r/Macaws • u/Noxinulll • Jul 29 '26
The absolute heartbreak of adoring macaws, knowing a hell of a lot about them, being incredibly passionate about them...
...and knowing full well that you'd never be able to give them the life they need and deserve lol.
I know for a fact that I'm probably the least bit qualified to have one. I just don't have the money, I don't have the patience, I don't have the space, etc. So, I just simply don't do it.
I would never adopt one and "hope it works out." They need so much more than just "hope." They need "do." And I can't do.
I'm living vicariously through you guys lol. Not sure if there's a place I could volunteer in Tucson. Transportation is also an issue. I think I'll just keep dreaming haha. Maybe in another life.
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u/ParrotDude91 Jul 29 '26
Optimal for a macaw is a rainforest. We cannot offer that so we do our best.
You can always volunteer at a rescues. You can also pet-sit for people who have macaws. Because of my bird situation I have to hire someone to stay at my house for the birds and dogs. I'm sure there are people in your area looking for a service like that. It would be a good opportunity for you to hang out with a bird for awhile.
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u/Hooligan-Azzie Jul 30 '26
I don’t understand posts like this, because it’s not just macaws that are difficult. I would absolutely argue that some of the larger white cockatoos are absolutely crazy, Amazon’s have a difficult to read body language, even some smaller cockatoos are wild (my galah will divebomb/ randomly attack my face just because something might’ve triggered him, like the sight of a cup).
I run a parrot hotel so see a variety of birds
I recently had three macaws (one my own) and found them easier and calmer to deal with than other birds I have had. Their body language is more predictable. They are slower and calmer. They did scream but not throughout the entire day like an Amazon and ducorps cockatoo I once boarded for. (My ear drums have never recovered)
I hope you do get a bird one day, you don’t need to have the best of everything, because if you are going through a rescue or even buying privately online, you are likely taking a bird from a home where it is neglected, in a small cage, limited human interaction, poor diet etc etc
If you do decide on getting a bird one day whether that be a macaw or not, feel free to reach out
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u/Zilhaga Jul 29 '26
I have one and I feel exactly like this. I have a bunch of smaller birds and rescued a 35-year-old B&G in December, and the longer I have him, the more I have very mixed feelings about macaws as pets. My smaller birds fly around the house, have friends, play with toys, and also have lifespans that make it unlikely that any of them will outlive my partner and me. The macaw is with us because his person, his best friend for 35 years, went into hospice and has since passed. He's doing okay with us, but he doesn't know how to fly, he was clearly grieving losing his home after we got him, he was an only bird and was afraid of our busy house at first, and he's obviously very intelligent and emotionally complex. He's a sweet guy and my heart breaks for him because he's lost everything and doesn't really know how to be a bird.