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[LadyJemima]

Got my first serious parrot bite today (Red-bellied.) Involved blood, Neosporin, band-aids, and tears on my part.

Seriously, though, I'm glad it happened. I am giving serious consideration to adoption my first parrot (a Pionus) and even though I've had some "hard" bites before, none were serious enough to draw blood. This gives me a real "window" into parrot bites as part of ownership.

All I can say is, I pity Macaw owners.

 

[Christinenc2000]

Ouch . My Macaw has nipped . No bite yet. But have only had him a couple weeks. He did bit a girl at the vets office two days before I took him home. She was feeding him turned and looked at me and when she did her hand turned about the time he was taking the food and he drew blood. I never know 100 % what happened until We looked at the video security cam .

 

[Birdman666]

Got my first serious parrot bite today (Red-bellied.) Involved blood, Neosporin, band-aids, and tears on my part.

Seriously, though, I'm glad it happened. I am giving serious consideration to adoption my first parrot (a Pionus) and even though I've had some "hard" bites before, none were serious enough to draw blood. This gives me a real "window" into parrot bites as part of ownership.

All I can say is, I pity Macaw owners.

Macaws are easier to teach to just pinch than a red bellied is... and they are more confident birds, so they are less defensive and less inclined to bite. (Though I have two sets of stitches in over 15+ years and I worked primarily with "the biters" - both from macaws. They certainly can!)

And I'd much rather be bit by a big mac than a CAG. CAG'S have a beak like a scissors. Slices right through flesh...

 

[Birdman666]

Ouch . My Macaw has nipped . No bite yet. But have only had him a couple weeks. He did bit a girl at the vets office two days before I took him home. She was feeding him turned and looked at me and when she did her hand turned about the time he was taking the food and he drew blood. I never know 100 % what happened until We looked at the video security cam .

He grabbed her finger, and she pulled away! That one was her fault... you don't want to play tug of war with a macaw and a human body part... particularly if that body part happens to be yours!!!

THE NICE MAN WANTS HIS FINGER BACK, NOW COME ON! BE A GOOD BIRD AND GIVE IT TO ME...

 

[Christinenc2000]

Ouch . My Macaw has nipped . No bite yet. But have only had him a couple weeks. He did bit a girl at the vets office two days before I took him home. She was feeding him turned and looked at me and when she did her hand turned about the time he was taking the food and he drew blood. I never know 100 % what happened until We looked at the video security cam .

He grabbed her finger, and she pulled away! That one was her fault... you don't want to play tug of war with a macaw and a human body part... particularly if that body part happens to be yours!!!

THE NICE MAN WANTS HIS FINGER BACK, NOW COME ON! BE A GOOD BIRD AND GIVE IT TO ME...

yes you told me when I first joined that she did something wrong . She stood her ground said NO I DID NOT. So vet said well lets pull the tape. It was a fraction of a second . He was just about to the seed and she turned. Index finger chomp chomp LOL Vet said Never ever loose eye contact

 

[RavensGryf]

I feel for you! I've had my (favorite bird) Robin my male Red Bellied for 20 years, and have had my share of very hard bites from him. Poicephalus in general, but male RB are a species with the reputation for that (found out after I got him).

No matter the training, Poi's are just more inclined to 'bite first and ask questions later' than Pionus are. Pionus can and do bite hard also, but in a well adjusted pet it's not for every little thing.

 

[Birdman666]

NEVER EVER LOOSE EYE CONTACT WITH AN UNTRAINED MACAW...

Now, it seems to me I've heard that somewhere before!

Hey, that's where BOTH my sets of stitches came from. First one, I got distracted while handling a biter. The second I broke eye contact that little stinker tried to take my thumb off... (How bad was the wound from that bird bite? It was SEVERE! Get it? SEVERE Macaw. Almost SEVERE-d thumb! Ha!)

Second one was actually a very friendly Shamrock macaw... who just didn't know his own strength. I was scratching his head and he didn't want me to stop. I broke eye contact, and turned away to get him some fresh water... he grabbed my finger (right down to the bone) to keep me from walking away!

The first bird absolutely intended to injure me (pretty much any chance he got.) The second bird absolutely did not.

 

[Birdman666]

Pionus can and do bite, but in a well adjusted pet it's not for every little thing.

Yeah.

I call those guys Amazon-Lite. They are pretty even tempered and very easy to read.

Poi's have attitude, and can be unpredictable. Part charm. Part annoyance.

 

[Christinenc2000]

Scary stuff

LadyJemima are you ok ? Still going to adopt ?

 

[RavensGryf]

Macaws are easier to teach to just pinch than a red bellied is... and they are more confident birds, so they are less defensive and less inclined to bite. (Though I have two sets of stitches in over 15+ years and I worked primarily with "the biters" - both from macaws. They certainly can!)

