X
    Categories: Parrots

Best 15 Macaw Facts, Macaw as pets pros and cons 2021

Macaw as pets

The vibrant colors and loud personalities of macaws make it harder for people to look at them as ordinary parrots. They are huge, extremely colorful, and a work of art done by nature. These birds may look rough and tough, but they are extremely demanding. When you cannot pay attention to them, they have their own sometimes cute and sometimes annoying ways to get attention. So, let’s explore macaws as pets. 

People are usually concerned about their huge beaks, which can be dangerous if we talk about keeping macaws as pets. But, a well-behaved and decent macaw can be a very healthy partner and social pet. 

However, to keep macaws as pets require a lot of points to consider, for example:

  • Macaws are huge parrots, and they love to socialize. So, if you do not own a huge space, it will be very difficult for you to accommodate such a huge parrot species.
  • Also, even if you have space, a macaw needs a huge cage so that the feathers of its tail do not touch the bottom. Many people can hardly afford such huge cages.
  • Macaws as pets require a diverse diet to grow properly. Their favorite healthy diet included seeds from flowers, vegetables, nuts, and fruits. Also, the dietary needs of macaw parrots are very different from the usual parrots. That is because macaws need more fat in their diet.

As compared to their wildlife, macaws enjoy a healthy and long life in captivity. But, in the process, they lose some of their instincts and capabilities. For example, foraging is excellent for their beaks, but they often forget this behavior in captivation. 

As their owners, we have to respect the requirements of macaws as pets. Feeding them food that flourishes their natural foraging capability is the best. Lively macaws love the pellet berries, a cage of Avis, and Nutri berries. 

When we think of macaws, it is obvious that everything that comes into our minds is gigantic. From their voice to their size, everything is very big. As they are colorful and have unique voices, it is very easy for them to grab attention. 

Macaws are very intelligent. They are also very sensitive and usually have tender hearts. Macaws as pets love to be your friends, social and thereby love to have chewable toys. Chewing toys are very good for macaws as they aid in developing their beaks. For that purpose, you can select items made of wood. 

So, keep in mind that keeping macaws as pets will mean that you have to give them an unlimited supply of toys and other things they can easily destroy. 

Macaw as pets

Among several species of birds apart from the Asian Ring-necked and the African grey, macaws are equally desired and popular parrot species. Macaws are also expensive pet birds that everyone cannot afford due to large size and high maintenance. As they are so much popular as pets, therefore we have designed a complete guideline providing you every single information related to Macaw as pets. 

Different types of pet Macaws

Talking about the types of pet Macaws, there are 17 types of Macaws, each with their pros and cons plus needs and wants. However, several species of Macaws are referred to as threatened species. Among them, Hyacinth Macaw, Red, and Blue-throated Macaws are on the top list of the endangered species of Macaws. Their increasing desire for people keeping them as pets is causing their numbers to decrease day by day. In many parts of the world, several Macaw as pets species that are banned from capturing, are still being caught and sold. 

Macaws behavior as pets:

Macaws are large parrots, and that implies that they require a lot of attention and maintenance. They are incredibly social, and therefore, if you are someone with a busy schedule, you will face difficulty keeping them as pets. Below is the list of different kinds of Macaws as pets that make them different and unique. 

Blue and Gold Macaws:

They are magnificent Macaws due to their vibrant colors. They are also known as Yellow and Blue Macaws and are famously known about their affectionate companionship with humans. These macaws are large parrots that can grow up to three feet, starting from the edge of their beak to the end of their tails. For beginners, they are not suitable pets or a person who does not have any experience with large parrots. These Macaws are also very loud, and some of their vocals or calls are similar to that of “screaming” and can be heard from miles. But whoever pets them with all the care and attention; for them, they make excellent pets. 

Green-Wing Macaws:

This MacawMacawMacaw is beautifully red-colored containing green splashes on the wings. These macaw as pets are highly social, and you can’t leave them alone for more extended periods. They also take their time to bond with the owner but will eventually adapt in a supportive and natural environment. 

Hahn’s Macaws:

Hahn’s macaws are the smallest if the macaws and therefore are a perfect option for Macaw lovers. Any person who wants to keep a macaw but is not ready for a larger one can go for this Macaw. They are brilliant, social, and are easy to train. With maximum effort and teaching, these macaws will speak fluently. However, they are much similar to their other Macaw cousins in screaming. 

