The Parrot "Bite Me!!!" Club

[Spock]

After 37 years of birds and each other, we always compare at the end of the day, all our markings and blood marks. We have everything from toenail scratches to chunks missing...

Jayd and I went to the doctor the other day...we always schedule our appointments together and go in together. A Grey and Amazon bite with their upper and lower beak and do nice punctures. Some of the others are the same....an Amazon likes to puncture and pinch, leaving bruises. A big 'Too does what we call "bopping", you walk by and she "bopps" you on the arm or back with her beak. It's like getting slugged by someone...and they leave BIG bruises!

show the one on his bicep at which point shThe nurse came in and noticed the bruises on my forearm. Jay started rolling up his sleeve to show his bicep when she asked "What happened?". Jay answered "Our birds bopped us." She looked quizzically at both of us and asked "Are you sure you weren't getting a little rough with each other?" We both said no, our birds did it. She started to say,"I want proof of your birds" when the Doctor entered asking "Hows your birds?'' [We fledged his] the nurse left the room quite red faced..........Maggie

[Lambert58]

After 37 years of birds and each other, we always compare at the end of the day, all our markings and blood marks. We have everything from toenail scratches to chunks missing...

Jayd and I went to the doctor the other day...we always schedule our appointments together and go in together. A Grey and Amazon bite with their upper and lower beak and do nice punctures. Some of the others are the same....an Amazon likes to puncture and pinch, leaving bruises. A big 'Too does what we call "bopping", you walk by and she "bopps" you on the arm or back with her beak. It's like getting slugged by someone...and they leave BIG bruises!

show the one on his bicep at which point shThe nurse came in and noticed the bruises on my forearm. Jay started rolling up his sleeve to show his bicep when she asked "What happened?". Jay answered "Our birds bopped us." She looked quizzically at both of us and asked "Are you sure you weren't getting a little rough with each other?" We both said no, our birds did it. She started to say,"I want proof of your birds" when the Doctor entered asking "Hows your birds?'' [We fledged his] the nurse left the room quite red faced..........Maggie

 

My gosh! after 37 years I'm sure your right index finger looks like a tree branch lol! What's funny is my right arm has a few bites on it that our sun conures LOVE to pick at, even though I try to stop them, they keep opening up the wounds. I look like a meth addict. Being associated with the people I associate with, I actually have to explain: "I own birds..."

 

As a side note, with 7 fids, someone recently on these forums implied that I was a less-than-educated caretaker because I got bitten fairly frequently. I'll say here that I've never been in a situation with my fids where I got bitten that I wasn't fully aware that that could be, and more than likely would be, the outcome. Sometimes, I think, you have to take a bite. Just me, I could be wrong, but we have 2 green cheeks that were improperly cared for before we got them. They're nippy. I know this going in, so sometimes the training sessions result in a bite because I made a mistake, or they're just not in the mood, but I take the bite just fine. I don't get mad, I learn from it and press on.

 

On the other hand, my greys have never bitten. Ever. Not even a rough "beaking." But we had them both since they were single-digit weeks old and no one had a chance to abuse them.

[Xtreme575]

I didn't read it as that, plus your Greys are still quite young aren't they Lambert58? I say this as I thought my little grey ball of feathers would only continue beaking me gently when he wanted more scratches while we were cuddling. Now, I come here, hat in hand, humbly requesting admittance. I took a nasty bite last night.

 

My cell phone started to ring in the next room while Paco and I were cuddling on the couch just before bedtime. The lights were out, and he knows that that is our time, but curiousity got the better of me, so I got up and went to the other room with Paco on my shoulder (I moved fairly quickly to beat the voicemail). When I got to the phone I was excited to see that it was a good friend who I had not heard from in some time. As soon as I got the phone up to my ear, Paco bit my finger, then when I moved my hand and phone away, he bit me on my ear.

 

Saying this, I'll be watching him closely, anymore of those bites, and I won't be trusting him on my shoulder, but I accept responsibility in that he knows that is our time, and I moved to quickly for his comfort. Next time, I'll put him down before rushing to get the phone.

 

By the way, once I hung up and we settled back in, he was totally loving again.

