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.

 

[wrench13]

Parrot bites are like motorcycle accidents - its not IF but WHEN !
THe best parrot bites are the ones you avoid. The second best bites are the ones that are your fault, not the birds.

Naughty kme3388, go stand in a corner and ignore yourself for 1 minute.

 

[TiredOldMan]

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?

I absolutely believe they do

 

[TiredOldMan]

I believe it's never the birds fault
We humans are just incapable of understanding all the time what they are trying to tell us.
Wrench is 100% right. It's not IF but WHEN.

 

[rheashard2]

I feel empathy for anyone who gets a large parrot bite! In 4 decades between 2 CAG, I've been bitten hard 3x, no blood but beautiful beak indentation. All 3 were my fault. Each time bird was expressing displeasure over something. I ignored the behavior and got a hack and bite. With my second CAG, I was honestly sorry for my behavior and said sorry softly. Now she's an annoyance. She grabs a finger or hand and says sorry. Never hard grabs. The hardest thing to learn AND remember is a CAG has nearly 2x the bitting force of a pitbull! Plus that beak is sharp. Respect their beak, their space, and keep observation of behavior. Prevention is best.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Parrot bites are like motorcycle accidents - its not IF but WHEN !
THe best parrot bites are the ones you avoid. The second best bites are the ones that are your fault, not the birds.

Naughty kme3388
[QUOTE="TiredOldMan, post: 1091975, member: 32668"]
I absolutely believe they do
[/QUOTE]
, go stand in a corner and ignore yourself for 1 minute.

I will not touch a parrot that isn't mine- no bites that way. I wouldn't let anyone touch my parrots- no bites and lawsuits that way!

Budgies (and cockatiels) are the exceptions. They ARE little parrots, but simply can't cause that much damage and generally will fly away rather than take on a human.

You think motorcyclists will1 definitely get in accidents? If so, no one should ever ride one. Most of the of time they don't survive accidents well.

Does anyone think a parrot ever feels bad and is sorry after biting? Do they understand that they hurt someone?

 

[PrimorandMoxi]

I absolutely believe they do

My macaw bluffs and laughs when he gets you or scares you. He definitely finds this amusing so it makes me wonder if they can comprehend some sort of empathy or even understand they did something wrong?

I guess I can see Max having a sense of pleasure and fun and play rather than any shred of right and wrong...

 

[Talaya]

I have been bitten twice since Christmas, at both times it was a similar scenario, and both times it was a calculated ‘attack’ bite by my boy. He actually was sitting, thinking about the situation (had been playing with a toy) when he flew about foot or so to my hand, bit a finger and then fly away again.
So both times he had been playing with a bell, had started to get heightened energy..the first time I took the bell away, the second time he had his bell in view .. both times sitting there quietly thinking for a minute.. both times I had then turned my direct gaze away from him for some reason.. And at that precise point he flew over to deliberately to land on my hand and bite a finger & fly off.
No blood but yep they hurt. So that’s it, no bells allowed near me now. He also is molting and kept screaming lots today.
He’s also keeps growling at everything that miffs him just slightly. Noises, light, the wrong treat or even not enough treats, eating all the almond and being told that there’s no more, being taken to the wrong perch etc. he’s a very grumpy volatile boy.

 

[rheashard2]

Larger parrots definitely a sense of humor. It may not be human but its humor. Ringing phone till answered then laughing. Same with firealarm battery low and you have to get step ladder, climb up then the laughter. Laughing appropriately at movies etc that don't have laugh tracks. And much much more. Mimicking big rig air brakes in mountains and laughing when this great plains person has near panic attacks.

 

[GaleriaGila]

I love threads like this... so full of advice and camaraderie.
I am the victim of my own bad behavior management... I can't seem to summon the resolve or courage to consequate the Rb's behavior. Never have. So he's a flying big-beaked bully. Bites when he pleases.
I post this NOT BECAUSE I ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO BE LKE ME, but because, if you're a flop at behavior management, but you love and treasure your bird... you're still okay.

 

[rheashard2]

Well tell RB that he's the perfect opposite for my CAG. She blows kisses and rests her beak on me to get restricted treats. Talks softly, and more. I give in. Then she takes a nibble, blows a kiss, nibbles and repeats. I guess she's a passive aggressive dictator.