Hyacinth Macaws Behavior & Training:
They Hyacinth Macaw
is a truly unique bird. They’re an
extremely large bird often reaching 40 inches in length with a 60 inch
wingspan, they’re also surprisingly cuddly. This affectionate nature doesn’t
always extend to all members of the family. In fact, many Hyacinth Macaws
consider themselves one person birds.
However, with proper socialization and training, they are generally good
birds who love everyone including strangers. They’re known mischief makers
and are capable of learning words and mimicking household sounds. They are
very intelligent and inquisitive, which fortunately means they’re also
easily trained –an important fact due to the large size of the Hyacinth
Macaw.
The benefits of Hyacinth Macaw Training
Training and socialization is strongly recommended for these beautiful birds
not only to build a bond of trust and establish the rules and social order
of the home but because these gentle birds are not aware of their own
strength.
Imagine what an accidental nip would feel like from a bird whose beak is
strong enough to break open macadamia nut shells? If a young hyacinth is not
trained to keep their beaks off of people, the damage inflicted can be
pretty severe. Unfortunately all it takes is one nip and an extreme reaction
by the person being bitten and a whole slew of behavior problems can
develop.
Your lovely Hyacinth
can quickly learn that a nip is all it takes to get
what they want and pretty soon you have a bird you can’t handle, take out of
the cage, or allow to socialize with other family members. It’s sad however
it is also preventable.
Hyacinth Macaws
are fortunately very inquisitive, intelligent, and social
which means they’re fairly easy to train even as older birds. Socialization
is a must whether you obtain your Hyacinth as a chick or as an adult.
The Wonder Years…
As it so happens, even the cuddliest and most affectionate of Hyacinth
Macaws can seemingly become an overnight terror.
During sexual maturity, between two and four years of age, the males in
particular can become rowdy and a tad aggressive. Be reassured that this
isn’t the normal tendency but it can happen. In general, even through
puberty, they’re fairly calm birds with an even temperament.
Potential Problems
The biggest problem you’re likely to encounter with a Hyacinth
is a tendency
to bond only with one person. This can be overcome with training sessions
that include a host of scenarios and trainers. For example, let’s say you’re
training the very basic “step up command.”
In order to round out this command and make it truly effective it helps to
teach it, to really engrain it into your bird’s brain, in different rooms,
with different sounds going on, and with different people. Have your
partner, girlfriend, or spouse ask the bird to step up. Have your dog in the
room with the television on and then have them step up in the kitchen with
only you and the sound of the humming microwave. The key is variety so they
really focus on the behavior and not the surroundings. This gets your
Hyacinth Macaw
to be able to adapt quickly to new people and new situations.
Chewing and destruction is also a common problem. Hyacinth Macaws are
natural chewers and they have strong beaks which can destroy your favorite
couch in mere seconds. While there is no ‘cure’ for chewing you can offer
acceptable alternatives and encourage them to chew on appropriate items like
toys designed specifically for strong Macaw beaks.
Other potential problems include screaming and while they’re generally not
known to scream, they can be fairly loud in the mornings and evenings when
they typically chat with their flock. Screaming isn’t typically an issue for
a Hyacinth unless they feel threatened.
Breaking the habit
If a screaming or biting habit does develop you might be the cause. For
example, if your Hyacinth Macaw
bites you and you put them back into their
cage, your macaw might think “Oh, hey, that’s what I do when I want to go
back into my cage” and thus repeat the behavior.
To stop the screaming and/or biting. Don’t give them the attention they’re
seeking. It won’t be a miracle cure, they’ll test you several times, yet if
you ignore the screams or nips for attention, then they’ll eventually stop.
Hyacinth Macaws
are a joy to own however they do require diligent owners who
have both the time and the patience to shower them with love and affection.
Love and affection which is best shown with quality training time and an
understanding of this beautiful bird’s needs, wants, and natural instincts.
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