Hyacinth Macaws:

These are one of the giant macaws, and without a doubt, they are complicated to take care of. They have alluring personalities with a beautiful blue color. But, they don’t make good pets for first time owners. They also do not readily agree with training. Being a larger species, they are god only for those owners who have enough experience, patience, and compassion. 

Hybrid Macaws:

Hybrid Macaws are the product of genetic engineering, and they are produced specially for their colors and to be kept as pets. Their behaviors are not precisely similar to macaws but are a blend of the MacawMacawMacaw and the species with which they were crossed. They are not pets for any random owner, but only those who have a thorough understanding of hybrids should go for them. 

Illinois’ macaws:

These macaws are very friendly, jolly, and interactive. They make secure connections with their owners. When brought up as babies through hand-feeding, they become very fond of their owners. They are quite learners and respond well to the training. They require a lot of time from you like pets, and they like to stay engaged.

Military Macaws:

They are very social and very loud too. Military macaws are famous for their interactive and curious behaviors. They love to be with their owners and gladly become part of their human flock. But the rule for being passionate and enthusiastic is the same for all macaws. If you plan to have this Macaw as pets, you have to be very scheduled to give maximum time to these birds. 

Scarlet Macaws:

Scarlet Macaws are brilliant, but they get bored very quickly; therefore, to keep them tame and trained, it is necessary to provide maximum time and training. To keep them engaged, you should give a lot of toys so that they don’t get bored. 

Raised as babies and hand-fed scarlet macaws are very friendly and affectionate. These macaws, like all other macaws, can be very noisy. If you live in a closed space or an apartment, this pet is just not for you. 

Severe Macaws:

Unlike other Macaws, Severe macaws are very friendly and make great companions. Due to their beautiful colors and personality, all bird lovers want them as pets. With enough training and maximum care, these macaws can be easily trained for speech, and they pick the words very nicely. Like all other macaws, they need your time, but they make excellent pets. 

Macaw personality

Due to the beautiful transitions of colors and the ombre effects, macaws are hard to take your eyes off. One can look on a macaw for hours, and he will not be tired. Some say they are epitomes of nature’s beauty. Due to their social nature and mischievous behaviors, macaws do not fail to attract you. Though some may be afraid of their large, firm beak but Macaws can be tamed, and then they make excellent pets. 

As for their personality, macaws are usually available in a variety of colors, mostly red, blue, green, and yellow. They are large parrots and are highly interactive and social. They can live for more than 30 years. Due to their large size, macaws are also called “Giants of parrot species.” 

Macaw as pets have long tails with big wings and feathers. They have massive and sharp beaks, which nature has gifted them so that they can easily open hard nuts and seeds. Their posture is very straight and upright, giving them a very streamlined look, which is even more intimidating. 

As macaws have a general wild look and personality, they are not pets for everyone. The most common species of macaws kept as pets are Blue and yellow macaws, Scarlets macaw, Hyacinth macaws, Hahn’s macaws, and green-winged Macaws. 

Macaw Food

Macaw is not a single species, but this group contains 17 different types of macaws. They have beautiful bright colored feathers, with long beaks and tails. They are social, interactive, friendly, and can be extremely noisy at times. 

Macaw as pets, Food and care:

Macaws are large parrots, and therefore it is hard for them to live in a confined space. They need a spacious cage to live in. Therefore they are high maintenance pets, so you have to be mentally and monetarily prepared to keep them as pets. Their cage should be 4 feet tall and 2*3 by length and width. 

Some large species if macaws may require even bigger cages almost of 3*4 feet and nearly 5 feet in height. 

In addition to this, the cage should be strong enough to survive the durable chews of the Macaw beak. To invest in a cage made of wrought iron or stainless steel is a perfect option. Macaws are very playful animals; therefore, you have to provide a place outside of their cage where they can play. 

In their natural environment, macaws eat diverse foods like seeds, nuts, plants, fruits, and veggies, etc. Formulated pellets from the well-known macaw store are best for your pet macaws because they contain all the necessary elements and nutrients required by the macaws. 

Pellets should make most of their diet almost fifty percent. Seeds and nuts should be given in balanced amounts and should not exceed more than ten percent. Apart from these, play with their diet by adding different types of fruits and vegetables.

A healthy macaw as pets, on average, can eat almost fifteen percent of their body weight daily. For example, if you have a Scarlet Macaw, which weighs about 2 pounds, will consume nearly half or more than half cups of both the parrot diet and fruits and veggies. You can make their food scheduled by feeding them two times in the mornings and in the evenings. You can also offer some snacks to your macaw, but make sure it doesn’t contain chocolate, coffee, salt, sugar, and avocados. These birds like to have cooked pasta, cereals, and apple-sauce.

