Excellent way to announce and showcase all the options you had with their pros and cons. You made the best choice possible. The world needs more responsible bird parents like you.
I think you have figured out how to give Mikey & Mia the most awesome life in captivity...Plus you get a small break from parrot sitting their every move without depriving them of their best life. 100% nailed having macaws.
For anyone having issues with hormonal birds, I have found that washing their cages down with vinegar water seems to really help. Part of what triggers it is the smell of their own hormones, and vinegar is one of the few safe but strong smells that you can use around them to clean things with. It also dissolves their poop really well, so 50/50 vinegar with just a little Dawn dishwashing liquid makes a really good cleaning solution for cages, floors, perches, anything in the bird room and the whole house. We don't use anything else because any other cleaners might hurt our birds. We have two Macaws and an African Grey, all from the bird rescue we are part of. None of them are paired up, but they still get hormonal in the springtime sometimes. And when we were fostering birds we sometimes had females that would lay eggs even when there were not any males in with them, as Daddy Human was saying. The vinegar water trick isn't perfect, but it seems to cut the hormonal season by a LOT, especially when you have multiple birds who's hormones set each other off, even when they are totally different breeds. One other reason for leaving the egg with the birds and trying to get them to give up on laying - birds can become egg-bound, which can kill them. Anything you can do to discourage them from getting overly hormonal and laying eggs is good. If they do lay eggs, make sure they have plenty of food, water, and some form of calcium available (cuttlebone, etc.)
@@MikeyTheMacaw I don’t think it’s the vinegar at all that is doing that. I think the major disruption to their cage setup scares them away from lying because they like routine and stability to lay eggs. Moving them out of their cages, washing everything down, and reassembling things in a new way causes too much disruption. For this very reason, my avian vet who has a female grey recommended that I completely rearrange my female grey’s cage before egg season to stop her from laying. She said even doing something like scheduling your annual vet visit right before egg season can stop laying because the stress of the vet trip stops the desire to nest. This has worked for my grey without the use of vinegar.
I don’t think it’s the vinegar. It’s the complete cleaning and rearranging of their cage that disrupts their sense of stability and desire to nest. My avian vet uses this technique, without the washing or vinegar, to stop egg laying and it works.
watch it, because vinegar, while healthy to drink (in small quantities) can interfere with calcium absorption, and thus lead to egg-binding. also, my vet says parrots don't have a sense of a smell. I think they do, just very poor. but I don't really think pheromones (hormonal smells) are a thing in parrots.
Yes I have heard the disrupting of a nesting option is usually what has them rethink their egg laying options. Also so glad you mentioned the dangers of being egg bound. Leaning into the super hormonal behavior is pretty stressful for the birds even if it is their natural instincts and desires, because they are not wild they are in captivity.
Just want to add one thing about the dummy eggs. I was advised by my avian vet to add at least 5 dummy eggs, as soon as my bird lays the first one. The factor that stops them laying eggs is how many eggs they can feel under their crop. My cockatiel can nurse about 9 eggs at once, so I add 8 dummies, as soon as the first one is out. Another danger is that birds run down on calcium and vit A when laying or molting. By the time the vets figured out what was going on, my younger cockatiel nearly died from calcium deficiency, after laying her second clutch. Thank God, she recovered with the right amount of supplements, but I ended up with serious health problems, from the months of not sleeping, eating and stress of losing her. :(
I just found your videos. I am amazed how great you educate everyone with truthful & important information. The love you have given to Mikey & Mia is outstanding ❤️. I wish you & your wife the absolute best!!! 😁😁 I would love to give a Macaw a forever home, I would need to talk to my son about taking the responsibility on after I am gone & also see if my grandson would be interested in having it also, on down the road. It would need to be a family commitment.
My female cockatiel has laid twice in her life. First I allowed her to raise a chick. I was a teen, was unaware of the dire situation on rescues. Figured I'd give the chicks away to new owners. She turned out to have a chronic laying issue. Having a full clutch did not stop the laying. She was at 20ish eggs by the time a chick hatched. Out of those eggs 3 were fertile. Being new parents, as soon as that chick hatched, the other eggs got abandoned. The other 2 fertile eggs went cold and died. She did finally stop laying though. I kept that chick and decided not to let it happen again. Several years later, she started laying again. I was nervous as I didn't want anymore birds and she might not stop until one hatches like last time. None were showing fertile. At around the 7th egg, things went wrong. Her wings were droopy. Picking her up, she could barely grip my fingers. She'd just laid an egg (I didn't notice a t the time, but it was broken. I only noticed it looked to have no shell on one side. She was a bit swollen near the vent. Went to emergency avian vet. Vet thought it was egg binding which I argued against. I knew what an egg inside felt like, the swelling was too soft and she just laid. I was more suspecting of calcium. Convinced vet to try a calcium shot as vet was suggesting she be put down. Egg binding needed surgery and nearest place to do that was 2 hours away, she likely wouldn't survive it. After an hour she looked much better. Taking her home, I went to far more extreme measures to stop the laying. I separated her from her mate. He was pretty upset about it, but it had to be done. Had her in a quiet dark room with her son (they share a cage. Son fights with dad otherwise). Reduced the daylight hours to maybe 4. She laid another egg a few days later which I immediately removed. (vet said to not bother with letting her sit on them.) Luckily, the very short sunlight, lack of activity in the room and being away from her mate, stopped her laying anymore. I still wonder if that last one was fertile as it remained a bright white, unlike the others that went a slightly off white. I reunited her with her mate and moved her back to the main room several days later. Still separate cages though and I delayed letting them out together for a while more. Put supplements in egg food for some time. She hasn't laid again since. I keep a strict wake up and sleep routine. She's likely too old to lay anymore, but I don't take the chance. I could have lost her that day.
I'm sure it was a really hard decision, but I agreed with you. Unfortunately there are so many birds need help and a new home. Mia and Mikey are great together and they couldn't have a better life than they have now thanks for you guys.
I think it’s nuts that your videos appeared encouraged people to get a bird, for me it absolutely did the opposite, if people can’t see the total hard work and dedication you put into caring for them is mind blowing! That’s a dedication I certainly don’t have! Don’t get me wrong, if I seen you both flying mikey and Mia out and about I’d love to talk to you and engage with them if they do chose to engage with me, but I absolutely would not want the responsibility of caring from them, I take my hat off to you both exemplary bird owners… people are deluded if they think they can honestly match your dedication 🤦🏼♀️
Let them have the baby and bring the baby back to the wild! there are macaw rehabilitation programs! Don't give them to other people because there aren't a lot of people that can provide the way you do and you even acknowledge the imperfections in your situation
A true ethical decision is never easy. You have definitely made the right choices with everything you do for your kids. You let them be birds and do what is natural. This is the very reason why I enjoy your channel. If I were in your shoes I would be taking the same actions with the eggs. I recently brought home a 25 yr old female blue and gold, she is healthy and sound but doesn’t fly. I’m not sure if she ever will which makes me sad. I’m just happy that she will have a good home for the rest of her days. I have older children that love animals of all kinds as I do. I know she will be in good hands after I leave this earth. Keep up the great work and educating!
My cockatiel and gcc are my everything but I still feel bad that I could never give them the fullest life they deserve in the wild. This video is very informative and I love how you emphasize that birds belong in the wild and give Mikey and Mia the chance to follow those instincts which is a lot more than most people do.
Excellent hard hitting and brutally honest but necessary video. Thanks for posting it and I hope Mia gets over this season quickly and back to “normal” life! ❤
I first want to say that you guys inspire me so much and I respect your channel immensely. You made the right decision. I am a rising zookeeper and have worked with macaws and small parrots and have seen first hand what negligence from pet trade looks like in birds. Thank you for taking such good care of your birds and for using your presence to educate rather than exploit. I wanted to offer some suggestions as well for dummying eggs based on my experience if you'd accept it: 1. freezing the eggs offers a more "humane" way of euthanasia and will reduce cracking 2. if you can put forth the effort, making permanent dummy eggs by drilling, blowing out, and epoxy/wax filling the eggs will create a sturdy option as well and will prevent calcium deficiencies if Mia kept continuing to lay eggs If you see this at all, just know that the bird community applauds you on your efforts and struggles and I hope that you and your birds continue to live happy and healthy. The suggestions above are in no way to criticize your efforts, they are merely other suggestions to consider if need be :)
I def second the freezing of eggs. It's more reliable, and retains the consistency of the eggs soluble insides. And it should provide a more authentic 'decease process' of the egg for Mia. Especially since the boiled egg is much denser.
I think y'all are absolutely doing the right thing here. Letting birds be birds but not adding to the problem either ❤I spent a couple years working at a pet store that was involved with bird breeding and baby parrots, some owners were great but they were few and far between, the overall attitudes I saw and the mis information being spread was heartbreaking for me, I did my best to properly educate and care when and where I could but it was and still is always an uphill battle..