And I'd much rather be bit by a big mac than a CAG. CAG'S have a beak like a scissors. Slices right through flesh...

Agreed. Even the tamest RB can get phobic and freak out unexpectedly with no overtly 'noticeable' body language (or in a split second before). That's why my beloved Robin is NOT a shoulder bird!

I have noticed the shape of Grey's beaks as compared to other species. They're very laterally compressed. They LOOK like scissors!

 

[Birdman666]

Worst injury I've ever seen was from a very, very sweet CAG who displacement bit... something really startled the bird.

Shouldn't have been on a shoulder if it displacement bites. HUGE NO-NO!

That's the critical factor in deciding whether or not to allow them up there. Will they behave and come down like they are supposed to (annoying!), and will they displacement bite.

I only have one who displacement bites. He remains on my hand or arm.

 

[Birdman666]

I have noticed the shape of Grey's beaks as compared to other species. They're very laterally compressed. They LOOK like scissors!

Cuts through flesh like a scissors too! And they have pretty quick tempers. When they get riled up, if you push them, they push back.

Tusk will verbally warn you the first time and push your fingers away. He'll warn you a second time, and he'll get your fingers hard enough that it will hurt. The third time, he's liable to bite hard enough to draw blood. When he starts calling you an a$$hole, telling you to leave him alone, or saying "OWWW THAT HURTS!" HE IS NOT FOOLING AROUND...

Might as well be a hunched over amazon at that point.

 

[RavensGryf]

Lol. Starts calling you an a$$hole LOL!

Hunched over Amazon... I've never seen one in person. Up coming I'm sure I will see a hunched over male Pionus (Amazon-lite) though! I've heard some bad stories with male Pi too. Raven's breeder told me never to laugh at them when it happens, but that it's hard not to!

 

[Birdman666]

All I can say is, I pity Macaw owners.

In all seriousness, even though I did make the mistake that earned me a trip to the ER on two occasions in about 15 years of working with them...

I can honestly say I pity anyone who has never known this:

http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/46733-feathered-buzz-saws.html

Big Macs are probably my favorite birds to work with. The goofy/interaction factor with these guys is off the hook...

 

[Kiwibird]

Welcome to the forum! Hope you aren't scared off birds forever! For the few times a well trained bird will bite you in it's life (it does happen), the benefits of a loving, intelligent, lon-lived companion FAR outweigh the occasional chomp. I'm not sure how much damage a medium bird like a red belly can do, but I would imagine not nearly as much as the bigger guys.

And if I can add my opinion- worse biters are cockatoos! Latch on like a gila monster and grind right down to the bone until you physically pry them off. Kiwi's bit me pretty viciously before, twice in the face, but NOTHING compared to bites I got from Alfie the G2 in the past His beak was like a pair of razors and he doesn't let go! My mom got bit so bad one day she needed stitches and it caused permanent nerve damage in her finger. I don't mind "bite and release" birds, but ones that hang on- not for me:52:

 

[RavensGryf]

Welcome to the forum! Hope you aren't scared off birds forever! For the few times a well trained bird will bite you in it's life (it does happen), the benefits of a loving, intelligent, lon-lived companion FAR outweigh the occasional chomp. I'm not sure how much damage a medium bird like a red belly can do, but I would imagine not nearly as much as the bigger guys.

And if I can add my opinion- worse biters are cockatoos! Latch on like a gila monster and grind right down to the bone until you physically pry them off. Kiwi's bit me pretty viciously before, twice in the face, but NOTHING compared to bites I got from Alfie the G2 in the past His beak was like a pair of razors and he doesn't let go! My mom got bit so bad one day she needed stitches and it caused permanent nerve damage in her finger. I don't mind "bite and release" birds, but ones that hang on- not for me:52:

The Red Bellied can't do the damage of an Amazon, but from what I've heard, Poi's are stronger biters than other medium sized beaks (and ALL parrots bite hard). I say "from what I've heard", because fortunately I haven't been bitten AS hard by any other bird I've had including a couple larger.

When I was a kid my dad (briefly) had a Cockatiel that my aunt pawned onto us. I remember he said it punctured straight through a leather glove and into his finger, and that's a small beak too!

Poi's will definitely do the 'latch on and not let go' you have to pry them off your bloody flesh. Whereas Raven the Pionus will bite and release. I'm not sure how he'd do it after maturity though. Their display is a lot like an Amazon and they're related so I'm guessing they do whatever zons do. Do Amazons tend to hang on and grind?

Yeah, I keep telling Don about that aspect of Cockatoos after maturity, and I don't know if he fully believes me since he loves to see the cuddly baby Toos in the store. He wants one but that is a species not for us personally. I tell him Noooo!

