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Conference 7.286::pet_birds

Title:Captive Breeding for Conservation--and FUN!
Notice:INTROS 6.X / FOR SALE 13.X / Buying a Bird 900.*
Moderator:VIDEO::PULSIFER
Created:Mon Oct 10 1988
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:942
Total number of notes:6016

648.0. "Macaw or Cockatoo: Which to choose?" by AIMTEC::SIMPSON_L () Thu Jan 09 1992 19:14

    Hello!
    
    I'm considering a new addition to our avaiary.  Well, I'm considering
    trading for a new addition.
    I had some questions if anyone would be willing
    to offer advice or comments.
    
    Has anyone had experience with Yellow-Collared Mini-Macaws?
    What kind of pets do they make?  How noisy are they?
    Would you recommend a Mini over an Umbrella Cockatoo?
    
    I'm trading a pair of Red-Lored Amazons.  I tried a breeding experiment
    and it just is not feasable.  The birds were both hand-raised and the
    female still seems to want to continue the relationship with me which
    makes the male quite upset.  Also, I have no place to keep them where
    they
    have pretty much total privacy except for being fed.
    They also make a very high shrill shriek which is driving
    my husband crazy.  So I thought I'd trade for another
    pet instead.
    
    The cage they are in is a custom-built cage.
    It looks like a large piece of furniture.  Its inner dimensions
    are: 4 feet long, 2 feet wide, 3 feet high.  The wire
    is 14guage, 1/2 by 1 inch mesh.
    I've gotten conflicting views on whether a Cockatoo
    could be kept in this.  One breeder says this would be fine.
    Another says the wire is too light.  Anyone have any thoughts?
    
    Any comments, advice, concerns or just experiences
    would be greatly appreciated.  I want to be sure to get a good pet.
    
    Thanks.
    
    
    Laurie
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
648.1ESGWST::MOEHLENPAHThu Jan 09 1992 20:237
Sounds like the wire may be a bit light for a Cockatoo.  Do you have children?
My breeder recommended a b&g over a yellow-collared because she felt they
were not as good with children (she has 5 children).  They scream, you probably
aren't going to get around that.  I guess *very noisy* is what I would call
any mini or full-sized macaw I've met or owned  (Hahn's and the b&g).

Ed
648.2THANKS FOR THE QUICK REPLY.AIMTEC::SIMPSON_LThu Jan 09 1992 21:1919
    ED,
    
    THANKS FOR YOUR REPLY.
    
    SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE I'D BETTER FORGET THE COCKATOO.
    
    NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANY CHILDREN SO THAT WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM, RIGHT
    NOW
    ANYWAY.  WHEN YOU SAY *VERY NOISY*
    ARE THEY NOISY CONSTANTLY?  IS A SCREECH OR MORE OF A
    VERY LOUD SQUAWK?  WE HAVE A MOLUCAN
    COCKATOO NOW THAT CAN CUT LOOSE WITH QUITE A LOUD SQUAWK
    AT TIMES.  BUT HER NOISE IS NOT REALLY HIGH PITCHED SO
    NOT REALLY IRRITATING.  ALSO, SHE DOES NOT MAKE NOISE ALL THE TIME.
    
    THANKS AGAIN.
    
    LAURIE
648.3ESGWST::MOEHLENPAHFri Jan 10 1992 22:2210
My macaw can go for hours without saying anything, then she can turn around 
and go for hours screaming.  Yes, she's healthy.  We can't place rhyme or
reason to it.  We had to move her for a few days to a new location in the 
house while we were painting "her" room, and she did great for about 2 days,
then the old behaviour set in.

Earsplitting screams is what gets us. And she does it real well.

Ed
648.4Shriek versus Squawk?AIMTEC::SIMPSON_LSat Jan 11 1992 02:5231
    Hi Ed,
    
    Thanks for your replies.
    I really appreciate your experiences with the macaw.
    
    It's hard to ask my last question in a note but I'll try...
    
    When you say your macaw gets you with ear-splitting
    screams, does she actually shriek or just squawk
    very loudly?  For example, our Molucan squawks very loudly.
    It hurts your ears to be too close to her when she screams.
    But her squawk is not really very shrill, ju=+st very loud.
    So it's a bit easier to handle.  She seems to behave
    as you describe your macaw, silent for some time then screaming her
    head
    off for a while.  The Amazons, on the other hand which we want to
    trade,
    have quite a shrill, ear-piercing shriek.  It's very high-pitched
    and is about to drive my husband crazy.
    They do the same thing as the Molucan and your macaw only on some days
    they seem to shriek almost constantly.
    My husband says he can handle the squawk even though loud,
    but not the shrill shriek.  Which type of scream does the
    Mini-Macaw give?
    
    Any help is appreciated.
    
    Thanks.
    
    Laurie
648.5ESGWST::MOEHLENPAHMon Jan 20 1992 22:355
My Hahn's gave a shrill squeak.  My macaw gives a squawk using your 
terminology.

Ed
648.6Thanks for the info.AIMTEC::SIMPSON_LTue Jan 21 1992 12:5618
    Ed,
    
    Thanks very much for your replies.
    
    I am in the process of trying to locate someone who has one who is
    closer to my location than the breeder.
    I'd like to see one and hear one before deciding to take one.
    If no one has one, I'll try to make a trip to the breeder's home to see
    his
    pairs before they go to nest.
    
    Thanks again for the info.
    Sorry to seem so picky.  It's just that my husband says that
    he cannot stand that high-pitched screech and wants
    to make sure we are getting away from that sort of sound.
    
    Laurie
648.7This place has a great bird room...RHETT::RROGERSTue Jan 21 1992 19:297
Hi Laurie,

 For Birds Only usually has some mini macaws in their bird room.  You could
hang out their to get a feel for how loud they are.  The owner, Floyd, is 
very knowledgable.  It is on Hwy 9 (Roswell Rd) inside the perimeter.

Roseanne (a fellow Atlanta noter)
648.8I had thought of calling them.AIMTEC::SIMPSON_LWed Jan 22 1992 12:3711
    Hi Roseanne,
    
    Thanks for the information.  I thought about For Birds Only also.  I've
    been there before and they have lots of macaws.
    I was thinking of giving them a call to see if they had any
    mini-macaws now.
    
    Thanks for the reminder.
    
    Laurie