You are wonderful owners, and I think any hate you get will be completely wrong. The reality is no, of course you can't maintain a new bird or two every year. It is indeed less cruel to just destroy the egg (shake or boil as you said) than hatch birds that will just end up euthenized in shelters. I love how much you appreciate what these gorgeous birds need not just to survive but thrive in happy, healthy lives. There is no question how much love, time, and effort you put into Mikey and Mia. All the best to you
Poor mummy Mia, you both deserve hugs and love. You both made the responsible, ethical and kindest choice. Maybe a silly question but can birds not be neutered somehow? I obviously have no idea but am looking forward to Mia’s birthday.🦜❤
@@bugloverspiderlover8490 hi, I can’t believe that you love spiders- I know that they do a fantastic job… but I’m terrified of them, doesn’t help living in Australia
My BG lays about one clutch a year despite my attempts to stop it (by lighting, not allowing her to 'mate' against me, etc) but the only thing you can do with females is hormone therapy- which is stressful and expensive. So I just let her sit her eggs till she realizes they aren't hatching and gets back to normal life- about 28 days.
I support you guys through and through. Thank you for giving this so much thought and considering every single option. Mikey and Mia are not only lucky to have you, but their entire breed is as well. You both are amazing ambassadors for the breed. As a B&G macaw owner myself of a 16 y/o girl, I completely agree with everything you said and often have regrets about what I contributed to. I was young and ignorant. Knowing what I know now, I would go with option 1 as well. All the best for you guys 🙏🏽🙏🏽
thank you so much for this video. i'm a bird owner myself (have a cockatiel and a green-cheek conure) and it's really disturbing how many birds get rehomed and are bred to have traits that are harmful to them (or forced to breed far too often than is healthy for them). i'm planning on volunteering at a parrot rescue soon, i would love to help give these rehomed birds another chance at life. i've always been impressed with how well you take care of mikey and mia, it's amazing how healthy and happy they are. and that was definitely a hard choice to make but it seems like the least harmful option out there.
I have a pair of GCCs that are very bonded. One year, my female laid 7 nice eggs. As I was pondering what to do, I watched her take each egg and drop it off the edge of her cage and made sure it broke. She had no intention of being a mama.
Almost all my birds are rescues, the rest are birds that needed rehomed for one reason or another. I like to think I've given my birds better homes than they had before. I've been trying to help the ones I can for years now and we definitely need more people like you too to spread knowledge about these birds.
Hey guys, that was very emotional for you. I felt it, too. But I am with you 100%. I do think you made the right decision, about the eggs, about not wanting to make more videos, about the breeding industry. Damn, seeing those cockatoos in bottles broke my heart. Especially because I have an Umbrella myself. By the time he got to be with me, he had already been in two homes. The audacity that breeder had to even contact you and talk about the birds as stock. It disgusts me so much! I know I have a bird myself, but I never saw him as entertainment. I just wanted to make sure he was going to have the best life for the rest of his life. I made a vow to him that he would never ever be discarded again like last night's dinner. We have been together for eight years now, many, many more to come because he is only just 19. How do we stop this insanity? I don't think I would be able to go on myself if I was confronted with all those horrors on a daily. Good luck with raising the money at Mia's birthday. I can't make it myself. I live in the Netherlands, and the baby is just too nervous of a bird to venture out in the world. My love to mummy human; it has been really hard on her.
I’ve said it a thousand times, but it is SO important… we, as humans, fail animals 100% of the time. Both our birds are rescues from troubled situations, and we were not at all prepared at that time for what that entails. We made it passed the five-yr mark, but these birds were never meant to be in captivity. Your videos have helped us feel a whole lot less guilty for feeling the struggles and being open about them. Thank you! If you find out that way to release them and know they’ll be okay, we’d be most interested to know! ❤
Thank you for this video! I think you’re making the best choice for Mikey and Mia in their situation. You give those macaws such a great life - the best life for captive parrots. And the way you mention taking babies from other species as explanation for breeding these birds is genius - I never thought of it that way. So many parrots do get the worst outcome it is so hard to give them what they need. Wild is best but they are here so we do the best we can. Please think lots before deciding to bring a baby parrot or any parrot home. I recommend your videos to every new or possibly new parrot owner. Thank you!!
I can't believe that the message some people took from your videos was to buy a macaw. I think your videos are very educational about what happens to birds in captiviry, the trauma of rehoming them and what happens to those that aren't rehomed. You show the joy they bring you, but I've never felt that you've tried to hide all the time that goes into caring for them, how hard it is, all the training, the destruction of your home etc. I appreciate you talking about the stealing of eggs from the wild, and the negative effect breeding birds has. I 100% understand your decision and definitely agree that it was the right one to make.
I work with a parrot rescue now. I found them after getting 3 babies, parakeets and cockatiels. I’ll never shop again. Thank you for this video, especially about breeders. We have been at capacity for over a year. Every spot opened by an adoption is instantly filled and our waiting list is a year long
I love that you educate! I love that Bird Tricks tries to help save the birds by educating on training and hopefully can stay in their home. But you are really sharing the very hard part and reality!! Thank you!
This video needs at least a billion more views. Thank you for making such a thoughtful and heartfelt video that is complex and nuanced. Parrots deserve to be thought highly of and given dignity the way you both treat Mikey and Mia. I just wish this video could be seen by everyone thinking of getting a parrot. Your wisdom and bravery to say what needs to be said is incredibly inspiring. You both show up for birds that desperately need people to stick up for them. Thank you and I aspire to be as wise and brave as you two.
I love your hearts for Mike and Mia and the compassion but also that your educating everyone. As hard as it is it is an understanble situation and that your both trying your best to try and comfort/ensure they are happy in this process ❤
I have learned so much from your warm, wonderful, loving videos. Thank you for explaining everything. It’s like the people who hang out at our local gas station, with a box of puppies for sale. So sad. Your sweet birds are with you for decades. You have an ethical choice. Thanks for sharing and educating.
Great video. I totally understand how you guys must feel about the "right" choice to make. I think you picked the best option... Hugs to you and scratches to Mickey and Mia! 💜
Thank you for talking about this! It's really important to discuss these things, and it's easy to avoid doing so by just upload videos showing snapshots of the "cute" moments. I really respect and admire you educating the world of the down sides to owning a parrot!
Honestly I made the commitment to adopt my macaw a few years back, saved her from an abusive home. It was not something that we planned on however it worked out for both my Macaw and I that we were both in a spot where we needed each other, and I had the means; emotional, financial, space, patience, a tenacity for screeching, and it was after when I was trying to find how to care for her that my mom and I (my daughters primary caretakers) have found your videos to be very informative. I agree with everything you said. They are not easy to raise, and I emphasize the amount of patience you need to have to be a macaw owner is infinite. I knew going into this that this would be a long term commitment (until the grave) because I refuse to re-home her. I was the first time she had been re-homed and the process was so traumatic for her. Thankfully she’s doing a lot better; /I am slowly training her to be more comfortable around humans (keeping in mind her previous owner was abusive) and she’s starting to come around. But what I do for my kid is nothing compared to how much you both enrich both Mikey and Mia. My bird started nesting constantly two months in (all duds she is an only child) but the first time I watched her care for her egg it was really difficult because she would refuse to eat or drink water, but as she kind of started nesting more and often it did become worrisome because it’s not good for her long term health. We are actually working on this at the moment with the vet. But I really think you went into detail as much as you could and I agree with a lot of what you said. In the end what ever decision you and Mia’s mommy made is the best one. Only you both know what is best for you.
My 14 yr old girl has laid 3 sets of eggs over about 5 years. All unfertilized. I do what I can to prevent it- dark/light schedules, feed, no touching her lower body, etc. But it does occasionally happen. I let her sit them until she is done, normally 25-28 days. I would never want to stress her by removing them. She just naturally and slowly loses interest. She remains cuddly through the sitting and wants me to be with her and preen her while she is sitting on them. She doesn't mind if I touch them at all. I try to dissuade it for her health.
Maybe next year before Mia has laid her own eggs, is it an idea to pop in 2 fake ones to possibly stop her laying her own? 🥚🥚Wonder if that could be an option or not? x
@@MikeyTheMacaw I don't know if she'd know. If she went into the "nest" & found the eggs & they were a warm temperature, she may want to nurture them. Good luck x
I think I've watched the vast majority of your content about these two lovely birds, the trials and tribulations over the years. An evolving story that will last your entire lives, I wholeheartedly believe you will do what is best for these birds and yourselves during the shared family life. The passion both of you show to educate the viewers about macaws is unrivalled. Tbh I was a bit sad to hear you pulled back on content due to the potential impact it may have on people buying the babies and perpetuating the cycle. But the resolve to hold onto your beliefs and not be swayed, by money, internet fame etc. Staying true to the course of education demands nothing but respect. Best wishes for the future
Thank you so much for this video, so many valuable points made. I truly hope people can learn from it. I’ve rescued a parrot that unfortunately passed away from an untreated illness a few years ago. I understand how much time, dedication and commitment it takes to care for a bird in a way they deserve. Your blog is truly valuable!
