Mini-macaws

[Kathleen]

The interactions that I've had with some baby/juvenile mini-macaws has led me to believe they are really skiddish, while baby/juvenile larger macaw species were friendly.

Are mini-macaws a skiddish species of birds? Or were they just not being properly socialized like the larger macaws?

[MissLady9902]

My friend has a severe macaw which is considered a mini-macaw.
That bird is NOT shy. I would rather take on her amazon than her macaw!
I think it depends on the birds. They may not be as socialized or they may just be a shy bird.

[areta]

I have ara nobilis. they are like conures.

[MissLady9902]

I met a Noble Macaw at a pet store. He was very sweet!

[pchela]

They are not skittish as a species. It was just the individual birds you met. Mini macaws are generally friendly and very playful.

[Kathleen]

It's rare that I get to interact with different species of parrots, so I guess it is easy for me to base an opinion on one experience (or only a few experiences)... but I figured it was just those ones! Thanks.

[Lady]

We have had our Severe Macaw for about five years. She (altho I am believing she is a he) is a wonderful bird, but at the same time quite demanding.
Is there anyone currently active on this forum that has a mini? Altho we have had her for sometime we have not been as attentive with her as I am trying to be these days.
It would be great to chat with someone who has had the pleasure of owning one, meantime, I will continue to read and learn from all the post I find here.
Since reconnecting with her I have mainly been spending two days a week in constant companionship with her. Most of the rest of the week we get about an hour sometimes more sometimes less. I have not been doing any teaching or training but more watching and learning about her all over again as if she has just arrived. She likes to stay in her cage but the door is always open when we are together. Sometimes she will come out and stand on the door of the cage when she wants more face to face attention. She will also come to the bottom of the cage step onto the seed catcher and let me pet her head.
Mostly always when I am eating something, she wants some too.
Her diet is seed, fresh fruit and will eat some raw veggies. She likes rice and cheerios and just about anything I'm eating. She likes most can veggies as well as frozen that was cooked and if it is in a bag that makes noise she wants to know what you have!

[Pajarita]

No Cheerios, please! They are meant for human consumption so they are formulated for human dietary needs, not avian. They are very high in iron and damage birds' liver. And although rice is good, I hope we are talking about brown rice cooked without salt because white with salt is not good for them (simple carbs which end up as fat in the liver and salt which damages their kidneys).

I had a Noble and a Hahn's pair for 6 years when I had the rescue. They are called 'mini macaws' but should be called 'glorified conures' instead -LOL

[Lady]

No Cheerios, please! They are meant for human consumption so they are formulated for human dietary needs, not avian. They are very high in iron and damage birds' liver. And although rice is good, I hope we are talking about brown rice cooked without salt because white with salt is not good for them (simple carbs which end up as fat in the liver and salt which damages their kidneys).

I had a Noble and a Hahn's pair for 6 years when I had the rescue. They are called 'mini macaws' but should be called 'glorified conures' instead -LOL

Oh, thank you for that incite altho the cherrios are given rarely, I will be sure Lady gets no more in the future. We don't have them in the house often but sometimes when the grand-daughter stops by for a visit.
Yes, cooked brown rice, with no salt made just for her on occasion.
Humm, glorified conures, guess I can start applying some of the information I read here to her to see just how well she fits with it.
We are still just hanging out with each other with really not much 'training' going on. Will have to see how she is feeling about things today!

[Pajarita]

Well, with the minis is not only a matter of bird people's opinion that they are more like conures than large macaws, it's also genetics - their DNAs are so similar to each other that they often interbreed and always produce fertile hybrids.