MACAWS AS COMPANIONS
Part 2: Preparing For The Bird's Arrival

© Copyright 1997, All rights reserved.

By Joanne Abramson
Reprinted from The Pet Bird Report

You have found the bird you want and now are preparing for his arrival, What do you need to do BEFORE your new bird arrives? Hopefully you have done your homework and the breeder has filled you in on what your new bird eats. It is best to attempt to provide the same diet as the previous owner until the bird has settled in.

Shipping:
Acquiring your new bird is not always as easy as visiting a few nearby breeders. Often the breeders am in another state or even country. Therefore it is not always possible for the new owner to pick up the bird and take it home as they would a dog or a cat. If you are within four hours drive, you might simply want to take your car. For the bird's sake, if there am more than six hours in transit by car (or if the weather is very hot or cold) shipping by air is more desirable. The safest way that we have found to ship is by using the Doskocil Kennels. The 200P size (medium) works well for one large bird. We use the 300P (large) for a pair of birds or any large bird that will be in transit for very long (United States to United Kingdom for instance).

Fruit, especially those containing a lot of juice such as oranges, grapefruit or melons are especially helpful when placed in the shipping box. Dehydration is one of the biggest hazards to birds during their plane flight. The warm, dry air of the airplane can cause dehydration quickly. While it is not ideal, they can go many hours without food. Water bowls are not practical in transit. Most of the water in the containers provided for shipping ends up on the bottom of the carrier or on the bird due to human handling and normal air travel. Providing fresh fruit is a logical alternative to water. Nuts are also beneficial in travel as they satisfy the birds hunger, are easy to find in a dark holding area, and encourage the birds to eat. Larger chunks of fruit are easier to locate than small ones. On arrival in their new home they might be anxious and not eat. Having eaten in transit will be beneficial.

Several U.S. airlines provide special handling for animals. They include American (Priority Parcel Service), Delta (Dash), Northwest (V.I.P. Service), and USAIR (PDQ). Other airlines will take animals in the cargo section. Shipping animals by one of the priority services previously mentioned allows the animals to arrive at the airport within an hour of departure and to be unloaded first on arrival. On the other hand, shipping cargo requires the bird to be at the airport a minimum of two hours in advance and can take up to two hours to unload on arrival, greatly increasing their time in transit. The shipping of unweaned birds is prohibited by several carriers. Some airlines now require that the birds be captive bred and closed banded. Some airlines will not ship animals at all.

In my experience domestic and international flights have provided excellent service for shipping of birds.

Preparing for your Bird's Arrival:
Frequently breeders will provide instructions when you get a bird. Follow these instructions carefully. Remember that the breeder has lived with this bird for a long time and wishes the transition into your home to be easy. Contact the breeder for advise if you have any problems.

If you don't already know of an avian veterinarian in your area NOW is the time find one before you need one. A yearly exam is a reliable way to insure your bird is in good health. Remember, these are long living birds and will probably need a veterinarian many times in their lifetime.

When Your Bird Arrives:
Whether your new bird arrived at your borne by car or plane, it has been a long day for them. After they tell their old home, they may have journeyed to the veterinarian where they underwent a physical exam, had lights shined in their eyes, down their throat and in their ears. Their nails were clipped, and if you requested, their wings were clipped. Then they were brought to their new home either by car or possibly to the airport where they were placed in a box for shipping, flown to the nearest airport (or possibly a connecting airport) before arriving. You are undoubtedly excited at your new birds arrival. However, they would really like a drink of water, some seed and nuts, and a chance to rest. By tomorrow, they will start getting back to their old selves. Jet lag effects animals as well as people.

If you requested that their wings be clipped, remember that they do not know that they can not fly. After leaving the veterinarian, they did not have a chance to fly again until you opened the lid of the shipping cage. It is understandable that they will have several false flights until they realize that they do not have the power of flight.

If they arrive at night, leave a light on for a few hours. This will give them a chance to eat, drink and look over their surroundings. If they have had a long flight I suggest that you keep them in the cage for several hours or overnight to be sure they have eaten.

Pay attention to the arrival instructions from the previous owner. Knowing the birds's favorite food is helpful to get them comfortable in their new environment. Remember that one of the goals of a new owner is to minimize stress.

Baby parrots are amazingly adaptable and seem to fit in quickly to new homes. They respond well to being enticed with food treats. Give them lots of attention and they will reward you with years of love. Watch them carefully for a few weeks to insure that the bird is adjusting well. Stress induced problems usually manifest in two to three weeks after arrival.

Diet:
Macaws are fruit, seed and nut eaters in the wild and in captivity should be fed an assortment of foods. Providing a well balanced diet including seed, nuts, fruits, vegetables and whatever healthy food you are eating. Small portions of pasta, cooked chicken, turkey or chicken thigh bones, fruit salad, cooked legumes, cooked vegetables, and any other healthy leftovers are great for them.

Baby macaws should be carefully observed in their first two weeks in their new home. The stress of a new home can cause them to stop eating. Problem babies typically will stay horizontal on the perch, flap one wing and bow their head up and down begging to be fed. Simultaneously they emit a constant or near constant soft call. Learn how to check the babies crop (their food pouch), which is located just below their lower mandible (beak). This should have food in it. If their are begging and it is empty, try handing them chunks of bananas or other soft food to encourage them to eat. Conscientious breeders keep their macaw babies for a few weeks after there am weaned to try to avoid reversion to hand feeding. It is impossible to predict when a baby might be frightened in their new home. Every home is different and the new cage, position of the find cup and especially the preparation of the food can have an impact. In one instance, the fruit was being served too large for the baby to grasp well. Once the fruit was cut in a more manageable size the bird went back to eating. Mincing the fruit can have the same effect.

