Biting

[LeAnneBoone14]

I read everythin I can find on the Internet about macaws and how to train them not to bite and YouTube videos bit I was wondering if anyone on her may have any tips. Also on how to teach to step up?

 

[ToMang07]

Search "Birdman666" and read away!

 

[Sunnybirb]

Like the ToMang07 said, the Birdman666 posts are the best source of information around. At the top of the macaw forum, that sticky has tons of information about what bites mean and how to respond to them. The thing that's helped me the most is doing the ace bandage trick. You take a towel and wrap your arm, then wrap an ace bandage around it. Put a sweatshirt on over that, and anytime your macaw tries to bite, it won't hurt and you won't pull away or respond (cause they love a response, those colorful chickens). You can work on trying step up then, since you won't have to risk being bit.

But not knowing your particular situation, it's probably best to check out those posts and decide why it is you think your macaw is biting. If they know step up sometimes, it's going to be different than if they don't know it at all. If they are biting out of fear, you need to work on trust before even initiating any close contact. If they have cage aggression, that's a whole other can of worms and different than if they are acting aggressive all the time or only out of the cage.

There's a lot of reasons why macaws do things, as I am discovering, and it's usually multiple solutions that help rather than just one clear-cut simple one. Think of your macaw as a little person that has complex emotional feelings. They could be doing a particular thing for any number of reasons. They're very sensitive animals. Just having a change outside the cage, like moving a chair that is usually nearby, can completely impact their mood and behavior.

I like to think of my macaw Sunny as a little toddler with a murder weapon on her face. She's super sweet when things are going the way she wants, but when they're not, look out! She will let you know! And it's up to me, her caretaker, to figure out what's gone wrong and set her off on the upset bird course. Macaws are wild animals, not domesticated pets, and it's important to think of them that way when you interact with them. They want more than anything to be close with you and hang out and interact because they are very social and need a connection, but like a human being, you have to earn their trust. It's hard won in a lot of cases, but you can get there with hard work and determination!

Hopefully that helps a little bit.

 

[Cas27]

Hi, I’ve only had Marty my 8 year old male for six months or more.....I took my time with him at the bird store for at least a month visiting him every day because I never owned a macaw and was a little intimidated by his beak.
Marty was supposed too be a mean macaw when I met him I went up too his cage and opened it and told him too step up he chose me he stepped right up we were a team ever since. Getting back too biting a lot of it is bluffing like a little growl and hit you with his beak sometimes even puts his beak around my fingers with just a little pressure.
I’m just now able too trust Marty as him with me give it Time your macaw will come around