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Pinkbirdy
08-29-2013, 02:01 AM
Since our birds are going to live until the end of time [get what you want ] . Don't think, I like Too's but could never have one [cause of what you read]. Or Macaws beaks are just to big [that must be the end all worst bite] .In My experience the bird that I most feared was our Rehomed Congo Grey [we were his 4th home ,poor guy]. But then we got Tequila[my zon] and he was a new level of experience . Each has taught me so much [and the zon has been the hardest ] I feel after understanding him, im ready for anyone. Ask owners of the species your interested in [the internet can be way off]. I think if you really take the time to understand and can read your bird [your ready for maybe one you liked but were a little nervous about]. Ive been bit by a larger macaw [not Harlow] and I think the smaller birds were worse. If your the one caring for the bird [and treating him like a celebrity] They cant help but form a bond with you.

Rescued
08-29-2013, 02:43 AM
LOL and after all the stress, reading, and research they will prove everyone wrong, be exactly the opposite and choose the "wrong" person. I think that we all need to be aware that they are each individuals that make their own choices, behave in their own ways, and have lived their own experiences.

ConureGuy
08-29-2013, 03:13 AM
I couldn't agree more with this when i first got georgie i thought well atleast if she bites it won't hurt that much how very wrong i was it's not that she wanted to be aggressive towards me it's just the way she plays she's a mini version of my zon jinx likes to play rough and she caught me on the end of the finger well OUCH it hurt like a mother i remember that bite like it happened yesterday LOL the first bite i took off jinx was nothing compared to georgie's the little fire cracker she is haha.

Thing that get's me is people take on birds without putting time into researching them how much time they need interacting with and so on and then when push comes to shove and the bird starts doing things the owners don't understand due to the lack of research they have done the poor birds suffer for it as there owners become afraid of them which results in them either being cage bound or rehomed.

Me i wouldn't trade my babies in for no one there my life i love them both to death and keko will get the same love as the current too.

Don't be a fool and just go and get a bird because of there stunning colors there ability to talk and do tricks seariously think about how much time and care these beautiful birds will take up aswell as how much they cost to keep fed and healthy.

Honesty
08-29-2013, 08:27 AM
Thank you for posting this Terri :) I know exactly where you are coming from in fearing a bite from a Zon! Codie is very scarey when he is in attack mode and I have often been told a Macaw is a much gentler Bird. I have often looked on those big beaks in horror and thought to myself "Imagine being bitten by that" LOL

I have often had people say to me... If you can handle an Amazon then you can most certainly handle a Macaw :)

coltfire
08-29-2013, 09:00 AM
When it come's to bites, i fear the lorry the most, my eckkies may hurt but the lorries draw blood every time. i think my eckkies have only drawn blood on me a couple of times and that was with babies.

Pinkbirdy
08-29-2013, 11:14 AM
Thank you for posting this Terri :) I know exactly where you are coming from in fearing a bite from a Zon! Codie is very scarey when he is in attack mode and I have often been told a Macaw is a much gentler Bird. I have often looked on those big beaks in horror and thought to myself "Imagine being bitten by that" LOL

I have often had people say to me... If you can handle an Amazon then you can most certainly handle a Macaw :) Your the reason i wanted to post this ;)

Honesty
08-29-2013, 11:29 AM
Your the reason i wanted to post this ;)Thanks Terri. I appreciate it :)

Rescued
08-29-2013, 12:24 PM
I had the exact advice when I considered taking in a macaw. She said with the birds you've handled a macaw should be a breeze. It really has been too. :-)

Honesty
08-29-2013, 01:05 PM
I am liking what I hear more and more each day :)

Blancaej
09-01-2013, 01:49 AM
So far my experience with a macaw has been awesome! Savannah is not prone to biting and that is such a great change from being a parront to my little nippy Quincy for 13 years! LOL! Don't get me wrong, I love my Quincypoo! :th_biggrin: But Savannah just expresses herself better without biting.

Coqui I think will be more prone to biting then Savannah. I've seen her with her current owners. But I also think they don't read her well and that just leads to biting. Knowing your birds body language and knowing as much about them before hand is sooo important!

I always wanted a macaw but did fear the beak. Savannah came into my life and I am so glad I took a chance and adopted her. I couldn't ask for a sweeter bird! :th_biggrin:

94lt1
09-01-2013, 04:33 PM
I've dealt with macaws that were abused and neglected...I also have an amazon that has a foul mouth due to her previous owner ...and I've been bitten by both.

The amazon, seminole..eh..she wasn't much worse than a conure that was really mad. .

Monte...wow....I lost feeling in that finger for three months...I kid you not....this was our very first interaction... so i didn't shake him off....I took the bite...

Blancaej
09-01-2013, 06:50 PM
I've gotten the squeeze once from Savannah. I believe it was unintentional. My finger was in her mouth when my mom walked by, who she is not comfortable with yet, and she bit down on my finger. It hurt for 2 hours! And that wasn't even a true bite!

Rescued
09-01-2013, 07:03 PM
I've nearly had my finger taken off my an M2, so I have to say even an ugly bite from my macaw is a walk in the park by comparison. Overall I think we all know they can and will bite, so learn the bird and avoid the bite when possible. :-)

Debra
09-01-2013, 07:08 PM
Lucy will bite me in a heartbeat if given the chance. The problem, is that when she clamps down on me she will grind her beak into my skin bruising me down to the bone. She really hates women and will charge after them (especially if they're barefoot or wearing sandals). I do my best to not get into a situation where she is able to bite me. She, unfortunately, spends more time in her cage than the other birds because my hubby isn't home to supervise her.

