How to Care for Macaws

Buy your macaw an appropriate cage. The cage should have 5-mm bars, spaced at least 1 inch apart, and should be at least 36 inches by 48 inches, and 60 inches tall. Try to avoid buying a cage that is taller than you are.

You might want to consider a cage with at least three built-in bowl-holders. This allows you to easily provide your macaw with water, seed and pellets at all times, and saves you the trouble of having to buy and install removable bowl-holders on the inside of the cage. Built-in bowl-holders also give you easier access to the bowls when removing them. Do not leave bowl-holders empty, as it presents an opportunity for your macaw to injure itself. If you have nothing to put in an empty bowl, leave it empty, or turn the bowl upside down, depending on the style of the cage.

Buy three or four perches for your macaw's cage, and set them up so that it has access to all food and water bowls and toys. Place the perches at several different heights to allow your macaw to choose where it would like to perch. The perches should vary in material (such as natural wood, granite or acrylic), size and style. Your macaw should have a variety of perches, because over time the pressure on the same part of its feet will lead to discomfort, cramping, and even atrophy.

Perches can be bought according to label or diameter. Perches labeled for a large-size parrot are usually suitable to macaws. Or you can buy perches with a diameter of 1 1/2 to 3 inches.

Offer your bird a seed mixture formulated for a macaw. It should include dried fruits and vegetables and large seeds and nuts.

If you have a hyacinth macaw, check the mixture to make sure it contains macadamia nuts, as these are a vital part of a hyacinth's diet. If it doesn't buy some and add them to the mixture.

Offer your macaw pelleted bird food in a separate bowl, in addition to a seed mixture.

Change your macaw's water daily. Many parrots won't drink their water if it becomes dirty, so always make sure it's clean. Wash the bowl when changing water to prevent bacteria from growing.

Feed your macaw a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables regularly. Fruits and vegetables provide your macaw with vitamins and minerals that can't be found in seed mixtures and are vital for keeping your parrot healthy.

The following foods are healthy for your parrot: apples, pears, peaches, melons, strawberries, grapes, bananas, oranges, pineapples, mangos, cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, zucchini, brown rice, whole wheat noodles, oatmeal and natural yogurt.

Never feed your macaw any of the following: pits or seeds of any of the above fruits, avocado, olives, egg plant, rhubarb, asparagus, chocolate, butter, milk, cream and foods containing alcohol, caffeine, sugar, salt or nutmeg.

Buy toys for your macaw. Toys alleviate boredom, which leads to numerous bad habits, such as screeching and feather-picking. Parrot-supply websites and stores offer a wide variety of toys that are fun and safe for your macaw. Always keep at least three toys in your macaw's cage, and change them if your bird no longer seems interested. You can always put the toys it has become tired of back in at a later time.

Spend at least 30 minutes a day with your macaw, although at least an hour is usually advised. Keep in mind that you can never really spend too much time with your macaw; these are large parrots and need time out of the cage to be around people in order to be well-behaved members of a family.

Find a veterinarian who specializes in macaws. Schedule a visit to ensure that your bird is in good health and keep his or her contact information on hand in case of an emergency.

Locate a bird-groomer to trim your macaw's nails and wings. Regular nail clipping is important, because over time a Macaw's nails can grow so long it becomes difficult for it to perch. And keeping your macaw's wings clipped will prevent it from becoming lost should it find its way out an open door or window. It is not advised to trim your macaw's nails and wings yourself.