So why didn't he bite HIM?
How bad are macaw bites really?
- Thread starter veruka1973
- Start date
I've been bitten by every common species of macaw. Scarlets definitely are the worst followed by militaries. Amazons are just as bad. There beaks seem sharper.
I've been bitten unfairly too. I'll be making a fuss of a bird and another macaw snuck up and pulled the birds feathers. And then they bit me real hard as they thought I done it.
I've been bitten unfairly too. I'll be making a fuss of a bird and another macaw snuck up and pulled the birds feathers. And then they bit me real hard as they thought I done it.
Birdman666
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- Sep 18, 2013
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- Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
Nah, you just happened to be there when they voiced their displeasure at having their tail feathers pulled...
If you can't bite the one you wanna bite, bite the one you're with... Isn't that an old Steven Stills song from the 70's?!
Displacement bites suck!
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veruka1973
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She flew for the first time today!! I walked in the kitchen to make coffee and heard her normal furious flapping, but this time it was accompanied by the sounds of things being knocked over, so I sprinted back to the living room just in time to see her land on the other side of the room! She seemed totally freaked out like "Did I do THAT!?"
She is down to pretty much 1 feeding a day now in the evening, she started pretty much refusing her morning feeding and eats on her own, doing well on pellets and I mix in a few seeds but am slowly phasing those out and going just with pellets and fresh foods.
My older amazon whom I did not handfeed, he came to me as an older bird...he gets so excited about the hand feedings and if you've read any of my posts in the amazon section you have read how he reacts to warm foods as if he is being handfed....so I put some of the warm formula in his dish just to kinda see what he would do and WOW he made all sorts of coo'ing noises and ate it up....he is such a weirdo lol
She is down to pretty much 1 feeding a day now in the evening, she started pretty much refusing her morning feeding and eats on her own, doing well on pellets and I mix in a few seeds but am slowly phasing those out and going just with pellets and fresh foods.
My older amazon whom I did not handfeed, he came to me as an older bird...he gets so excited about the hand feedings and if you've read any of my posts in the amazon section you have read how he reacts to warm foods as if he is being handfed....so I put some of the warm formula in his dish just to kinda see what he would do and WOW he made all sorts of coo'ing noises and ate it up....he is such a weirdo lol
Sicilysangel
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Piccollo- Sun Conure.
Fosterer of many diff species :)
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veruka1973
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Nah, after I am done feeding her I poured a little of what was left of the formula into his dish. He never touched any of the "equipment"
Hey all - I was browsing some info on macaw bites as I had an experience last night I am inclined to share on this thread.
Rolo is our Blue and Gold Macaw - around a year and a half old. Very silly tame! My other half is his favourite although he loves spending time with me!
He normally pecks or nips at you if he doesn't like something. Not very hard just enough for you to stop. He is very comfortable around us both although will shun me if my missus is around lol. He understands NO and is such a loveable bird. He showers with us, eats with us, sleeps when we sleep and goes on rambles and rants when he is happy. He totally rips apart all the newspaper in his cage when he wants out (he is kept in a cage when we are not around). I am in the process of constructing an outdoor aviary to the back of the house so he can have his own space, especially with a newborn on the way next month!
Last night, Rolo was perched on my shoulder and he loves sitting on this hanging perch from the window peering outside, so I tried for him to get onto the perch. He somewhat squawked and literally took a swipe at my chin. I've never felt him bite so hard before. My wife came into the room after hearing the commotion and saw that I had a cut near my chin which didn't look bad, but any movement near my face opened the cut and blood poured out. I also noticed an extreme pain all the way down my throat and neck.
I am a type 1 diabetic, therefore my blood sugars went haywire and I passed out. Whilst KO, my wife had put some ice cubes covered in a cloth to stop the bleeding which stopped by then. I have attached a pic of the area.
It may seem very small, but it is very deep. Although these birds may be tame to a silly level, their beaks are VERY sharp. I trust Rolo with my life (not with my laptop however), so I have put this down to puberty and growing up. I have realised that his behaviour has changed (have had him since he was 3 months old) and though he may seem more obedient (with age) his strength and attitude are also maturing.
Any advice? My wife was worried I wouldn't forgive him because at the time, it seemed really worse than it is. I have owned pets before (3 bengal cats) and know the odd injury is to be expected. I had to hand feed one of my raw bengal girls to wean her off the raw meat diet she was on. She accidentally bit down hard on the tip of my finger with her her canine's and the pain was indescribable. Again no fault of the animal!
Would this freak event be down to him growing up? Is it puberty related?
Any advice of comments would be greatly appreciated!
Abu Rolo!