Turquoise
09-02-2013, 02:50 AM
Very good topic Terri!

In letting folks know I keep macaws, I have been asked if I am afraid of their 'Huge' beaks? I tell them, "Not at all!!"

My first parrot was a parakeet. Cherokee was super sweet & friendly from the start. I was given a pair of Cockatiels during the early years. The female was sweet & loved to be held. The male was not tame & his bite drew blood every time. I have parakeets now & they by far bite harder than any of my larger parrots. Sure they have tiny beaks, but that thin sharp edge is murder on the cuticle when they grab & grind. It's like being sliced by a razor blade!

My ekkie Leyla Belle is a typical female Eclectus. She gets mad in a hurry over the slightest things & with her she gives a double tap 'chicken peck' that doesn't draw blood, but hurts like 'you know what'! Leyla Belle never bites when I hold her, she saves that for when she doesn't want you to pick up her bowl or touch something without her permission. Peta my GGC never bites on purpose, but will give a love nip on my finger sometimes when I am scratching her. It pinches a bit, but never hard enough to draw blood.

Now to my big kids, the stars of my flock! :th_hug8: Roscoe I know inside & out. He is my love, he will give my bicep part of my arm a love nip when getting on my arm from his door. What can I say, he has a playful impish streak in him. He has never bitten me in anger or purposefully. One of our games after I put him on his play perch is for me to hold his beak with my fingers wrapped around it. I then kiss the top close to where his feathers start on his head while he gently chews on my finger that is between his upper & lower mandible. He has never clamped down or hurt my finger, rather he likes to take his tongue & toy with it. The only time I have been bitten by Roscoe where it cut through my skin was the first time he took flight heading into the kitchen area. He was heading for me & missed. I put my arm up for him to land, he slid down & grabbed my hand with his beak between the thumb & palm area. His weight caused the lower mandible to cut through the skin & I quickly got him on my other arm. Twas sore for a few days.

Angel doesn't bite, but will lunge at me if he is on his enclosure door. Typical macaw bluff maneuver. He never does this if I hold him, so I have not been bitten by him either. Ruby Jewel has at times seem to go through a 'flash back of when her wing was bitten off and will all of a sudden bite at my arm if she is on it. She will just do a grab & let loose type of bite which really doesn't hurt. It is more of a warning like bite, then she will lean close to be hugged like she needs comforting. I don't think she even realizes it is my arm she has just tried to bite. She only does this on occasion, so I feel it is a 'flash back' that comes over her. Since she is just coming up a year old in about 2 weeks, she is now learning to control her pressure when she plays with my fingers. She still squeezes a bit hard sometimes when playing & I tell her it hurts & be gentle. She will stop, look up at me & mumble something. Sometimes she does do the impish nip on my legs & always on my toes if she is on the floor. :th_LOL:

So, my summary is that I don't & have never feared the macaw beak. Of course I know my birds & trust them. I would never go up to a strange macaw & offer my finger to it in play. Before i had macaws and wanted one I never thought about being afraid of their big beaks. I had 2 re-homed Amazons in the early '90s and I had to train them to come out of their cage. I did get bit a few times and it was a bit painful, but not something I feared. They never drew blood either, not even in the beginning. :th_biggrin:

Pinkbirdy
09-02-2013, 04:45 PM
Lucy will bite me in a heartbeat if given the chance. The problem, is that when she clamps down on me she will grind her beak into my skin bruising me down to the bone. She really hates women and will charge after them (especially if they're barefoot or wearing sandals). I do my best to not get into a situation where she is able to bite me. She, unfortunately, spends more time in her cage than the other birds because my hubby isn't home to supervise her. Debra ,you might be able to change your relationship with Lucy. Im sure shes a little agitated not being able to come out as much.Have toys attached to the top of her cage . Set a time each day to open up her cage and let her climb out.When its time to go back in make her step up on a perch [it can be done]. Try offering a treat through the bars of the cage. Im sure she will be mad at first .Do Eckies like treats? Then I would offer when she on top of her cage.Its been the same at my house . Between Dave and I some birds have liked one of us more than others .But you can win them over with persistence.

Debra
09-02-2013, 05:53 PM
I've tried the treat route, she just puts the tip of her beak on it and just sits there like that until I finally take it away. Since my hubby got laid off and started going to college, she's out almost as much as the others. Frankie and Amber get out of their cages around 8:30 and get put up at 2:30 while we go back to work then they all are let out at 5:30 when we get home until 8 in the evening. Lucy, on the other hand doesn't get let out until around 11:30 then everything is the same for all of them. Hubby gets home from school around then so she's let out. It's only 3 hours that she's cooped up while the others are let loose. She will allow me to reach in her cage and put food in or take bowls out as long as she's not too close to them. Here lately, however she has been coming up to me and tapping me on the foot or climbing up on my shoe acting like she wants to spend time with me. I just talk sweetly to her, but I'm not about to offer my hand as I don't want to get bit. I can't trust her. She will lunge at me sometimes when I put food in her cage. Funnily enough, though, is that she waits to lunge and growl until I close her door and start to walk away. I just look at her and say something like "Oh, I know it" in a soft voice. I wish I could trust her as I would love to have a close relationship with her. Maybe in time.

Oh, I just remembered. She will take a french fry from me but only when we are in the car and she's on my hubby's shoulder. This doesn't happen often, but we do like to treat her to a fry every now and then (mostly because my hubby wants fries and so she gets one). She loves going in the car.