[JJsHoney]

Hi, my name is Bonnie and I am now fully a member of the club I know I know, I posted weeks ago about being bitten but I WAS IN DENIAL!! Rene reminded me this evening that this is where I belong, by giving me the "take off" bite on my arm (James walked in the room) and followed that by saying "OW why you do that?!?! " HaHaHaHa

[danmcq]

I'll say here that I've never been in a situation with my fids where I got bitten that I wasn't fully aware that that could be, and more than likely would be, the outcome. Sometimes, I think, you have to take a bite.

 

I am of the same opinion as well on taking a bite.

 

There are times a bird must be stepped up and moved. It is those times I would estimate 40 percent of the time I receive a bite and see it coming from one of my birds. The good news for all on this, is you know its coming and can adjust your hand to take minimal damage..... well almost...... sometimes they bust a move on you

[danmcq]

I say this as I thought my little grey ball of feathers would only continue beaking me gently when he wanted more scratches while we were cuddling. Now, I come here, hat in hand, humbly requesting admittance. I took a nasty bite last night.<SNIP> When I got to the phone I was excited to see that it was a good friend who I had not heard from in some time. As soon as I got the phone up to my ear, Paco bit my finger, then when I moved my hand and phone away, he bit me on my ear.

 

By the way, once I hung up and we settled back in, he was totally loving again.

 

As they age, they become more demanding of "Their Way". The beak is the primary indicator all birds use when other body language is ignored. This is true in the wild as well. I know there are a lot of articles on the internet claiming Parrots do not bite each other, but that is simply not true.

 

You have come to the perfect solution of removing your grey before you do something that is gong to take attention away from him when it is one of those "Special" times. Our birds will do the same if shouldered and we forget (They are like a part of our body to us) when switcing attention somewhere else. The phone is one of them, just as you.

 

Welcome to the Bite Me Club!

[Jayd]

This is true in the wild as well. I know there are a lot of articles on the internet claiming Parrots do not bite each other, but that is simply not true.

:DHaving a number of parrots, We've seen parrot biting happen a lot. We've noticed that Grey's to Grey's go for the beak,! Grey's to Amazon's go for the tail and feet! Amazon's to Grey's go for the tail and eye's! And the worse, TOO'S to TOO's, go for the tongue! So our flock are members of "Bite Me Club"!!!

 

Thanks

Jayd and Maggie

[rjhammy]

I'm in the club now. *sigh* Now what? My next question is... when your bird bites you fairly hard... how do you react?

 

Ash is starting to bite. At first, it seemed like it was just to get balance. But now... it's *bite* and a demand for a head scratch... and then "bite* stop the head scratch, *bite* when I'm giving her breakfast, and *bite* going in and out of her cage.

 

I have been responding with a yelp and "dropping" her (where, if she's on my hand, I bring my hand down quickly, so she lets go). My boyfriend thinks it's better to not respond at all, and take the bite in stride and ignore it. His rationale is that, by acknowledging her bite, I am showing her that it gets my attention.

 

Thoughts?

Edited June 10, 2010 by rjhammy

[danmcq]

I have been responding with a yelp and "dropping" her (where, if she's on my hand, I bring my hand down quickly, so she lets go). My boyfriend thinks it's better to not respond at all, and take the bite in stride and ignore it. His rationale is that, by acknowledging her bite, I am showing her that it gets my attention. Thoughts?

 

Your boyfriend is half correct.

 

You should not verbally respond. It then gives them a "Fun" reaction and actually rewards the behavior. If they are on your hand and reach down to bite it, either rock your hand or or lowering it semi-fast will normally get them to release and balance themselves. So your hand action is correct.

 

The best way to stop the biting at "known times" it is taking place which is associated with activities you mention. Is to watch the body language and avoid the bite so it does not happen. If you master this, the ritual associated with each action will cease for the most part. However, it is still very important to watch body language so you know 90 percent of the time when a bite is probably coming. The other 10 percent I attribute to the "Poker" face surprise bite. They learn this move as they age as well and are fast as lightening.

[Girltron]

Just found this club, and boy do I belong! It's not Francis's fault. His previous homes must have taught him that he gets left alone when he bites. Both my friends that I adopted him from confided in me that they have scars from him. I learned this AFTER I got my first chomp-down. We're not talking gentle warning nips (I do admit to his right to resort to those if I don't understand what he's trying to tell me. It's happened twice, and I complied with what he wanted both times) but beak-grinding, blood-flowing, ouchies.

