Joker1546081795 + 0 Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Hi all, Anyone ever owned or currently own any macaws or cockatoo's? I am definitely thinking about getting one, preferably a Hyacinth Macaw or a Moluccan Cockatoo. Do you own or have owned one? I'd like to hear from you. Vamp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callsign-kid 1,617 Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Those are both rather fancy and expensive birds and the Hyacinth particularly is very high maintenance with a very specific (expensive and relatively difficult) diet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker1546081795 + 0 Posted July 4, 2013 Author Share Posted July 4, 2013 Finance is not an issue, 1.5k for the Moluccan is easily accuired with good saving! As for the diet of the Hyacinth, what would you say it requires? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callsign-kid 1,617 Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 I'm far from an expert. However the Hyacinth eats nuts, usually people feed them mostly macadamia nuts I believe. They will also eat Brazil nuts (breaking the shell isn't an issue for them) and a few others which are from their native South America. There are also some seeds which they can be fed. The diet isn't too expensive but it can be hard to source some of it and its not as cheap as you may initally think. They have a very powerful beak, so much so that a coconut shell doesn't really present them with an issue. They can break straight through it. They are also incredibly intelligent birds but aren't really talkative and won't mimic you much. They require A LOT of attention. Near constant. If you're not giving them that level of attention they will start to pluck out their own plumage and generally be unhappy which can lead to other issues. You'll also need to know a good avian vet (for either species). Most normal vets won't really want to have too much to do with a bird like that. That sort of veterinary care isn't exactly cheap. There are very few parrots larger than the Hyacinth and if I remember correctly the only larger parrots are flightless. So they're a fairly sizeable bird. You need a big space to keep one in and they need to be coming out of their enclosure for a fair few hours every day. The most talkative is the African Grey parrot, in fact ALEX (avian language experiment) was an African Grey. Again clever birds. Hyacinths will engage with you and play though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker1546081795 + 0 Posted July 4, 2013 Author Share Posted July 4, 2013 Yeah I have seen all that information on other sites and from previous/current owners. They are hard work, but I am sure if you offer it the right loving and environment, they make great friends with their owners. Barrett Watson is a pro bird breeder - http://www.barrettwatsonparrots.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrative Account 7 Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Where are you planning on keeping it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callsign-kid 1,617 Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Very hard work but also rewarding. Its a big commitment of course and parrots are long lived. All factors that need to be considered of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker1546081795 + 0 Posted July 5, 2013 Author Share Posted July 5, 2013 Where are you planning on keeping it? Would be in my house. Reasonably spacious for a bird of that size. Very hard work but also rewarding. Its a big commitment of course and parrots are long lived. All factors that need to be considered of course. I totally agree. I will be doing a lot of homework before actually going through with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Santisuk1546081549 207 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 A bloke at my old work had a Macaw (I think they're the coloured typical parrot right??) He had it in the living room and it swore...alot :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker1546081795 + 0 Posted July 5, 2013 Author Share Posted July 5, 2013 A bloke at my old work had a Macaw (I think they're the coloured typical parrot right??) He had it in the living room and it swore...alot :lol: Macaws can be of all colours, the Hyacinth is like a dark blue all over. Ha macaws are docile things, but make a really beautiful pet. :new_yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrative Account 7 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Would be in my house. Reasonably spacious for a bird of that size. I assume it won't be able to fly, though? Very sad indeed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker1546081795 + 0 Posted July 5, 2013 Author Share Posted July 5, 2013 I assume it won't be able to fly, though? Very sad indeed... It will be able to fly, we have a garden that will be netted, so it can't fly off. The roof here is high, which makes it perfectly fine for it to fly. This was a factor I have taken into account and I would not go ahead with it, if it were to be unfair for the bird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrative Account 7 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 We had a Cockatiel once, we had to get rid of it and I would never consider getting a bird like that again. It was reasonably quiet for most of the day until we would sit down to watch a TV programme that we were looking forward to (it knew, I'll swear it did) No matter what we did and however much attention we gave it he was determined to wind us up. It would make as much noise as it could possibly get out of it's beak, throw it's toys around, bash it's bell and whatever it could do to cause disruption during our telly watching. If we gave it a proper name then to this day we can't remember what it was, we just remember it's nickname which was "B*st*rd Bird" Because we spent most of our evenings shouting "Shut up you B*st*rd Bird" The only birds we have now are chickens, and they live outside away from the house and out of earshot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker1546081795 + 0 Posted July 5, 2013 Author Share Posted July 5, 2013 That was a rogue Cockatiel you had there! Again noise is another consideration, sound proof walls and a detached house could do the trick. I personally am prepared for the noise! But if it started whilst I was watching motorway cops or something, then I'll have to do something to keep him quiet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callsign-kid 1,617 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 We had a Cockatiel once. He always used to say "bedtime bedtime" repeatedly in the evening whilst we were trying to watch telly! They just get active in the evening is all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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