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Hello everyone!! I LOVE BLUE AND GOLD MACAWS. I am 14 yrs. old and and doing a lot of reasearch on them. I do not thin I am ready yet but I will be in a year maybe less. I would love it if you could share facts or PICTURES of your B&G MACAWS. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOUR B&G AND HEAR OF YOUR EXPERIENCE!!

Thank you everyone and UP @ 6!!

Hi Anna, We have had our blue and gold, Bristol for 11 yrs. now. They are beautiful, wonderful very smart birds. They are also very loud, messy, and can sometimes bite if they get a notion. You also have to consider the fact that they live a very long time. At your age, how you would handle your bird when you go off to college, get married, move into an apartment, etc.? There is so much to think about, have you considered a smaller type parrot?
I would love to tell you about Bristol, though, he's a great bird, he is so smart and funny! He talks alot, says full sentences, understands alot of what we are saying to him also. I have lots of pictures, but am new to this forum so have no idea how to post them. Good luck with whatever bird you decide to get, I'm glad to see you are doing research before you jump into it.
Martha

Hi Anna It Ok to have a dream. Ive wanted a B&G from the start. Ive had parrots for over 30 years but no B&G. Two years ago I was taking care of a friends birds. He had a pair of B&Gs that had laid unfertal eggs for a couple of years. While my friend was gone a egg hatch but the pair didnt notice it or how to take care of it. I pulled the baby on the second day because it was in the coner of the nest and cold. Josie is 2. She is also the smartest bird and the best talker we have ever had and very fun loving. I biult a wire cage to go over the window out side. She will go outside on nice days and talk up a storm. she talks to the neighbors as they walk by. She told my wife , Guess what mommy, I love you. We didnt teach her that frase. She came up with it herself. Not all B&Gs will talk as much as josie but they are fun loving. Josie love to be on her back and be tickled. She laughs and screamsThe down side is they can and will be noise loud noise. At our house she is out in the window cage when she screams. they can make big messes or and like to chew on alot of wood and sometimes it can be the door or window frame.I think it is better to work up to a big bird. Start small and learn as you go. Small birds have shorter life spans.A the big birds can live a life time. one last thing is ,Parrots are like humans in the fact that they all have there own persoallity, so get to know a bird before you buy. Mark

Hi Anna, I have a B&G named Archie. Archie is a girl but we had named her before we had her DNA tested. The DNA test is a small drop of blood, my vet takes it from a toe nail so it doesn't hurt, that they use to find out if the bird is a male or female.
Anna I own a bird store in Florida. So I raise a lot of baby birds. I have raised many Blue and Golds. They are like raising human babies. They run to me, when they are able to finally walk, and will jump in my lap. They love to cuddle. The last one I raised would put his wings out and put his head under my neck as if he was huging me. They are wonderful.
I love my Archie. She is a like a dog with feathers. We play on the floor together and she will flop on her back so I can tickle her belly, then she laughs and laughs and laughs.
Archie just turned two years old. I don't know if its the way I raised her or just the way she is but she is the quietest macaw on the planet. The only time she yells is when she sees something in the yard or around the house that does not belong there. She particularly does not like lizards. (We have many small ones in Florida)
Someday when you finally get your one Blue and Gold make sure you get one from a baby. Make sure that whoever you buy your bird from lets you assist with raising the bird. I try to let my new owners help hand feed. I am always there to assist and make sure the baby is not hurt in anyway. But it is a wonderful experience to help raise your own baby bird.
The first one that I raised was just awesome. It was a boy. When those gorgeous blue and gold feathers started coming out I just couldn't believe that there was anything so beautiful.
They have wonderful personalities.
But as everyone else has told you here, they are a HUGE responsibility.
Really and truly you have to be living in a place that will accept that 'call' of theirs. You don't want the neighbors complaining. You have to be able to afford the toys, the extremely large cage your bird will need, food and of course vet checks. So theres a lot to think about and get yourself ready for.
I hope that someday Anna you can experience living with one of these great creatures.
Just keep doing your research. There is so much new that we learn everyday about our parrots.
Good luck.
Pat and Archie

Well said Pat.My josie is also 2 and I wish she was my first .she is so fun and loving. Take care Mark

WOW!! Thank you so much... that really helps and I cannot wait to get my own. I am still doing a lot of research and getting ready.