Behavior/Health Concerns:  As with all macaws, blue-and-gold macaws are big and will sometimes play rough and enjoy screaming, but love attention and training can reduce biting and other problem behavior. If their nipping is not properly dealt with the bad biting habit can develop into a potential problem. With enough interactive time with those in the household, this macaw's nippiness and moods can be solved. As a baby, the blue-and-gold macaw are larger than most parrots, and need patience and understanding during their development. Blue-and-gold macaws require more fat in their diet than other parrots, which you can provide with pellet-based diet, fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and the occasional nut. They are prolific chewers, so offer toys to chew and destroy often. They are susceptible to overgrown beaks, papillomas, proventricular dilatation disease (PDD, also known as “macaw wasting” disease), psittacosis and vitamin-A sensitivity.