Don't feel bad, you are doing the right thing with the eggs. I am lucky that I have two female birds and their eggs are never fertile. But they do need to sit on the eggs, to stop them from laying more. Great video, as always, and very informative.
well said..... as a teenager I fell in love with a Scarlet ... and sadly watch her come and go.... rehomed.... 14 times in 6 yrs ....I hope she landed well in a loving home..... love and hugs to JOSIE
I’m so grateful for this video and any like it. Birds are absolutely wild animals born to fly and be free. Poaching from the wild, smuggling and/or selling birds is not good for the birds in any way. If you are a person who wants to and can give a bird the best possible home…please rescue them. 🙏
Absolutely everything you've said I fully agree with. Like Mummy Human, I've had birds since I was 6. The first one was the only one which was bought from a shop after being bred - a cockatiel. EVERY other one has been a rescue. My Moluccan Bilbo, recently passed away (3 weeks ago) aged 28 - he was 9 when he came to us and we promised him we were now his forever home. I wish it had been longer but we did what we could to keep him happy. We may have another one day - but again, it will only be one that needs a home to stop the passing around cycle. In terms of nesting, Our rescue budgie Fatkin, decided she was going to have babies when we bought a male rescue in. (Not sure he knew precisely what was happening but she certainly did). She laid three clutches between the January and July. One viable in the first clutch, 2 in the second and 3 in the third. We kept them all. We even had "grandchildren" from a male from the last clutch and another rescue female - 5 in that one. All lived with my family to the end of their natural days (this was 30 years ago). The choice you made, is the kindest for all. A flock of budgies is one thing. A flock of macaws is a completely different thing. Allowing the baby(ies) to grow up and then find homes for them, whether paid for or not, will never bring peace. Always wondering....will those babies-into-adult-birds, be happy and stay with the home that was found. Bravo to you both. Hugs to Mummy Human. 🫂
@@MikeyTheMacaw Very welcome. I have also had cockatiels (we boarded two!) a Maroon bellied Conure named Snuggles who was such an aristocratic little lady and my beloved girl. She left me in 2008 of old age. Slipped away in my Dad's protective and loving hands. My parents have also rescued doves and pigeons who also saw very old age (in their 20s!!!), due to my parents' care, but now they have just another conure (a rehome) a Caique (very much a rescue as lived 14 years in a pub and was not treated well and a Citron Crested Cockatoo (also a rescue). Despite having so many birds in my nearly 50 years (not quite there yet!), I have still learned so much from you, Mummy Human. Mikey and Mia. Thank you. 🙏 Maybe one day I can come to one of your meet ups - I'm only about an hour and half away from you now.
Everything you said here is correct and accurate. Thank you for posting this; we need more people who own parrots to be truthful and responsible about owning a parrot because they're not toys; they're living creatures, and they require time, love, attention, and care. Thank you 🙏🏽
I thought about getting a bird like that and decided that I would do that for my own entertainment. I love watching animals living in the wild doing what they do without interference from me.
If only there was a way to release them back into the wild 🙏 Hats off to you guys. How horrible is it to have to decide if two beings that are in love can become parents. I would be an emotional wreck and cry my eyes out. I do think you guys made the right decision. Lots of hugs and kisses especially for Mia and of course Mikey and the two of you.
Letting them pursue their natural behaviours is going to make for happy birds, letting them nest, with all the hormones driving them, is definitely one of those times that will improve their lives, making sure the egg dosnt hatch is just the most sensible way to deal with this. I applaud your decision, not the easiest way to go but definitely the most ethical. Love to All !
Totally agree with what you have done. If you can’t guarantee a home then it’s the kindest thing to do. Way to many birds needing homes anyway. I don’t have a Macaw because I can’t give them a 100% perfect home. Instead I love watching you guys.
Amazing video, We have a pair of Umbrella cockatoos and run into the same problem every year ,( both rescues, by the way) We have tried both the dummy eggs and just letting her sit on her eggs after shaking them. Nothing has ever hatched or will ever hatch. Bella tends to lose interest a month after she lays and pushes them out of her nest. Milo our male couldn't care less, as he would rather hang with us. She's also a sweet bird who allows us to handle them the whole time she is sitting on them. I do agree it is a very tough decision to make, its heartbreaking, but it is the right one. Way too many birds in rescues, or abused, or kept in dark cages in basements, used for breeding purposes. Keep on doing what your doing, more people need to see living with parrots is not all rainbows and butterflies. But it is so worth it, when you gain their trust and love. Patience and time is a beautiful thing.
@@MikeyTheMacaw one thing im very happy you are WRONG about is that there doesnt seem to be any angry people like you stated in the beginning the video; everybody seems supportive. you made the right decision I believe too, no matter how hard. You guys are wonderful; dont have a parrot but love learning about them, Sending much love
This is the BEST Video I've EVER Listened to! I was screaming PREACH when you were talking about taking animal babies for our entertainment! Thank You So Much for talking about this!💜🥰💛🥰💜
@@MikeyTheMacaw You said Everything in this video I've said Most of my Life! I used to be a Foster Parent for Dogs and Cats and even a Guinea Pig. I wish people would realize when they're breeding these animals non-stop how many of them will end up abused, malnourished, handed from one owner to another without a second thought, end up in Foster Homes, and sometimes euthanized. It's So Very Cruel to put an animal through that because someone looks at their animal as a possession rather than part of the family! Again, Thank You So Much for Making This Video! I noticed there were some people upset in the comment section. Just know you did what was right for your family and your birds! 💜🥰💛🥰💜
Hi! Wow! Mia's first eggs? Life got busy for me and I haven't had time to check on my favorite parrot parents! I clearly have some catching up to do! Much love from myself and my scaled babies! (I'm the greenwing furusiter that loves to wear your merch if you remember haha!) Take care and keep up the phenomenal work! Always happy to see you all! ❤
Hi, me and my rescue macaw, Charlie, love watching your videos and want to thank you for educating people. Your video about Mia's first eggs with your talk about breeding is absolutely spot on! Congratulations and all the best from Charlie, me and my partner, Craig. We are volunteer carers with Newcastle and Hunter Valley Bird Rescue in Australia and we love seeing what other bird lovers are doing to help unwanted and lost birds.
Nesting is natural. You can't stop it, and Mikey has marked his territory. I think the flights are probably easier because they have a nest. Mummy human, please don't cry 😢, I know you've done ultimately what's best for Mikey and Mia. ❤ Oh, Mikey and Mia are definitely a thing .. Life happens, and today, I'm buying a macaw cage to help my friend out. It's not permanent (yet), but I've known the macaw since he was brought home, so he's coming to holiday at mine whilst his owner sorts out his home. Now I'm rambling 😂😂 P.S you did the right thing ❤
I can see you have really thought this through, and as hard as it was to decide on choice number 1, you took the most responsible to the overbreeding and homeless all over the globe from irresponsible breeders. There was a documentary that came out years ago on PBS titled 'Parrot Confidential', everyone who is considering a parrot in their life needs to watch this first. This was a hard choice no doubt. I hope that soon Mia returns back to her less broody self and is ready to hang out and celebrate her upcoming Birthday. Thanks for sharing, always great to see and hear your words of wisdom.
Awe! I know it was a difficult decision, but I also think it was the best. I rescued a 19 yr old B&G with hopes to be able to free fly her so she can do all the macaw things, but I found out at her 1st visit to the vet that she had sustained multiple wing injuries that weren’t treated and will not be able to fly. 😢 Her play areas are set up with vertical ropes in hope to help strengthen and give her as much exercise as possible with not being able to fly. We love your content and thank you for all you do! 💙💛💙💛
What I’ve found helps is keeping it a bit darker and colder during longer, warmer months, might make them think it’s winter, any fat at all like nuts and seeds can be cut back a bit, you can sprout all your seeds to make them less fatty and increase more of the healthy foods, this has always worked for me and I’ve had male/female birds of the same species together, it may work for you too!
Excellent vid. Traffickers of any species are the worst subhumans on Earth. Hurts my heart to know of all the parrot rescues filled with unwanted birds.😢 Having/caring for a bird and is a lifelong commitment.
You are soooooo awesome first, to make this VERY important video, and second to be the best humans that you can. Our cockatoo is 28 years old now and for the last ten years has laid eggs off and on. We do not have a male cockatoo; we have a male CAG (so has never been bred). We let her keep the eggs and she eventually gets bored so she lets me, mommy human, remove the eggs. I have a little box that we keep all her previous eggs (I'm sure you know this, but the egg shell is porous enough that the innards eventually dry out). I totally believe that we humans should let our birds be natural; flying laying eggs, whatever. Thank you for this really incredible video.
I understand how hard that decision is as I had to do the same for my crimson bellied conures. Conures get pumped out 10 to the dozen with no care of what their next possible 20plus years are gonna be like. The longer I have birds and the more i learn about them, I too realise that really they shouldn’t be pets. Great video and excellent on point rant 👍🏽😊
Next year I think you should try giving a proper macaw size nest box for them to have. I think the one in the aviary was too open& exposed to light. Also with the right amount of bedding in it, u shouldn't have problems with rolling eggs cracking. Allow boiled eggs to cool by sitting at room temp. Dummy eggs are best. I've had a shaken egg hatch. Also freezing didn't work.
