I don't think I can do this !

[Williamsong]

my new Amazon I got is doing pretty good so far and he loves for me to scratch his head occasionally. I want to take the next step and try to get him to step up but he is just so scary and mean ! I am so scared to get him to step up because he is just so un predictable and I am really afraid of that beak ! I know I must sound silly but he is so aggressive, he will sometimes seek out to attack me, while I am sitting at the table he will fly over and try to attack and I have to run and get a towel to put over me so he doesn't keep trying to attack. I don't know what to do and I am just way to scared to put my arm up to him because he is so mean and he sometimes pretends to be nice and shows absoulutely no sign of aggression and will fluff like he wants to be scratched or put his foot out like he wants to step up but as soon as I come near he lunges and acts like he wants to kill me. I'm afraid he is gonna bite me really bad when I put my arm up even if I put a treat on the other side I'm afraid he will bite me to get me away from the treat, I really need help and I need to know what to do.

 

[Kiwibird]

First, there will come the day you WILL be bit. It's part of owning a parrot. It will happen and you shouldn't take it personally when it does. While capable, amazons tend not to inflict horrendous wounds. They typically just chomp and let go, and more than likely not even breaking skin. Cookie doesn't sound like a particularly vicious individual based on everything you've said either. Outright vicious amazons are actually pretty rare. Usually, they're more cranky and ornery and a little overconfident more than anything else. Remember, this is a parrot thats the size of a football, not a lion who could maul and eat you!

Second, he's sensing your fear and lunging in response. He can tell your nervous, so he's either testing you to see who's the "bigger, badder bird" in this dynamic OR he's picking up on your fear and responding with fear back. What's the worst he could do to you? Inflict a non-life threatening wound. What's the worst you could do to him? Eat him, hurt him, kill him. He understands this and is likely trying to figure out if you know your own strength. If I were you, I'd have a band aid and neosporin handy and just go for it. A firm "step up" with a steady, confident hand offered and reward for immediate reinforcement when he gets up there

 

[Sunset_Chaser]

Everything April said!

 

[Williamsong]

Thank you so much ! I am really going to have to work and I guess so because I'm sure he really knows that I'm not trying to kill him he just kinda wants me to get away because he is grumpy. I guess I am just more afraid than anything and I know it will hurt but I guess it's the price I have to pay for a wonderful companion.

 

[Mekaisto]

If you're still scared, train him to step up onto a stick first
A stick is nice and stable, and he won't be frightened of it. If you're scared your arm will be moving, always tense - prepared to jolt away if he reaches in to bite you.

 

[Flboy]

If your scared, you are seen as a threat. Train yourself the same way you are training him. Slowly work on gaining your trust in him. Your vibes are saying you don't trust him! For him, he puts up a front to hide his apprehension.
Bigger the front, bigger the back!

And, ya, he doesn't want to be eaten!

 

[JamJar]

Have you actually been bitten yet? Marley has put my fingers in hisb beak a few times and only put pressure on it. Its like he is trying to scare me rather than hurt me. give it a go and if all else fails close ur eyes

 

[Birdman666]

Self fulfilling prophecy 101.

If you don't think you can - you're right.

If you believe you can, and follow that through with the determination to actually do it - You're also right.

Read up on amazon body language. They're not so unpredictable. You're just not reading everything or something is getting lost in the interpretation.

They usually don't bite for no reason. Find the cause and effect and eliminate the cause.

 

[LadiDy]

Can you imagine being bitten by a Military Macaw?
Princess Storm has been with me since she was 16 yrs old, she's now 25 yrs old, in that 9 yr period she's bitten me approx 4-5 times, 2 really bad bites that took a long time to heal due to my diabetes. But we're still in love and I kinda know when she's a little nippy. I have pics of this lovely girl in my album, I really want you to see her magnificent beak. lol. But I don't know how to post a pic to you with in a message.

 

[Flboy]

Here ya go, beautiful bird!

 

[Kiwibird]

Here ya go, beautiful bird!

If I were ever to get a second bird, a military macaw is on the top of my list. I think they are stunning birds! Don't know that I'd like to be bit by one though

 

[Birdman666]

Here ya go, beautiful bird!

If I were ever to get a second bird, a military macaw is on the top of my list. I think they are stunning birds! Don't know that I'd like to be bit by one though

They do tend to have shorter tempers, they tend to be a little on the beaky side, and they are somewhat prone to one person issues...

Third on the list behind Scarlets and Buffons for beakiness issues.

 

[mh434]

Any chance he's hormonal (it certainly is the time of year for it!)? Many 'Zons seem to get quite temperamental this time of year- it seems to be either extreme love or extreme grumpiness, particularly in males (or so I've been told).

If so, he could quite likely mellow out considerably in a month or so.

 

[Birdman666]

Thank you so much ! I am really going to have to work and I guess so because I'm sure he really knows that I'm not trying to kill him he just kinda wants me to get away because he is grumpy. I guess I am just more afraid than anything and I know it will hurt but I guess it's the price I have to pay for a wonderful companion.

Wrap a beach towel around your arm and step him up on that.

