scarlet behavior

[dar]

need help from all the scarlet owners. would like honest opinion on the quality's of scarlet macaws as a family bird. we have 4 children ages 11 to 16. our son is severely disabled. we have 2 small dogs, and 1 amazon, 2 cockatoos, 1 caique. would there be any problem bringing in a new baby scarlet? we have heard the stereotypes about being nippy, don't like kids, one person birds ect...., what's the real deal? any info would be greatly appreciated. thanks, dar.

[MissV]

Just curious (and it may help)...you have a lot on your plate as it is, it seems. Whats your purpose for pondering getting a Scarlet?

[kellywess]

They are nippy, not mean, just express themselves with their beaks. They pinch a lot.

[dar]

Originally Posted by MissV

Just curious (and it may help)...you have a lot on your plate as it is, it seems. Whats your purpose for pondering getting a Scarlet?

yes, we do have a lot on our plate. i am a stay at home mom, and my birds and two little dogs are my companions while the kids are at school, and husband's at work. we have always wanted a macaw, and we ended up getting side tracked rescueing two of our birds that had been abanded. anyway, we still would love to have a macaw, and every week the kids and us go to visit the local ones. this is where the baby scarlet resides.

[Michelle & Fids]

As mom to 3 Scarlets (plus the rest of the flock), that would be the last Macaw I would recommend to a family with kids. I love my Scarlets dearly, but they are very headstrong and use their beaks to get their way.

[Many Feathers]

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT bring a Scarlet macaw into your situation. It won't be fair to the bird!!! They are typically not a family pet, and do not belong in a house with kids. I have several Scarlets and MANY Scarlet hybrids that are predominatly Scarlet, and I would never recommend one to someone in your position. In fact, no large macaw belongs in your house. If you were older with macaw experience/or and did not have young kids at home, I might say otherwise. You will end up unhappy eventually and your kids could injured. Irregardless, you will end up getting rid of the Scarlet. So DON'T!

Cynthia

Originally Posted by dar

yes, we do have a lot on our plate. i am a stay at home mom, and my birds and two little dogs are my companions while the kids are at school, and husband's at work. we have always wanted a macaw, and we ended up getting side tracked rescueing two of our birds that had been abanded. anyway, we still would love to have a macaw, and every week the kids and us go to visit the local ones. this is where the baby scarlet resides.

[TAGyourIT]

My Scarlet Macaw was rehomed to me due to not being able to coexist happily with a child. She plucked ALL of her feathers out, would lunge at the little boy, and would bite her mom if the boy came in the room.

I would not ever say that ALL Scarlets are bad family birds, but they would not be my first choice for a family parrot.

[debbielabella]

Originally Posted by Many Feathers

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT bring a Scarlet macaw into your situation. It won't be fair to the bird!!! They are typically not a family pet, and do not belong in a house with kids. I have several Scarlets and MANY Scarlet hybrids that are predominatly Scarlet, and I would never recommend one to someone in your position. In fact, no large macaw belongs in your house. If you were older with macaw experience/or and did not have young kids at home, I might say otherwise. You will end up unhappy eventually and your kids could injured. Irregardless, you will end up getting rid of the Scarlet. So DON'T!

Cynthia

wow, now I really want one
seriously they can't be all that bad? This woman's children are much older, and she has large bird experience, cockatoo's are tough birds! and they have been visiting a macaw, surely not ALL macaws are out of the question for her!

There is a really bad catch 22 when it comes to macaws everyone says you need large bird experience, or you should start with other birds, OK, been there, now I'm 47 and they live 80 years so now I'm too old for a macaw! some people have a nack with these beautiful birds and this lady might be one of them.

[KimM]

Aside from the large family you have now including children and other fids, a Scarlet may not be the best choice for your first macaw. They do tend to be nippy. I get a pinch almost daily from Elliot. It's not a mean pinch, but it is their primary way of expressing themselves .... it just seems to be in the breed. I call them the "pit bull" of macaws becuase they are on the assertive side.

Now to contradict myself, LOL... my little Elliot is an exception and is very sweet compared to my Harlequin who is a total spaz. But in terms of nippy, Elliot is much nippier/bitey than Newt. I'm also single, so my time at home is devoted entirely to my macaws and macaws do not require attention, they "demand" it. A macaw is like having a perpetual 2 - 5 yr old in your home and they require a minimum of 3 - 4 hours of attention from someone per day. My honest advise is a macaw may not be the right fit for your home.

[Greycloud]

Would anyone recommend a mini macaw for her and her situation? She is experienced and seems like most of us has MBS.