Bird bite photos (Warning ~ Graphic)

[Sarahmoluccan]

I was bitten today. Echo wanted the empty pop bottle I had in my hand, he has a thing for them, anyway he missed it and got me. My fault really. It's your pretty standard cockatoo bite except for the fact it's really mild. Two little puncture wounds.

I keep trying to go a whole year without a bite. I can't remember if it's been a whole year or not. I think we're close not quite there. *sigh* One year we'll make it a year. But for now we have to restart and so it's been 0 days since we've have an accident

 

[BirdGuy21]

My foster Porky has gotten me several times so far. First time he did it, after he let go he looks up at me real sweet and says "come here".....only fell for it once haha.

 

[JLcribber]

I keep trying to go a whole year without a bite. I can't remember if it's been a whole year or not. I think we're close not quite there. *sigh* One year we'll make it a year. But for now we have to restart and so it's been 0 days since we've have an accident

This is also a goal of mine. I've also come close to a year but never quite get there. You are a TOO owner.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Anytime I see this thread pop up I say.... "UH OH!" Glad it was just a couple small puncture wounds!

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

I'm not saying anything.... don't want to jinx my good fortune.

 

[MauiWendy]

I hate bird bites. Those are some gnarly gashes yikes!

 

[MauiWendy]

I'm not saying anything.... don't want to jinx my good fortune.

 

[LSA]

Sherman hates nail trims. The vet luckily brings in KwikStop and BIG bandaids... for ME.

 

[Dartman]

A determined Pionus can do some real damage when they're serious about it. They'll hang on and grind like a feathered pit bull to make up for beak pressure or having a medium sized beak. Nerds vet showed us the worst bite/scar she ever got. It was from a very pissed off Maxi when she was a student in vet school. Nerd had just tried to nail her and I grabbed him and took the bite so she showed us the scar on her right hand under her thumb and told me I shouldn't let him bite me. I said he's allowed to bite me, he's not allowed to bite you. He nailed me good enough too.

 

[Sarahmoluccan]

A determined Pionus can do some real damage when they're serious about it. They'll hang on and grind like a feathered pit bull to make up for beak pressure or having a medium sized beak. Nerds vet showed us the worst bite/scar she ever got. It was from a very pissed off Maxi when she was a student in vet school. Nerd had just tried to nail her and I grabbed him and took the bite so she showed us the scar on her right hand under her thumb and told me I shouldn't let him bite me. I said he's allowed to bite me, he's not allowed to bite you. He nailed me good enough too.

Wow!! It's funny I've always thought of Pionus parrots as mild mannered birds. But I use to think of Amazons as the same way I till I join this forum. I have heard that Pionus and Amazons are fairly closely related. I wonder if it's the rare individual Pionus that's violent like Amazons. I think it just goes to show you that while different species may be known to have certain traits, an individual's personality is so crucial for finding the right fit within a family.

 

[zoo mom]

Wow!! It's funny I've always thought of Pionus parrots as mild mannered birds. But I use to think of Amazons as the same way I till I join this forum. I have heard that Pionus and Amazons are fairly closely related. I wonder if it's the rare individual Pionus that's violent like Amazons. I think it just goes to show you that while different species may be known to have certain traits, an individual's personal8ity is so crucial for finding the right fit within a family.

I would describe my Pionus Andre and a previous Pionus Olivia as mild mannered and even tempered. They generally prefer/prefered not to bite. Both would back up or walk away if they didn't want to interact. If you persisted both would open beak and give a fake lunge (more like just lean forward). If you persisted beyond that you were going to get a big grind that beak bite and you would deserve it. They already told you NO twice. I have only really been bitten ( where they meant business) once by each of them. Olivia when she was still less than a year old and was my first Pi and I didn't know better. And Andre when I had to move him quickly no matter what he thought. Olivia was 4 when she passed away after flying into a wall. And Andre is 9 or 10. 2 real bites in 13-14 years of owning Pionus, that is not vicious. Just know if a Pionus is strutting or if they tell you NO, then just back off and try again later. Their body language is VERY EASY to read.

(This is if you have a Pionus who has not been trained to bite as a 1st resource and has never know abuse. If they have spent time in a place where there warnings were never needed or were abused, then all bets are off.)

 

[tka]

I would describe my Pionus Andre and a previous Pionus Olivia as mild mannered and even tempered. They generally prefer/prefered not to bite. Both would back up or walk away if they didn't want to interact. If you persisted both would open beak and give a fake lunge (more like just lean forward). If you persisted beyond that you were going to get a big grind that beak bite and you would deserve it. They already told you NO twice. I have only really been bitten ( where they meant business) once by each of them. Olivia when she was still less than a year old and was my first Pi and I didn't know better. And Andre when I had to move him quickly no matter what he thought. Olivia was 4 when she passed away after flying into a wall. And Andre is 9 or 10. 2 real bites in 13-14 years of owning Pionus, that is not vicious. Just know if a Pionus is strutting or if they tell you NO, then just back off and try again later. Their body language is VERY EASY to read.

(This is if you have a Pionus who has not been trained to bite as a 1st resource and has never know abuse. If they have spent time in a place where there warnings were never needed or were abused, then all bets are off.)

