Bad Macaw bite please help

Birdbrain91 · Jan 26, 2014

I adopted a 13 year old B&G Macaw 2 1/2 months ago. We had a great relationship before he came home and now I'm a pin cushion. At first I had to wrap a towel around my arm to pick him up off the floor, he is really good at stepping up off his cage and his play stand. The last couple of weeks I haven't had to use a towel at all (he hates Mr. Towel). He was even tickling my feet as he walks around.

We have been finger wrestling as to work on beak pressure. He's been doing really good but every once in a while he pinches.

First of all, this is All my fault. This morning my daughter let him out before breakfast and on the floor upstairs, he can be testy upstairs, to many things to hide behind. I didn't use a towel because he has been really good lately. It happened so fast, as he was stepping up and he bit me on the index finger and wouldn't let go. I tried to drop him on the ground. He was hanging from my finger and applying more pressure. I didn't think I would have a finger left.

Again it was all my fault. So my question is how do you drop them on the floor(as I read you should do when they bite) if they are biting you?

Thanks for any advice.

thekarens · Jan 26, 2014

Owwww! I can't help since I've never had a macaw try that with me, but hopefully someone else will speak up soon.

Kissed82 · Jan 26, 2014

Oh no! That looks so bad! I just sent you a message today asking how things were going with him. I'm sorry. I wish I knew the answer to your question, but I will most certainly keep reading this for the answer.

Hope it heals quickly!

MomtoPercy · Jan 26, 2014

Ouchy!!! Shouldn't you have a doc look at that?

MikeyTN · Jan 26, 2014

Ouch! I've been bitten by Willie like that when he was going through his first major hormones. It would be wise for you to keep a training stick with you whenever you try to pick him up. When they try to bite I start to shake them off by doing a twist motion and if he kept trying twist and shake them off onto the floor where they glide down onto the floor.

NightProwess · Jan 26, 2014

how you doctoring your finger? how deep is the puncture?
get some bacitracin or polysporin (try to stay away from neosporin unless you've used it for years and know you're not allergic to it. neomycin is one of the leading causes of contact dermatitis. lots of people are allergic to it)
keep your finger moist with the antibiotic ointment. Letting the "air get to it" and drying it out won't help you heal faster. you want it slightly moist, not soaked.
don't use hydrogen peroxide (its great stuff, kills everthing, but it also damages your good cells making the healing process slower. know how it bubbles up and foams when it touches blood? applying H2O2 to the wound will rob your skin of oxygen and delay the healing)

have some vet wrap or durable bandaids?
keep it covered and good luck.
if its deep enough to need stitches you may wanna have a Dr. look at it.

Got any questions you can private message me.
Good luck with your B&G. that's a painful looking bite my friend.

Mekaisto · Jan 26, 2014

Ouch, looks painful, but at least you still have your finger (silver linings?)

I'm not a huge fan of the 'drop' method, I like prevention better, but here's a tip.

If the macaw bites you, you flip your limb around until the bird's back is facing the floor. Flip him head first, so if he is standing on your left palm and biting your pinky finger, try to flip your hand clockwise. If you turn your hand the other way, he will bite harder to balance himself.

I wouldn't let him sit anywhere near your face, hands and arms only. If he is hiding behind somewhere hard for you to access, try luring him out to a more open area before trying to pick him up.

MikeyTN · Jan 27, 2014

Of course the flip method works great like Mekaisto says.

By the way, have you treated the wound???? Mine got infected last time.....

Kissed82 · Jan 27, 2014

How is the finger? How are you doing with Westly? I know a bite would make me a little more cautious for a bit. Remember he knows how you are feeling....stay brave! My guy will let anyone hold him and pet his head, but bullies the heck out of my 11 yo daughter, he knows she is scared of him.

Training stick? Like use a perch for picking up and carrying ? I have never had to deal with a hormonal bird, well yet. My b&g just turned 2 last month, my conure turns 1 tomorrow, and my Quaker well she is just nasty most of the time....so I wouldn't know if she was ever extra moody. I'm just soaking up the knowledge, learning from other peoples experiences.

Flip over head first, back to the ground.... This will make the bird want to let go? I would think that they would hold on tighter just like the original post. Naturally I would hold on to whatever I could to avoid a fall. Yes I know people are different but can you go into more detail with why?

Sorry if my questions seem elementary but i am just trying to understand this better. I hope to avoid a bite, but I do own a few birds....

Thanks!

Mekaisto · Jan 27, 2014

Unfortunately I can't explain the exact reasoning, they just seem to let go when you do it head first!
I think because they can see what's about to happen, whereas when you flip them backwards, they can't see what's happening and they get scared.

I just realised my wording doesn't make a whole lot of sense, I flip them onto their back on the ground, so I kneel down and then flip them gently so they're effectively laying on the ground. I use my other hand to support the back.

kq_fan · Jan 27, 2014

Oh owww! How does it feel today? I hope he doesn't bite you like that again!

JerseyWendy · Jan 27, 2014

YOWSER!!!

I'm so sorry!!! How is the finger today??? Did you need stitches? Are you up to date on your tetanus shots?

Please, don't blame yourself. It can happen to any of us.

I wish you a VERY speedy, and painless recovery!!!