5 ways to know if a Macaw is right for you?

Macaw as pets are famous as pet parrots, but are they right for everyone? They are beautiful with colors, and they are affectionate, but they also need a lot of attention, time, and care. If you don’t have enough training experience, they may get stubborn and develop behaviors like plucking, biting, or screaming for no reason. 

  • Always go for a macaw only if you don’t get irritated or disturbed by loud noises. Macaws are very loud birds as they are social, so they like to talk, considering their flock. Their calls can pierce up your ears. You can train your macaw so that they will speak instead of screaming, but it requires patience and time.
  • Go for a macaw only when you can give them time. Macaws are interactive birds, and sometimes they need too much time from you. As

 They make strong bonds with the owners. They like to be with you every time. Macaws require much more than you expect, even a few hours are not enough. You can manage this by keeping them in the same room in which you perform your activities.

  • Macaws can be handled only by those owners who are not bothered by moody pets. Macaws are friendly, it’s right, but they are stubborn too. They are knowledgeable and will make you fulfill their demands by hardening your relationship. So if you are not okay with a bird that disturbs your mental peace, do not go for it.
  • Macaws are not as easy as pets, and not everyone can afford them. Macaws can range from thousands of dollars to ten thousand dollars. In addition to keeps them happy and healthy, you also have to spend a lot. So analyze first if you can manage this or not.
  • If you have a macaw as pets for the first time, we suggest buying a species that is easy to handle. Blue, golden macaws, hyacinth macaws, Blue and Red-throated macaws are some excellent options.

Are macaws one-person birds?

Macaws are incredibly social birds, and they grow on attention. If you plan to have one of the Macaws as pets, then you have to understand that you have to provide them time at any cost; otherwise, there is no need to invest in such expensive parrots. They require a lot of interaction, and if they are used to only one person, then maybe you can say that they are one-person birds. But, macaws can get attached to many owners. They will get used to you people by the time. 

Are macaws easy to train?

It is right that macaws are friendly and affectionate birds, and they pick training quickly, but they demand a very committed owner than understand them and can be very consistent with them. Macaws are brilliant birds, and they will surely test your patience. They can be stubborn most of the time. Therefore be very patient with them. Ultimately they will get tamed and can be trained.

What is the best macaw as a pet?

There are 17 species of parrots out of which some are large, and others are small. It depends on your potential and taste which species of macaw as pets you can handle if you are a first-time owner, then go for those macaw species which you can quickly feel like Blue-golden macaw, Scarlet macaws, or Hahn’s macaw. They are more friendly and trainable as compared to other parrots.

Can blue macaw be pets?

Blue macaws are also known as gentle giants of the macaws. They are friendly and affectionate and can make excellent companions but only for the people who have enough experience with large parrots. They can become great companions, but a thing that will confront most of the owners is their loud voice.

How long do macaws live as pets?

Macaws are large parrots, and it is a general rule of thumb that larger a parrot is, it will live more. Hence macaws are large birds. Parrots may live even more than you. Therefore you have to be prepared for a long time commitment if you are planning on investing in a macaw. 

Macaws as pets pros and cons

Macaws Pros:

  • Beautifully colored
  • Bright feathers
  • Affectionate and kind
  • Streamlined body
  • Trainable once they are tamed.

Macaws Cons:

  • Needs a spacious cage.
  • Only experienced persons can handle them
  • Their calls can be ear piercing.
  • Needs attention and are high maintenance

Macaw as pets facts

Macaws are incredibly social, brightly colored birds that make excellent companions. They are large, so they cannot live in closed spaces. They need to be trained so that they can learn the difference between screaming and talking. They can be trainable even some macaw as pets can be hand-fed and, when raised as babies, make excellent companions. 

Scarlet Macaws as pets

They are intelligent, cute, mysterious, and are bright creatures. These macaws make excellent pets.most of the owners are attracted to the beautiful colors. They can be easily trained for different kinds of tricks. They are also able to mimic some parts of the speech, as well as some sounds. 

Severe macaw as pets

Severe macaws are as magnificent as pets. But they are also large parrots that mean they require extra care, attention and even extra money. They need you to notice because they consider you as their flock members; therefore, they want to be recognized and a lot of socializing hours. They are not meant to be one-person birds.