You can probably contact a wildlife conservation party that can advise you what to do with future eggs if you want to attempt sending wild birds back into nature. It is actually very common for people to mail eggs for artificial incubation, the most common are farm grade birds like chicken, quail, and duck, and sometimes emu eggs are shipped, along with ostrich eggs getting shipped around. The thing is just packaging them correctly and labeling. A bird egg has a window of inert stasis, wherein it is fertile but semi-living but not growing, not until the parents begin 'brooding' or sitting the eggs. That is when the temperature is raised to incubation, and then the yolk and embryo inside begins actively growing. This window of time is to ensure that all viable eggs are laid and then incubated simultaneously, thus the chicks hatch at the same time. I have absolutely no idea how long this window is before the egg does die from lack of warm or stimulation, but it probably varies between species of birds. Im just going off from other incubation videos. I have never seen a video or such of someone shipping parrots eggs, likely due to the value of these birds and the risks involved. But if your alternative is dispose of the eggs to prevent captive birds, it might be worthwhile to check with an established conservation team and see if there is a route to put more of these animals back into the wild. Even if its not this year or next year, it could be something to explore in future. But agreed, you can't control where the future 20(+) mini-M&Ms go after they are adopted out.
You did the right thing! I also try my best so my female doesn't lay eggs. The thing is I don't want her to lay eggs at all, because of the risk of her not passing the egg. So when the time arrives, I give them less food to not motivate them. But I have already 6 dummy eggs just in case. If she ever lays one, I will replace it with the dummies right away.
You did the right thing. You're keeping Mia as happy as possible, but letting her do her thing as she might in the wild. Some birds aren't fertile, unfertile eggs happen. Hopefully many with similar situations will watch this and help with the bird population.
I think you have made the right decision. Sometimes the hardest one and the right one are the same. My partner and I have one budgie and he has had hormonal problems since he was about two years old (he's now five and a half). He requires a visit to the exotics vet every 3-5 weeks for a shot depending on how he's travelling. To properly care for birds takes a lot of time and money and most people just don't realise what a huge commitment it is. My partner and I talked about getting a macaw once and we just decided the commitment was too big for us and if it were to develop a medical problem like our current bird has I can't even imagine the cost. So it was a no from us.
I have just found your videos & I know that 3 months has past but thank you for posting this. I cannot fully comprehend how difficult & heartbreaking this must have been for your both. My personal belief is that you did the right thing & very courageous of you to film so honestly. I agree that if you can convince just 1 person not to buy a baby, it's worth it. I managed to convince my neighbour to let me "look after" his parrots "for awhile". Heavily medicated he had carers as he could not look after himself so a family member thought 8 lovebirds was a perfect gift. 6 died very quickly, in my care they were out of their cage for the first time in their life & eating fresh food. I cannot accurately describe the squaller, starvation & dehydration. For the 5 years I had them I could never touch them but they would come to me & sit on me or on my desk whilst I was working. They are not decoration or "a beginner pet". Sorry for the rambling - thank you so much for what you do. Your positive impact is more than you know! Thank you!
100% sharing the point of view, thank you for your rambling ! Got really sad when I saw mommy human cry, we can say "how it's fine we'll boil them" all we want, but in front of the real situation, it seems heartbreaking.
From what I have seen with the wild birds around, they nest in places that are not their own sleeping grounds. Probably a territorial thing that the kids associate the nest as home - then they get kicked out and this is probably easier since the parents don't hang around the nest. Also changing nesting (though if it's a good spot they'll nest there every year) and sleeping sites keeps predators searching.
I just love that you covered this difficult topic. I now will never breed (once I get my Quaker!). Would love to see more on retraining from a sanctuary. Thank you for covering this.
I think you did an awesome job explaining the ins & outs of owning a bird. It is a huge responsibility, I applaud you for doing so! Thanks for the awesome video, I enjoyed it very much. At our age, it would not be a good idea, to take on that type of responsibility! You are that type of person and I applaud the both of you!
I went to a sanctuary here in Albuquerque. It is full of macaws and most of them are damaged in various ways. Terrible and heartbreaking. I start volunteering next week.
Thank you for this video, I love how you want to be part of teaching others about the reality of things instead of buying into the fantasy of having these as pets. A lot of the logic you're applying to having and breeding macaws applies to our entire meat industry too. It reminded me exactly of what we as humans do to animals in farms and what the meat and dairy industry put animals through for our taste buds
100% agree with everything you have said. I work with my local wildlife shelter in Australia and the shelter owner loves birds. The amount of domesticated parrots that are brought to her is staggering. She makes event effort to find the owners but usually no one claims them, even birds worth thousands of dollars. She most recently ended up with a macaw. She falls in love with them and has ended up with a lot staying full time at the shelter, taking up time and space that should be for all the other wildlife that she needs to raise or rehabilitate for release, like possums, reptiles, kangaroos, bats etc. It’s so sad, seeing them in cages and there is literally no where for them to go. They can’t be released, as they were born in captivity and would die if sent out to fend for themselves. These are pets that people have set free, because they no longer want them, they end up exhausted and starving, and eventually people find them or they go to a human for help, and they end up at the wildlife shelter because regular dog and cat shelters won’t take them. There is a parrot rescue group but they are always full to capacity. As you know, many of these parrots outlive their owners, which is a big problem. I am so happy to hear your opinion on all of this, goes to show that you truly do love your birds.
thankyou so much for the information you have imparted, whatever choice you go with .. it will be the right thing for you your partner and mikey and mia
Glad we found your channel!we inherited ours @ two years old after a former boss thought it would be GREAT and soon realized he purchased a bird that is essentially is a toddler that will out live him. she is now 22 (we are now in our 70's) so we are concerned for her future after we are no longer here .Family members are afraid of her ( we call her our beautiful brat) We are leaving finances for her care in our will BUT. any suggestions? Someone mentioned maybe our local zoo? We keep her clipped because she DOES NOT return like yours do . We couldn't bear to loose her. Her name is Kato and she loves to go one her daily walks :)
You could always post in a few Facebook macaw groups and look at rehoming options. Also clipping definitely is not the answer, it’s actually illegal in a few countries now after it’s proven to really affect the birds mental and physical well being, if you want to take your bird outside there are so many options, harness training, in a netted space, in a carry cage, clipping really is risky, if they get a strong wind they are gone and won’t have the skills to return at all. It’s also proven that clipped birds have far more injuries as they have been disabled and can’t control their main from of transport. I would look into stopping doing this asap.
You channel is amazing and I am encouraged to do more in my bird community. I have saved and raised wild birds like Doves, Starlings and Sparrows and I release them as well if possible. I have 2 budgies that I saved from an owner that had them cramped in a tiny cage alone for over a year. Now after 1 year that I cared for them they are apart of my family and they also free fly all day in my house. I wanted to say thank you for all the educational videos and good luck with your new baby girl human.
In Australia, avian vets inject a hormone pellet at slow release subcutaneously in Eclectus parrots. This species is very hormonal and help them to calm down and eliminate their nest instinct. Not sure if this approach exists in UK as well, but maybe a fifth option to look into.
Excellent way to announce and showcase all the options you had with their pros and cons.
You made the best choice possible.
The world needs more responsible bird parents like you.
Thank you, haha I wasn’t planning the whole breeding/birds in captivity rant but it happened and it seemed right to keep it in
@MikeyTheMacaw it wasn't a rant bro, it's straight up facts 💯 😢
I think you have figured out how to give Mikey & Mia the most awesome life in captivity...Plus you get a small break from parrot sitting their every move without depriving them of their best life. 100% nailed having macaws.
Haha we are still learning, they change so much all the time so definitely keep us on our toes. Bird life is definitely an interesting one.
For anyone having issues with hormonal birds, I have found that washing their cages down with vinegar water seems to really help. Part of what triggers it is the smell of their own hormones, and vinegar is one of the few safe but strong smells that you can use around them to clean things with. It also dissolves their poop really well, so 50/50 vinegar with just a little Dawn dishwashing liquid makes a really good cleaning solution for cages, floors, perches, anything in the bird room and the whole house. We don't use anything else because any other cleaners might hurt our birds.
We have two Macaws and an African Grey, all from the bird rescue we are part of. None of them are paired up, but they still get hormonal in the springtime sometimes. And when we were fostering birds we sometimes had females that would lay eggs even when there were not any males in with them, as Daddy Human was saying. The vinegar water trick isn't perfect, but it seems to cut the hormonal season by a LOT, especially when you have multiple birds who's hormones set each other off, even when they are totally different breeds.
One other reason for leaving the egg with the birds and trying to get them to give up on laying - birds can become egg-bound, which can kill them. Anything you can do to discourage them from getting overly hormonal and laying eggs is good. If they do lay eggs, make sure they have plenty of food, water, and some form of calcium available (cuttlebone, etc.)
Wow did not know about the vinegar. Thanks.
@@MikeyTheMacaw I don’t think it’s the vinegar at all that is doing that. I think the major disruption to their cage setup scares them away from lying because they like routine and stability to lay eggs. Moving them out of their cages, washing everything down, and reassembling things in a new way causes too much disruption.
For this very reason, my avian vet who has a female grey recommended that I completely rearrange my female grey’s cage before egg season to stop her from laying. She said even doing something like scheduling your annual vet visit right before egg season can stop laying because the stress of the vet trip stops the desire to nest.
This has worked for my grey without the use of vinegar.
I don’t think it’s the vinegar. It’s the complete cleaning and rearranging of their cage that disrupts their sense of stability and desire to nest.
