Your definition of a “bite”

[BirdEE]

Time after time the one thing you always see when people ask about owning cockatoos is owners warning them, “It’s not if you get bit, it’s when”. While I think this warning is completely justified because it is entirely true. What I don’t think is clear for many is how bad the bite is. So what’s your definition of a bite?

Where the bird bites you somewhere anytime?
Where you get a warning nip that’s hard enough to hurt?
Where it draws blood?
Where it draws blood and is a result of an actual attack meant to do you harm?


Just something I’ve always wondered. My personal definition is drawing blood. Everything lighter than that I feel is just simply trying to get your attention, because with beaks their strength they could have easily bit harder if they wanted to.

 

[JLcribber]

This is a bite.

 

[Sylvester]

If you want to look at the definition of scary bites from cockatoos go to mytoos. The cockatoos in those stories bite to maim.

Fred, my U2, has bitten me three times, very lightly, (still hurt) and never broke my skin. My definition of a bite, is they open their beak and clamp down. Just how hard, is up to the cockatoo.

 

[Sylvester]

You have patience and understanding, my friend. I wouldn't have that bird two minutes. I got lucky with Fred.

 

[Feather]

I consider a bite only when it draws blood. The only time Monster Truck has bitten me I'm convinced it was an accident. She was going for someone else, I blocked her. The moment she realized she had my thumb she let go and acted apologetic. But she still drew blood and went pretty deep.

Warning nips and the sort of "pay attention to me!" pinches Zyda gives me can be irritating and even painful, but I wouldn't call them bites.

 

[melissasparrots]

I call it a bite if I think there is aggression behind it. That said, I have never had a serious cockatoo bite. I've had a couple from hormonal amazons that weren't fun, but not bad enough for medical attention. My cockatoos just are not very accomplished biters. They do get a little attitude on occasion and chomp me. But, I can't remember the last time I had a bleeding cockatoo bite.

 

[Nancy B]

My Fred gives attention getting nips then....never draws blood or breaks the skin. Worst we ever get is a bruise about the size of a quarter. My Joe got a couple bites that broke the skin a few months after we got him. But he never even needed a band aid. So I guess my Fred doesn't bite....

 

[Begone]

Where it draws blood and is a result of an actual attack meant to do you harm?

For me it is all about the meaning of the bite. (they want to harm you and being aggressive) So with or without blood doesn't matter.

 

[Begone]

“It’s not if you get bit, it’s when”.

And as I have said before, I don't think it's like that. They bite for as reason and if you can avoid that reason you have nothing to worry about.
Respect is the key, and I will never expect a bite before it happen. That is so wrong for me, and will only send them bad energy.
I'm doing it the opposite way, I trust them, and I also have success doing that.

 

[Nancy B]

For me it is all about the meaning of the bite. (they want to harm you and being aggressive) So with or without blood doesn't matter.

Fred will nip when he's unhappy about something. He can't talk so body language and nips are the only way he can tell us something is wrong. If he's had enough scritches he will pull away, if I persist he will grab, if I persist more, he will bite. Then I feel we deserve it.

 

[SandraK]

I've been thinking that the best warning would be "He/She bites and hasn't been vaccinated yet this year".

I seem to remember a story by an AA member who had to go in for stitches and when asked what bit him/her, explained it was a parrot. First medical questions was: Do you know if it's been vaccinated for rabies?

 

[Nancy B]

And as I have said before, I don't think it's like that. They bite for as reason and if you can avoid that reason you have nothing to worry about.
Respect is the key, and I will never expect a bite before it happen. That is so wrong for me, and will only send them bad energy.
I'm doing it the opposite way, I trust them, and I also have success doing that.

I agree with this....Fred has been great. He gets a 5-10 min rest somewhere safe after nips, he recharges, and is fine! Sometimes I can figure out what causes it, sometimes I can't. Sometimes he's just tired of what I am or am not doing .

