Deciding to buy or adopt a macaw Bird is different than owning a common pet such as a dog or cat. The decision to bring a scarlet macaw in your home needs to be a joint decision with everyone involved. Because these birds are highly social, it is best to have someone at home with it. If everyone in the household is out all day, this could lead to behavioral problems in the bird. These problems might include:
- Damage to your home
- Feather plucking
- Loud screaming
How Long Do Macaws Live?
Macaws live a long time, and it’s something one needs to think about when deciding to own a macaw. A scarlet macaw can live to be 70+ years old and some are recorded as being over 100 years old. Now, you have to ask yourself, are you ready for that length of commitment? If this is a family bird, it will usually be left to someone in a will. With the potential for such a long lifespan, you can see why this is a decision that needs to be thought through.
Caring for a Macaw
What Is the Best Food for Macaws?
There are of course commercial feeds for parrots. These are a mixture of seeds and pellets. The superior brands usually include such things such as pine nuts and dried fruits. Quality matters as the cheaper brands are full of fillers and sunflower seeds. Feeding a parrot as close to their natural diet is best. Research where your bird would live if in the wild and what plants would be available to it. In the wild, parrots would eat a varied diet of fruits and plants that are in season. They would also eat carrion. Offer your macaw different healthy foods to see if they will eat them. The table below shows suggestions for what a captive bird can have:
Things Macaws Like to Eat
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Fruit
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Vegetables
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Seeds and Grains
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|---|---|---|
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Apples
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Broccoli
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Sunflower seeds
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Bananas
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Carrots
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Pinenuts
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Grapes
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Peas
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Walnut
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Mango, papaya, peaches
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Corn (on or off the cob)
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Brazil nuts
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Which Foods Are Bad for a Parrot?
Just because you eat it doesn’t mean it is right for your macaw. Salty, fried, and sugary foods shouldn’t be given to birds. For drinking, offer just water which is changed at least daily. I have seen people give their parrots, alcohol, tea, and coffee. The health of their bird suffers for this. Obesity is not just a problem in humans, it’s also seen in birds. In the wild birds would have a concave chest. The vast majority of pet parrots are grossly overweight.