Overseas macaw

Aussie Pythons & Snakes Forum

Help Support Aussie Pythons & Snakes Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Blue and golds are the cheapest in oz and they are still going for about $20,000 a pair !!!

Nope, Hahn's Macaws are probably the cheapest, although small, they are very engaging. You would be able to pick up B&Gs now for $12-13k now, from the best breeders - less if you want take chances with dodgy breeders, but like most things, you get what you pay for. Anyone wanting these high-end animals should always deal with a breeder who will give them a fully documented vet exam, including bloods - cost around $450 per bird. There are lots of horror stories where the cheapest option has become a catastrophe...

Jax are they a bonded pair?

I also breed eckies, but let the parents raise their young. Eckies are not strong bonding birds like Macaws - females in nests are usually attended by several males if they are in large community aviaries, and it is certainly what happens in the wild. They mix & match partners very easily if they have the chance, unlike Macaws, which may change partners sometimes, but rarely.

Jamie

I know what you are saying, but im yet to find a good pair of Blue and Gold's for less than 20k( There price has gone down in the last 15yrs) Did you mean pairs for 12-13 k? . Maybe its just me then. I also get what you are saying about eccies, but most breeders bond a pair and put them alone not in a colony. The ones i have handraised was through a breeder i worked with, who used to put all pairs seperate. I was just giving a rough price on the Maccaws...
 
I work with a couple of very ethical breeders of Macaws (they were involved in the legal imports back in the 90s) and each would be able to put an unrelated pair of big, healthy B&Gs together for around $12-13k, maybe up to 12 months old. This includes vet checks for all potential problems and a worthwhile guarantee for a period after sale. They take about 25 weeks (6 months) on average to wean from hatch, so the time inputs are very significant by the time they're ready to go.

I paid about $7k each for my first birds back in about 1997, when the first of the progeny from the imports became available, and they haven't moved much on price. Sales have slowed because people are doing different things with their money now.

Jamie
 
thanks guys, yes they're a bonded pair, but they're only just over a year old, (i've had them since they were 5mths) and if these two (Bonnie & Clyde partners iin crime :) ) are anything to go by then if you're looking for a single bird, go with a male, he's a lot more sociable than she is, more accepting of training, she'd rather sit on my shoulder or on their cage and watch him do all the hard work, and for anyone thinking that they'd make a good companion bird, they're great company, BUT be warned, they're not like Macaws, galahs etc and dont generally enjoy being patted and cuddled ! ! and if you think you can train these birds to blindly do what you want them to do then think again. they'll let you know that they aren't in the mood for silly human games,
Clyde will grab a piece of skin and pinch, which results in bruising, Bonnie on the other hand will draw blood, she's quick and her beak is extremely pointed compared to his, because in the wild the females are the one that hollows out the nest !!

thankfully bites are rare, and like the snakes, 9/10 times its my lack of attention to body language that causes it.
and as i've already said, they are intelligent like macaws, which means they get bored easily in a non aviary situation, which can lead to feather plucking etc, think of having a 3 - 4yo child for the next 30 odd years .... they need stimulation, but as a bonus they dont seem to be a 'one man bird' like some of the other breeds around.

Maybe its just me then. I also get what you are saying about eccies, but most breeders bond a pair and put them alone not in a colony.

LOL, you dont bond a pair of birds... its something they do themselves, it seems the longer the lifespan of the species, the more picky they are with a mate... even monoganmous species will take an opportunity to play the field occasionally, but if you find a young unrelated pair that prefer each others company then you have a good head start.


PS, yes they can be great talkers too... which lessens the screaming :)
 
Last edited:
As Jaxrtfm says, boys are the easier to socialise. Our hens are downright dangerous when they reach breeding age, and attack in the aviary is always a possibility. They're non-seasonal breeders, so once the females start, they will lay eggs as soon as the last lot of babies is out of the nest, sometimes 3-4 clutches a year for 3 or more years, then they may have a break for a few months and start all over again. Because the male/s are so attentive, and feed her in the nest, we might not see the hen for days at a time, except when we go in there and she comes out to defend the nest.

