I fell in love with the large macaws when I was 15. I always knew I would someday own and breed macaws. They just have a very special place in my heart. Those little faces look so sweet, they look so innocent, like the are actually smiling at you. They are very comical. They go through all kinds of antics in their cages as if to say..".Aren't I cute? Hmm? Hmmm? Will you take me out now?" Then they will do something else and look at you again as if to say, "well...what about now???? Will you take me out now?? Did I look cute enough?" There simply isn't anything like it in the world.

When the babies are just learning to perch they will start by leaning on a perch then look at you as if to say..."see Mom...I'm a big boy!!"...keep in mind these perches are 1 inch off the bottom of the cage. They melt my heart each and every time.

As they grow, they start to climb up to perch and make the attempt to climb on the swing. I remember one particular time when I had a few macaw babies in one of my cages. Well the first one makes it on the swing, and of course that's the oldest of the group. Now he doesn't want his brothers to get up on the swing too, so in about a week the brother tries to get on the swing and the older brother just sways the swing just a little so the younger guy just can't get up there. In a few minutes you hear a little screaming "AHHHHHHHHHH !!!" I just have to laugh!! They were just like a couple of kids fighting over the same toy, and is a classic example of the playful and intelligent personality of the large macaw.

I have a gentleman who bought one of my hyacinth babies, named Goliath. Goliath was featured on National Geographic. The gentleman also bought a blue and gold. The Blue and Gold would crack his own mixed in-shell nuts, but could not crack the macadamia nuts. The Blue and Gold would give the macadamias to Goliath and actually put the nut into the beak of this baby Hyacinth and wait for the him to crack the nut. Then the Blue and Gold would gently take the macadamia nut out of the mouth of the Hyacinth. Obviously those birds are good buddies!! Now, if you can trust your friend to crack
your nuts for you, you are in good hands.

I incubate hatch and handfeed from day one every 45 minutes around the clock with each one of my babies. With a schedule like that, with as many babies as we have, I naturally get very, very tired. But I love the macaws so much that I don't mind a bit. All birds are special, but the Large Macaws are very near and dear to my heart. When they are young, I carry them in baskets through the house with me. They all have their own toys and they get lots of play time. They watch tv and they have a particular fondness for children's shows due to the bright colors, intonation and music that usually accompany these programs.

Macaws can be very possessive . I stress possessive, but not aggressive. They have the attitude that if they have something it is their's, if you have it...it's theirs, if they see it, it's theirs, if they don't see it, it's theirs. If you pick it up, they want it; if you put it down it's theirs; if its blue it's theirs; if it isn’t blue it's theirs. If they aren't interested in something, but another bird picks it up, then its theirs. This is your permanent 2 year old and they strictly adhere to The Toddler Property Laws. Just like any well-parented child, your Macaw can be the love of your life, your pride and joy and learn to maintain the boundaries set for them by their parents... first by me, and then by you.

I just love everything about these big birds. They way they look, feel, smell, touch, climb all over you. Even the way they think they can get away with something. But when you walk over to them they give you the sweet innocent look...as if to say "Who me?...not me Mom...it was the other guy that did that", well simply put, I can't imagine anything else I'd rather be doing than spending my rest of life breeding the Large Macaws.

Warmly,
- Chris Petrosh, Proprietor All Macaws
 

Chris is the owner of two web-based mailing lists, which are highly encouraged for the Macaw owner, or the future Macaw owner. Please feel free to join her lists to converse with other Macaw owners, breeders and to learn and share about the joy in the heart of All Macaws, the Large Macaws.

All Macaws Mailing List:

http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/allmacaws

Hyacinth Macaw Mailing List

http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/hyacinthmacaw

Thank you for visiting, and we welcome you to peruse our website to see all of the wonderful offerings we are proud to bring to you and your birds.

- Chris, Nick and Stephanie
The All Macaws Team