I got my first Amazon bite.

So I was in the pet shop today and a lady brought her DYH in to pick out some toys and she offered to let me hold her now all was going well and we were enjoying tying to see what toys she liked and I was having the time of my life pictures don't do the DYHs justice when all of a sudden I start to see her get overstimulated so I was going to try and give her back to the owner and I had no idea what to do so I calmly tried to get her off of my arm by asking step up with my other hand BAD MOVE she bit the hell out of my finger and refused to get off my arm and the owner had to lure her off of me with treats all the while my finger was bleeding profusely(I didn't need stiches just some gauze). I know it's never the amazons fault so what could I have done differently to prevent the bite. Also is it odd that this makes me want to handle more amazons and really learn more about them because of how complicated they are or is that something that all of us bird people have in common.
Am I part of the zon club now or are there other requirements to join lol.

Could a mod please move my thread to the zon section I must have clicked on the Alex section by accident

There you go!

As for what you might have done differently, it sounds as though you panicked slightly once you noticed her getting overstimulated. Parrots are VERY perceptive, so nervous body language probably added to her excitement. A good idea when working with someone else's bird is to have, on hand, a chew toy of some sort that might be interposed between that beak and your flesh at need. Something made of bird safe plastic or wood.

Exciting and scary. I've never been bit by a larger parrot, please forgive this dumb question. How bad did it hurt? I knew a man who worked in a bird store and o e of the store macaws bit clean through the center of his hand.

CherylCali

CherylCali said:

Exciting and scary. I've never been bit by a larger parrot, please forgive this dumb question. How bad did it hurt? I knew a man who worked in a bird store and o e of the store macaws bit clean through the center of his hand.

CherylCali

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Clean through?!? As in skewered? Ouch!

What you could have done to prevent the bite?? Don't hold a strange bird.!! Even with the most docile laid back bird the potential is there. I've had my BFA over 30 years and he is as sweet as can be. Still...I have to watch him and "read" him or even I can get bit. I trust my bird but ONLY because I know exactly what flips his switches. Honestly I can't recall the last time he bit me.
Some 20 years ago my wifey walked by Cookies cage and stopped to get some sugar, like she had 1000 times before. She closed her eyes and poked her lips in his direction making smoochie sounds... and he came to her... head down, fluffed up, shoulders and tail feathers spread.. I tried to warn her but too late!. He latched on to her bottom lip with everything he had.. her pulling away, him hanging on to his cage. I had NO idea a humans bottom lip could stretch THAT FAR!. His upper beak had gone slap thru, and she looked like a largemouth bass on a hook. I jumped up and got Cookie to turn her loose. Til this day, that was the last time my wifey offered Cookie sugar... and she still has the battle scar from that momentary lapse in paying attention.

CherylCali said:

Exciting and scary. I've never been bit by a larger parrot, please forgive this dumb question. How bad did it hurt? I knew a man who worked in a bird store and o e of the store macaws bit clean through the center of his hand.

CherylCali

Click to expand...

It's really hard to compare it to a Greencheek bite I'm sure you have been bitten by yours and it initially hurts and then you kinda forget about it. This is a different thing all together it is like a sharp pressure and then all of a sudden there is blood all over your hand but it hurts like crazy afterward Like you cut yourself with a knife.
But anansi I will have to get a perch holster to wear Around the store lol.

Notdumasilook said:

What you could have done to prevent the bite?? Don't hold a strange bird.!! Even with the most docile laid back bird the potential is there. I've had my BFA over 30 years and he is as sweet as can be. Still...I have to watch him and "read" him or even I can get bit. I trust my bird but ONLY because I know exactly what flips his switches.

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To tell you the truth I would have made the same exact choice if I could do it over again(expect maybe have a perch with me) I am really trying to get some hands on experience and I really enjoyed the time I spent with the DYH until the bite she had quite a big personality lol.

That makes perfect sense. When I got EB she was showing me what was too far for her comfort and I got some good grinding hard bites, but as soon as it's over it starts receding pain wise. That's exactly what I was wondering if the bigger bird the bite is just the beginning of the pain. Glad you didn't need stitches!

CherylCali

CDavis said:

So I was in the pet shop today and a lady brought her DYH in to pick out some toys and she offered to let me hold her now all was going well and we were enjoying tying to see what toys she liked and I was having the time of my life pictures don't do the DYHs justice when all of a sudden I start to see her get overstimulated so I was going to try and give her back to the owner and I had no idea what to do so I calmly tried to get her off of my arm by asking step up with my other hand BAD MOVE she bit the hell out of my finger and refused to get off my arm and the owner had to lure her off of me with treats all the while my finger was bleeding profusely(I didn't need stiches just some gauze). I know it's never the amazons fault so what could I have done differently to prevent the bite. Also is it odd that this makes me want to handle more amazons and really learn more about them because of how complicated they are or is that something that all of us bird people have in common.
Am I part of the zon club now or are there other requirements to join lol.

Click to expand...

Hmmm, First Blood does count toward becoming part of the Zon Club. The item that gets you Full Membership Status is seeing the Amazon becoming overstimulated and defusing it.

Anansi recommendation of a chew toy is correct because it would distract the Amazon and work to defusing the stimulation. So, consider a chew toy holster. FYI: This tool is useful with all of the Larger Parrots. but it fully depends on you seeing it coming.

I often offer our DYH Amazon to visitors to our home and when we are out and about. I never, move more than a couple of short feet away and never loose eye contact with my Amazon. Now, our relationship is only pushing 30 months and we are still building it and working on his Socialization, and Bite Pressure training.

Non-controlled Larger Parrot Bites hits the Human nervous system like a Slug Hammer. Many people will report that their vision momentarily shuts down and for a flash, all they see is white. The pain radiates. With the exception of the felt pressure, the on-going pain is like a deep paper cut.

The good news is that you saw /understood Body Language. That in and of itself will create a want to learn more. Remember, that Amazon's are 'Simple.' They are honest and will tell you what is working and what is not. You only need to understand their Body Language and Stage Two is what to do or not do when you see it. That is what creates the want for more Amazon experience. Be Careful, Its Highly Addictive!

CherylCali said:

Exciting and scary. I've never been bit by a larger parrot, please forgive this dumb question. How bad did it hurt? I knew a man who worked in a bird store and o e of the store macaws bit clean through the center of his hand.

CherylCali

Click to expand...

The way I like to describe an Amazon bite is having someone clamp a SHAPR vice grip pliers into you finger for several seconds. The more you shake and move your hand the more damage you cause yourself.
Most of the times I have been bitten the blood comes much later than the pain.
texsize

When Arleen first met Amy,she tried to get Amy to "step up",without me being present..and Amy went CHOMP on Arleens index finger..Hurt like hell,and when Arleen went to the Medi-Quick clinic the next day...she had a hair line FRACTURE to her index finger ...that's what she gets for trying to get Amy to step up without me being present.

You are now an Oh-fishal Amazon tastee




Jim

If there is an upside to the DECADES I spent riding horses, it is definitely my lack of fear of getting bitten by animals (since horses do it all the time, along with stepping on you, kicking you, and throwing you off onto the ground then stepping on you, lol), but large birds can definitely be ouchy! So glad you didn't need stitches! And wanting to handle more of them must be the masochism inherent in being a bird lover, haha.