My avian vet uses this technique, without the washing or vinegar, to stop egg laying and it works.
watch it, because vinegar, while healthy to drink (in small quantities) can interfere with calcium absorption, and thus lead to egg-binding.
also, my vet says parrots don't have a sense of a smell. I think they do, just very poor. but I don't really think pheromones (hormonal smells) are a thing in parrots.
Yes I have heard the disrupting of a nesting option is usually what has them rethink their egg laying options. Also so glad you mentioned the dangers of being egg bound. Leaning into the super hormonal behavior is pretty stressful for the birds even if it is their natural instincts and desires, because they are not wild they are in captivity.
Just want to add one thing about the dummy eggs. I was advised by my avian vet to add at least 5 dummy eggs, as soon as my bird lays the first one. The factor that stops them laying eggs is how many eggs they can feel under their crop. My cockatiel can nurse about 9 eggs at once, so I add 8 dummies, as soon as the first one is out.
Another danger is that birds run down on calcium and vit A when laying or molting.
By the time the vets figured out what was going on, my younger cockatiel nearly died from calcium deficiency, after laying her second clutch. Thank God, she recovered with the right amount of supplements, but I ended up with serious health problems, from the months of not sleeping, eating and stress of losing her. :(
Oh wow, thanks for this. Mia is still sitting on her 2, her diet is extremely varied but also adding a few calcium drops in her water as well.
I just found your videos. I am amazed how great you educate everyone with truthful & important information. The love you have given to Mikey & Mia is outstanding ❤️. I wish you & your wife the absolute best!!! 😁😁
I would love to give a Macaw a forever home, I would need to talk to my son about taking the responsibility on after I am gone & also see if my grandson would be interested in having it also, on down the road. It would need to be a family commitment.
My female cockatiel has laid twice in her life. First I allowed her to raise a chick. I was a teen, was unaware of the dire situation on rescues. Figured I'd give the chicks away to new owners. She turned out to have a chronic laying issue. Having a full clutch did not stop the laying. She was at 20ish eggs by the time a chick hatched. Out of those eggs 3 were fertile. Being new parents, as soon as that chick hatched, the other eggs got abandoned. The other 2 fertile eggs went cold and died. She did finally stop laying though. I kept that chick and decided not to let it happen again.
Several years later, she started laying again. I was nervous as I didn't want anymore birds and she might not stop until one hatches like last time. None were showing fertile. At around the 7th egg, things went wrong. Her wings were droopy. Picking her up, she could barely grip my fingers. She'd just laid an egg (I didn't notice a t the time, but it was broken. I only noticed it looked to have no shell on one side. She was a bit swollen near the vent.
Went to emergency avian vet. Vet thought it was egg binding which I argued against. I knew what an egg inside felt like, the swelling was too soft and she just laid. I was more suspecting of calcium. Convinced vet to try a calcium shot as vet was suggesting she be put down. Egg binding needed surgery and nearest place to do that was 2 hours away, she likely wouldn't survive it.
After an hour she looked much better.
Taking her home, I went to far more extreme measures to stop the laying. I separated her from her mate. He was pretty upset about it, but it had to be done. Had her in a quiet dark room with her son (they share a cage. Son fights with dad otherwise). Reduced the daylight hours to maybe 4. She laid another egg a few days later which I immediately removed. (vet said to not bother with letting her sit on them.)
Luckily, the very short sunlight, lack of activity in the room and being away from her mate, stopped her laying anymore.
I still wonder if that last one was fertile as it remained a bright white, unlike the others that went a slightly off white.
I reunited her with her mate and moved her back to the main room several days later. Still separate cages though and I delayed letting them out together for a while more. Put supplements in egg food for some time.
She hasn't laid again since. I keep a strict wake up and sleep routine. She's likely too old to lay anymore, but I don't take the chance. I could have lost her that day.
I'm sure it was a really hard decision, but I agreed with you. Unfortunately there are so many birds need help and a new home. Mia and Mikey are great together and they couldn't have a better life than they have now thanks for you guys.
I think it’s nuts that your videos appeared encouraged people to get a bird, for me it absolutely did the opposite, if people can’t see the total hard work and dedication you put into caring for them is mind blowing! That’s a dedication I certainly don’t have! Don’t get me wrong, if I seen you both flying mikey and Mia out and about I’d love to talk to you and engage with them if they do chose to engage with me, but I absolutely would not want the responsibility of caring from them, I take my hat off to you both exemplary bird owners… people are deluded if they think they can honestly match your dedication 🤦🏼♀️
Thanks so much for actually understanding the message we put out
Me too... I am going to find my nearest rescue and help out and make toys for them😊❤
People also need to appreciate the expense and the constant need to clean up after wild animals living in your home.
My birds hatched and raised their first clutch (Australian budgies)
Let them have the baby and bring the baby back to the wild! there are macaw rehabilitation programs! Don't give them to other people because there aren't a lot of people that can provide the way you do and you even acknowledge the imperfections in your situation
A true ethical decision is never easy. You have definitely made the right choices with everything you do for your kids. You let them be birds and do what is natural. This is the very reason why I enjoy your channel. If I were in your shoes I would be taking the same actions with the eggs. I recently brought home a 25 yr old female blue and gold, she is healthy and sound but doesn’t fly. I’m not sure if she ever will which makes me sad. I’m just happy that she will have a good home for the rest of her days. I have older children that love animals of all kinds as I do. I know she will be in good hands after I leave this earth. Keep up the great work and educating!
My cockatiel and gcc are my everything but I still feel bad that I could never give them the fullest life they deserve in the wild. This video is very informative and I love how you emphasize that birds belong in the wild and give Mikey and Mia the chance to follow those instincts which is a lot more than most people do.
Excellent hard hitting and brutally honest but necessary video. Thanks for posting it and I hope Mia gets over this season quickly and back to “normal” life! ❤
I first want to say that you guys inspire me so much and I respect your channel immensely. You made the right decision. I am a rising zookeeper and have worked with macaws and small parrots and have seen first hand what negligence from pet trade looks like in birds. Thank you for taking such good care of your birds and for using your presence to educate rather than exploit.
I wanted to offer some suggestions as well for dummying eggs based on my experience if you'd accept it:
1. freezing the eggs offers a more "humane" way of euthanasia and will reduce cracking
2. if you can put forth the effort, making permanent dummy eggs by drilling, blowing out, and epoxy/wax filling the eggs will create a sturdy option as well and will prevent calcium deficiencies if Mia kept continuing to lay eggs
If you see this at all, just know that the bird community applauds you on your efforts and struggles and I hope that you and your birds continue to live happy and healthy. The suggestions above are in no way to criticize your efforts, they are merely other suggestions to consider if need be :)
Thanks for the suggestions. Will def keep them in mind.
I def second the freezing of eggs. It's more reliable, and retains the consistency of the eggs soluble insides. And it should provide a more authentic 'decease process' of the egg for Mia. Especially since the boiled egg is much denser.
I appreciate the well thought out and honest take about this topic.
I think y'all are absolutely doing the right thing here. Letting birds be birds but not adding to the problem either ❤I spent a couple years working at a pet store that was involved with bird breeding and baby parrots, some owners were great but they were few and far between, the overall attitudes I saw and the mis information being spread was heartbreaking for me, I did my best to properly educate and care when and where I could but it was and still is always an uphill battle..
You are wonderful owners, and I think any hate you get will be completely wrong. The reality is no, of course you can't maintain a new bird or two every year. It is indeed less cruel to just destroy the egg (shake or boil as you said) than hatch birds that will just end up euthenized in shelters. I love how much you appreciate what these gorgeous birds need not just to survive but thrive in happy, healthy lives. There is no question how much love, time, and effort you put into Mikey and Mia. All the best to you
Thank you
Poor mummy Mia, you both deserve hugs and love. You both made the responsible, ethical and kindest choice. Maybe a silly question but can birds not be neutered somehow? I obviously have no idea but am looking forward to Mia’s birthday.🦜❤
I believe the males can,I don’t know about spaying females.
@@bugloverspiderlover8490 hi, I can’t believe that you love spiders- I know that they do a fantastic job… but I’m terrified of them, doesn’t help living in Australia
@@doreenbrownlie771 I’d love to live there,so much wildlife! Where I live they are destroying everything
My BG lays about one clutch a year despite my attempts to stop it (by lighting, not allowing her to 'mate' against me, etc) but the only thing you can do with females is hormone therapy- which is stressful and expensive. So I just let her sit her eggs till she realizes they aren't hatching and gets back to normal life- about 28 days.
I support you guys through and through. Thank you for giving this so much thought and considering every single option. Mikey and Mia are not only lucky to have you, but their entire breed is as well. You both are amazing ambassadors for the breed. As a B&G macaw owner myself of a 16 y/o girl, I completely agree with everything you said and often have regrets about what I contributed to. I was young and ignorant. Knowing what I know now, I would go with option 1 as well. All the best for you guys 🙏🏽🙏🏽
Thank you
thank you so much for this video. i'm a bird owner myself (have a cockatiel and a green-cheek conure) and it's really disturbing how many birds get rehomed and are bred to have traits that are harmful to them (or forced to breed far too often than is healthy for them). i'm planning on volunteering at a parrot rescue soon, i would love to help give these rehomed birds another chance at life.
i've always been impressed with how well you take care of mikey and mia, it's amazing how healthy and happy they are. and that was definitely a hard choice to make but it seems like the least harmful option out there.
