Do Macaws Eat Meat?


Macaws are the most colorful and popular birds in the world. At first glance, they do not look like other birds because of their bright colors and long tails.

Do Macaws Eat Meat? Yes and no. They do eat meat but prefer eating fruits, seeds, and nuts.

Do Macaws Eat Meat?

The Macaw and its characteristics

The Macaw and its characteristics

The macaw is a long-tailed parrot with strong, hooked beak and large head. Macaws have been kept as pets for centuries because they are intelligent and do not require much attention or care to survive.

The typical lifespan of a macaw in captivity is 60 years, although some do live longer.

Macaws enjoy eating meat!

Macaws enjoy eating meat!

Macaws do eat meat, but this is not their main food source. They do enjoy feasting on meat when they can find it, however.

Macaw diets consist mainly of nuts and seeds as well as fruits and some vegetables. Macaws have even been known to dine on insects from time to time.

What Meat Do Macaws Eat?

What Meat Do Macaws Eat?

When macaws do eat meat, they tend to eat the meat of other animals, not the meat of other birds. Macaws do not hunt on their own; instead eating the dead bodies of prey. They do eat insects as well to get some protein in their diet.

Macaws also eat the meat of animals such as reptiles, fish and rodents. Macaws do not have many natural predators, but most of their enemies do attack other creatures or compete for food.

In the wild, the macaw’s main predators are other birds of prey such as owls and eagles.

Do Macaws Eat Meat In The Wild?

Do Macaws Eat Meat In The Wild?

Macaws do no eat meat to survive in the wild, but do enjoy eating it from time-to-time. They do not need to eat meat to live a healthy life in the wild because there are more than enough seeds and nuts available for them to thrive off of.

While they do not hunt on their own, they do eat what is given to them by animals that have recently died.

Feeding your pet Macaw

Feeding your pet Macaw

You do not need to do a lot of work to keep macaws happy and healthy. All you have to do is offer them fresh food every day.

This can include:

  • fish (live or frozen)
  • eggs (boiled or scrambled),
  • poultry (cooked with the bones),
  • rice cakes,
  • carrots,
  • brown bread
  • cooked pasta pieces.

Make sure that all of the items are cut into small pieces before feeding time to make it easier for them to eat.

Macaws do not drink a lot of water, but do enjoy getting in some bath time from time-to-time to keep their feathers soft and shining.

You should also follow the daily cleaning routine that you would with any other pet. This includes brushing out loose feathers as well as bathing your pet about once a week to clean off any dirt and debris from their feathers.

Too Much Meat & Your Macaw’s Health

Too Much Meat & Your Macaw's Health

Too much meat in your macaw’s diet can do damage to their health. If you want them to be healthy do not make more than half of their diet come from meat. Make sure that you do not offer too much meat at one time, as well!

Macaws do not eat meat so it is important that they do not get too much in their diets. Macaw owners who do make sure that they do not get too much meat in their diet do tend to have healthier birds.

What Should You Feed Your Macaw

What Should You Feed Your Macaw

Meat aside, your pet macaw should be eating a diet of about 24%-26% protein.

They do not need a very rich diet to be healthy, but do need more than just seeds and nuts to live long lives in captivity.

According to the International Avian Association (IBA), macaws do best with whole grains,corn, whole wheat breads and cereals that have been soaked in water for at least 24 hours.

Aviation Safety Advisory Committee (ASAC) recommends diets that do not include more than 2 to 5% animal protein. Make sure that the protein you do feed your macaw is of good quality.

Meat by-products and tendons do very little for a macaws diet and can cause digestive upset and even liver failure.

Before getting A macaw as a pet read this!

Before getting A macaw as a pet read this!

Before you purchase a macaw, do plenty of research on the bird you want do get.

There are many species of macaws, but do not purchase your pet before you consider all of the information that is out there about them!

They do live a long time and need plenty of attention. If they do not receive it from their owner, they tend to become destructive.

Feeding your macaw is the most important job you have as a bird owner, so do not do it by chance.

Do plenty of research on the food your pet needs before you purchase him!

There are many different diets that macaws do well with, so do make sure that the one you do choose to feed your pet is healthy and balanced!

Macaws are very social animals so they do need plenty of attention from their owners just like any other pet does.

Conclusion

Macaws do not thrive on meat, but will enjoy it from time-to-time. They also do not need to eat a lot of animal protein in order to stay healthy and happy.

Macaw owners should do plenty of research before they purchase one because macaws require quite an investment for both their care and feeding needs.  

It is important that you do your homework on the type of diet your pet bird will thrive off before getting him or her as a pet!

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