 

He was on his perch at the time and I was offering to move him out for playtime. My husband was in the room after being gone most of the day, and like I've said elsewhere Francis seems to have all his behavior problems in relation to my husband. Of course I still need to teach him alternatives to biting, because this isn't going to be the only stress he ever comes across...but for now, that seems to be the only cause.

 

So far my short-term solution has been to not offer soft bits to bite on. I even bought a pair of tan leather gloves, but they're scary so oh well. I want to teach him step-up using a stick for those times when he really needs to be moved and he's giving me the squint...but the stick's still scary too, I've been showing it to him every day, giving it kisses and gnawing on it like a goon to let him know it's safe.

[danmcq]

I even bought a pair of tan leather gloves, but they're scary so oh well. I want to teach him step-up using a stick for those times when he really needs to be moved and he's giving me the squint...but the stick's still scary too, I've been showing it to him every day, giving it kisses and gnawing on it like a goon to let him know it's safe.

 

I am so impressed by how hard you are trying everything to help Francis come to a better understanding of how to interact with humans and not be fearful. You have truly "Hit the Books" in ramping up to speed on being a new Parrot owner with one of the most challenging, fearful of new things and intelligent species...the African Grey. Kudos to you!!

 

Yes, Gloves are a no-no and scare the heck out of them. Sometimes offering a perch is a solution, but many times not. My grey used to step up on perches, but after a few instances of it being used to transport him to the cage, it quickly became his enemy and he will attack it when it comes his way. So I have stopped that and just have to wear him down mentally and physically sometimes as I persue him for recaging if we leave or it's bedtime. Normally bedtime is easy and he will step right up ready to go. But, normal daytime hours, it's going to be a war until he knows the persuit will not stop until he is in the cage.

 

Francis is an older Grey and as you indicated, has learned behavior from previous owners. It sounds to me like the Cage and the Perch are "His Space" and he lets you know that your offer to step up is not welcome. Thus the bite. You may never be able to stop this territorial behavior, but there is hope. Just keep being consistant, loving, no fear and instead a happy face, voice and truly internally at peace and joy as well (They sense emotions very well). If possible, watch his body language and if you see he is cleary not ready to move from the stand or the cage, let him be. Try again later and see if he offers a lefted leg, which he will do if he is ready and willing to step-up.

 

This will take time and patience, but over the long haul, it will payoff, however minimal or fully successful it becomes. You will both come to a mutual understood relationship that both will come to accept and live on together enjoying just being part of the flock.

Edited June 11, 2010 by danmcq

[Girltron]

Thanks so much! I'm not new to rehabbing "secondhand" critters, but very new to birds. Francis is the one who befriended us in the beginning...I used to talk to him when I was at my friends' house, and he got to where he'd make contact calls to both of us the whole time we were visiting, even if we were on the other end of the property. He could hear our whistles from there!

 

I'll admit some things probably won't change. But when it's vet time it's vet time, after all. For everyday stuff I let him move around at his own pace. He has a ladder I use when I want him to move from cage to cage or from floor to cage. A couple of almonds placed on the ladder work every time!

 

I shoot competitively sometimes and I happen to have a match this weekend. So no fingers to play with until after the match...the bitten one is actually my trigger finger. Luckily I have full mobility. But after that we're going to start working on handling again. I'll start by touching his feet and beak through the cage bars.

[Malikah]

Kito bit my son Neil a good one this morning. No blood but a dandy pinch. The little stinker lured him in. I've told him several times never to try to handle her unless he has a treat. I am proud of him for doing a great job of ignoring it. I didn't even know she bit him until after he brought her into the kitchen and calmly put her down on her t-stand. The poor kid, he really likes her but she is so mean to him!

[luvgrey]

Yes, I would like to be a member of your club, my name is Donna. I cannot go near our AG without him aggressively trying to bite my fingers or hand (keep in mind that my hand is the one that feeds him everyday). He is 8 months old now and we have had him since he was 4 months old. It wasn't as bad when we first got him as it is now. My husband only gets an occasional bite - I think he knows I am apprehensive of him; I try not to act like I am, but he might feel it. I was wondering if it is because I hand him different food throughout the day and he is expecting food every time? I am going to just feed him enough to last during the day and try this approach. Thanks for the invitation to your club.

[Cheshire Cat]

Tui has gone to bite me a few times but now I show her the back of my hand so I can show her she's not so dominant and I won't back off. But she chewed on my finger once so hard that it was numb for about a week. LOL!! The end of my finger was actually numb with how hard she's clamped her beak on it.