Thank you, and amazing you are volunteering at a rescue.
I have a pair of GCCs that are very bonded. One year, my female laid 7 nice eggs. As I was pondering what to do, I watched her take each egg and drop it off the edge of her cage and made sure it broke. She had no intention of being a mama.
Almost all my birds are rescues, the rest are birds that needed rehomed for one reason or another. I like to think I've given my birds better homes than they had before. I've been trying to help the ones I can for years now and we definitely need more people like you too to spread knowledge about these birds.
Amazing to hear.
This is such an important video. Thank you for being such responsible parrot owners. ❤
Thank you.
Hey guys, that was very emotional for you. I felt it, too. But I am with you 100%. I do think you made the right decision, about the eggs, about not wanting to make more videos, about the breeding industry. Damn, seeing those cockatoos in bottles broke my heart. Especially because I have an Umbrella myself. By the time he got to be with me, he had already been in two homes. The audacity that breeder had to even contact you and talk about the birds as stock. It disgusts me so much! I know I have a bird myself, but I never saw him as entertainment. I just wanted to make sure he was going to have the best life for the rest of his life. I made a vow to him that he would never ever be discarded again like last night's dinner. We have been together for eight years now, many, many more to come because he is only just 19. How do we stop this insanity? I don't think I would be able to go on myself if I was confronted with all those horrors on a daily. Good luck with raising the money at Mia's birthday. I can't make it myself. I live in the Netherlands, and the baby is just too nervous of a bird to venture out in the world. My love to mummy human; it has been really hard on her.
Thank you very much. Yea the pet trade for birds is just horrible. Hopefully people will eventually click on and it slows down.
I’ve said it a thousand times, but it is SO important… we, as humans, fail animals 100% of the time. Both our birds are rescues from troubled situations, and we were not at all prepared at that time for what that entails. We made it passed the five-yr mark, but these birds were never meant to be in captivity. Your videos have helped us feel a whole lot less guilty for feeling the struggles and being open about them. Thank you! If you find out that way to release them and know they’ll be okay, we’d be most interested to know! ❤
Im always surprised how easily parrot eggs crack! They seem much more fragile than chicken eggs
Thank you for this video! I think you’re making the best choice for Mikey and Mia in their situation. You give those macaws such a great life - the best life for captive parrots. And the way you mention taking babies from other species as explanation for breeding these birds is genius - I never thought of it that way. So many parrots do get the worst outcome it is so hard to give them what they need. Wild is best but they are here so we do the best we can. Please think lots before deciding to bring a baby parrot or any parrot home. I recommend your videos to every new or possibly new parrot owner. Thank you!!
Aww thank you so much. Yea when you think of it, it’s just stealing baby’s of their parrots to entertain us. Crazy right.
I can't believe that the message some people took from your videos was to buy a macaw. I think your videos are very educational about what happens to birds in captiviry, the trauma of rehoming them and what happens to those that aren't rehomed. You show the joy they bring you, but I've never felt that you've tried to hide all the time that goes into caring for them, how hard it is, all the training, the destruction of your home etc. I appreciate you talking about the stealing of eggs from the wild, and the negative effect breeding birds has. I 100% understand your decision and definitely agree that it was the right one to make.
Thank you.
I work with a parrot rescue now. I found them after getting 3 babies, parakeets and cockatiels. I’ll never shop again. Thank you for this video, especially about breeders. We have been at capacity for over a year. Every spot opened by an adoption is instantly filled and our waiting list is a year long
Oh wow. So sad to hear.
I love that you educate! I love that Bird Tricks tries to help save the birds by educating on training and hopefully can stay in their home. But you are really sharing the very hard part and reality!! Thank you!
This video needs at least a billion more views. Thank you for making such a thoughtful and heartfelt video that is complex and nuanced. Parrots deserve to be thought highly of and given dignity the way you both treat Mikey and Mia. I just wish this video could be seen by everyone thinking of getting a parrot. Your wisdom and bravery to say what needs to be said is incredibly inspiring. You both show up for birds that desperately need people to stick up for them. Thank you and I aspire to be as wise and brave as you two.
Thanks so much. So glad we finally made something like this.
I love your hearts for Mike and Mia and the compassion but also that your educating everyone. As hard as it is it is an understanble situation and that your both trying your best to try and comfort/ensure they are happy in this process ❤
I have learned so much from your warm, wonderful, loving videos. Thank you for explaining everything. It’s like the people who hang out at our local gas station, with a box of puppies for sale. So sad. Your sweet birds are with you for decades. You have an ethical choice. Thanks for sharing and educating.
Great video. I totally understand how you guys must feel about the "right" choice to make. I think you picked the best option... Hugs to you and scratches to Mickey and Mia! 💜
Thank you for talking about this! It's really important to discuss these things, and it's easy to avoid doing so by just upload videos showing snapshots of the "cute" moments. I really respect and admire you educating the world of the down sides to owning a parrot!
Thank you.
You made the right decision you guys are awesome Bird owner You have a good heart much respected
This world needs more people like you. ❤
Honestly I made the commitment to adopt my macaw a few years back, saved her from an abusive home. It was not something that we planned on however it worked out for both my Macaw and I that we were both in a spot where we needed each other, and I had the means; emotional, financial, space, patience, a tenacity for screeching, and it was after when I was trying to find how to care for her that my mom and I (my daughters primary caretakers) have found your videos to be very informative. I agree with everything you said. They are not easy to raise, and I emphasize the amount of patience you need to have to be a macaw owner is infinite. I knew going into this that this would be a long term commitment (until the grave) because I refuse to re-home her. I was the first time she had been re-homed and the process was so traumatic for her. Thankfully she’s doing a lot better; /I am slowly training her to be more comfortable around humans (keeping in mind her previous owner was abusive) and she’s starting to come around. But what I do for my kid is nothing compared to how much you both enrich both Mikey and Mia.
My bird started nesting constantly two months in (all duds she is an only child) but the first time I watched her care for her egg it was really difficult because she would refuse to eat or drink water, but as she kind of started nesting more and often it did become worrisome because it’s not good for her long term health. We are actually working on this at the moment with the vet. But I really think you went into detail as much as you could and I agree with a lot of what you said. In the end what ever decision you and Mia’s mommy made is the best one. Only you both know what is best for you.
Oh wow, yea Mia usually will wait for Mikey to feed her, thank you for the comment.
My 14 yr old girl has laid 3 sets of eggs over about 5 years. All unfertilized. I do what I can to prevent it- dark/light schedules, feed, no touching her lower body, etc. But it does occasionally happen. I let her sit them until she is done, normally 25-28 days. I would never want to stress her by removing them. She just naturally and slowly loses interest. She remains cuddly through the sitting and wants me to be with her and preen her while she is sitting on them. She doesn't mind if I touch them at all. I try to dissuade it for her health.
Wow good to know.
Maybe next year before Mia has laid her own eggs, is it an idea to pop in 2 fake ones to possibly stop her laying her own? 🥚🥚Wonder if that could be an option or not? x
Never even thought of that, would she know she didn’t lay them? Will look into it for sure.
@@MikeyTheMacaw I don't know if she'd know. If she went into the "nest" & found the eggs & they were a warm temperature, she may want to nurture them. Good luck x
I think I've watched the vast majority of your content about these two lovely birds, the trials and tribulations over the years.
An evolving story that will last your entire lives, I wholeheartedly believe you will do what is best for these birds and yourselves during the shared family life.
The passion both of you show to educate the viewers about macaws is unrivalled.
Tbh I was a bit sad to hear you pulled back on content due to the potential impact it may have on people buying the babies and perpetuating the cycle.
But the resolve to hold onto your beliefs and not be swayed, by money, internet fame etc. Staying true to the course of education demands nothing but respect.
Best wishes for the future
Thank you so much for this video, so many valuable points made. I truly hope people can learn from it.
I’ve rescued a parrot that unfortunately passed away from an untreated illness a few years ago. I understand how much time, dedication and commitment it takes to care for a bird in a way they deserve.
Your blog is truly valuable!
Don't feel bad, you are doing the right thing with the eggs. I am lucky that I have two female birds and their eggs are never fertile. But they do need to sit on the eggs, to stop them from laying more. Great video, as always, and very informative.
well said..... as a teenager I fell in love with a Scarlet ... and sadly watch her come and go.... rehomed.... 14 times in 6 yrs ....I hope she landed well in a loving home..... love and hugs to JOSIE
💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔
you have always done the right thing for Mikey and Mia. Love to all of you! ps LOVED your rant, agree 100%
I’m so grateful for this video and any like it. Birds are absolutely wild animals born to fly and be free. Poaching from the wild, smuggling and/or selling birds is not good for the birds in any way. If you are a person who wants to and can give a bird the best possible home…please rescue them. 🙏
Thank you.
Absolutely everything you've said I fully agree with. Like Mummy Human, I've had birds since I was 6. The first one was the only one which was bought from a shop after being bred - a cockatiel. EVERY other one has been a rescue.