Rolo is our Blue and Gold Macaw - around a year and a half old. Very silly tame! My other half is his favourite although he loves spending time with me!
He normally pecks or nips at you if he doesn't like something. Not very hard just enough for you to stop. He is very comfortable around us both although will shun me if my missus is around lol. He understands NO and is such a loveable bird. He showers with us, eats with us, sleeps when we sleep and goes on rambles and rants when he is happy. He totally rips apart all the newspaper in his cage when he wants out (he is kept in a cage when we are not around). I am in the process of constructing an outdoor aviary to the back of the house so he can have his own space, especially with a newborn on the way next month!
Last night, Rolo was perched on my shoulder and he loves sitting on this hanging perch from the window peering outside, so I tried for him to get onto the perch. He somewhat squawked and literally took a swipe at my chin. I've never felt him bite so hard before. My wife came into the room after hearing the commotion and saw that I had a cut near my chin which didn't look bad, but any movement near my face opened the cut and blood poured out. I also noticed an extreme pain all the way down my throat and neck.
I am a type 1 diabetic, therefore my blood sugars went haywire and I passed out. Whilst KO, my wife had put some ice cubes covered in a cloth to stop the bleeding which stopped by then. I have attached a pic of the area.
It may seem very small, but it is very deep. Although these birds may be tame to a silly level, their beaks are VERY sharp. I trust Rolo with my life (not with my laptop however), so I have put this down to puberty and growing up. I have realised that his behaviour has changed (have had him since he was 3 months old) and though he may seem more obedient (with age) his strength and attitude are also maturing.
Any advice? My wife was worried I wouldn't forgive him because at the time, it seemed really worse than it is. I have owned pets before (3 bengal cats) and know the odd injury is to be expected. I had to hand feed one of my raw bengal girls to wean her off the raw meat diet she was on. She accidentally bit down hard on the tip of my finger with her her canine's and the pain was indescribable. Again no fault of the animal!
Would this freak event be down to him growing up? Is it puberty related?
Any advice of comments would be greatly appreciated!
Abu Rolo!
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Dinosrawr
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Ouch! Macaws generally don't hit sexual maturity until around the 5-12 age range from what I understand, but they can certainly start displaying mature behaviours. Though it has been mentioned that B&G's can hit sexual maturity quite young after reading a few things about it.
If anything I think something startled him and as a reaction, he ended up displacement biting you. I don't think he just randomly did it considering that it happened while you were trying to move him. There are certainly some cases of extreme, random aggressive behaviour that some members have experienced (ex. an Amazon that pierced a member's spouse's jugular vein if I recall correctly), but in this case I think Rolo was just spooked by something. But I'm also not a big bird person - yet! - so I'll let the experts answer
If anything I think something startled him and as a reaction, he ended up displacement biting you. I don't think he just randomly did it considering that it happened while you were trying to move him. There are certainly some cases of extreme, random aggressive behaviour that some members have experienced (ex. an Amazon that pierced a member's spouse's jugular vein if I recall correctly), but in this case I think Rolo was just spooked by something. But I'm also not a big bird person - yet! - so I'll let the experts answer
One of my work colleague's father, Had a Greater Sulpher Crested Cockatoo that was caged all it's life. The bird only lived for 47 years, probably resulting from an all seed diet. (the bird died over 40 years ago). According to my work colleague this Sulpher Crested Cockatoo was a very very mean and nasty bird. No socialising, training or out of cage time made sure of that.
Anyway, one day this Sulpher crested cockatoo managed to bite his father on the end of the thumb. The result was the bone at the end of the thumb was bitten in two, plus part of the thumb nail was driven through the thumb, and the broken bone. Then out the other side. The damage was too great and the end of the thumb was removed at the joint.
Thankfully we are now more educated in bird intelligence, housing, social, training and dietary requirements and when combined correctly, it results in a well adjusted, happy and healthy bird. Of course even after fulfilling all these requirements, birds will still pinch, nip and bite us humans, when we don't heed their warnings. But I think they are very restrained when they do bite. Because they KNOW what damage they are capable of.
Anyway, one day this Sulpher crested cockatoo managed to bite his father on the end of the thumb. The result was the bone at the end of the thumb was bitten in two, plus part of the thumb nail was driven through the thumb, and the broken bone. Then out the other side. The damage was too great and the end of the thumb was removed at the joint.
Thankfully we are now more educated in bird intelligence, housing, social, training and dietary requirements and when combined correctly, it results in a well adjusted, happy and healthy bird. Of course even after fulfilling all these requirements, birds will still pinch, nip and bite us humans, when we don't heed their warnings. But I think they are very restrained when they do bite. Because they KNOW what damage they are capable of.
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