ara parrot description,

Ara parrot is one of the largest species of parrots, blue and gold macaws have navy blue dorsal region of the body and the ventral bright golden-yellow. Distinguished by their black necks ii necked blue macaws. Bare facial skin is white and shows rows of black feathers forming lines. When the bird touches it turns red facial skin. The tail, which is the same as the length proximativ body is long and tapered (wider at the base and narrower towards the top), blue and golden yellow surface on the ventral side.

Ara parrot blue and gold can reach a body length of about 85-90 cm, a wingspan of 102 to 112.5 cm and a body weight of 900-1200 g.Young macaws bred in captivity, are very adaptable, letting it gently caressed by many people. However, they should be socialized at an early age and exposed to a variety of experiences (veterinary visits, visitors, travel by car, etc..) To avoid developing timorous behavior. Macaws can be very loud and also destruction. Although some may say, most of Ara parrots have a limited ability to imitate. However, they are very intelligent birds and relatively easy to train and train.

Macaws are playful and like to peck. For this reason, should you provide “toys” and especially pieces of wood and non-toxic twigs of trees. To avoid the dangers and accidents, Ara parrot pet should not be allowed to stay free and unsupervised in the house, because they can often find articles toxic or dangerous.

harboring

Macaws are very active and should you provide the largest cage that space and budget allow you. The cage must be large enough to allow him that bird to open its wings without touching edges (wingspan is about 1 meter) and can move easily between two perches. An example of a suitable size for large macaws suspended cage is 1.5 x 1.5 x 2.4 m, although the cat cage is bigger the better. Cages will be suspended at about 0.9-1.2 m above the ground.
As macaws are strong “pecking” building a sustainable cage is very important. Many of them learn to open locks cages, so it is likely to have to use locks or latches definitely ensure that your parrot can not escape.
Ideally pet parrot Ara also be offered access to a large cage placed outside the bathrooms and movement.

Feeding

Macaws should be fed a special diet designed (granulated or extruded) supplemented with fruits and vegetables. For these types of diets, blue and gold macaws should get about half a cup, supplemented with another half cup of fruit and vegetables. Vegetables and fruits are well washed before use to remove dirt and pesticides. Make them a wide variety of fresh foods such as green and yellow vegetables, fruits, melons and nuts (2-3 nuts as delicacies). Among their favorites are broccoli (no more than 2 times per week), carrots, leaf lettuce, green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, oranges (fruits high in acid – citric acid – should be given in limited quantities), apples, strawberries, bananas, grapes, melons, kiwi, mango, papaya and pears. All macaws need plenty of energy. Many components of their natural food – especially coconuts – are rich in oils and calories.

Small quantities of seed can be offered as well as “gifts”, especially as rewards for good behavior. Although they are highly valued macaws, they are not the most nutritious food. There are special seed mixtures Ara, usually containing sunflower seeds, a mix of other grains, nuts and even some dried fruit. Many of these specially designed mixtures are labeled as vitamin macaws, but overall seed shells vitamins are applied so that is lost when peeled bird seed to eat. Vitamin supplements are not needed for birds that are fed such a diet supplement specifically designed to macaws. Macaws are fed only seeds should receive a daily vitamin-mineral supplement. In pet shops can be found in the form of solutions that are easily administered in drinking water. However, this form of administration is the most appropriate. Many vitamins decompose rapidly in water. B vitamins have a pleasant taste (bitter), so most manufacturers add sugar to taste alleviate. The combination of sugar and vitamins in water and bird wont to put in her food and excrement go very wrong in a mixture and is a breeding ground for bacteria. Ideally vitamins to be added to soft foods. For example, a good choice are sweet potatoes, yogurt (in small quantities) and oatmeal, but as well, they can be sprayed on fruits and vegetables juicy soft.

There will never be offered Ara parrot coffee, chocolate, foods with excessive sugar, alcohol and avocado. Also, parrots do not need middlings.

Macaws will be fed at least once a day, but how food administration can be a good opportunity to interact with your bird, it’s a good idea to give them additional food or different attention to reward good behavior. Ara parrot will be a pleasure to have breakfast with you, this is a good time to offer them the additional vitamins.Blue and gold macaws are difficult to feed from the hand of a very young age. You can not engage in this if you have experience. On the contrary, it is preferable that feeding litters to be made by a breeder. You must keep in mind, that this species of parrots require a diet high in fat and added protein, especially at a young age. A small amount of peanut butter (about 15-20% of body weight parrot) ternifolia macadamia nuts or sunflower seeds can be added to increase the protein and fat levels. The amount of food offered manual should represent about 10-12% of the bird’s body weight at each meal.

Fresh water must be provided at all times. Parrots love to dip food in water, so it will be changed more often than other cage birds. The vessels must be kept clean to prevent bacteria growth and should be washed daily.

Particular aspects

Care
– Bathing or common spray chilling are vital to maintaining good plumage and skin condition. Birds can be sprayed and allowed to dry in a warm room or in the sun or can be dried with a hair dryer. An ideal way to bathe macaws is to put in a cage placed outside in the open air, the splash of a hose and allow them to dry in the sun. You can also try to take the bird with you in the shower.
– Flying macaws are strong and the largest lift capacity have mainly involved in flight feathers. Most mainly involved in flight feathers (10 feathers closest to the tip of the wing) must be reduced to prevent them from flying, but will consider them to be cut only as much as birds to the ground plane. Avoid shortening secondary feathers (10 feathers closest to the body). In general, it is advisable to shorten draw the two wings. If you shorten one of them, the bird will lose its balance and can be intertwined in an attempt to injure the ground plane. Also beware of “blood feathers” (so immature, growing larger and softer than a feather sheath mature) and avoid break or shorten them.

