Hi all! I’m new here, and joined to hopefully get some more info on blue throats and living with them. I do have experience with medium-large birds (I’ve owned an eclectus, and I socialize birds at a specialty bird store a friend of mine owns). That being said I have ZERO macaw experience other than two birds that are looking to be rehomed that I’ve met since moving to Houston...and both times it ended in bloody fingers LMAO. Despite that I still have my heart set on a macaw lol (maybe I have a screw loose?)
First off, if anyone has a blue throat, I’d love to hear any advice/anecdotes you may have.
Second, id love to hear more about macaw bites lol. The two times I have been bitten in the last week were both by older birds that were being rehomed. The first one was a 2 year old greenwing. Everything was going pretty good - she had tried to boss me around and I gave her a gentle “no” and ignored it and continued interacting. Then a bunch of people came in the shop and ofc immediately ran over to the macaw that was out, so I’m fairly confident the main reason I was nipped a bit was bc the people everywhere had her overstimulated (they were also reaching out to pick her up and then yanking away when she’d do the macaw bluff *eye roll* so I’m sure that didn’t help). The second time was with a 25 year old B&G. She was bluffing a little, but I ignored it and had her eating nuts from my hand after a few minutes. Then her favorite employee at the store walked up and she punched a hole in my finger. Bled a lot, but didn’t really hurt...I just can’t feel my finger currently hahaha. I’m guessing she did that bc her “person” came up.
I guess my take away has basically been that macaws are a heck of a lot gentler than people usually give them credit for? Had those birds actually wanted to do REAL damage they definitely could have gotten me a lot worse lol. Had it been a caique or other small bird I definitely would have gotten a worse bite rofl. Has this been y’alls general experience with macaws and biting?
First off, if anyone has a blue throat, I’d love to hear any advice/anecdotes you may have.
Second, id love to hear more about macaw bites lol. The two times I have been bitten in the last week were both by older birds that were being rehomed. The first one was a 2 year old greenwing. Everything was going pretty good - she had tried to boss me around and I gave her a gentle “no” and ignored it and continued interacting. Then a bunch of people came in the shop and ofc immediately ran over to the macaw that was out, so I’m fairly confident the main reason I was nipped a bit was bc the people everywhere had her overstimulated (they were also reaching out to pick her up and then yanking away when she’d do the macaw bluff *eye roll* so I’m sure that didn’t help). The second time was with a 25 year old B&G. She was bluffing a little, but I ignored it and had her eating nuts from my hand after a few minutes. Then her favorite employee at the store walked up and she punched a hole in my finger. Bled a lot, but didn’t really hurt...I just can’t feel my finger currently hahaha. I’m guessing she did that bc her “person” came up.
I guess my take away has basically been that macaws are a heck of a lot gentler than people usually give them credit for? Had those birds actually wanted to do REAL damage they definitely could have gotten me a lot worse lol. Had it been a caique or other small bird I definitely would have gotten a worse bite rofl. Has this been y’alls general experience with macaws and biting?