Considering a macaw? How to introduce to cats and manage home space?

I am sorry your friend is in this difficult situation. The kitchen is not a good place to house a bird because birds are very sensitive to cooking fumes and cooking with Teflon near a bird an be deadly for the bird. Cats and birds can potentially co-exist, though their presence can cause both of them to be more likely to act aggressively. It may be possible for your friend to keep the bird, but some planning, adjusting, and training may be needed. Here are a few good resources: http://www.vetstreet.com/dr-marty-becker/can-cats-and-birds-live-safely-together https://www.petcoach.co/article/bird-safety-bird-proof-your-home-to-eliminate-household-haz/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/teflon-toxicity-ptfe-toxicosis-in-birds-signs-and-preventio/

Yes, it sounds like you would provide a safe and loving home for a bird. I like your plan to keep it separate to reduce stress on the bird. Gradually introducing it to the other animals would be good once it’s very relaxed and settled in. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

That's a lot of questions! When getting a new bird, it is best to keep them in a separate cage for a few weeks (quarantine) to make sure they do not spread any illness to each other. Once the new bird checks out safe, you can keep them near each other to get used to hearing/seeing each other, and then gradually introduce them, whether on a shared play pen, or in a cage that is large enough to comfortably house both. Make sure you have extra food and water dishes, toys, perches, etc so that they cannot fight over these resources or become territorial. Each bird will have different markings depending on the type of coloration the bird is (there are different varieties of markings) so this will greatly depend on if you purchase a bird with similar markings or not.

If he just arrived in your home, then give him a little longer to adjust. These birds tend to be very wary when they are in a new environment and will often take weeks before they are fully themselves. For now, I would give him some space. Usually, when we get a new pet, we are interested in them and give them a lot of attention. This can be very intimidating for a bird, so the more space you can give him, the better. If you can, leave him alone for two hours in a well-lit room. Junk food for parrots are usually fruits, nuts and seeds. They also tend to like cooked oatmeal, rice, lentils and beans. You can have this available along with the formulated pelleted food and see if he eats any of it. Ideally, you want most of his diet to be the pelleted food, because this contains all the nutrients they need. Once he is eating good, start reducing the junk food and increasing the pellets. If he goes a whole day without eating, then you may want to try syringe feeding him, or taking him to a vet to ensure he is OK. I hope that helps and you get him to eat something soon.

Birds can be fun pets to have around the house, but I have to say that they are all high-maintenance. They require daily feeding, cleaning bathing and appropriate enrichment in order to keep them happy and healthy. If this is not provided, then you may end up with a miserable/sickly bird with no feathers. Vet bills can be very expensive when birds get sick, because there are limited veterinarians that are knowledgable and skilled with avian medicine. Providing as much space as possible is best for a bird. I think I have an idea of the type of cage you want, but this is not a very suitable cage for anything other than a small bird (tend to have shorter life-spans than bigger birds). Even then it's quite small for a bird, because birds are born with the expectation of having unlimited space. You will also have to consider the noise. If your place is small, then I'd assume you have close neighbors. Birds are generally very noisy and can easily make some enemies in close quarters. Unfortunately, there is not a pet bird that completely meets your criteria, but if you are determined to get a bird, then a Budgie would likely be the best option. Below are a couple of links with some more information about Budgies and caring for birds. http://www.budgerigar.com/ http://www.budgie-info.com/budgie-care.html I hope that helps and all goes well.

Birds do need a lot of room to fly, as well as a lot of attention; birds are in general a great deal of work and it is a big investment in time and money. Many people who have parrots allow them to perch free on top of the cage, or on other perches throughout the house. Be prepared for destruction--all birds use their beaks to explore (read:destroy) their environments, and the larger the parrot, the larger the beak! Also, many of these birds live longer than humans so it is important to have a plan in place for your children or others to be able to inherit and care for these birds after you are gone. Some parrots would be inclined to harass your rabbits, but I think actually attacking them is unlikely.

The screaming may be due to boredom, stress or lack of attention. She may also be entering a bluffing stage. Ignore the screaming. Do not yell back or pay less attention to Mango. Increase attention and interaction. Use a variety of toys and treats to keep her occupied. Make sure her cage is large enough and away from drafts or high traffic areas to reduce stress.