My Moluccan Bilbo, recently passed away (3 weeks ago) aged 28 - he was 9 when he came to us and we promised him we were now his forever home. I wish it had been longer but we did what we could to keep him happy.
We may have another one day - but again, it will only be one that needs a home to stop the passing around cycle.
In terms of nesting, Our rescue budgie Fatkin, decided she was going to have babies when we bought a male rescue in. (Not sure he knew precisely what was happening but she certainly did). She laid three clutches between the January and July. One viable in the first clutch, 2 in the second and 3 in the third. We kept them all. We even had "grandchildren" from a male from the last clutch and another rescue female - 5 in that one. All lived with my family to the end of their natural days (this was 30 years ago).
The choice you made, is the kindest for all. A flock of budgies is one thing. A flock of macaws is a completely different thing. Allowing the baby(ies) to grow up and then find homes for them, whether paid for or not, will never bring peace. Always wondering....will those babies-into-adult-birds, be happy and stay with the home that was found.
Bravo to you both. Hugs to Mummy Human. 🫂
Thank you. And wow, can’t believe how long you had birds in your life. Yea, having many budgies vs macaws would be very different haha
@@MikeyTheMacaw Very welcome. I have also had cockatiels (we boarded two!) a Maroon bellied Conure named Snuggles who was such an aristocratic little lady and my beloved girl. She left me in 2008 of old age. Slipped away in my Dad's protective and loving hands.
My parents have also rescued doves and pigeons who also saw very old age (in their 20s!!!), due to my parents' care, but now they have just another conure (a rehome) a Caique (very much a rescue as lived 14 years in a pub and was not treated well and a Citron Crested Cockatoo (also a rescue).
Despite having so many birds in my nearly 50 years (not quite there yet!), I have still learned so much from you, Mummy Human. Mikey and Mia. Thank you. 🙏
Maybe one day I can come to one of your meet ups - I'm only about an hour and half away from you now.
Such a great video. Vulnerable, honest and inspiring. The kind of video everyone should watch.
Thank ham
You have done the absolute best thing that you could have. It is very humane. Thank you on behalf of many many people
Everything you said here is correct and accurate. Thank you for posting this; we need more people who own parrots to be truthful and responsible about owning a parrot because they're not toys; they're living creatures, and they require time, love, attention, and care. Thank you 🙏🏽
Thank you.
I thought about getting a bird like that and decided that I would do that for my own entertainment. I love watching animals living in the wild doing what they do without interference from me.
This is a great video. I love that you talk about different aspects of owning pet birds responsibly! Well done!
If only there was a way to release them back into the wild 🙏 Hats off to you guys. How horrible is it to have to decide if two beings that are in love can become parents. I would be an emotional wreck and cry my eyes out. I do think you guys made the right decision. Lots of hugs and kisses especially for Mia and of course Mikey and the two of you.
Thank you. Yea hopefully one day they can live in the wild.
.. if only there was a "wild" to release them to ...
Letting them pursue their natural behaviours is going to make for happy birds, letting them nest, with all the hormones driving them, is definitely one of those times that will improve their lives, making sure the egg dosnt hatch is just the most sensible way to deal with this.
I applaud your decision, not the easiest way to go but definitely the most ethical. Love to All !
Thank you.
Totally agree with what you have done. If you can’t guarantee a home then it’s the kindest thing to do. Way to many birds needing homes anyway.
I don’t have a Macaw because I can’t give them a 100% perfect home. Instead I love watching you guys.
Amazing video, We have a pair of Umbrella cockatoos and run into the same problem every year ,( both rescues, by the way) We have tried both the dummy eggs and just letting her sit on her eggs after shaking them. Nothing has ever hatched or will ever hatch. Bella tends to lose interest a month after she lays and pushes them out of her nest. Milo our male couldn't care less, as he would rather hang with us. She's also a sweet bird who allows us to handle them the whole time she is sitting on them. I do agree it is a very tough decision to make, its heartbreaking, but it is the right one. Way too many birds in rescues, or abused, or kept in dark cages in basements, used for breeding purposes. Keep on doing what your doing, more people need to see living with parrots is not all rainbows and butterflies. But it is so worth it, when you gain their trust and love. Patience and time is a beautiful thing.
Thank you.
Omg, I’ll never forget my first 2 B&G macaw eggs that both hatched and we had a male & a female, both healthy.
Thank you for all your educational information I know that was a heartbreaking decision and sending strength love n light. You all are so awesome!
Mikey and Mia have the best ❤ parents. You are thinking about the whole family and what’s best.
This video is very very informative. Well done! And you made the right decision. You are the best Parronts ever!
Thank you very much.
@@MikeyTheMacaw one thing im very happy you are WRONG about is that there doesnt seem to be any angry people like you stated in the beginning the video; everybody seems supportive. you made the right decision I believe too, no matter how hard. You guys are wonderful; dont have a parrot but love learning about them, Sending much love
You are amazing owners, your decision is sure the best for your family❤
This is the BEST Video I've EVER Listened to! I was screaming PREACH when you were talking about taking animal babies for our entertainment! Thank You So Much for talking about this!💜🥰💛🥰💜
Thank you so much. We have been trying to spread this message for a while so really appreciate this comment.
@@MikeyTheMacaw You said Everything in this video I've said Most of my Life! I used to be a Foster Parent for Dogs and Cats and even a Guinea Pig. I wish people would realize when they're breeding these animals non-stop how many of them will end up abused, malnourished, handed from one owner to another without a second thought, end up in Foster Homes, and sometimes euthanized. It's So Very Cruel to put an animal through that because someone looks at their animal as a possession rather than part of the family! Again, Thank You So Much for Making This Video! I noticed there were some people upset in the comment section. Just know you did what was right for your family and your birds! 💜🥰💛🥰💜
Hi! Wow! Mia's first eggs? Life got busy for me and I haven't had time to check on my favorite parrot parents! I clearly have some catching up to do! Much love from myself and my scaled babies! (I'm the greenwing furusiter that loves to wear your merch if you remember haha!) Take care and keep up the phenomenal work! Always happy to see you all! ❤
Hi, me and my rescue macaw, Charlie, love watching your videos and want to thank you for educating people. Your video about Mia's first eggs with your talk about breeding is absolutely spot on! Congratulations and all the best from Charlie, me and my partner, Craig. We are volunteer carers with Newcastle and Hunter Valley Bird Rescue in Australia and we love seeing what other bird lovers are doing to help unwanted and lost birds.
Thank you.
You guys are awesome, mikey and mia are very lucky to have you both ❤️
Nesting is natural. You can't stop it, and Mikey has marked his territory. I think the flights are probably easier because they have a nest. Mummy human, please don't cry 😢, I know you've done ultimately what's best for Mikey and Mia. ❤ Oh, Mikey and Mia are definitely a thing .. Life happens, and today, I'm buying a macaw cage to help my friend out. It's not permanent (yet), but I've known the macaw since he was brought home, so he's coming to holiday at mine whilst his owner sorts out his home. Now I'm rambling 😂😂 P.S you did the right thing ❤
I can see you have really thought this through, and as hard as it was to decide on choice number 1, you took the most responsible to the overbreeding and homeless all over the globe from irresponsible breeders. There was a documentary that came out years ago on PBS titled 'Parrot Confidential', everyone who is considering a parrot in their life needs to watch this first. This was a hard choice no doubt. I hope that soon Mia returns back to her less broody self and is ready to hang out and celebrate her upcoming Birthday. Thanks for sharing, always great to see and hear your words of wisdom.
A few have recommended this. Will have to check it out.
Awe! I know it was a difficult decision, but I also think it was the best. I rescued a 19 yr old B&G with hopes to be able to free fly her so she can do all the macaw things, but I found out at her 1st visit to the vet that she had sustained multiple wing injuries that weren’t treated and will not be able to fly. 😢 Her play areas are set up with vertical ropes in hope to help strengthen and give her as much exercise as possible with not being able to fly. We love your content and thank you for all you do! 💙💛💙💛
Awww amazing that you have a set up just for her and her needs. Well done.
Bless you for being such awesome guardians of those beautiful birds. I love that you aren't afraid to put the truth out there.
What I’ve found helps is keeping it a bit darker and colder during longer, warmer months, might make them think it’s winter, any fat at all like nuts and seeds can be cut back a bit, you can sprout all your seeds to make them less fatty and increase more of the healthy foods, this has always worked for me and I’ve had male/female birds of the same species together, it may work for you too!
Thanks for the honesty I think that’s what I love about the bird community that I choose to watch
Excellent vid. Traffickers of any species are the worst subhumans on Earth. Hurts my heart to know of all the parrot rescues filled with unwanted birds.😢 Having/caring for a bird and is a lifelong commitment.
You are soooooo awesome first, to make this VERY important video, and second to be the best humans that you can. Our cockatoo is 28 years old now and for the last ten years has laid eggs off and on. We do not have a male cockatoo; we have a male CAG (so has never been bred). We let her keep the eggs and she eventually gets bored so she lets me, mommy human, remove the eggs. I have a little box that we keep all her previous eggs (I'm sure you know this, but the egg shell is porous enough that the innards eventually dry out). I totally believe that we humans should let our birds be natural; flying laying eggs, whatever. Thank you for this really incredible video.
