7. Make eye contact. Seems silly, but it works. This doesn't mean have a staring contest, but your bird will try harder to impress you by doing the trick if he or she sees your eyes.
8. Train on a perch or table in a room with no windows and, is possible, very few decorations on the wall. Basically, keep the distractions down to a minimum. Don't blast music and turn the TV off. If you don't have a windowless room, at least roll the shades down on the windows. The training will happen more easily if it is 100% focused on you.
9. Give praise for effort, and praise + treat for success. Training guides say to hold your tongue when the macaw doesn't do the trick. I disagree. In my experience, giving a little "atta boy!" is a well-needed pick-me-up. Remember to really make a huge deal when your feathery friend finally does the trick; make it well known he or she did it!
10. Only work on one trick at a time. Your feathery friend is smart, but not that smart.

BEHAVIOR / PERSONALITY

Macaws are loud and noisy. Their vocalizations can be more than some people can tolerate and they can scream when they want to. They do have the ability to say words and mimic our speech but it is not as clear as some other pet bird species. If you aren't prepared for noise then a macaw is not your ideal pet.Macaws are a force to be reckoned with. Everything about them is big, from their voices to their attitudes. Even the mini macaws are big — on the inside! Colorful and often raucous, they call attention to themselves even when quiet. Although, to the uninitiated, macaws seem formidable and may bluster and carry on, those who share their lives with these magnificent friends know that they contain surprisingly loving hearts and sensitive natures.

BREEDING SEASON

Breeding birds is not as simple as it sounds, and breeding your macaw is a decision that should only be made after a lot of research and talking with experienced breeders. To safeguard the health of your bird and his or her offspring, you need to be able to handle any situation you encounter.

If you want to breed your macaws, make sure they are mature and healthy. Breeding birds need to bond and get use to their surroundings. The birds must be well fed and their new spacious cage must be clean. 

Most macaws are bred regularly in captivity. Breeding season is usually in spring and early summer, although some pairs will breed almost year round. Clutch size is usually two to four eggs but sometimes more. Incubation period ranges from 23 to 27 days. Some additional high fat seeds, like sunflower seed, should be added to the diet during the breeding season to stimulate reproduction. Inexperienced hand feeders should allow the parents to feed for the first few weeks. 

LIFE SPAN

Some macaw lifespans range from 30-50 years if not more. Mini macaws have a lifespan at the lower end of this range while a healthy large macaw can be expected to live 50 years or more with good nutrition and care. Many macaws are included in wills and end of life plans since they often outlive their humans, though some common diseases and poor nutrition can drastically shorten these anticipated lifespans.

TEMPERAMENT

Macaws are playful and active and they have exuberant personalities to go along with their sizes. But this also makes them very challenging pets. They require extensive amounts of time outside of their cage, ideally with space to fly, as well as constant mental stimulation. Birds are flock species and are also very affectionate so they require a good deal of time and attention from their owners or another bird to be happy.

 Macaws that are not regularly handled, have hormonal imbalances, drastic environmental changes, or little mental stimulation can become aggressive, territorial, destructive, and problematic. A well-cared-for macaw that received appropriate nutrition, mental stimulation, and enrichment, attention, and space makes a unique, long-lived companion that is very affectionate and loyal.

HOUSING

Macaws need a large and durable cage so be prepared to make a significant investment. Mini macaws can be kept in a cage sized for Amazons (24"x36"x48") however the larger macaws need a cage of at least 36"x48"x60". The cage must be strong enough to withstand the significant beak strength of macaws, so a stainless steel cage is a good investment. Any macaw cage is meant to keep your bird temporarily contained and safe (usually just at night or when you are not home), not for them to live their lives out of. Macaws need much more room than a cage will provide in order to explore, spread their wings, and be mentally and physically healthy. Unless you have a free-flight aviary as a "cage" plan on your macaw spending more time outside of their cage than in it.