Happy chomp????

[Siobhan]

Got another one. When Rocky is happy and acting silly, often right before bedtime so I call it his nightly floor show, he'll bounce and dance and flap his wings and say "whoo!!!!" and then chomp my arm. I don't understand the chomping part. He's happy. He's being silly. He's showing off. Why BITE me???? Anyone have a theory? I asked Rocky and he said (not in so many words, but I understand his message just the same) "because I'm a cockatoo!"

 

[charmedbyekkie]

Sometimes I wonder if he just doesn't realise it is part of me or if he just needs a way to expend his energy. I noticed our ekkie likes to chomp on his perch whenever he gets very excited/agitated, so I try to give him space to calm down a little before I approach to ask him to step up. But I still engage him from a distance (and he recalls just fine). My theory is just a variation of the human "cute aggression", but from birdie excitement instead.

 

[clark_conure]

put yourself in a parrots mindset....why not chomp?


I recommend the time out method, works well with bonded birds.....

 

[Scott]

As long as the chomp is not painful and does not draw blood! But hey, who are we mortals to complain??

 

[Siobhan]

It hurts because, well, cockatoo beak! but doesn't draw blood. I do, however, have bruises ALL THE TIME. The only good thing about winter coming on is that I can cover them with sleeves. Otherwise it looks like I was in some kind of brawl and of course nobody will ask, "what happened to your arm?" they just LOOK. If they asked, I could say "my bird is abusive."

 

[noodles123]

YUP---I think this is over-stimulation (like BAHHHH I AM SO EXCITED I COULD SCREAM....OH WAIT....I DID THAT!!! CHOMP!!!)
Mine only does this when overly excited and past bed-time but it is a real thing for "toos"...at least, in my world.

 

[rangerktc1]

YUP---I think this is over-stimulation (like BAHHHH I AM SO EXCITED I COULD SCREAM....OH WAIT....I DID THAT!!! CHOMP!!!)
Mine only does this when overly excited and past bed-time but it is a real thing for "toos"...at least, in my world.

Yes that's when Bianca does it too. When she starts up off to bed she goes and she's happy with that!

 

[SilleIN]

I would say it's a male cockatoo thing. I rarely let my males become that excited as I know I'm next. They LOVE me, but when they are in that state of mind, they just can't control themselves.

Every once in a while I let them go "there", but I stay away (if I can). Last time my yellow-crested male got to that stage, he nearly bit my ear off- and he was HAPPY

I've never seen this behavior with the females, but that could just be a coincidence.

 

[Siobhan]

I can't really stop him from being excited. He wants to put on the floor show before bed and it IS funny. Until the chomping part, anyway.

 

[SilleIN]

I can't really stop him from being excited. He wants to put on the floor show before bed and it IS funny. Until the chomping part, anyway.

I usually stop mine by picking them up and petting them- talking in a low smooth voice and that makes them calm down.

But if your like the show, then just make sure you are out of reach, so you don't get the "finale"

 

[Valyndris]

My macaw likes to chomp when overly excited. Before bedtime is the worst for it too, he get right hyper just like a kid does before bed. He's extra nippy when he's in hyper mode getting ready for bite, haven't gotten a real chomp from him in a while though. I kinda learned when not to go near him. Because his face has no feathers you can see the blood rush in and his face turns pink. Pink = danger.

 

[noodles123]

mine is female
BUT she rarely is up past her bedtime--it tends to happen around holidays when she has an audience that keeps her up.

 

[PickleMeDickles]

Perhaps its part Amazon. There is a thin line between happy and over stimulated, and an over stimulated Amazon is definitely not compatible with human body parts. It seems most wizened Amazon parents learn quick to just avoid the bite by removing themselves from the situation and/or avoiding an over stimulated bird.

 

[18WheelsOfSteel]

He isn't permitted to watch the WWE is he? Sounds a bit like something a pro wrestling superstar would do...

 

[noodles123]

He isn't permitted to watch the WWE is he? Sounds a bit like something a pro wrestling superstar would do...

"And he goes for the chair, but what's this?!?! OH! The happy chomp-- I tell ya what, no one recovers from a move like that! This has been quite the fight folks"

LOL I'm pretty sure my attempted WWE narration sounds more like a golf commentator or weatherman, but I tried haha

 

[Siobhan]

We don't watch WWE but his daddy likes to watch MMA fighting so maybe that's at the root of this. LOL Perhaps I should point out to him that MMA has rules, even though it may not seem like it on the surface, and chomping is NOT allowed.