Thank you very much. And wow, 28 years old
I understand how hard that decision is as I had to do the same for my crimson bellied conures. Conures get pumped out 10 to the dozen with no care of what their next possible 20plus years are gonna be like. The longer I have birds and the more i learn about them, I too realise that really they shouldn’t be pets. Great video and excellent on point rant 👍🏽😊
She will be ready to be her own birdie again here soon! They usually get sick of taking care of babies after a while :) mikey and Mia are so loved ❤
People don’t realize how much work and dedication and money to have those type of birds great video💕
Yup. It’s a crazy commitment. Thank you.
Next year I think you should try giving a proper macaw size nest box for them to have. I think the one in the aviary was too open& exposed to light. Also with the right amount of bedding in it, u shouldn't have problems with rolling eggs cracking.
Allow boiled eggs to cool by sitting at room temp. Dummy eggs are best. I've had a shaken egg hatch. Also freezing didn't work.
God ❤ I love the way u explain the whole scenario of your cuddly majestic birds Wishing you all the best Luckiest parents!!
You can probably contact a wildlife conservation party that can advise you what to do with future eggs if you want to attempt sending wild birds back into nature. It is actually very common for people to mail eggs for artificial incubation, the most common are farm grade birds like chicken, quail, and duck, and sometimes emu eggs are shipped, along with ostrich eggs getting shipped around. The thing is just packaging them correctly and labeling. A bird egg has a window of inert stasis, wherein it is fertile but semi-living but not growing, not until the parents begin 'brooding' or sitting the eggs. That is when the temperature is raised to incubation, and then the yolk and embryo inside begins actively growing. This window of time is to ensure that all viable eggs are laid and then incubated simultaneously, thus the chicks hatch at the same time. I have absolutely no idea how long this window is before the egg does die from lack of warm or stimulation, but it probably varies between species of birds. Im just going off from other incubation videos. I have never seen a video or such of someone shipping parrots eggs, likely due to the value of these birds and the risks involved. But if your alternative is dispose of the eggs to prevent captive birds, it might be worthwhile to check with an established conservation team and see if there is a route to put more of these animals back into the wild. Even if its not this year or next year, it could be something to explore in future.
But agreed, you can't control where the future 20(+) mini-M&Ms go after they are adopted out.
You did the right thing! I also try my best so my female doesn't lay eggs. The thing is I don't want her to lay eggs at all, because of the risk of her not passing the egg. So when the time arrives, I give them less food to not motivate them. But I have already 6 dummy eggs just in case. If she ever lays one, I will replace it with the dummies right away.
Great that you are already prepared.
You made the right choice. Thank you for sharing all the pros and cons.
My dad is a vet, and sometimes he takes rescue animals in. Other then a bunch of dogs, he took a pair of canindé macaws and a amazon parrot.
What a well reasoned and level headed video.
You did the right thing. You're keeping Mia as happy as possible, but letting her do her thing as she might in the wild. Some birds aren't fertile, unfertile eggs happen. Hopefully many with similar situations will watch this and help with the bird population.
I think you have made the right decision. Sometimes the hardest one and the right one are the same. My partner and I have one budgie and he has had hormonal problems since he was about two years old (he's now five and a half). He requires a visit to the exotics vet every 3-5 weeks for a shot depending on how he's travelling. To properly care for birds takes a lot of time and money and most people just don't realise what a huge commitment it is.
My partner and I talked about getting a macaw once and we just decided the commitment was too big for us and if it were to develop a medical problem like our current bird has I can't even imagine the cost. So it was a no from us.
Yea the cost of these birds just in vet care can be crazy.
That must have been a terribly difficult decision, and guys are amazing.
I have just found your videos & I know that 3 months has past but thank you for posting this. I cannot fully comprehend how difficult & heartbreaking this must have been for your both. My personal belief is that you did the right thing & very courageous of you to film so honestly.
I agree that if you can convince just 1 person not to buy a baby, it's worth it.
I managed to convince my neighbour to let me "look after" his parrots "for awhile". Heavily medicated he had carers as he could not look after himself so a family member thought 8 lovebirds was a perfect gift. 6 died very quickly, in my care they were out of their cage for the first time in their life & eating fresh food. I cannot accurately describe the squaller, starvation & dehydration. For the 5 years I had them I could never touch them but they would come to me & sit on me or on my desk whilst I was working. They are not decoration or "a beginner pet".
Sorry for the rambling - thank you so much for what you do. Your positive impact is more than you know!
Thank you!
Thank you so much.
Massively thoughtful post. Thanks to you two.
100% sharing the point of view, thank you for your rambling !
Got really sad when I saw mommy human cry, we can say "how it's fine we'll boil them" all we want, but in front of the real situation, it seems heartbreaking.
From what I have seen with the wild birds around, they nest in places that are not their own sleeping grounds. Probably a territorial thing that the kids associate the nest as home - then they get kicked out and this is probably easier since the parents don't hang around the nest. Also changing nesting (though if it's a good spot they'll nest there every year) and sleeping sites keeps predators searching.
Many thanks for the education, passion, fun, inspiration, and love! Keep up all that you are doing.
Wow. Thank you so much for this. You really didn’t have to. Really appreciate it
Very grateful to have grown up with a macaw, I'm 26 now and my macaw is 20.
Wow
Thanks for being so frank and honest.
I just love that you covered this difficult topic. I now will never breed (once I get my Quaker!). Would love to see more on retraining from a sanctuary. Thank you for covering this.
I think you did an awesome job explaining the ins & outs of owning a bird. It is a huge responsibility, I applaud you for doing so!
Thanks for the awesome video, I enjoyed it very much. At our age, it would not be a good idea, to take on that type of responsibility!
You are that type of person and I applaud the both of you!
Thank you so much!
I went to a sanctuary here in Albuquerque. It is full of macaws and most of them are damaged in various ways. Terrible and heartbreaking. I start volunteering next week.
So good of you!
luckily there are never any birds at my local animal rescue
Thank you for this video, I love how you want to be part of teaching others about the reality of things instead of buying into the fantasy of having these as pets.
A lot of the logic you're applying to having and breeding macaws applies to our entire meat industry too. It reminded me exactly of what we as humans do to animals in farms and what the meat and dairy industry put animals through for our taste buds
100% agree with everything you have said. I work with my local wildlife shelter in Australia and the shelter owner loves birds. The amount of domesticated parrots that are brought to her is staggering. She makes event effort to find the owners but usually no one claims them, even birds worth thousands of dollars. She most recently ended up with a macaw. She falls in love with them and has ended up with a lot staying full time at the shelter, taking up time and space that should be for all the other wildlife that she needs to raise or rehabilitate for release, like possums, reptiles, kangaroos, bats etc. It’s so sad, seeing them in cages and there is literally no where for them to go. They can’t be released, as they were born in captivity and would die if sent out to fend for themselves. These are pets that people have set free, because they no longer want them, they end up exhausted and starving, and eventually people find them or they go to a human for help, and they end up at the wildlife shelter because regular dog and cat shelters won’t take them. There is a parrot rescue group but they are always full to capacity. As you know, many of these parrots outlive their owners, which is a big problem. I am so happy to hear your opinion on all of this, goes to show that you truly do love your birds.
thankyou so much for the information you have imparted, whatever choice you go with .. it will be the right thing for you your partner and mikey and mia
Glad we found your channel!we inherited ours @ two years old after a former boss thought it would be GREAT and soon realized he purchased a bird that is essentially is a toddler that will out live him. she is now 22 (we are now in our 70's) so we are concerned for her future after we are no longer here .Family members are afraid of her ( we call her our beautiful brat) We are leaving finances for her care in our will BUT. any suggestions? Someone mentioned maybe our local zoo? We keep her clipped because she DOES NOT return like yours do . We couldn't bear to loose her. Her name is Kato and she loves to go one her daily walks :)
You could always post in a few Facebook macaw groups and look at rehoming options.
Also clipping definitely is not the answer, it’s actually illegal in a few countries now after it’s proven to really affect the birds mental and physical well being, if you want to take your bird outside there are so many options, harness training, in a netted space, in a carry cage, clipping really is risky, if they get a strong wind they are gone and won’t have the skills to return at all. It’s also proven that clipped birds have far more injuries as they have been disabled and can’t control their main from of transport. I would look into stopping doing this asap.
You channel is amazing and I am encouraged to do more in my bird community. I have saved and raised wild birds like Doves, Starlings and Sparrows and I release them as well if possible. I have 2 budgies that I saved from an owner that had them cramped in a tiny cage alone for over a year. Now after 1 year that I cared for them they are apart of my family and they also free fly all day in my house. I wanted to say thank you for all the educational videos and good luck with your new baby girl human.
Aww thank you so much.
Wow! Her first egg, and her second!
Crazy right
I so wish people had half the sense you have about birds. ❤ty. I agree with you… people are selfish.
In Australia, avian vets inject a hormone pellet at slow release subcutaneously in Eclectus parrots. This species is very hormonal and help them to calm down and eliminate their nest instinct. Not sure if this approach exists in UK as well, but maybe a fifth option to look into.
Yes we have heard of the hormone implant, but it seems they only last 3-6 months. Wouldn’t want to keep jabbing them every year