When are your MACAWS hormonal?

[Karen]

It's often mentioned that Spring and Hormones go hand in hand with Parrots.

My experience is limited to the past 11 years and only with 2 Green Winged Macaws but by the time Spring hits my birds are done with hormones and are into their molting cycle.

They start into their hormonal period at approximately the last week in October - 1st. week in November and that carries through to approximately the end of January - beginning of February.

Both are molting now. My elder girl 50+ no longer lays or shows much hormonal activity, but she is molting at the same time as my male who does experience and display hormonal tendencies.

What cycle do your adult Macaws follow?

[Macaw Lover]

Knock on wood, not much at all around here and I hope it stays that way too.

[kendrafitz]

Rosie is going to be 4 in April, so I don't believe she is there yet.

She is going through an ugly molt right now. She is a very cranky, prickly girl. But she molts all year long.

[kendrafitz]

Karen - are your GWs bonded? How long have they been together?

[Karen]

Karen - are your GWs bonded? How long have they been together?

They are each unfortunately bonded to me and cannot be in beaks reach of each other or damage would be done. My old gal is blind now so we are very vigilant to assure her safety. But as odd as it all is, they are visually bonded to each other and take comfort in each others presence and will complain if one is taken away without the other.

In their previous life before me they were in the same home, but I don't know for how long or what their connection was. They've been with me for 10 (Kita) and 11 (Kady) years.

[kendrafitz]

Karen - is it difficult for you with them both bonded to you? Do you have to deal with other jealousy behaviors?

[Karen]

Karen - is it difficult for you with them both bonded to you? Do you have to deal with other jealousy behaviors?

It is, I so wish they were bonded to each other so they could have a more natural bird life. I would never allow babies but I wish they had the constant companionship that Macaws need/crave.

The jealousy behaviors change but are always there, from my squeaky wheel; Kady (male). He will holler out if he sees that Kita is coming down from her high perch to come see me. That in turn scares Kita and because she can't see she hears his alarm call and assumes there is danger, so she heads back to her high perch. Ugh! I go get her so we can still spend time together but I hate that she gets scared and retreats.

We had an issue a few months ago where he was sounding the alarm when she went to her food dish and she would leave it without eating. Luckily we got past that one or I would have had to arrange a different location for her during the day so she would feel comfortable eating. I'm still monitoring her weight just to be certain he's not intimidating her.

Of course there's the usual bites that he gives when someone approaches, etc. Kady twists his feathers on his wings when something/anything goes on that he doesn't like. That's a difficult behavior to deal with.

We'll see what happens next.

Kita on the other hand is the most easy going bird (with me). If they were all like her, every home would have a parrot.

[kendrafitz]

Oh no, that is rough.

There are times I worry for Rosie not having a feathered friend. But she is so possessive of me I think there is a good chance adding a friend would be disastrous. She is a jealous girl. As I type I have to keep moving my iPad (at least 10 times now) bc she keeps trying to crush it in her beak. She is annoyed that I am paying attention to it and not 100% to her.