Baby macaws sometimes beg for attention the same way as they beg for food. If the crop is full when they are bowing at you, then the bird just wants to be held and reassured that everything is alright.

New owners should contact the breeder immediately for advise if they suspect that the bird is not eating. If the new owner is unfamiliar with handfeeding, the bird can be fed warmed, soft food for a few days and encouraged to eat their regular food.

While the bird is young it is the perfect time to introduce a wide variety of foods to your bird. Fresh fruits such as bananas, oranges, grapes, apples etc. should be included in their daily diet. Vegetables such as sweet potato, carrots, beets, and corn on the cob are wonderful sources of vitamins and minerals. Remember that if you feed beets, berries, or cherries it will make their fecal matter reddish. This is not blood, but a natural dye.

Housing For Pets:
Provide a cage at least 3 feet wide, 2.5 feet deep and 6' high (76 cm x 76 cm x 180 cm). The wingspan on a large macaw is four feet. Finding a cage four feet wide would be more desirable. Rectangular or square cages provide more space than round ones. Buy or build the largest cage you can. Cages should be large enough to allow a bird to flap and stretch its wings. It would be impossible to have too large a cage, but it is common to have too small a cage.

Parrots enjoy looking out windows, and if your cage has casters you can roll it near a window occasionally. You will also be able to move it to clean the area around the cage. It can also be rolled outside on to a deck or patio to give your bird a day of sunshine and perhaps a bath. Remember to lock the cage against accidental releases. Birds should be bathed regularly in order to keep their feathers in top condition (see Donna Heflon's article in PBR Issue #31). You might also consider building an outdoor flight for the warm weather. This provides a second home for your bird to enjoy. While you are outside on the patio enjoying the weather, he can also take advantage of the sun. Make sure to provide some shade for him to escape the heat. Because of the possibility of theft it would not be wise to have the bird visible from the street side of your home.

Place food and water where he can easily get to them, making sure they are not under the perch to avoid fecal contamination. Wash daily and refill with clean water and seed. Place a second set on the cage playpen top if it has one. Large crocks of clay or plastic that arc made for large dogs can be utilized as bathing containers. Bowls can be placed on the cage or in an empty bath tub and filled with warm water The bird's down and feather condition will be improved with baths on a regular basis.

Branches that are about two to three inches in diameter are ideal perches. Some of these branches should be soft wood to encourage the bird to chew them to maintain his beak in perfect condition. Place perches at a height to insure the macaw has plenty of tail and head room. The tail should not touch the bottom of the cage, nor should its head hit the cage top.

Clipped Wings and Nails:
We prefer to let our babies learn to fly naturally during the weaning process. Once they go into their new pet homes however it is wise to have their wings clipped. This avoids possible injuries and unintentional free flights. Even birds that have their wings clipped should not be taken outside without being placed in a shipping kennel. Macaws can still have a limited amount of flight due to their large wing web area. Make sure you check your clipped wings on a regular basis to guard against surprise flights. In warm weather leaving doors and windows open for ventilation can mean an unintentional escape of your bird. To avoid this needless loss see your avian veterinarian for a wing and nail trim. If you are trimming their wings remember to avoid cutting any new feathers that have growing feather sheaths on them. These will bleed profusely if cut.

Keeping their nails trimmed regularly helps when they are climbing all over your arm. For pet birds that are used to being handled they might allow you to simply pick up their claws for a trim. If not, two people might be necessary: one to hold the towel wrapped bird and a second to do the trimming. Human artificial nail files (known as "Acrylic Nail Grinders") are helpful for filing down the sharp points.

If you feel your bird needs his beak trimmed, this should only be done by your avian veterinarian. If the diet is good and he has been given plenty of soft wood to grind down his beak, trimming is usually unnecessary and more cosmetic. Overgrown beaks can also be symptomatic of underlying disease. If you think your bird has an overgrown beak make sure you take him to an avian veterinarian immediately for a check up.

Stress Free Environment:
The primary goal as a new bird owner is to provide a stress free environment for your new pet. This includes providing housing that is located in an area of your home where the bird will be seen the majority of the day when people are in the house, but not in an area where the cage can be walked around 360 degrees. It is best if the cage is located with at least one wall behind it to give him a sense of security. Safe toys should be provided for your bird to use when you are not at home or he is not able to come out of his cage. Food and water should be fresh daily and arrive at predictable times. Treats can be offered anytime, but a dependable food source should always be available. Clean water is a must, as dirty water carries a vast amount of bacterial contaminants that can effect your bird.

Plan to allow your bird out of his cage for a minimum of three hours daily. There is no amount of supervised time that would be too excessive. Many birds get "cage-bound" when they are released so infrequently that they do not want to leave their cages. The purpose of a cage is to protect your bird not incarcerate it. Macaws and all parrots deserve to be living in a situation where they are out of their cages frequently and enjoying the family.

The Large Macaws: Their Care, Breeding, and Conservation.