This comprehensive care guide will show you how to look after a Hahn's Macaw in 3 easy steps
Fast Facts:
How long will my Hahn's Macaw live? They live 20-30 years
How big will it grow? Approximately 30cm. The Hahn’s is the smallest macaw
What size of enclosure is recommended for my Hahn's Macaw? A wire enclosure of 40” X 30” X 65”
What does a Hahn's Macaw eat? South American pellets with fruit and vegetables
Hahn's Macaw Housing
Hand raised Hahn’s Macaws have been raised by humans usually from 3 weeks old, making them accustomed to handling, cages and many noises that occur in everyday life.
A medium gauge wire cage with dimensions of at least 40”(W) x 30”(D) x 65”(H) will give your Hahn’s Macaw enough room to spread out and exercise without risk of injury from hitting the wire sides. Open top cages with perching areas are ideal for hand raised birds as they provide more freedom and interaction with their family. At night the cage should be covered with a sheet or cage cover to prevent drafts and reduce visual stress.
Hahn's Macaw Care
Hahn’s Macaws should be fed on a quality South American pellet and given daily fresh fruit and vegetables. This can include apple, carrot, beans, peas, corn, broccoli and spinach. This food should not be left in the cage for too long as spoilt fruit can gather bacteria and yeasts that can make your bird ill. Make sure to remember to never feed your Hahn’s Macaw lettuce, avocado or apple seeds.
Hahn’s Macaws can also be offered small portions of seed such as a small parrot mix, but care should be taken to ensure this does not replace the birds pellet consumption. Vitamin supplements such as Soluvite D or Multivet can be added to your Hahn’s Macaws water two or three times a week. Calcium and Iodine can be provided through cuttlebone and iodine bells. Fresh water should always be available and should be changed on a daily basis.
Worming should be repeated every three months with a broad-spectrum bird wormer. It is essential that a good quality calcium supplement such as Calcivet is given to your Hahn’s Macaw at least 3 times a week for the first year.
Hahn's Macaw Feeding
Enrichment is all about enhancing the quality of life for your Hahn’s Macaw and generally relates back to activities they would usually perform in the wild.
Foraging plays a big part in enrichment for birds. To search for food is a natural instinct all birds possess, so it is the perfect way to exercise both their body and mind. There is a vast range of foraging toys to suit all species of birds and keep them mentally stimulated for when you are not at home. It is a good idea to have several different types of foraging toys available, and to rotate them in the cage every couple of weeks.
Natural branches of varying lengths, shapes and thicknesses should also be provided. There are many native branches that you could offer your Hahn’s Macaw such as eucalyptus, gum, grevillea, bottle brush and lilly pilly, many of which have natural nuts and flowers that providing a foraging opportunity for your Hahn’s Macaw. This also allows Hahn’s Macaws to properly exercise their feet and beak as they can chew and strip the bark perches.
Did You Know?
There are 17 species of macaws in the world, and all are known as ‘sexually monomorphic’ meaning you can not visually distinguish between a male and female bird. The only way to find out the sex is to have it DNA tested by a veterinarian.
We have created a Shopping list to show what you need to look after a Hahn's Macaw:
- Cage; 40”x30”x65” medium gauge wire
- Water bowl
- Food bowl
- Perches
- Ozpet Litter
- Cage Tidy
- Cage cover
- Carry cage
- Pellets
- Vitamins
- Worming
- Avicare disinfectant
- Cuttlefish
- Lice & Mite spray
- Natural perches
- Cement perches
- Foraging toys
- Colourful toys
- Ladders
- Parrot pad
- Play stand
Common health issues in Hahn's Macaws
Psittacosis: A type of bacterial lung infection commonly carried by wild and domesticated birds, and able to be passed onto humans.
Respiratory Infections: Usually caused by bacteria infecting the respiratory system of birds due to vitamin A deficiency, however can be caused by many other factors such as fungi, parasites and environmental toxins.
Bacterial Infections: There are many common bacterial diseases birds are susceptible to and is usually caused by lack of hygiene or stress, especially when there is another factor compromising the birds immune system.
Red flags
Is your Hahn's Macaw showing any of the signs of disease or illness? If yes, please contact your vet.
- Fluffed up feathers
- Nasal discharge
- Lethargy
- Out of character behaviour
- Discoloured poo or diarrhoea
At Kellyville Pets, we encourage responsible pet ownership.
CARE GUIDE © Copyright 2016 Kellyville Pets - All information found in this care guide is based upon our own experience. The information provided is not the only information available. In any medical situations, you should always consult your vet, including questions regarding your pet's diet.