I got bit!!

[Mare]

Amigo bit me! :(. It was my fault, I scared him and it could have been so much worse,,but still...it hurt my feelings and I hardly slept last night thinking that our relationship could be compromised over it..can you tell which finger got nailed? (Please excuse my terrible manicure!)

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Our youngest son, Wyatt, called last night, (wise beyond his years), and I told him about it. He says, "Mom, don't worry about it, Amigo knows that you are the only one who truly loves him, he'll forgive you".."and besides that..he might know he's lucky to have you". Love my kid :)

Amigo was fine this morning, like nothing happened!

Does anyone else have some bitey stories to share?

[wingman]

Rio used to bite the blood out of me! Now she has mellowed out and she has this thing now where she will fly and land on my shoulder then nibble on my ear! Today she stuck her beak almost into my ear, I could actually hear her breathing through her nostrils. I guess she was preening my feathers in her mind?

[Mare]

I suppose getting bit is all relative..if you get bit to the point of stitches, or have major blood loss compared to a pinch/bruise..one is obviously worse than the other. I'm glad to know, Charlie, that Rio has mellowed out :)

I've seen some of Amigo's release on the men in my life and KNOW that his beak can cause some serious damage. He's a force to take seriously and I feel pretty lucky right now :)

[wingman]

Yes I bet Amigo could do damage! Rio is small but she did some hurting too. Lovebirds stand their ground and will take whatever on no matter of size, perfect little buzz saw!

[Mare]

No matter what size the beak, they are all made to cut/break/saw/nibble or pick. They are quite the machine! I think the worst bite I've ever had came from my Sassy goffins girl! She's special :)

[Maddy]

Sorry you got bit!

Grey Bird got me good on the neck the other day. He didn't mean it, my arm was up too high and he lost his balance and grabbed onto what he could reach.

[kendrafitz]

I had an experience like that with Rosie.

I was trying to get her harness off and she struggled. It was a mess, it got tangled on her leg and wing, she freaked (can't blame her). It was the only time she has really bitten me, and it was completely understandable.

I was really worried that she would be upset with me based on my research of parrots. Thankfully, she still loved me but she shakes if she even sees the dumb harness. Needless to say, that was the last time we used it.

I'm glad Amigo is fine with you now. Wyatt is a very insightful guy!! He must have some great parents. 😊

*****Now PINCHING is another story completely. My girl gets such joy from pinching me that it is funny most of the time. I get pinched at least 30 times a day.

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[PlaxMacaws]

Zaf had never bitten me in the 10+ years he's lived here. That was until May of this year when I had to put him in the small vari-kennel to transport him to the vet. He's absolutely terrified of visiting the vet clinic, especially since his broken leg ordeal in 2013. So he knew what was happening and he became horribly afraid. His fear combined with the fact that I didn't get my hand off of the door quickly enough while I was attempting to shut it resulted in my very first bite from Zaf. It split the tip of my index finger on both sides of the nail. And it bled quite a lot. I couldn't blame him at all, though. The poor guy. He's been through so much in his life :(

[PeachyDoll]

Oh Mare I'm so sorry you got bit. I know how devastating and emotionally charged it can be when your parrot bites you.

When we first got Rosie we adopted her from a nice man but he did not know much about pet birds. He was petting her entire body and at the age of 27 - 30 sent her (unknowingly) into a hormonal frenzy. She began laying eggs for the first time in her life at 27 yrs old. After too many eggs the last year he began to research why and found that she had become mated to him. Which as we all know parrots are very likely to mate to one person in the family anyway i.e. Kendra and Rosie, Mare and Amigo, my Rosie and my hubby. When we went to pick her up she was high up in a mango tree, her pin feathers on her head hadn't been groomed, she had about 40 - 50 sticking out all over her head. Hubby went to the base of the tree and she made her way down to him. The moment he began grooming her pin feathers, it was love at first sight. Rosie reciprocated grooming his eyebrows, ears and sideburns. So when we brought her home of course we were thrilled and wanted to develop our bond with her. We knew there was an adjustment period and that she would need time and space to feel comfy. My hubby one morning said "take her off my arm, offer your arm and put her back on her cage, you need to know how to handle her". Well he hadn't told me that there is a natural tendency for birds to climb, Rosie got onto my arm, and began to climb towards my elbow, I got scared and lowered my arm and she nailed me. She grabbed my inner forearm in the middle and pinched hard, I screamed out in pain, she did not draw blood but she had broken flesh and the imprint of her lower mandible and upper beak we left on my arm for days. A bruise the size of 2 dollar coins stayed on my arm for 10 days, the pain was excruciating (throbbing) for 2 days and my heart was broken. We did a lot of research and we decided under the circumstances of her being hormonal and my lack of knowing how to handle a big bird, I had to scale back. I had to slowly and surely develop a companion/love/trust bond with Rosie.