 

[Christinenc2000]

All I can say is, I pity Macaw owners.

In all seriousness, even though I did make the mistake that earned me a trip to the ER on two occasions in about 15 years of working with them...

I can honestly say I pity anyone who has never known this:

http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/46733-feathered-buzz-saws.html

Big Macs are probably my favorite birds to work with. The goofy/interaction factor with these guys is off the hook...

I am waiting for the day I can post a picture there.

 

[veimar]

Well, that happens… I feel for you - hope you still love your parrot after that! Strangely enough out of my 6 birds I got the worst bites from a cockatiel so far! He was very wild and aggressive when I rescued him, so I had to use gloves to handle him. Before I used the gloves he would bite very hard and won't let go, like a bulldog - not only my finger bled, but it was all bruised blue. Luckily Murzik never does that anymore - he is my sweet baby now. hang in there!

 

[Kiwibird]

Welcome to the forum! Hope you aren't scared off birds forever! For the few times a well trained bird will bite you in it's life (it does happen), the benefits of a loving, intelligent, lon-lived companion FAR outweigh the occasional chomp. I'm not sure how much damage a medium bird like a red belly can do, but I would imagine not nearly as much as the bigger guys.

And if I can add my opinion- worse biters are cockatoos! Latch on like a gila monster and grind right down to the bone until you physically pry them off. Kiwi's bit me pretty viciously before, twice in the face, but NOTHING compared to bites I got from Alfie the G2 in the past His beak was like a pair of razors and he doesn't let go! My mom got bit so bad one day she needed stitches and it caused permanent nerve damage in her finger. I don't mind "bite and release" birds, but ones that hang on- not for me:52:

The Red Bellied can't do the damage of an Amazon, but from what I've heard, Poi's are stronger biters than other medium sized beaks (and ALL parrots bite hard). I say "from what I've heard", because fortunately I haven't been bitten AS hard by any other bird I've had including a couple larger.

When I was a kid my dad (briefly) had a Cockatiel that my aunt pawned onto us. I remember he said it punctured straight through a leather glove and into his finger, and that's a small beak too!

Poi's will definitely do the 'latch on and not let go' you have to pry them off your bloody flesh. Whereas Raven the Pionus will bite and release. I'm not sure how he'd do it after maturity though. Their display is a lot like an Amazon and they're related so I'm guessing they do whatever zons do. Do Amazons tend to hang on and grind?

Yeah, I keep telling Don about that aspect of Cockatoos after maturity, and I don't know if he fully believes me since he loves to see the cuddly baby Toos in the store. He wants one but that is a species not for us personally. I tell him Noooo!

I have been bit by Lucy and Kiwi, both "hot 3" zons, and neither was a hanger-on. Lucy actually never broke skin really (more of a blood blister) and Barney the male GCA has actually never bitten anyone. Kiwi, on the other hand:54: He's given me some really nasty bites before, and his beak is like a dull knife in terms of the way it rips your flesh It's why he is not allowed on my shoulder. A male zon is too unpredictable after puberty in my book and you can't see what signals they're displaying when they're up on your shoulder to avoid a bite. After 2 facial bites from him, that was more than I cared to receive for a lifetime:52: Hands and arms heal, eyes, lips, ears and noses may not... I haven't be bit hard by Kiwi in several years, but that's because I keep him in full view and SEE when he's displaying clear signs of aggression (and avoid!). If Raven acts anything like a typical male zon after puberty, you'll learn those signs and likely be able to avoid serious bites. Most zons don't strike out of the blue.

I think old-world parrots evolved sharper beaks than new world parrots judging by everything I've read about which birds bite is worse. Just look at their beaks. Much more rounded than new world birds who have "blockier" beaks. Probably also evolved with the bite and hang on reflex too:52: Obviously, the smaller the bird, the less damage it's capable of, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like crazy!

I sure hope we aren't scaring the OP away from birds by having this discussion:21: It's just an inherent part of parrot ownership that you're going to get bit, and it will happen more often when the bird is new and again when the bird hits puberty. But once you've trained your bird, gained his or her trust and learned his or her body language, it's very rare you'll be bit. It doesn't happen as often as it sounds like it does and preventative measures such as bite pressure training or stick training and teaching alternative forms of communication (such as turning their back when they want to be left alone) can help prevent serious bites. You can go years without a single incident, get nabbed one day, and then go for many more years without a repeat. Please don't think parrots are savage, blood thirsty creatures because they're not!

 

[Birdman666]

Lol. Starts calling you an a$$hole LOL!
.!

I wasn't kidding... He does that. And it means he's really freakin' mad at you...