He hasn't been handled much, from what I understand, so he probably responds to it as a potential threat...

And your fear doesn't help. This being amazon breeding season doesn't help. And not knowing the body language 110% doesn't help. (Once you learn the language, you can read them like a book, and you know exactly what they're gonna do before they do it. When not to... is a part of the zon equation.)

 

[RavensGryf]

Here ya go, beautiful bird!

If I were ever to get a second bird, a military macaw is on the top of my list. I think they are stunning birds! Don't know that I'd like to be bit by one though

They do tend to have shorter tempers, they tend to be a little on the beaky side, and they are somewhat prone to one person issues...

Third on the list behind Scarlets and Buffons for beakiness issues.

Where would you say Severe's fall in there? I hear their rep too. Is it mostly male Severe's as I've seen, or not necessarily?

Don LOVES this species. I'm not sure one would EVER be right for us, but just asking for the future since they're his favorite.

 

[Birdman666]

Severe's aren't beaky so much as they are absolutely the worst offenders in the entire bird world when it comes to one person/overbonding pair bond behaviors...

If not socialized to the Nth degree from the time that they are young, they will pair up, and that one person becomes "IT." Everyone else gets bit for even thinking about it...

Which is a completely different issue from a large "beaky" macaw.

I explain it this way:

Where birds like greenwings, and red fronts, and blue throats, and blue and golds, tend to put their tongues on everything, the "beakier" macaws put their entire BEAKS on everything. They are also more prone to use their beaks to communicate, i.e. just getting your attention, or when they get excited.

Pinch... What was that? Did you see it too?

Pinch... oh, I like that stuff, I want some.

Pinch... I don't like that. Get away from it.

Pinch... Pick me up!

Pinch... Set me down!

Pinch... Let's play!

Pinch... Stop it!

And if not bite pressure trained? Those pinches are more than just annoying. They become frequent blood draws. The challenge is to teach these birds to be uber gentle even when excited and trying to get your attention, and it really means doing A TON of bite pressure work with them.

It's not really biting. The beakier species explore the world with their beaks the way the less beakier species explore the world with their tongues... and they are more prone to use their beaks to communicate. (Though all macaws do that to some extent.) So that's the difference really...

RACHEL HAD A SCARLET... and that bird fell off his shower perch one day. Climbed up my neeekid leg to my arm using it's beak... didn't hurt a bit, didn't leave a single mark! THAT WAS A WENDY BIRD, AND BOTH WENDY AND RACHEL KNEW HOW TO RAISE THEM... Do the work, it's less of a problem. Don't do the work, you will bleed from time to time.

It's really just that simple.

Severe's aren't beaky. If you are their person, you get "the tongue." If you're not "their person" THEY BITE!

 

[Birdman666]

Don LOVES this species. I'm not sure one would EVER be right for us, but just asking for the future since they're his favorite.

ABSOLUTELY WITHOUT A DOUBT MY LEAST FAVORITE BIRD IN THE WORLD TO WORK WITH, AND I'VE REHABED ABOUT 8 OF THEM. 8 out of 8 got dumped for one person issues. So, there's that... and it's telling. ONE SET OF STITCHES... (I GOT DISTRACTED. TOOK MY EYES OFF THE BIRD.)

Somewhere I did a "how to" post on someone that was having these issues with a severe, that had cites to about 8 other websites that talked about one person issues with severes... I can't find it now.

If you get one, socialize it to the NTH Degree. That's my advice. Not a bird I would EVER recommend to anyone.

I've played with TWO great ones... the rest were all one person birds who fought like hell to never be handled by anyone else.

Rehabbing them was not fun!

 

[Birdman666]

If you want a mini mac that size, that's got a great disposition, I'd go with a yellow collar in a heartbeat. VERY nice disposition, and very trainable, and probably the best talker of the macaws. GREAT trick birds. Macaw goofy. Macaw attention oriented. Calmer and less nippy than most of the mini macs.

http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-species/profiles/yellow-collared-macaw-2.aspx

http://www.birdfarm.com/sale/yellow-collar-macaws-for-sale.asp

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUXeE6da9E4"]Alex, Yellow Collared Macaw click, speak, tap - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1fGja6PXBk"]Corkie TheTalking Miniature Yellow Collared Macaw: "Ring The Damn Bell!" ©Karla K. Larsson - YouTube[/ame]

Those guys and the Hahn's macs are my favorite of the mini's.

Conversely, I can't think of ever seeing a YCM dumped or in need of rehab. Although friends of mine had "go everywhere, love everyone" YCM's that I played with often. So, that to me says a lot...

The hard part is finding one! Those can be hard to come by.

 

[Birdman666]

Have you actually been bitten yet? Marley has put my fingers in hisb beak a few times and only put pressure on it. Its like he is trying to scare me rather than hurt me. give it a go and if all else fails close ur eyes

Both of mine have been trained to take my fingers in their beaks, and push my fingers away when they're not in the mood.

And they are entitled to be "not in the mood" as long as they are not doing something evil at the time.

 

[LadiDy]

http://www.parrotforums.com/members...926-what-magnificent-beak-better-bite-you.jpg