New owner of a 35 year old GreenWinged Macaw

[CaptainGentleGiant]

Yes, I am a new Macaw mom. His name is Captain. One day, I got a call from an old neighbor. They asked if I wanted him. I picked him up that night. About 15 years ago, I bird-sat for him and he was a sweetheart.

I do not know much about parrots.

Is it better to have them inside your home or in an outside aviary?

My 3 story stilt house is still being worked on and Captain got to move in before me. About 4 years ago, my husband demolished the stilt house to bare bones. Then he had a devestating left celabelar stroke when he was 51 years old. It took a year for him to even walk and talk much less rebuild our home. What use to take him one hour, now takes him a whole day.

We are still living in the garage apartment. Captain, gets my attention 3 times a day for about 5-30 mins. I also have 3 chihuahuas, 1 cat and 5 minature donkeys.

Our stilt house always looked like a tree house. However,Captain is making such a mess that it really is looking like a tree! How do you keep a large GreenWinged Macaw, inside without such a mess? Wood pieces, seeds, pellet powder, vegetables, fruit pieces, poop etc...all over. I've put plastic under the tree stand and around his cage. But, what a mess! Makes me wonder if these large birds, belong in outside aviaries.

Captain walks on the floor to different chairs and likes to perch on the back of the dinning seats. I am concerned the wood arms on some of them will be ruined. The other is a plastic desk chair. The previous owner was a parapalygic and Captain was kept mostly in or on top of his cage in the garage.

Captain is extremely affectionate. He climbs all over me, spits up his peanuts on me and is cuddlle bug. BUT...I am VERY nervous about that BEAK! Can't say I am totally relaxed and enjoying the time with him. Each day is sweet & sour. The sweet is his personality, the sour is his huge beak. Does this nervousness ever go away? I've had him almost a month now. I certainly don't want my hand or fingers bit off.

Am I the only one that is not totally relaxed with their macaw?

I'll appreciate any tips any parrot owner has learned from experience.

Thanks!

[Alan]

Welcome! Captain sounds like a great bird. You have to remember that all birds esp large macs are going to chew and do a lot of it. I currently have 12 birds and tonight I am adding another and by feb I will be up to 18 or 19. I don't worry about the mess. There's always going to be a mess with birds. I always say that a busy beak makes for a happy bird.

[CaptainGentleGiant]

Thanks for answering so quickly!

I live in Florida. The roaches here are a nuisance. What can I spray, inside or on the roaches themselves that won't hurt Captain???? This is why I mentioned the mess...BUGS!
I ordered something called, 'Bugs Be Done'. It is an orange oil that blocks the pores of bugs. But, not sure it will work. Being so tropical, bugs are bad here. I light lemongrass and citronella candles in the mosquito hours.
When I see the food pieces laying on the floor...all I can think of, is becoming roach infested.

Poor Captain this morning. I took off his cage cover, sang good-morning, he hopped onto my arm and there was a big spider crawling over his head. Without thinking, I tried to knock if off. Captain looked confused. Thankfully, the spider fell on the floor and I stepped on it. If it would have been a roach...I'd scream and have a terrible fear. I know that is not good, but I can't seem to be calm when a roach appears near me.

How much time do parrots need to be content? Since I do not live in the house with him, I'm not sure if visiting him a few minutes 3 times a day is enough.

Where do you keep so many parrots? Are they in an aviary outside? And if there inside...PLEASE share your routine. Thanks so much! Linda

[Emmilyy]

Does he have a big cage? You could get some playstands to go around the house for him to hang out on (with lots of toys so he wants to play there)

[Alan]

As far as for bugs I would use Control made by Mango or Camacide. WHen srpayed near Captian he should be moved outside if possible. It is bird safe to a point but he needs to be out of the room. If you cant find them in your area you can order them from Welcome to Precious Feathers Avian this is where i get all my parrots need. I live in SC and all of my parrots are inside. They have different needs so yes I have a routine that works for me :) And like i said the mess to me is not a huge deal it gets cleaned up daily

[CaptainGentleGiant]

Thanks for the site Alan. I'll check it out.

What do you have under the tree stands or around the cages? I've cut in half a few kitchen trash bags and put them under each. There is tile around his cage on the 1st floor. The grout was getting hit and hard to wipe. The tree stand on the 2nd floor,has real wood floors under it. The cracks were getting hit. Thus...explains the plastic. But, don't think it's a good idea. Too thin and moves around when you need to sweep or wipe,

I think I need more detail. What you take as simple...I've not thought of probably.

I just came from visiting Captain in the stilt house. He walked up the wooden stairs and was perched on a computer chair on the 2nd floor. His tree stand was on the other side of the room near a sliding glass door. He was happy to see me. When I sat down next to him and sang, he started dancing back and forth. Then he started squawking. He hopped on my shoulder and I took him to the first floor where his cage is. I gave him a corn muffin with pineapple, apples and pellets cooked in. He hopped in his cage and went to the muffin.

Do Macaws squawk when they are hungrey or trying to tell you something?

When you have time, I'd like to hear your routine with the birds from the time you get up to you go to bed. Details will be appreciated.

Sorry, so many questions. Thanks, Linda

[sailorkelly]

I know some people put hard plastic under there cages. I saw one person who had the plastic that goes underneath a chair in a office.

Why is he not living with you? Do you have him out unsupervised? He could get into alot of trouble if no one is watching him.

[chinniechantel]

I don't think you spend enough time with him. I would say 3 hours is minimal, I would never have an animal in there cage more than 5 hours a day total, especially a big bird like that. Maybe you can get a playstand for him and have him out but not on the floor? I put one in my room in sight of the computer and let Paco play there when I am doing stuff, works great and he stays quiet and happy. 1.5 hours a day is not enough time at all, IMO.

[CaptainGentleGiant]

Captain is living in the 3 story stilt house, while my husband, 3 chihuahuas and one cat live in the garage apartment. My husband had a stroke a few years ago (51 years old) right after demolishing the stilt house to bare bones. Now, we work in SLOW mode to finish the stilt house and have to stay in the garage part.

Yes, Captain is alone most of the day. I leave a radio softly playing on the first floor. I'll check on him about 3 times a day. I don't have room here in the garage part with 3 dogs and one cat plus boxes everywhere. Nor do I trust the dogs and cat with Captain. My father use to have a saying, 'NEVER TRUST AN ANIMAL, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IT IS THINKING'. Therefore, I keep everyone seperate and there lies my problem of space and time.

[CaptainGentleGiant]

Chantel,
I agree with you about time. Just don't know how to do it. If you read my reply above, you will understand the situation here.

Captain, was kept for over 30 years in a dark garage with no window. His owner was a parapalygic. He loved Captain the only way he knew how to. I use to live next door and bird-sat for him one time about 15 years ago. Recently, the man went into a nursing home and I was asked if I wanted Captain. He is a sweetheart. I take good care of my animals. Captain is the happiest I've ever seen. BUT...I don't like not being near him more. With 3 dogs and a cat in a very small storage box like this garage, I don't have space for his cage or tree stand. Neither would I trust any of the animals safety together.