When you don't pay attention to body language

So today I pulled a no no. I didn't read my Macaws body language and got bit. Gave me a nice bruise on my hand.

I wear glasses... Because I'm blind as a bat... But this morning Rhage had apparently turn apart his new toy and was banging pieces around. So I went in, without my glasses, and walked up to the cage.

Same as always I said hello and good morning and talked to him as normal.

Now normally his go to is to say Hi really loud and then will try to 'fake you out' to get you to play before asking for head scratches.

Well, in I walked, over he came to his door and I failed to notice the obvious.

Eyes pinned, saying 'hello' over and over, and grabbing his door.

I reached through the bars to scratch his head after saying good morning, as always, and he grabbed my hand. Hard.

Thank God I pressure trained him. He could have pierced my hand the way he grabbed it.

It wasn't until after he grabbed me that I realized I had missed those signals. Signals I KNOW to watch for in public because those are his nervous tells. The jerky movement, stiff posture, pinned eyes, saying the same word over and over.

Yet I failed to catch it.

I kept talking to him trying to figure out what was setting him off. My voice hadn't changed or anything so what gives.

Then I realized I didn't have my glasses. He's never seen me without them(and I do look a bit different without them) I grabbed them from my room and walked back into his room and BAM. His normal happy to see me self. Complete with a Good Morning and a How Are You. Like nothing happened.

It's amazing something so simple could set him off. Such a small change. Even though I know they like routine I never though glasses vs no glasses was so off putting.

Needless to say I learned 2 lessons today.

1... Always have your glasses.
2... Always always always watch and SEE body language.

Luckily I just got a bruise on both sides of my hand. But wow was I not expecting THAT lol.

It was one of those I saw his body language but didn't SEE what he was saying until it was too late. I must have stood there for a good few moments trying to talk to him while he continued his posturing, before it hit my i didn't have my glasses. Rhage is normally so cool about everything, very little bothers him to that extent.

Guess I should have thought about that. My Jenday has a fit anytime I change my nail color ROFL.

Routine can be so boring and yet live saving (hand saving).

Glad that all is well again.

That all said, consider working on very minor variations to any routine by setting very minor changes (transitions) into place with the goal of opening your MAC's world up. Tiny changes rooted in the base routine over time will provide a safer world for everyone.

Start with your glasses. Yes, they are very important to your seeing what he is communicating, but your 'being' should not be so limited in definition. Start by lifting your glasses up and placing them back down into place. Small /tiny steps.

So it's not just Kiwi that goes into attack parrot mode if I'm not wearing my glasses! I can wear hats, animal prints, gloves and he doesn't care, but if I dare take off my glasses, I shall suffer the consequences!

Glad you only got a bruise instead of what could have been a nasty bite from a macaw. They are such funny creatures about what sets them off. I suspect Kiwi senses my weakness when I have no glasses and decides to take advantage of my blind state:15:

Awesome that you could pin down what caused him to freak out.

So many lessons for next time, I'm glad it was only a bruise!

Just overly excited...

But yeah. Moments like this are EXACTLY why we bite pressure train. And those that don't would be getting stitches right about NOW! It's that important!!!

I think back to the B&G rescue "get THAT THING out of my house." Sweet as pie. Just never bite pressure trained. Easiest rehab I ever did. Just socialization, touch training, and bite pressure training... (i.e. birdie lap time.)

It's basics, but it is important.

And even tame, friendly birds get a little too excited to see you from time to time. Recognize it. Take a step back. Give them a second to calm down...

That's all this was.

ouch! Good that he knows his beak! We all have those mornings where our brain is still snuggled in bed (I call them weekdays)

I think he needs to get working harder on training you!

Yes! Bite pressure training is a must! I know Nigel could take a hunk out of me but I trained him early (thanks to wonderful bite pressure training from Birdman). I’ve had a warning or two but he knows to control the pressure and I know to watch his cues.

So glad it’s a bruise only from that big beak.

LOL, sorry- older post- but as a fellow "don't see s#!t without them" 4-eyes -> this could have been me ...

exept Sunny is now trying to take my glasses off every opportunity she gets!
(standing ovation for titanium frames everyone! sofar they survived the attentions of an asubtle nosy macaw... )
She has been pretty "good" lately - so I am letting my guard down (maybe too much, but trust and both sides etc.etc.) and once again got them knocked of my head and stolen...


?
Is there some connection between parrots and rampant kleptomania nobody has told me about?
?

Japie regularly steals the remote and my phone - even flies away with the latter, now Sunny is trying to sneak off with my spectacles.
All 3 don't care at all when I complete change my haircolour, outfits etc.; exept nailpolish - which should be removed asap- but they all have/had a period about being completely focussed on removing my glasses...

well with glasses and jewellery I assume it's the shine of them

with everything else very simply I see it as "you're playing with that all the time, must be fun!"

LordTriggs said:

well with glasses and jewellery I assume it's the shine of them

with everything else very simply I see it as "you're playing with that all the time, must be fun!"

Click to expand...

I do believe you hit the proverbial nail on the head.