If a cut up blood, bleeding parrot can suffer strong. Mature feathers have nerves in their cutting sheath and is not painful. Shortening bird wings is quieter and more dependent and also will help your companion Menti away from accidents. Frequency shortening wings varies by how quickly your bird after it shed labor. If feathers are starting to grow back and your parrot can easily high wings will be shortened again.Cutting claws regularly will also help you improve your relationship with your companion. Using concrete slats or an abrasive material will help to remove sharp peaks, but will not reduce the length gherutelor. For this reason, regular gherutele will be curtailed or tipsy. The workmanship is good to be initiated when the bird is still young for it to be able to get used to it.

reproductive activity
– Blue and gold macaws regular mate in captivity. The breeding season is usually spring and early summer, although some pairs will breed throughout the year.
– The female lays 2-4 eggs and usually only in certain situations more. The incubation period lasts about 23-27 days.
– During the breeding season to stimulate reproduction, diet Ara parrots blue and gold seed supplements should be added to a high fat content, such as the sunflower. Owners who do not have experience of hand feeding chickens, will be to allow parents to feed their babies in the first few weeks.
– Wooden nest box, horizontal, large (about 60 x 60 x 90 cm or 60 x 60 x 120 cm) are well accepted by large macaws while others will accommodate much better Nesting box with vertical wood (about 30 x 30 x 90 cm). Also Ara parrots should be given enough material pecking. Are an excellent pine shavings bedding for nest box.

– When macaws mate, noise and distance from neighbors must be considered.
– Aggression between partners is uncommon in macaws. Connections that are created between partners are powerful, but not necessarily last for their entire lives.

Sexing blue and gold parrot Ara

– Ara genus poses no obvious sexual dimorphism (visible differences between the sexes) and therefore endoscopic examination (surgical sexing) or laboratory techniques (DNA testing) is required to determine the exact sex.
– Sexing surgical method is limited when very young birds that are not fully differentiated gonads.
– New methods based on DNA sexing is non-invasive, accurate, fast and secure. It requires a small amount of blood samples can be harvest after shortening nails or venipunctiei. Stressing the bird is much minimized if this technology. Chicks can be sexed by this method at any age.
– Males are usually larger and heavier than females heads.
– Sex ratio in birds caught in the wild is in favor of males. This has led to frequent hybridization Ara parrots blue and gold, with a sex ratio in favor of females. The resulting hybrid was called parrot Ara Catalina.

Diseases and current conditions

Blue and gold macaws are relatively strong and healthy birds. However, these diseases and disorders have been reported with increased frequency:Proventriculare dilatation disease is a fatal viral disease. It is not known exactly causative agent of this disease, but it is known that the virus attacks the nerve centers of the intestinal tract, affecting digestion. The incubation period can be even up to a year and diseased birds spread the virus can survive for a long time. The disease is difficult to diagnose and yet there is no known treatment for it.Plucked feathers. This behavior has many causes and can become a habit hard to remove. Some of the causes are the boredom, sexual frustration, skin diseases, toxic states, hormonal imbalances and allergies.

Oral and cloacal papillomas are growths most likely caused by a herpesvirus and can be contagious. Affected parents should not be allowed to feed their young.Psittacosis (chlamydiosis), also known as ornithosis or parrot fever, is a bacterial disease that can be transmitted to humans. Make sure that each new bird they purchased is tested for psittacosis.Flight feather pecking and tail youth is a common behavior of young Ara parrots, especially for those kept more together. To prevent this behavior defective, make sure macaw chicks have enough materials and toys to chew on.Bacterial, viral and fungal. Many bacteria and fungi can cause infections more common or less severe in birds. To prevent them, keep the cage and food and water containers clean. Never give food bird whose freshness are not sure and do not leave wet food more than four hours in the cage.Contracted the chicken claw syndrome. If you notice that your baby parrot Ara has swollen jaws, take him immediately to the veterinarian, who will try to rectify the problem. Usually this is done surgically. Increased moisture in the home can help prevent claw contracted.Beak malformations in the offspring may be the consequence of inadequate calcium diets and feeding procedures in hand that can lead to deformation of the beak. Malformation can be corrected if you do consult your veterinarian before the beak bird to harden completely.

Pancreatitis, unfortunately, is mostly unknown causes. However, as in other species, it occurs in association with obesity, high fat content of the diet consumed and reproduction in women.Allergies, especially parrots, cockatoos, are asked quite often in blue and gold macaws, with seasonal and is expressed by sneezing and runny nose. Also, serious allergic reactions may occur and chronic if kept with cockatoo parrots.

Kidney disease – Gout is more common in the offspring of Ara. It can be diagnosed by blood tests and is treatable if notified in time. Macaw chicks are very sensitive to vitamin D, so do not add additional vitamins to a diet of commercially prepared hand feeding.Intoxication with various toxic and heavy metals. Many of the items in your home can be toxic or dangerous for your exotic birds. Teflon poisoning can occur if these vessels are overheated and emits toxic fumes. Birds can ingest different items that contain lead, such as lead rod, old paint. Some cleaning products, some perfumes, hair dyes, and other cosmetics, scented candles can also create problems with your birds cage. Like the majority of other birds, these health problems can be prevented through a good diet and a routine examination of the health of your parrot. Annual visits to the veterinarian can help you Menti companion in excellent condition.

Life expectancy Ara parrot blue and gold is up to 50 years.