[scoutndizzy]

I've never gotten seriously bit by my CAG, but my green cheek conure Dizzy has given me some very memorable bites.

-She bit me once on my finger and I did as the books suggest and pushed into the bite. The tip of my finger still looks weird from it as she lacerated it.

-I walked around for about 3 days looking like I had gone 10 rounds in the ring when she'd gotten hold of my lip and bit it pretty hard.

-If I approach Dizzy while she's in her cage, and I let her come out and put out my finger and say, "Step up" if she hesitates even for a split second, I know in the next second she will bite. If she also repeats the phrase, "Step up" I know a biting is imminent too. She says it, but she really doesn't mean it...

 

My CAG did give my husband a pretty nasty bite once. He had Scout out and one of our cats came up to the bird to check her out. My husband caught the bird just as she was going for my cat's eye. Broke skin. Cat and Scout are both okay. All 3 of my cats are now terrified of Scout. :-)

[Shades Of Grey]

I've never gotten seriously bit by my CAG, but my green cheek conure Dizzy has given me some very memorable bites.

-She bit me once on my finger and I did as the books suggest and pushed into the bite. The tip of my finger still looks weird from it as she lacerated it.

-I walked around for about 3 days looking like I had gone 10 rounds in the ring when she'd gotten hold of my lip and bit it pretty hard.

-If I approach Dizzy while she's in her cage, and I let her come out and put out my finger and say, "Step up" if she hesitates even for a split second, I know in the next second she will bite. If she also repeats the phrase, "Step up" I know a biting is imminent too. She says it, but she really doesn't mean it...

 

My CAG did give my husband a pretty nasty bite once. He had Scout out and one of our cats came up to the bird to check her out. My husband caught the bird just as she was going for my cat's eye. Broke skin. Cat and Scout are both okay. All 3 of my cats are now terrified of Scout. :-)

 

I can relate to this! I have been nipped at by Tui but I call it a bluff because he is just letting me know he is not liking something, although I have only had him for a couple weeks. Thankfully there wasn't any pressure with the nips.

I have been bit by my green cheek a few times..ouch! Ziggy is a sweet bird but he likes to nip and play fight a lot. I am used to the play nipping but a couple times he got me good. Both incidents were because of our small dog. Ziggy is not a fan of the dog to say the least LOL. I had Ziggy on my hand and the dog came up to investigate. Ziggy didn't like this situation at all and he clamped down on the top of my thumb, just past the knuckle. He bit the same spot twice in a row and drew blood. we had to pry him off. It was bruised for a few days. He actually did this twice and now we know to not have him within eye shot of the dog.

I am crossing my fingers that I don't get bit badly from Tui but I imagine its bound to happen sooner or later.

[GoDiego]

my amazon never

 

This made my day! Amazons have a bad reputation for being aggressive and the majority of websites giving information on these parrots all warn that Amazons can be biters. Diego my Amazon has also not bitten me as yet, and the majority of Amazon owners that have talked about their beautiful birds all say how sweet they are. Amazons are great birds for giving easy and understandable body language for when they are not in the mood, heed by these signs and bites are avoidable. Also with Amazons they have been deemed aggressive as many have been bitten whilst playing with them. These bites are not aggressive bites, just over excited not being able to control themselves ones. Again removing yourself from an over excited Amazon will also avoid you from getting bitten.

[Karcar]

Amazons are great birds for giving easy and understandable body language for when they are not in the mood, heed by these signs and bites are avoidable.

I wish all birds were as easy to read.

Karen

[Coral&Andrew]

can i join lol

our african grey has bitten us twice so far lol

[MarcusCAG]

So as most of you have probably read already, of my expert level mastery of consistently receiving Bites Daily, lets hear your adventures in biting!!

 

This story is from the first week we had our Marcus.

 

He was somewhat neglected in his former home, not having been taken out of his cage for the past three years or so, and I don't know much of his history before that except that he was on someone's back porch for a while. But I have a feeling he was originally from a breeder, his temperament is so gentle and he just seems to want to love and be loved by people. Nevertheless, I don't believe anyone ever taught Marcus his limits or made him realize, whoa, you have a pretty powerful beak there!

