ShreddedOakAviary
New member
- Jul 13, 2011
- 591
- 5
- Parrots
- M2's, U2's, G2's, RB2's, VOS, RLA's, BFA's, DYHA's, Dusky Pionus, Blue and Green Quakers, Meyers Parrots, VOS, GW Macaw's, Harlequin Macaws, Tiels, YNA, TAG's, CAG's, Blue Crown Conures, Red sided Ecl
Now by most bird people that know me personally I'm known as the "cockatoo girl", and while I really despise the title I've come to understand why they call me that. I'll brave the meanest nastiest 'too on the planet and not think twice. On the flip side they call my husband the "macaw guy", he will brave the worlds most nasty macaw without a second thought. Now as long as he and I deal with our "preferred species", neither of us ever has much trouble... But, my husbands out of town and that leaves me to deal with a very unpleasant pair of greenwings. Some of our breeder birds clearly prefer one person over the other, and our macaws are no different. Our Greenwing male is sweet and I can handle him all day, the hen isn't bad either unless your fingers are too close to the outside of her cage. I was replacing the nest box, and the hen got me. I have never seen a macaw use the full force of their beak, but Pepper decided that my proximity to her nest was not only unacceptable, but downright evil of me.... So she latched onto my thumb and chewed with all her might and would not let go. I waited patiently for her to release my thumb, since in a moment she had pulled it through the nest box door and I couldn't do anything but hope she'd eventually believe she taught my thumb a lesson and let go. I've had birds (including macaws) my whole life, and this was the first time a bird bite warranted an e.r. visit and 6 stitches. She chewed down to my knuckle bone and did enough damage that I can no longer feel the part of my thumb just bellow the nail. My thumb no longer bends all the way either. Now, the dr. Says the thumb will eventually bend all the way, but the nerves that allow the feeling just before my thumb nail on the back side will probably never fully heal.
She is still a well behaved bird outside her cage and away from her nest, but I just wanted to share my dumb mistake and lack of judgement with you all. It took 20 years, but I finally received a serious parrot bite, and believe me when I tell you that while a macaw nearly never uses full force, to remember that they are capable of it. I'll spare you the photos I took while at the e.r. since they are quite yukky.
PAGE 2 CONTAINS GRAPHIC PHOTO OF MY STITCHED THUMB!
She is still a well behaved bird outside her cage and away from her nest, but I just wanted to share my dumb mistake and lack of judgement with you all. It took 20 years, but I finally received a serious parrot bite, and believe me when I tell you that while a macaw nearly never uses full force, to remember that they are capable of it. I'll spare you the photos I took while at the e.r. since they are quite yukky.
PAGE 2 CONTAINS GRAPHIC PHOTO OF MY STITCHED THUMB!
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I think posting the pictures may be a good thing, I've met a lot of people with no bird experience that plan to go out and get a macaw as their first bird, maybe seeing exactly what they are capable of will spare a few folks and birds some heartache...
