First Bite To My Face... OWEEE!

Well, it finally happened.

PARROT RULES:
Rule number 1 - Expect to be bitten

Not 100% on the reason, but I suspect it was because I didn't have enough light in the room. In the late evening I have the main light off and a lamp on plus TV glow.

Tonight I just had TV glow. Bella was on my lap as usual, climbed up my chest and BAM - lip lock! (Plus complimentary growling.)

I jumped up, only to have her still attached and flapping her wings in order to maintain her stance, only for a second, and then I managed to push her away onto the sofa.

The first thing I was worrying about was my mouth bacteria getting into Bella and making her sick - what's the likelihood of that? - PLEASE ADVISE

I didn't have a mirror, so took a photo to see what she'd done.


I've got a small cut below my lip on the outside plus a small puncture point on the inside of my lip. Wow lips swell fast! I'm now sat here with a very stingy lip that feels like a grape. It definitely feels worse than it looks. The other half just got me some ice.

It happened so fast!

Maybe she was just trying to give me another piercing... how thoughtful!

*sigh*

Ugh face bites are the worst. Parker got me on the cheek bone area one time. He grabbed and ground down for a couple seconds, didn’t wanna let go.

Total sympathies! I wouldn’t worry about he bacteria. You should be fine.

Had anything changed when this happened? Someone walk into the room? Sudden movement on your part?

chris-md said:

Ugh face bites are the worst. Parker got me on the cheek bone area one time. He grabbed and ground down for a couple seconds, didn’t wanna let go.

Total sympathies! I wouldn’t worry about he bacteria. You should be fine.

Had anything changed when this happened? Someone walk into the room? Sudden movement on your part?

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Those couple of seconds feel incredibly long don't they?!

Like I said, the only difference I was aware of was the reduced lighting. I'm wondering if the different lighting made my piercings reflect light differently and spooked her? Or maybe she was just being a git!

Normally she walks up my chest and 'preens' my cheek and chin...
I hope this won't be a regular occurrence. I'll definitely not be so resigned to complacency in 'comfortable' situations in future!

YEOWCH !!! Salty nailed me once in my nasal septum punched a hole right thru. Try explaining that to your Dr. My fault but still hurt like hell.

Involuntary septum piercing sounds really bad! I can confirm a voluntary one is an eye waterer - but thats just a little needle. But a beak busting it's way through?!? Just thinking about it is making my eyes water! Salty looks like butter wouldn't melt - what caused him to bite?

Violet_Diva said:

Well, it finally happened.

Not 100% on the reason, but I suspect it was because I didn't have enough light in the room. In the late evening I have the main light off and a lamp on plus TV glow.

Tonight I just had TV glow. Bella was on my lap as usual, climbed up my chest and BAM - lip lock! (Plus complimentary growling.)

Click to expand...

We've noticed that Arika can get spooked when there is a sudden change in light, flickering, or something fast moving on the TV. It's even happened with plenty of light in the room. Reflections from vehicles going by our house can cause the sunlight to shine through her window and has definitely caused her to jump. She's never bitten from being scared like that, but has taken off from our lap or arm.
It's like moving your hand too fast near your bird, they get scared.

Thanks,
Kelly, Karl, and Arika

Please take this in the nicest way possible...

Maybe you were bit because you have bird-toys on your face.

(my birds would pick at those constantly)

I've also gotten an involuntary lip piercing, lol. I don't think I've ever felt pain like that before. I know it was an accident on his part so I couldn't be mad, I was more worried about him than anything. Thankfully a couple years later, there's barely a scar since I took good care of it, but boy did it take a while for me to get feeling back in the center of my lip!

WakaWaka said:

Violet_Diva said:

Well, it finally happened.

Not 100% on the reason, but I suspect it was because I didn't have enough light in the room. In the late evening I have the main light off and a lamp on plus TV glow.

Tonight I just had TV glow. Bella was on my lap as usual, climbed up my chest and BAM - lip lock! (Plus complimentary growling.)

Click to expand...

We've noticed that Arika can get spooked when there is a sudden change in light, flickering, or something fast moving on the TV. It's even happened with plenty of light in the room. Reflections from vehicles going by our house can cause the sunlight to shine through her window and has definitely caused her to jump. She's never bitten from being scared like that, but has taken off from our lap or arm.
It's like moving your hand too fast near your bird, they get scared.

Thanks,
Kelly, Karl, and Arika

Click to expand...

I do suspect the lighting from the TV was definitely a factor in this unprovoked nip. I will definitely ensure more light in future in an attempt to avoid such events

flyzipper said:

Please take this in the nicest way possible...

Maybe you were bit because you have bird-toys on your face.

(my birds would pick at those constantly)

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Haha I trained it out of them pretty early on, at first they were curious of the shiney... plus my ears... and glasses, but every time they showed any interest I would distract them, if they made contact they would be put down somewhere and temporarily ignored. They soon got the idea. I used to sit infront of a glass display cabinet so I could see thier movements in the vague reflection, it meant they could sit on my head, but I'd have the heads-up on if they were thinking about approaching my ears/glasses/piercings and intervene before hand. Dexter occasionally will try to nibble my glasses still if I'm not paying him enough attention

Aquila said:

I've also gotten an involuntary lip piercing, lol. I don't think I've ever felt pain like that before. I know it was an accident on his part so I couldn't be mad, I was more worried about him than anything. Thankfully a couple years later, there's barely a scar since I took good care of it, but boy did it take a while for me to get feeling back in the center of my lip!

Click to expand...

Sounds like you had a bad bite there! They're just so darn quick aren't they!? Did you lose any confidence with your bird initially as a result of the bite? I know I was extra cautious with Bella for the next few days

Violet_Diva said:

Aquila said:

I've also gotten an involuntary lip piercing, lol. I don't think I've ever felt pain like that before. I know it was an accident on his part so I couldn't be mad, I was more worried about him than anything. Thankfully a couple years later, there's barely a scar since I took good care of it, but boy did it take a while for me to get feeling back in the center of my lip!

Click to expand...

Sounds like you had a bad bite there! They're just so darn quick aren't they!? Did you lose any confidence with your bird initially as a result of the bite? I know I was extra cautious with Bella for the next few days

Click to expand...

It was pretty bad, though it didn't really bleed at all. Luckily it didn't go all the way through, most of the damage was right under my bottom lip. I was definitely wary for a bit afterwards, but I know Sydney pretty well and it wasn't his intention to bite, it's my fault for having him on my shoulder and walking around (he can't hold well with his feet, he usually leans forward and grips my shirt, but he slipped.)

I got a nice one to the lip last week, fat lip, bleeding...so fun.

All fair points; they are very trainable.

Marvin (my conure) has trained me that when she (DNA sexed after naming) climbs onto the arm of my glasses, that means she'd like to be held in my hand.