Help: Kwak is really biting

[Grammy]

Kwak is about 4 and half months old and very very sweet- except when someone new comes into our space. Charging I was ready for- I know it's a macaw thing. But yesterday when I went to take him out of his sleeping cage, he drew blood on both of my arms! My grandson was standing beside me and he hasn't seen him in a while, so I guess he qualified as a stranger. He's too young for it to be hormonal. I'd like to help him develop better social behaviors while he's young. This is my first macaw and I'm so in love with him. Does anyone have any suggestions for helping him be a better citizen?

 

[Bokkapooh]

When I first introduced Mera to my cockatoos she would do playful lunges and wing flappings and would try to stick her toes in their faces and roll over Although she was being playful for the most part, the lungings were a cause for concern, especially if I want my fabulous trio to get along when Mera is an adult. Opa got offended a few times but didnt hold a grudge against Mera. But Bokka DID. And it took him a few days to get back into just tolerating her and not puffing up and going on the attack mode. So I had to work diligently with Mera to have her stop this behavior as I saw the fake possibly playful lungings possibly going into more as she aged. So I would turn her away when I saw her eyes look a certain way (when she was about to lunge and get TOO playful) and then she'd immediately turn around and run back to me and we'd do it again and again and again, She would escalate and full on nip my fingers which I would just open up her beak with my thumb and my index finger and say "Be Gentle" "Gentle" and turn her away (ofcourse she thought this was fun at first...), but each time she would get too beak feisty or do her beak lungings I would do the beak thing and turn her away and prompt her to "Be Gentle". It has taken about a week (and yes I've only had her for little over two weeks and this behavior only started around 10 weeks of age) but now when my cockatoos are on my lap she walks calmly up to my lap. Sometimes she'll wing flap, but she hasnt done any rough nips or lungings in the last several days. So for the last several days they have been able to sit side by side on my lap all preening together with no hissy fissy. And my fingers are always there to intervene just incase Mera does something to offend one of the 'toos again. Im not sure if this is break on wood a fix, but we'll just start all over again if this behavior starts up again.

What I would do with Kwak is teach him to be gentle with his beak. And to get him socialized to other people he must be introduced to new things daily and new people daily. And if he starts to be naughty you need to teach him to be gentle with his beak. This means you have to play with his beak. You may get nipped and bitten a few times, but you must be persistent and communicate verbally with him to "Be Gentle".

 

[birdlvr466]

I dont own a Macaw but I would say your grandson standing there was the reason. Birds are funny about their territory. I would suggest in the future you just taking him out and then your grandson can see him once he is at his regular cage.

 

[Shamrock]

Babies at fledgling stage are beginning to vie for their social status in the flock heirarchy....they will constantly test their sibling and flock members to see if they can move up a rung on the social ladder. You have to maintain your standing as the leader by showing him your displeasure with his behavior by doing as Mercedez described. When Riley gets too beaky I will use a deep "growly" voice (for lack of a better description), hold his beak, and tell him Uuuhh-Uuuhh! Then directly follow it up in a normal voice with "Be CAAAAREFUL" while I pet his beak. You can use what ever words you like as long as you are consistent with them and say them in the exact same manner EVERY time. Always be sure to follow it up with a gentler voice with what you expect him to do, and praise him when he obeys.
And like Mercedez said, definitely get him used to having his beak messed with....most macaws like this and it may prove useful down the road should he need you to get hold of it and pry him off of something (or someone).
Remember, he's just testing the waters right now, so now is the time to establish your role as head of the flock. Do it lovingly, but firmly when necessary, and make the boundaries for him absolutely clear. He will be much more secure and happy when he knows where and what he can and can not do....not that he won't test those boundaries from time to time, but as long as your response is always the same, he will comply and be happier for it.

 

[Grammy]

Thanks so much for the advice. I do play with his beak already, so it's good to hear that might help. I can't tell you what it means to be able to "talk" to other macaw people. My family thinks I'm insane and I worry that seeing me getting bitten will confirm that opinion.

 

[Shamrock]

Thanks so much for the advice. I do play with his beak already, so it's good to hear that might help. I can't tell you what it means to be able to "talk" to other macaw people. My family thinks I'm insane and I worry that seeing me getting bitten will confirm that opinion.

I love it here on AA! We all share the same insanity.

 

[Thugluvgrl187]

Ouch! I don't know much about macaws but hope you can find a way around the biting .

 

[April]

I hope some of the advice you are getting works

 

[Onyxena]

My 5 month old BG baby lunges alot too, but has not nipped yet. Great advice here! Cabo mostly lunges and strikes at things he is unfamiliar with so I have been slowly getting him more used to being near them without making him feel threatened. Like my two large German Shepherds! He will lunge at them if they walk close by him. They are very well behaved dogs and do not bother the birds at all. SO I have been letting him sit near them but not have them approach him and it has been going very well so far. I also have a scarlet, but did not have him aat a young age, so I don't know how they compare to a BG or GW of the same age, but I am sure they aren't too different.
Does he seem upset or angry when you approach him? Or nervous? Orjust curious and "beaky"?

 

[Grammy]

He seemed angry when he bit me yesterday, but I might just be projecting guilt. Since I work at home, he typically spends most of his day on a java tree with a grey, an eclectus and me (I'm not actually in the tree). But I had been out for most of the day and I don't think he was happy about being in his cage. My grandchildren had been at our house every day during the summer, but they're back at school now and the house is usually pretty quiet, so I guess he wasn't being exposed to as many new situations as before. So I was feeling a little bit better this afternoon, pretty sure that I would be able to become flock master and I must have let my guard down. I became engrossed in my work (weird, but it sometimes happens) and Kwak was on the couch behind me. I think he made some preliminary nibbles at me, but I guess I ignored it, and next thing I know he chomped on my shoulder. Yowwww. I saw stars. Back to the drawing board. Sigh

 

[Shamrock]

OUCH! I'm sorry to hear that he got a sneak attack in on you! Don't get discouraged...remember, he's testing the boundaries. Make them clear to him and respond in the same way every time he infringes on those boundaries....never, ever let him get away with misbehavior even once or you will have a harder time trying to convince him that it's not something you condone the next time. Consistency, patience, and a sense of humor....and a drawer full of band-aids....are the key.
I would suggest, however, that until you get his biting under control, that you don't allow him to be behind you on the couch, or on your shoulder. This often gives these young'uns a sense of God-hood. He could seriously injure you. Keep him below chin level if at all possible for now.

 

[Bokkapooh]

It really sounds like he is just being an average baby macaw. All beak and nips.

This is the number one reason why I wont allow Mera onto my shoulder or near my face (unless my hand or fingers are on her beak) because baby macaws are all play and beak and they really dont know any better. They're still new to the world and require set boundaries. I wouldnt allow your Kwak Kwak near your shoulders, face or other valuable body parts that are easy to bite and easy to hurt quickly.