 

So that first week we had him, essentially all we could do was scratch his head through the bars. He would make this noise--*SNAP!*--and bend his head down so we could get at the back of his neck. Then sometimes he would give back "licks" and gently try to kiss our fingers. Except that sometimes he would maneuver things so that he actually got a grip on our fingers... usually he let go without issue, but this one particular time he seemed to want to test the waters.

 

I don't think he was being mean or anything--just curious. And perhaps at the time it was a good thing I didn't realize he had broken the skin or how much I was bleeding. But it did hurt, and I did everything my starting-to-panic brain could remember to do that I had read online regarding such situations, things that were not over-reactive or violent: I told him to let go, I glared, I finally even tapped his beak with my other fingertip because it really, really hurt and I didn't want to freak out on him and make the situation worse. Well, Marcus did eventually let go (what seemed an eternity!) and I just said something about how Marcus shouldn't bite and I just left the room, I was so stunned really. It was just so unexpected.

 

Well, in the bathroom I realized the extent of the damage, and I just started crying. I was so frustrated because I felt like I wasn't communicating well with him... and then it ran through my head that I should let Marcus see me cry. So I walked back into the bedroom where he was quarantined and I just slid down to the floor at the foot of our bed and started weeping. They were real tears, I was really upset. And he just watched and watched...

 

And ever since then, unless he is upset with me for some reason (like trying to get him to step up--which he still does not want to do) and nips a little, he has been so very gentle with me and has not used unnecessary pressure. I really feel like it clicked in his little birdie brain, Oh, that was too much for my new Mommy.

 

Marcus is such a dear heart... I just love him to bits.

[danmcq]

Well, welcome to the "Bite Me" club as an official member. You did everythig right and I doubt you will ever fall for that one again and perhaps, just maybe, no guarantees, it won't happen again....NOT.

 

He sounds like a real sweetheart actually and your making one great Parront.

Edited October 22, 2010 by danmcq

[danmcq]

Dan, stop your moaning and growning. Come on, tell the truth. You were bitten and I know and you know you definitely deseved it. Keep up the nonsense and I guarantee you he'll bite again until you learn your place and finally stop acting like a cry baby. Geez, you're constantly looking for pity.

 

LOL!!!

 

I will never change and I will continue to take bites. Dayo enjoys giving them as well and he would miss the embellishment of the hunt for easy prey and placing another notch in his Cage.

 

I have become a sadist perhaps?

[MarcusCAG]

Well, welcome to the "Bite Me" club as an official member. You did everythig right and I doubt you will ever fall for that one again and perhaps, just maybe, no guarantees, it won't happen again....NOT.

 

He sounds like a real sweetheart actually and your making one great Parront.

 

Thank you, especially for those last sweet comments... I will wear my scars with pride! Actually I still have a scar on my index finger from when my parents' Blue-front Amazon bit me when I was four or five. So any that Marcus (and even fiery little Beaker, our Quaker) might give me in the future should blend in nicely.

[di2008]

oh wow how this site has changed it's fab... I have not been on here for at least 12months just popped on to see if i could find and answer to another question i've got about monty.. didnt have much luck in finding a suitable thread but I did notice this one and allthough it seems like an old topic, I felt I just had to post my biting story.

It happened about 6 months ago and monty had been climbing on the door handle of my french doors and had slipped and fell, he's a pretty nifty flyer as he is out of his cage for about 8 to 12 hours a day, and he mamaged to take off from about 1ft above the foor, fly between my 1 sofas in the conservatory and land on his java tree all out of puff (lol).

I hurried over to make sure he was ok as I saw the whole thing happen, he stepped up on my hand and I took him over to his stand so he could get a drink and calm down, I leaned forward to give him a little kiss and he bit my lip. I knew straight away it was totally my fault, I had picked the wrong moment for kisses. My lip was bouring with blood,and i was home alone. I asked monty to step up on my hand and he did so no problem and I put him in his cage,sorted him fresh fruit and water, and then took my self upto the hospital for them to have a look at as I couldnt stop it bleeding and there was a hole, which i was worried about infection. The nurses said it needed stitching but they couldnt do it because the bite passed through the lip line and it might not heal straight,So! I was given an appointment to go straight upto to see the plastic surgeon, and 5 hours later, because i had to wait while she was in theatre, she stitched it for me, 4 stitches we insterted and now 6 months on its all healed lovley with just a tiny moon shaped scar hardley visible..... needless to say I dont give monty any more kisses.......