[Nazir's]

I asked this same question on the board not too long ago. I often was told that the dust from a Too or Grey could possibly be dangerous/health hazardous to the macaw, just as you stated.

I continued to do my research and started noticing many people that were owned by the two species. I asked them their personal experiences in regards to my concerns. Of course I was advised that they have not experienced any issues and went on to mention all, if any precautions they have taken. Not stopping there, I continued to research and browse the net. I then started noticing several breeders that had pictures of their Macaws next to their Cockatoos and/or Greys. I contacted every one of those breeders. With one I was very forthcoming, telling them that I once considered the two species but I've now decided against it BUT I was still curious to know their experiences with the dust/health issues. This breeder and I must have stayed on the phone for about two hours just talking. What I was advised by her was that it's possible but not very likely that a macaw would suffer from a Cockatoo or Grey’s dust in a clean environment—with clean bird. She and her husband had been breeding Cockatoos and Macaws for 23 years and have only ran into this concern of mines once in all of those years. She mentioned that it was that particular Macaw and just as some humans are more sensitive to pollen the same goes for the Macaws.

She separated that particular Macaw from the Too's and he was almost immediately just fine. Later he (the macaw) was sold. The people that purchased him return to purchase a Too from her and she had to refuse them a Too. She wouldn't place a Too in the same household with that particular Macaw. However, in all of her years of breeding this was the only Macaw that she experienced this with.

I didn't ask her what she would advise for a person considering the two species as she just kept saying that it really depends on the bird.
Then, another thing that I once noticed was a breeder at a bird show had their Greys and Macaws housed together. It was probably 6 Greys and 4 Macaws all housed together in a huge cage, getting along just fine. All of those parrots looked lively, alert, healthy, and happy. I bumped into this breeder in the restroom. While making small talking and following her back to her booth I noticed that she was the breeder of the Macaws and Greys that were housed together. I asked her had she ever experienced any adverse health effects with the Macaws as result of the Grey's dust and she told me no. No, actually what she said was this.... "People will tell you anything but I've been raised with and raising Macaws and Greys all of my life and have not ever ran into any such issues. I have some of the healthiest babies ever! People have told my mother that she shouldn't feed her bird’s raw rice and cheese but she did. Though she is now gone, those very same birds are healthy and still here. And I am here today as a living witness but I don't feed them cheese."

One thing that I didn’t do is ask my local avian vet. However, I can just about imagine what he’s going to say being that he too has a Macaw and a Cockatoo.

Now, I am not saying to go for it and I am not saying not to. That choice is yours! I am just simply advising you of what I've been told, have witnessed and observed. Personally, I decided not to take the risk but there are several breeders and parrot owners (even on this forum) that are owned by the two and have all resided together without a problem thus far.