Abstract
Michaeleen Rogers of Fremont, Ohio and I are two very lucky breeders since we both frequent the same terrific avian veterinarian - Dr. Jamie Lindstrom, Animal Clinic Northview, North Ridgeville, Ohio. Because we had both found out to our chagrin that we each had same sex pairs, Dr. Lindstrom suggested we consider trading. In due course we met. traded one of my females for one of Michaeleen's males, and we each ended up with a true pair.
None of these four birds are domestic bred. These small macaws came from the central portion of South America, where their habitat ranges from dry savannas and river valleys to virgin forest areas. The range in which they are predominantly found is almost egg-shaped with the main portion in Brazil and the balance in Bolivia, Paraguay and the northernmost tip of Argentina. While their dietary preference seems to be fruit and nuts, they forage constantly and enjoy a varied cuisine. They flock together, sometimes in very large groups, but breeding pairs will separate from the flock during breeding season, which usually starts around November and continues into January. This is the rainy season, when food is more plentiful for hungry hatchlings.
Michaeleen's two birds were the first to successfully hatch three babies. Neither parent knew what the strange creatures were that came out of their carefully incubated eggs, so the babies were all hand-fed, primarily on AYN, and have since moved on to new homes. Her birds are housed in a cage 36" long x 24" high x 22·· wide, with a nesting box 18" high x 12'' wide side to side, and 11 '' long front to back. The cage is suspended with an open wire floor for easy sanitation, and the area is lit with VitaLight twist lamps. The birds are fed AYN plus a dish of mixed fruit and vegetables containing at a minimum one part of cooked rice or pasta, one part cooked wheat berries, one part of at least two vegetables (carrots, broccoli, peas, cooked spaghetti or other squash, corn), and one part fruit (apples, bananas, cherries, figs, raisins, dates, cranberries, peaches, peppers, melons, etc.). As nightly treats, the birds are fed seeds and nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc.).
My pair then hatched three babies, the oldest of which survived to 16 days. Necropsy did not show what caused the deaths, but muscle tone was not up to par. The babies had to be pulled because the parents did not feed them, and they were hand-fed on a mixture of AVN and Roudybush. Eventually, the parents laid four more eggs (one of which was damaged during incubation) and hatched another three babies, two of which were pulled at ages four weeks and three weeks, respectively, as the middle baby died. Necropsy proved Psittacosis. Eventually the male parent bird was shown to have been the carrier and all the birds, including the babies, were treated for same and they are now happy and healthy and back to being pests.