Birdbrain91 · Jan 27, 2014

Mikey: How old was Willie when he went through his First major hormones and how long did it last? When you say twist are you saying rotate your arm like you are opening a door?

Mekaisto: Are you saying when they are biting you should put your hand on their back and kneel to the floor and lay them on their back? Sorry if this isn't it.

I just want to know all my options. I know every situation is different and may require a different response. I do think he is very hormonal, he is screening more and I'm sure he will bite like this again but hopefully I can stay calm enough so I don't add to the injury.

This morning he was a stinker and attacked the training stick. I put him back in his cage for a couple minuets and tried again. He stepped up nice on my arm and I put him on his tree stand. It's kinda funny he is just sitting on the stand feeling sorry for himself just like a 2 year old would do.

I know he can sense how cautious I'm being around him and he is pissed at me for leaving him in his cage for the rest of the day yesterday. Should make for a fun day.

MikeyTN · Jan 27, 2014

He went through it when he turned 10. He's had minor ones throughout the years but this one was major so I think he was fully matured at 10 cause he changed completely. They don't usually last long but the major one lasted a long time as it went from October through February. Like this year he's been good with me when I take him out, just a little nip nothing serious. No blood/bruising. He's turning 13 years old on May 20th. I keep getting my dates messed up but it would be a full 10 years that we've had him later on this year.

Yes like open door motion in a quick motion but the roll over thing Mekaisto suggests does work as well. Just whichever one works for you.

Birdman666 · Jan 27, 2014

First of all, that isn't too bad for a macaw bite...

You still have your thumb. And it didn't require stitches to close the wound. (I have twice had to go to the ER for stitches for macaw bites...) So, the bird was just "being a little too firm." He doesn't control his bite pressure very well yet, and still has more work to be done on bite pressure training...

It's not your fault. That was your bird doing an "I DON'T WANNA, AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" THIS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF A TODDLER TANTRUM.

That is the point where they meet Mr. Towel in my household.

"I don't care if you don't wanna, and yes I can and will make you. Now you are in time out."

That's all this is.

Once he is bite pressure trained these sort of things will become less painful, pinches instead of blood draws, and if they know you will enforce discipline, and their needs are met, the tantrums will be few and far between...

But they all throw them from time to time.

If it has feathers, it will occasionally get pissy...

The difficult years for hormones for most big macs, in my opinion are the 7-12 year range... after that they normal out.

Birdbrain91 · Jan 27, 2014

I've seen 2 different ages on him, he is either 10 or 13. He started getting nippy a couple weeks before I brought him home in Nov.

Yes, we have a lot of pressure training to do. That is on hold until my finger heals as that is the hand I use. I don't trust him at the moment he has been cranky today.

Where is that fine line of forcing him to do something and not being a push over? How far can I push it. He hates to take a shower and I've tried to give him one with me ( we've done it twice) but now he runs up my arm to my shoulder and that I will not allow. I made that mistake with my conures and now I can keep them off my shoulder. I'm afraid if I put him I'm the shower and turn it on he will freak out and I could possibly lose his trust forever.

I know I have to be better at discipline but it goes back to that trust issue I have.

Mekaisto · Jan 28, 2014

Yep, so he bites - and you quickly kneel down and flip him while supporting his back until he is laying on the ground on his back.

I have only had to do this three times, with two different macaws, but each time the bird let go and grabbed onto the carpet with its beak.

_LB · Jan 28, 2014

Birdbrain91 said:
He hates to take a shower and I've tried to give him one with me ( we've done it twice) but now he runs up my arm to my shoulder and that I will not allow. I made that mistake with my conures and now I can keep them off my shoulder. I'm afraid if I put him I'm the shower and turn it on he will freak out and I could possibly lose his trust forever.

Our macaw was a little bit skeptical of water at first as well. We started really slowly with him, just spraying him a bit with a water bottle (not at his face, just lightly into the air a foot or so over his head, a few sprays), while making it seem like a bit hoot - praising him and pretending it was the most wonderful thing ever. About the third time we did it with him (spread over maybe two weeks) he started getting into it and flapping his wings and then we REALLY praised him and made a big commotion out of it. Piper learned bathtime is when he gets us to act really silly with him, and he loves that.

Eventually, I put his t-stand in the bathtub and got him used to being misted there. The next time I had the water running in the shower but didn't put him under the shower spray yet - just got him used to being misted with the shower running, all while he was having a great time.

He still doesn't "love" the harder spray of the shower and much prefers the mist, but he does positive associations with water now.

Birdman666 · Jan 28, 2014

I've never actually experienced that one to tell you the truth. Every macaw I've had, and every bird I've fostered has simply adored water...

I have the opposite problem. I've got to turn the water off on them...

Do you have a hose with a mister setting, where you could put him on an outside perch in the sun, and then stand a little ways away and just let the mist hit him?

Indoors, I would use a misting bottle, and just lightly mist him a little bit more each day... until he gets used to it.

Birdbrain91 · Jan 29, 2014

I've put him on the door of the shower so he can get use to seeing and hearing the water. I then offer him to step up and into the shower, no go he just lunges at me. I end up putting him in the baht tub and misting him with a spray bottle. I just spray over him never on him.
I've even put about 1-2 inches of water in the tub he didn't like that. He just screams like water will kill him. He is really starting to stink because the misting isn't enough.

Bad Macaw bite please help

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