More than one macaw together?

[Winged_Victory]

How many people have more than one macaw? Do they play together? Are any housed together?

We have several macaws and they do play together, several are housed together. As many as 8 of our will be out on playstands at one time with each other and they all get along. Our birds love to play, preen, and take care of each other.

Let's hear your pro's and con's of macaws together.

Gary

[kp_in_scott]

We have 2 b/g's. They have a 5 month difference in their ages. They seem to get along ok but can become very jelous(sp) of one another. Ex. They are caged seperately. In the am, when hubby goes in to let them out, if he opens Phoebe's cage first, Gabriel gets quite offended and will go to the back of his cage and pout for a while before coming out. Phoebe does not seem to mind waiting her turn for hugs and cuddle time, but Gabriel wants to be 1st every time. I think we have spoiled him a little.

[Winged_Victory]

I really like your post!

We don't have as many macaws but are not far behind..LOL. Like you we have macaws that will play with any bird, an example is our male Buffon's "Barnie"; he will play with our Hahn's or any of our large macaws. We have a Hy that lives with our 14 year old Redfront. The Refront is another bird that is friends with all. We take a great deal of time socializing our birds, we start them out on rings or stands next to each other and then move them closer until they can hop over and meet the other birds. All our birds are fully flighted but never seem to abuse the privilege of having all their feathers. We have two Greenwing females, and a Buffon’s and Ruby female that share the same cage, they love it.

I think birds that can get along should be together if they choose. The ones that share a cage preen each other and have a good time hanging out together. Our cages are the largest made for pet birds and plenty big enough for two birds that get along. I have heard the comments that every bird needs their own cage but personally do not buy in to that theory. The birds we have together have great looking feathers; I think it is from being contented and having the other help with grooming.

Caging birds together is not for everyone or every bird! You have to make sure you have birds that get along outside the cage before you put them together in a cage. We spend many hours with out birds and know who likes who and who can be trusted with who, this takes time and commitment.

Gary

[Winged_Victory]

I have noticed that macaws sometimes have a color preference for individual birds. I have also noticed it is often determined, or affected by, the color of other macaws they were raised with or housed with at an early age, and the good or bad experiences they had with a macaw of a particular color. One of my Catalinas only likes red macaws, and it doesnt matter if they are a red hybrid, a Greenwing or a Scarlet, as long as they are red. He hates other Catalinas and will attack them. It also doesnt matter what sex they are, as long as they are red.

Manyfeathers,

We have a couple of greenwings that go wild when they see another redbird but do'nt get excited with the blue or green birds. Our Hawkheads hate Blue and Gold birds, they will tolerate the others. Our severe likes Blue and Gold birds and hangs out with them, he lives with a Caninde.

Gary

[The Outlaw]

Well, since I have my own private BG flock, I can tell you that they love to be together. In fact, the problems arise if I try to take just one or two out by themselves. I tried double caging my boys, but found the larger, Dreamer, was eating the best stuff out of both food dishes and poor Sailor wasn't gaining weight properly. Of course, all of my BGs are young and haven't paired up. I expect problems as they approach 8, for that seems to be when the hormones really kick in.

I imagine that so long as they aren't trapped in too close quarters and can get away from any aggressive bird, they will be fine. However, I'm not willing to bet the farm on that. The only bird in my home who is welcome in every cage is my little TAG, Radar. I'm clueless as to why, but all of my birds seem to like her and will happily share food with her.

Again, no one here is ever allowed out unsupervised and my birds don't spent long periods in cages anyway. I think that because they do get to interact they have less reason to be jealous or tempermental. We shall see.

THE OUTLAW

[Winged_Victory]

I imagine that so long as they aren't trapped in too close quarters and can get away from any aggressive bird, they will be fine. However, I'm not willing to bet the farm on that. The only bird in my home who is welcome in every cage is my little TAG, Radar. I'm clueless as to why, but all of my birds seem to like her and will happily share food with her.

We have several birds here that are welcome in all cages, Zetta our Redfront and Kashi our Severe. The two of them are friends with all and share food in any cage.

Thinking from a birds point of view; would you rather have a friend that lives next door to you and you look at him through his window or, would you rather have a friend you can share things with and play with? I watch our birds all the time and the ones two to a cage are very happy to have a friend with them. Grooming is a big deal to birds at it sure helps to have a friend get the hard to reach areas. I think bird interaction is just as important to a bird as interaction with people. When you have both everyone wins.

Most people that have only a couple of birds may not ever enjoy the flock behaviour or birds.



Gary

[Winged_Victory]

Here is a picture of Pebbles and Zetta!

[Chariclo]

All I can say is WOW! The pictures are gorgeous and hearing your stories of your flocks is enchanting!

Maia is my only macaw - and a baby at that - just a year. I have added a senior psittacine amazon and a mean and miserable cocktiel in the past 6 months. That is my "Flock of Misfits!"

Maia is a complete brat when it comes to the other birds - very jealous! She'll go after them both if given the chance. I really would like to have another macaw within 5 years or so - but am afraid that she will be very uncooperative, and make it stressful for any newcomer.

I wonder if it would be better to add another macaw sooner rather than later? And if I were to find the right one to choose me - should i see if Maia agrees prior to bringing one home? Maybe take her for visitation or something? Has anyone had to deal with this?

[Winged_Victory]

Originally Posted by Many Feathers

Great pix, Gary!

Most of mine tend to have just one special friend, except the Scarlets with the open personalities. I just tried to take a group photo and they either paired off or singled off, with 5 of them trying to climb on me. Guess that nice group portrait just isn't going to happen. Below (all photos taken tonight) is a typical stand-off. Military Macaws, Squirt & Teri pair off, and Buffon's macaw Gremlyn sits alone. You never see 3 sitting close together in my house. I did manage to get a couple pix of 2 special friends that were raised together, U2 Pippy & Catalina Kachina, still best friends after 4-1/2 years!

I love to see birds that get along together. I think birds should have bird friends along with their people friends, when they can have both it is a win, win situation.

[MaryG1959]

Are two b and g dna'd females who are a little "too" bonded, they chew, over preen each other.....the bigger one is rougher and the smaller one is more scared.

As soon as we can we are getting another cage---