I had also come to learn that with the exception of the first 15 years of her life, she did not have a great relationship with women. I was going to have to work extra hard with Rosie to change this. So I started with being the sole food provider, she watched as I made her breakfast and dinner. I would be the one to give her her favorite treats, almonds. Soon I became brave enough to hand them to her. During the day she is with me in the office, I sing, dance, play cartoons and songs with her. I talk to her often. A couple of months later she was putting her head down to allow me to groom her pin feathers. The thing is, I haven't been able to allow her to reciprocate. As we know the big birds beaks can slice a finger off like a hot knife through warm butter. But my role as her caregiver/companion each day has brought us closer together. She is quiet for me when hubby leaves but will scream and act up if I leave and go for groceries and it's just the 2 of them. lol. He's like "Please don't go too long"

The other way I manage to handle her is with stick training. I have a t-bar made of closet stock wood that hubby made. This, along with a rolling stand allows me to handle and move her without getting bit. I can use these to keep her at least 3 feet away from me and I can also bring her close to me within 1/2 a foot (out of striking distance).

Rosie did also bite my calf one day, it bruised and hurt but it was shortly after the first bite and from our research we discovered it was "Oh look I can make Mommy scream and jump around" mischievous type of bite. She was on the floor, I was just standing 8 feet away she ran up to me, gently nibbled and the hem of my capris, then chomped my calf, giggled and walked away as I yelped in pain. Bird people have said, don't yell and make faces because that makes cockatoos excited. So much easier said than done! We decided (for both bites) she would have a 5 minute timeout. She made such pitiful noises each time. I just had to brush it off. It wasn't her fault, the first time was 100% my fault. Lowering my arm Rosie sensed that she would fall off and their beak is their 3rd hand/foot. She grabbed me, my fault! The 2nd time she was being a little mischievous turd bird, not my fault. I have since let her on my arm, she climbed up and put each of my fingers in her beak (hubby was there closely supervising). Trust me, when you are not the bird's person allowing them to put your fingers in their beak is nothing short of hair raising!! After about 2 minutes, I let her back down on the table. YAY Success! A couple of weeks later she grabbed and pinched my finger while I fed her brown rice from my hand. I had moved my thumb to reposition the rice and Rosie didn't like that. Again that time was my fault, and a very minor pinch. These 3 incidents have pushed my confidence with her back and I've left my guard up. My goal is to pour on love and keep developing our bond through food/companionship. She now lets me groom her everyday, touch and kiss her feet, shower her and most recently scratch her beak. :)) I always go back to the same thing, they did not ask for this life with us humans. We must adapt to them and try and make them happy, fulfilled and healthy. The love I have for Rosie is a million times stronger than the hurt that I've felt when she bit me. I know that it will probably happen again and I will just have to deal with it. I watch for signs of her being hormonal and give her her distance when she lets me know she needs it. They are similar to us in that way, we get moody, cranky and want to be left alone sometimes too.

She has grabbed at my hair, ripped my sunglasses off my face (mischievous) and lunged here and there but not everyday and not often. The incidents are getting less and less. Thankfully.

I know how much you love Amigo Mare. I know how it hurts too when they bite us. I want to tell you what a bird person told me, that, in this way they are like dogs, they bite, we back off or scold them and 5 minutes later they forget it, that they don't hold a grudge. I think there are exceptions to this rule. We have a male friend that talks loudly and waves his hands and gets a little too excited around Rosie. We have asked him to not talk with his hands and wave them around. Rosie has a disdain for this person. When he comes around she lunges frequently and her feathers indicate uneasiness and that her guard is up. She just doesn't like him now. That is seared into her mind. Reminds me of when I was a young girl my uncle teased the crap out of our dog and that dog hated him. She loved everyone else but him, she would bark constantly at him.

I bet that Amigo has already forgotten this incident and that he forgave immediately. He was uncomfortable in the situation and he let you know. I am glad that it wasn't serious, I actually cannot tell where he grabbed you. Did he break skin, was there blood? I can also tell you Rosie has grabbed hubby (her person) a couple of times, he says "Hey" in a strong tone and frowns and she immediately puts her head down and melts into his shoulder. Almost as if to say "I'm sorry, do you still love me?" After a minute of everyone getting their bearings back we all go back to happy, happy joy, like it never happened. There is a big difference between aggression and communication. Amigo was just communicating with you last night. He worships you, that is not going to change.

[PlaxMacaws]

Mare: I'll have to guess that it was your middle finger (around the nail)? It's difficult to tell from the photo, though.

Peachy: Your're right... parrots tend to quickly forget their own less than desirable behaviors. But they are certainly prone to remember those individuals whom they dislike! I wanted to as well mention that it seems a bit atypical for Rosie to go on a screaming rampage when you leave your home, whereas she remains relatively calm and silent when your husband leaves. It's usually the other way around. It's typically departure of the human a bird is most bonded to that incites the screaming frenzies. Interesting!

[Mr Peepers]

Awww Mare, sorry you got bit but I knew Amigo would be fine later on and all would be fine between you.