Jamie
 
you can pick up a Handrasied Blue and Gold for about $4500 at the moment and a few around to, they might drop again this year. as more and more breeders are breeding them. Iv seen a pair 2yr old pair of Blue and golds go for $11,000. They are wonderful birds and require alot of attention. But they are on my list to :D
 
B&Gs for $4.5k fall into the category of "you get what you pay for..." and are indeed a risky investment for something that needs to be top-notch to deliver 60-70 years of companionship.
Quite a few backyarders are offering birds at this price... you might be lucky... you might not...

Jamie
 
Sorry i meant Bonded pair, not you bond them obviously. Maybe ive looked in the wrong places, but i havent seen anyone say less than 10k each :$ . All good, obviously you guys have got them for less. But damn they are amazing and on my wtb list as soon as i can afford one. But an african grey is first in line !! and then a blue fronted amazon ;) . The price difference between Australia and OS in regards to exotics is crazy due to the laws. OS i got my african grey for $150 lol and maccaws would go for $500.
 
Last edited:
I owned a scarlet macaw when I was in Italy.... their an amazing animal but the neighbours will hate you. They are incredibly intelligent and social, and like Jamie said, unless your prepared for their extreme needs then maybe not the right choice.
 
macaws need alot of attention. try getting an eclectus parrot there nice birds ive got a male and a female and there friendly and are still a bigger sort of bird the males are more friendlier i think ahah
I was gonna get one but I can't afford a $650 bird to be honest.
 
Those of you who breed birds are very committed! I sometimes help my parents out with theirs during my uni holidays and those things are a damn handful. I don't know if there is an animal on this planet that is higher maintenance :lol: . I'll stick to feeding my snakes fortnightly thanks ;) .
 
birds are a lot of work, but its very rewarding
with hand raised and companion birds they do become very clingy and are just like having a perminant 2yr old kid around.

comitment is key for a happy healthy featherd friend
 
Especially when you hand raise clutches at a time. I had to cut down my collection due to time restraints. I used to have to take birds with me everywhere i go no joke. To work, to uni, on dinner dates !!! Just to make sure everyone gets fed on time etc..
 
I was gonna get one but I can't afford a $650 bird to be honest.

$650 is likely an unweaned eckie, unless you're very experienced youre likely to have trouble. $750 is the cheapest weaned eckie I've seen, the average is around $900
 
Picture didn't work :) but the link does,
There are some incredible artists around and he is one of them. Its an Awesome macaw tattoo
 
Thats why i posted both lol, i doubted the picture would work :) He is an amazing artist. But one artist i dream of having his work on me is Carlos Torres, its unbelievable stuff..
 
Definatly a scam dont even think about sending them money there are breeders here that sell Macaws are very exspensive though about 8 thousand each I think try amazing amazon one of APS sponsers
 
I love macaws.......but i have an indian ring neck......& my neighbours hated me within a week of moving him in! :lol: Nah, he is alright, he is talking much more lately, so his 'screaming' isnt so constant, & he really does have such an awesome personality.......but when he wants something.......he wanted it 10mins ago! Definately the most demanding of my pets.....very picky with who he will talk to, even more picky with who can look at him.......he loves my kids, but HATES my partner! :lol:
 
LOOL Bel711, they all have different crazy personalities. My favourite bird i have ever owned would def be an african grey. Sometimes their intelligence downright scares you loool. They pick up on things so quick, he had a sliding chain that had a kind of a little pin thing and then at the end you had to lift the chain in a V shape. He opened it first go through the bars lol. And he would just say all these random weird words that i got no idea where he heard them from lool and you had to be careful who was sitting in earshot :$ lool because he would actually swear to specific names, so if that person heard him it wouldnt be too pleasant :)
 
Last edited:
what about an african grey parrot? same sort of needs to a macaw :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Back
Top