Harley
.:Meet Harley Bird:.
Welcome to Harley's page!
About Harley
Harley is a very special bird. We found her at a bird show almost two years ago and my dad fell in love. I, on the other hand, was terrified of that...huge beak! I had been bitten by both lovebirds and eclectus, and I knew that hurt. All I could think about was how bad that bite would hurt. I knew that macaws were loud, messy, and could throw temper tantrums that would make a toddler proud.
I hand fed her and weaned her, just wanting to get it over with. I passed her off to my brother, and about 3 months later, my mom suggested we sell her. She didn't think anyone really cared about her. But suddenly, a voice said "Let me try, let me take care of her". From what my mom said, that was me, but I don't remember saying that. Well, I decided to try; I learned about macaws and came to love Harley so very, very much! She is not loud, she does not throw temper tantrums, and has never bitten me hard. I love her more and more every day!
Remember to...
Be sure to check back soon. We will soon have the Family Album up and ready for viewing!
Life with Harley
Ok, lets be honest, living with a macaw is not as easy or hard as most people think. They are... different from most birds. They are big, and require a lot of space. Most people don't have the money for a macaw, and therefore get one, not fully understanding the responsibility of haveing one. They have a rather expensive diet. I feed Harley 2/3 cup of seed. This is high quality seed, SunSeed is the brand. It is very nice and Harley loves it. But, her diet also contains a lot of fruits and veggies. I give her as much variety as possible. I firmly believe that a bird with a varied diet lives a happier life. I also feed her Harrison's High Potency pellets. These pellets have the fats that macaws need to thrive. She also gets a half cup of unshelled nuts daily to supplement.
Harley has a large dome top cage filled with toys. Most of these toys are ones that she can chew, shed and destroy. A macaw needs these to prevent boredom. They need a big, roomy cage- the bigger the better! Flii it with perches on different levels and of different materials. Favorites here are cholla, sandy perch, rope, lava rick and natural wood. Remember, perches should be treated like toys. They are meant to be destroyed and replaced periodically.
Which One?
Personally, I prefer B&G's, because that is the only macaw I have ever owned. They are great to have, and make such great companions!
Whatcha Doin'?
Don't forget to check out the Other Info page for links to great macaw forums and more!
Behind the Scenes
Macaws are known to be destructive. Bottom line, it isn't their fault! If you let your bird loose and alone, don't be shocked when that antique dresser you have had forever has had some new carpentry work done on it. They are just going to do it, no matter what. If you give them toys, they are usually more interested in them, but nonetheless, we cannot blame our bird for chewing. Always supervise your bird; never leave them alone. They are naturally curious, so keep that in mind!
