Although very popular as pets because of their striking appearance and ability to talk, the price of a single bird may be in excess of (USD) $1,000-$2,000 in North America, and their large size makes domestication difficult.

They require much more effort and knowledge from owners than more traditional pets such as dogs or cats. They are intelligent and social, so for someone who can provide for their needs, they make good and loving companion animals. Blue and Yellows are known to their owners as more of a "one person" bird, and bond very closely to their owners. It is also very important to be mindful of your Blue and Yellow Macaw once reaching sexual maturity because they tend to be more aggressive during mating season. Typically 6-8 weeks in the spring time.Blue and Gold Macaws

At a bird park in Argentina near Puerto IguazúEven the most well cared for Blue-and-Gold Macaw will "scream" and make other loud noises, nonetheless, it is possible to make them silent. Loud vocalizations, especially "flock calls", and destructive chewing are natural parts of their behavior and should be expected in captivity.

They require a varied diet, a seed only diet will lead to health problems such as vitamin deficiency. An example of a good diet would be a quality pelleted mix, in conjunction with a mix featuring seed, nuts, and dried fruits, with fresh vegetables (greens and roots) and fruits fed regularly; furthermore, it is quite common (and appreciated by the parrot) to partake with their human owners of safe foods like pasta, bread, etc.

It is important to avoid foods with high fat content (generally) while striving to provide a wide variety of foods. There are some foods which are toxic to birds and parrots as a group. Cherry and most other Rosaceae pits and seed, avocados, chocolate, and caffeine are among the foods toxic to parrots. Chocolate and caffeine are not metabolized by birds the same way they are in humans, Rosaceae seed contain cyanogenic glycosides and avocados contain persin which are both toxic compounds.