[PeachyDoll]

Mare: I'll have to guess that it was your middle finger (around the nail)? It's difficult to tell from the photo, though.

Peachy: Your're right... parrots tend to quickly forget their own less than desirable behaviors. But they are certainly prone to remember those individuals whom they dislike! I wanted to as well mention that it seems a bit atypical for Rosie to go on a screaming rampage when you leave your home, whereas she remains relatively calm and silent when your husband leaves. It's usually the other way around. It's typically departure of the human a bird is most bonded to that incites the screaming frenzies. Interesting!


Yes Tony, she is atypical. I think Rosie is slowly falling for me too! :pinkgrin:

[kendrafitz]

Funny, but I was thinking the same thing about Rosie screaming that Tony was. I think she may have bonded her pretty feathered butt to you when you weren't looking PD. ;)

[PeachyDoll]

I'm not going to lie... I feel special that she acts up when I leave. It's not that I want her to make a racket and annoy him but it shows that she misses me. Muawahaha my evil plan for her to love me is working.


I hope one day you can all hear that I too, am transporting Rosie on my arm, that's the goal! That would be amazing...

[PeachyDoll]

Mare, I forgot to ask you. What was it that upset Amigo?

[Cedardave]

Our little caique likes to hang on to a hand,finger, whatever.When he lets go everytime he laughs and laughs and laughs.

[Lady]

Well Mare,

It looks to me like your middle finger is bruising (under the nail), so I'm guessing it's the one Amigo got. I agree with the thoughts that he surely forgave you and didn't think about it as it was his way of telling you how he was feeling and not a vengeful bite. Lady has bitten me too many times to count. Not many have drawn blood but yes they sure leave her beak impression and bruise for days. The hand/fingers are the most painful as we use our hands for everything.

I, too get to feeling sad because sometimes it just doesn't seem warranted to be bitten so I have to sit and rethink what happen from her point of view. :th_hug8:

[wingman]

Silly question! Sometimes Rio sounds like she is laughing! Do birds really laugh because it sure sounds like they do?

[Mare]

Charlie, our Sassy girl will laugh , like a banshee, for no reason but her own :). Love that girl! PeachyDoll, (I would love to know your real name but only if it's shorter to type than PeachyDoll!), you are my hero! The large cockatoos are challenging and you are exceeding with this challenge..I think you will come out on top of the challenge!

Gosh, so many things ignite a bite! So many thoughts involved and knowing how thoughtful not only we but our birds are..I think our most hope is, learning to read our birds...they sure seem to know how to read us!


What upset Amigo..was me..I was in a hurry bringing him in. When he wont perch in his cage means he's not had enough attention from me. When this happens, I have a big pile of beanbag pillows with a large ruffled up sheet on top that I lay him in and cover him in..he LOVES this! I usually will plop down and spend time with him..grooming and snuggleing. It was totally my fault..and I love how we parrot people acknowledge this..but on this day, I was in a hurry and I was told to S.L.O.W..down a bit :)

[PeachyDoll]

Silly question! Sometimes Rio sounds like she is laughing! Do birds really laugh because it sure sounds like they do?


Yes Wingman they do laugh, I can't speak for all birds but Rosie seems to laugh under the most inappropriate of circumstances. I have stubbed my toe badly and she laughed, I've slipped in some of her clear poop that I didn't see and fell hard on my knees and she's chuckled. I always bring her out when I'm bathing the dogs, the spray nozzle hit the ground and sprayed up in my face, she belly laughed. She seems to associate the laughing with screaming and/or laughing. She also laughs right at the punch line when we are watching comedy shows which makes hubby and I laugh even harder (she doesn't do it on every punchline). Rosie has a soft chuckle, a short giggle, a belly laugh and crazy laugh. The giggle sounds like my laughter.

I would love to hear Sassy's laugh. Thanks for the compliment Mare, I try really hard with Rosie and I think I'm slowly but surely gaining her trust. You are so right the big cockatoos are challenging but so worth it. As I approached Rosie with her breakfast bowl this morning she said "Hi Boo, How are you? Something I ask often to her. Since week one she's called me Boo, but she has never said the How are you? part. Cuteness overload.

I hear ya, Amigo wanted his snuggles with Mommy. How is your finger by the way? I know that it must've hurt like hell! What an instrument they have in those beaks. I always say to house guests "Respect the beak"!

[kendrafitz]

My Rosie laughs. Like Rosie the M2, she has a WICKED sense of humor. She laughs when one of us is klutzy. She will waddle/run after the kids to pinch them, all the while yelling OWWW and laughing like a loon. She will also laugh with us if we are all laughing. I think for my Rosie it is a way of sharing fun, joy and excitement. She sees us laugh at those moments and has learned what it means. She probably would never laugh in the wild, but would have a different way of expressing those feelings. But since her flock is a goofy bunch of humans, she laughs with and often at us. 😊

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[PeachyDoll]

:giggle: Kendra lots of people say that's the first word a big bird learns "O[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]"