Macaw bite and Questions.

Birdlover1 · May 19, 2013

Tonight I made a bad mistake.I let Echo stay up past his bedtime out of his cage while I got my bath.After my bath I decided it was time for him to go to bed.I went to his cage and told him to go in but he wouldn't and was getting cranky.I put my hand on the cage door like a normally due to encourage him to get into the cage and he climbed down like he always does to play with my hand but this time the little bugger bite me hard.This was no nip as he broke the skin and caused alot of bleeding.I kept my cool and didn't do anything until he let go then I told him to go in his cage and he did.I think I have learned never to let him stay up past his bedtime anymore lol.

Im worried now that I may have upset him though as me and him had just had a brake threw earlier that day with stepping up.I didn't do anything to get him to step up I was just leaning on his cage giving him scratches then he just climbed onto my arm with one foot and stood there on it for awhile.
A few hours after that I was petting him and he tried to step down on my arm when I just had my arm in a normal arm pose behind him except he didn't get a good grip on my arm and I wasn't expecting it so he didn't stay on.Do you think hes mad about that?He seemed happy then thou.

fregley · May 19, 2013

Fregley gets cranky when it's time for bed, he gets to stay up later at weekends but we still have a tantrum regardless.
I try to make it fun for him and always reward him for going in.
Sometimes I can trick him and put him straight on his perch, other times he's biting and growling, when he's biting I'll give my hand a little shake to unsteady him, he always lets go when I do this.
Try having a ladder going into his cage and see if he'll follow his favourite treat in.

They also have days when they're cranky, just like we do so don't take it personally and he won't hold a grudge, I can have days when Fregley is an absolute monster and just wants to be left alone - this is usually when a primary feather is due to fall out - then the next day he's a fluffy cuddlebug lol

coral3 · May 19, 2013

I have no macaw experience, but I have noticed that if I'm late putting Ringo (alexandrine) to bed, and he's already started to settle for the night somewhere else then there's hell to pay when I have to move him to his cage.

nickis715 · May 19, 2013

My girl gets cranky and when I put her in her cage for the night I Make it a game. She used to latch on to my hand because she didn't want to go in, never broke the skin but I saw a pattern starting. Her cage is upstairs so on our way up I start getting her excited and thinking its a fun thing to go in her cage. When I put her in I go to where she sleeps and "woo" at her to come over for some scratching. Then she gets told what a good girl she is, gets some scratches and I turn out the lights. Not sure if this would work for you since your guy just started stepping up but I haven't had issues since I started this routine. Good luck!

JerseyWendy · May 19, 2013

I'm sorry Echo nailed you. A tired big Mac is NO joke. I've learned that the hard way, too.

The last thing I do with mine before I put them "night night" is cuddle, and if I'm running only 20 minutes behind schedule, the snuggle sessions don't last too long because both Ripley and Niko become antsy and impatient first, THEN nippy when they are tired.

I hope your battle wound isn't too bad.