 

[JLcribber]

And as I have said before, I don't think it's like that. They bite for as reason and if you can avoid that reason you have nothing to worry about.
Respect is the key, and I will never expect a bite before it happen. That is so wrong for me, and will only send them bad energy.
I'm doing it the opposite way, I trust them, and I also have success doing that.

I agree with this....Fred has been great. He gets a 5-10 min rest somewhere safe after nips, he recharges, and is fine! Sometimes I can figure out what causes it, sometimes I can't. Sometimes he's just tired of what I am or am not doing .

I'll have to send the Terrorist over there for a week or so. For some "enlightenment". He will bite for no (visible) apparent reason and catch you when you are not expecting it. He was trained very well by some pretty mean toddlers. He's not like that anymore but he always carries the tools in his box. I love the sheethead.

 

[Nancy B]

I'll have to send the Terrorist over there for a week or so. For some "enlightenment". He will bite for no (visible) apparent reason and catch you when you are not expecting it. He was trained very well by some pretty mean toddlers. He's not like that anymore but he always carries the tools in his box. I love the sheethead.

this is me...RUNNING FOR THE HILLS...

 

[Begone]

I'll have to send the Terrorist over there for a week or so.

No thank you! !'m pretty satisfied with my Pionus.

For some "enlightenment". He will bite for no (visible) apparent reason and catch you when you are not expecting it.

He was trained very well by some pretty mean toddlers.

But their he has his reason. Sometimes the scares are to deep so they never will trust a human again. So the reason he bite is for self protection but in a "I do mine first so you cant do yours" way. I have found that a very few animals are mean by nature, and therefor you should always seek for the reason of a bad behavior.

 

[Begone]

this is me...RUNNING FOR THE HILLS...

And this is me coming after: (yes I'm fast! )

 

[WendyN]

A “bite” is any nip that hurts me.
Broken skin, bleeding, bruises, swelling and stitches gives you bragging rights.

 

[melissasparrots]

I'll have to send the Terrorist over there for a week or so. For some "enlightenment". He will bite for no (visible) apparent reason and catch you when you are not expecting it. He was trained very well by some pretty mean toddlers. He's not like that anymore but he always carries the tools in his box. I love the sheethead.

I think all cockatoos have that tendency. It's closer to the surface in some than others. I love Ariel a lot, but she will nip me in the face for no reason other than I think she thinks its funny to catch me off guard. She really likes to lull strangers into a false sense of security and then nail them if she gets a chance. Its not like she's a perfect angel. My pet sitter puts her right up there with my pair of amazons in terms of scary birds she has to take care of when I'm gone. I think she just learned quickly that I'm not intimidated easily enough to be much fun. Doesn't stop her from trying every once in a long while. I just keep my face away from her when in doubt and I think maybe she just doesn't bite that hard because she likes me. Not sure why she doesn't get me badly. She's an 800+ gram bird and certainly has the equipment to do so if she wanted.

 

[Sarahmoluccan]

To me bites are anything that bleeds, swells up, breaks bones (fingers, toes or noses) or even just hurt a hell of alot. To me a bad cockatiel bite is like a bad paper cut where a bad moluccan bite is like having your finger slammed in a car door. They both hurt and are annoying but one is definitely worse.

Respect can definitely go long way with the right bird. Some scars do run deep, while others just aren't in the right environment, others may have been poorly bred. None of things are the animal's fault.

I don't think bites are inevitable for the most part but learning the subtle way birds communicate can be a steep learning curve for many. IMHO If you are constantly being bitten you either have an incredibly difficult bird or you're doing something wrong. Or maybe a bit of both.

I've been bitten fairly badly a handful of times. But like @melissasparrots I've never had a bite that needed medical attention so I consider myself lucky

 

[Shezbug]

I have but by the time I realized just how bad it was there was no point going to the doctors for stitches as it had been too long and had stopped bleeding. It did not hurt like I thought it should have so I thought it was not very bad at the time......... I since learned that was because I had the nerve cut by the precious little bird who I was trying to feed, I still can not feel that part of my finger.