I got bit :-(

[kme3388]

My macaw did finally bite me. Yes, it was my fault. I cleaned his cage with a swiffer duster today. He’s molting so there is quite a bit of dust & dander. He’s was chasing it as I was cleaning, and he wasn’t exactly happy about this. Afterwards I took him out of his cage, and put him on his daytime stand. I trained with him a little not like usual. I have been so wore out, and I just wanted to relax, and play a few games on my iPad. Usually him, and I will snuggle while watching American idol, or some musical show. He really likes music. I wanted to skip this today. He started screaming. I went to have him step up to bring him back to his cage (honestly I was still playing on my iPad, and not looking at him), and he bit me. Surprisingly there was minimal blood. My macaw crushes more than anything with his bite. I’m a little swollen. I just wanted to share my incompetence in hopes that someone doesn’t follow in my foot steps.

 

[LaManuka]

Awwwwwwwwww @kme3388 I'm sorry you got bit. I always say it hurts the heart more than anything else when we get bit, but then again I've never been badly bit by anything bigger than a corella. That little guy nailed me pretty good and there was LOTS of blood but I think a mac would be a whole 'nother level - you're a far braver parront than I!!

 

[kme3388]

It does hurt the heart. It’s hard to not take it personal. On top of it after he bit me he gave me his big wings which means he’s challenging me. He’s trying to be big and tough. So I have to make arms wide, and appear big & tough too until he puts his wings down. I’ve never had to do this with any other parrot. Yes I look like a fool arguing with my macaw.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

That's what I'm worried about with my future grey. The bites. Been bitten in the past, but never been bitten by anything that large.

You're right - bites bruise the ego!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I wonder if parrots that are usually "tame" ever feel bad after biting their humans. Do they ever appreciate that they caused pain? Are parrots capable of that kind of empathy?

 

[Macawdamia Nut]

In 50 years I have never been bitten by my macaw. About 40 years ago I was bitten by the Moluccan cockatoo belonging to my brother’s girlfriend. That was sheer torture! A crushing bite that led to blood, bruising, swelling and an infection. I still have the scar. I steer clear of cockatoos as a result. I never touch any bird—no matter how ostensibly tame it is—unless it is mine.

Is it molting season where you are? Not in my house—yet.

 

[saxguy64]

I totally understand how hard it is to not take it personally, but I have to try and remember they don't think about such things the same way that we do. Really, if we get bit, it's our own fault. No shame in accepting that. It's a learning experience in my book. My Baxter has nailed me exactly once, several years ago. Yup, my fault. I was giving her scritches and turned away to watch something that caught my attention on TV. Obviously I did something she didn't like and I never saw it coming. It hurt, I bled, and I was dumbfounded, but realized it wouldn't have happened if I was paying attention. Amazon body language is cut and dry, and I totally missed it.
Greys on the other hand, at least to me, are a bit more subtle. Maybe because I only have a year or so experience with one, but still... Avery nipped me once when he first got here. I didn't really know him and he didn't know me, other than a half hour to hang out when I brought him home. He was great, but I was a little over confident and reached in the carrier to bring him out. Too much, too soon, and he latched on my finger to tell me so. My fault. He's been wonderful since, but I've pretty much learned his boundaries and don't push him. Well, until a couple days ago. Morning routine as usual, and time to go to work, he's on his tree/stand. I wasn't thinking and approached arm first to step up and go to his cage. Dad, you did it wrong! You're supposed to come see me, show me your hand, and THEN ask for the step up. It was a quick and clear "NO" from him and before I knew it, my sleeve (and my arm) had a good hole in it, and the blood was flowing. The cut and bruise are still there, but we've moved on and he's still the sweet boy he always is. I just remember... Think forward, not backwards.

I have zero experience with macs. I know that bluffing is a thing, (unlike amazons who never bluff) so I don't know exactly how that plays into the mix. Clearly your guy was past bluffing, but still, I suspect there's a component of it in the whole dynamic. Birds are... Weird.