photo credit: TANAKA Juuyoh (田中十洋)
One thing that you must consider before you acquire a Macaw is children and other pets that are in the home. Are Macaws good with children and other pets? There are those that say that they are…and those that say that Macaws are not the ideal pet to have if you have children or other pets. Let’s take a look at each scenario, as well as the arguments for each side of the debate.
Macaws and Children: Many believe that Macaws are good with children, in a supervised environment. Although these birds can easily snap fingers in half, as well as other small bones in children, they are surprisingly gentle creatures with good attitudes. This, of course, is the argument for Macaws and children.
The arguments against Macaws and children, however, are much stronger. Macaws tend to bond closely with one person, and view that person as their mate. Like any other creature on the planet, jealousy issues do arise, and when you show affection to your children – or even to your spouse – the Macaw may experience ‘jealousy’ and take action to protect his or her mate.
The arguments against getting a Macaw if you have children extend beyond this. Children are not the gentlest creatures in the world. If they are constantly upsetting the bird, or causing the bird to feel discomfort or pain when handled by a child, the Macaw is going to react like wild animals tend to react. There may be extensive wing flapping, lunging, and biting, all done in self defense.
Macaws and Other Pets: The same arguments that are used concerning Macaws and Children can be applied to pets. However, it has been noted that Macaws are more likely to do better with other pets in the home, then with children in the home.
One thing that you must be fully aware of, however, is that Macaws are not considered to be ‘domesticated’ or ‘tame’ creatures, by the standard definition of the term. This means that they carry instincts that are used in the wilds from their ancestors, into their daily lives.
What this means is that if you have a hamster, or any pet that is really small such as this, the Macaw will show a great interest, and it never turns out very well for the smaller pet. This typically is not a jealousy issue, or an attempt to protect the Macaw’s ‘mate.’ Instead, it is a predatory trait that doesn’t go away simply because the Macaw was born in captivity.
You may think that because you do not have children or another pet at the moment that it is fine to go ahead and get a Macaw without first considering the arguments for and against such a situation. This is a mistake. Remember two things about Macaws: first, they live for more than fifty years, and second, they become very attached to their owners…so later, if you do decide to have children, and you find that the Macaw isn’t tolerating it very well, you may have to find a new home for the Macaw, which could result in a very unhappy, unsettled life for the bird.