My Dilemma

[Sunnyclover]

Get a smaller parrot. The biting is manageable and especially Conures are very loving and less nippy than some other parrots. They are wonderful parrot kids! Even when Molly is nippy I can usually tell why and it's usually because I did something stupid. The only way you will get bitten all the time is if you adopt a parrot that already bites hard and out of anger (but that can be changed with patience and time) or if you are neglectful, yell a lot, or hit the parrot. I don't think you should be soooo scared of biting from a smaller parrot, it's really in my opinion not bad at all. If you love the parrot...it hurts less when they bite...it's weird. If I got pinched that hard I would like...freak out but for her I am just like "poor Molly, you must be really upset about something". Then I try to fix it. About the 2 years and hormones kicking in, it will pass and things will calm down. Whatever you don't stop interacting with your parrot!

 

[Jerseyjeff62]

Let me say this any pet is capable of biting! The other day I was in a bird store in NJ and I wanting a macaw to go with my AG I held a couple and then the lady who worked there took a scarlet macaw baby out to have me hold it and put my arm out to have it go from her arm to mine and it came down and nipped me through a pretty heavy jacket arm and went for a second time same thing told the lady nope put it back. Then they had the "store" bird the one that stays out all the time and interacts with customers(3 Year old green wing macaw) well I stuck my arm out and it went onto my arm no problem,then I asked the lady and does it like head scratches went to do it and I got a nip on my finger that broke the skin. So the end of the story and day I.m NOT getting a macaw staying with either another grey or maybe a amazon

 

[Scott]

I deeply applaud your insight and understanding how your concerns may conflict with having a companion parrot.

My advice would be, as others have posted, to volunteer a bit at a rescue. It may help desensitize your views of biting, a very natural parrot habit! Focusing initially on smaller birds and working upward may be of benefit. You know, there are individual birds who never or almost never bite!

Another option to consider is the plight of a special needs bird. Not common, but there are some with terribly deformed beaks. (either through accident or birth defect) They are able to eat on their own, but the damaged beak is of lesser threat.

 

[Harlequin40]

Thanks for reading my whine. I think I'm going to look for a mentor that has a lot of experience with large birds before jumping in. If I had someone that could help me through a rough patch every now and again it would help. Come to think of it, just about every friend or family member I know of eventually had a bird that became more of a piece of furniture after going through a bitey phase. Relegated to their cage in the corner without be handled. I won't be that guy. Unless I can confidently commit myself to being a life long forever home dedicated to a relationship with the animal, I won't make the buy.

And again, it's not the first year that I'm concerned about. It's that sexual maturing period that gives me pause.

Thanks Parrot Forum

 

[Sunnyclover]

Let me say this any pet is capable of biting! The other day I was in a bird store in NJ and I wanting a macaw to go with my AG I held a couple and then the lady who worked there took a scarlet macaw baby out to have me hold it and put my arm out to have it go from her arm to mine and it came down and nipped me through a pretty heavy jacket arm and went for a second time same thing told the lady nope put it back. Then they had the "store" bird the one that stays out all the time and interacts with customers(3 Year old green wing macaw) well I stuck my arm out and it went onto my arm no problem,then I asked the lady and does it like head scratches went to do it and I got a nip on my finger that broke the skin. So the end of the story and day I.m NOT getting a macaw staying with either another grey or maybe a amazon

I also live in NJ and went to a pet store that had a full grown nippy macaw and a baby macaw this last weekend. Was in in Saddlebrook? Just curious!

 

[Kalel]

It's nice to see you doing this research prior to adopting a bird. Just wanted to add that even within the same species, you can have a huge difference. I had two male budgies. One of them was with me for about 13 years (his entire life) and believe it or not he never bit me once. Like an actual bite that hurt even 1/100 on the pain scale never happened. That is rare, I know! I consider myself so lucky to have shared 13 years with him. The other budgie, however, gave me one of the worst bird bites I ever got! He bit and grinded his beak and drew blood! The only other bite I have ever experienced that may have been as bad was from an African Grey that an owner told me it was ok to pet. Well, she gave me a nice blood drawing pinch that did not feel nice!

 

[Billdore]

I went to my pet store and got ripped apart for a week and then I took my baby home. I too had to make sure I could handle the beak before I got my little baby. everyday she got more friendly now she sits on my shoulder all day long. So just because they might be a little nippy at first doesn't mean they aren't a greta bird at least in my limited experience. I have a TAG. So I can imagine a macaw have quite a bite.