This is my experience with Leia. I've had her for nearly two years and have yet to be bitten. I've been beaked pretty hard when I didn't listen but it hasn't broken the skin.

She's been taught that I'll pay attention to her warnings which are exactly the same as Andre and Olivia's: move away as a first resort, then a fake lunge with an open beak. I have no doubt that she could really nail me if she wanted to, but so far I've managed to avoid getting into that situation.

Pis are mild mannered and pretty chill birds, but they're still parrots and will absolutely bite if they think it's the only resort left to them. Some males can also get pretty hot around breeding season, much like some Amazon males.

 

[zoo mom]

Wow!! It's funny I've always thought of Pionus parrots as mild mannered birds. But I use to think of Amazons as the same way I till I join this forum. I have heard that Pionus and Amazons are fairly closely related. I wonder if it's the rare individual Pionus that's violent like Amazons. I think it just goes to show you that while different species may be known to have certain traits, an individual's personality is so crucial for finding the right fit within a family.

Just because a bird can deliver a wicked bite does not mean that they are violent.

 

[LSA]

Just because a bird can deliver a wicked bite does not mean that they are violent.

It's not like it's a surprise. She lets me know first. Sherman definitely warns me and does the whole fake lunge bit to tell me to leave her alone or she'll have to hurt me. I clean her cage weekly with her watching and the most she's done is fake lunge at me once. It actually pleased me that she knew I was alive.

When we go, she gets very carsick plus I put Sherman in that little travel cage. To make matters worse, she gets taken out of that little cage when we get there. Biting is totally understandable! She's basically a mild mannered bird but will defend herself if she feels she must.

 

[LSA]

Sherman's previous abuse and her disabilities seem to make her even more mild mannered and quieter. I really think this makes her easier to read. Every body language action seems exaggerated. She was taught that you get punished for defending yourself.

 

[zoo mom]

Actually my cockatiels are much more "vicious" than my Pionus. They will hiss and bite with no obvious provocation. They just aren't capable of doing as much damage. My sweet cuddly RB2 AND Hahns Macaw are also more "vicious" in that they will bite more frequently and will do so more readily. Come to think of it my scaredy bird Senegal is also more "vicious". I would not consider any of the aforementioned birds vicious in any way shape or form. They are birds with opinions and minds of their own who sometimes don't agree with me or my ideas.

Saying a Pionus is vicious is like saying a pit bull is vicious just because of what it is capable of and not considering its individual temperament, raising, or training. I also don't believe Amazons as a species are inherently vicious either.

Sorry labeling any species or breed as vicious based on the behavior of a few just rubs me the wrong way.

End of soap box (I think).

 

[Feather]

My maxi, Rowan, sure isn't a mild mannered bird. He doesn't back down under any circumstances, his lunges are never faked, and when he bites he'll put all his strength behind it. Is he vicious? No. He's opinionated and headstrong and territorial and doesn't like when I mess with his stuff or Zyda.

Most of the time I can avoid a bite because his body language IS easy to read, but he's a one-strike-you're-out sort of bird. If I ever misstep he absolutely will nail me first and ask questions later.

He's certainly never been abused or had his warnings disregarded, and is overall a very happy, sweet, social parrot. But he is not and never has been mild.

 

[EkkieLu]

I was bitten today. Echo wanted the empty pop bottle I had in my hand, he has a thing for them, anyway he missed it and got me. My fault really. It's your pretty standard cockatoo bite except for the fact it's really mild. Two little puncture wounds.

I keep trying to go a whole year without a bite. I can't remember if it's been a whole year or not. I think we're close not quite there. *sigh* One year we'll make it a year. But for now we have to restart and so it's been 0 days since we've have an accident

My goal is to go a week without a blood dripping bite! Lucy is THE worst! Has got me 3 times in the last 5 days. She spent today in her cage for biting my forefinger through the cage bars when I changed her water bottle. I clean it every morning but for some reason she angled her beak just right and slit open both sides of my finger. Ugh!

 

[SandraK]

In a Ricky Ricardo voice: "Oh Lucyyy, you ave som splainin to do".

 

[Dartman]

Wow, sounds like I opened a can of worms on Pionus parrots. I've had 4 in my life so far so I've seen a lot of different personalities in them. Nerd was timid and shy and he was my best bud for 31 years. He usually never bit and if he did there was always a reason I could understand. He would give warnings first and usually only did the pit bull bites when hurt or scared. Lurch was a used Parrot who was mad at the world and scared to death when he got here. He had totally given up on warnings and went straight to the bad bite till he slowly decided I was trustworthy and heeded his warnings, then he started giving them again and not trying as hard though he had no problems correcting me. Dobby has always had a loving home and was socialized very well. Biting is the last tool in his box. He'll back off or turn away, then maybe if you don't back off you'll get a ferocious beaking. The worst he's given me is a very hard pinch when I knew he was wound up and ready to fight. I'd say MOST Pionus tend to be gentle souls that truly do not want to bite but you can always find one with baggage that will make you earn every thing you get.
You can figure most of them will be gentle souls who are easy to read but NEVER take it for granted.