......dang blue and gold macaw........

[Anatopism]

I'm lucky my bird is 1) small (senegal) and 2) has a very mild temperament. He shows a lot of restraint when he's cranky, and I appreciate it greatly.

I did recently house sit for a family with a yellow naped amazon who hasn't been out of the cage in months, possibly years. The family is afraid of him... I learned that he's just cage aggressive, and once away to a different room, he is more docile -- but still nervous. He nipped my arm a couple times, but it was through a sweatshirt and he didn't get a good hold... I would not like to get bit by your bird, who has a considerably larger beak than even the amazon. lol.

[Cendalla]

Mine looks to me for food and the occasional underwing scratch. Otherwise she likes to see how long it will take to brake my ear drums, buttons, and earrings.

[Cendalla]

yikes...arent the b&g's s'posed to be the gentlest of the giants?

Its not that they're mean (besides the ocaional evil one)) But they are very strong and don't realize that what is needed to crack a brazil nut (like butter) isn't how they need to grab you.

[CLSpider]

I used to have a blue&gold (BB). One morning I was eating cereal, she climbed up my chair, and bit my shoulder and cheek....for no reason at all. It wasn't too hard, but it did leave a mark. Most of the time she was very sweet though.
Hahaha, and like Cendalla said, BB also enjoyed trying to break my ear drums (when she wasn't randomly talking)
I miss her.

[Bellabob]

I used to work with them....mean little things.

[fishmommy]

I feel yer pain. My umbrella cockatoo once slipped on my shoulder and grabbed the meaty part of my thumb to stop a fall....and gave me a thru-and-thru puncture wound. I bear the scar to this day.

Keep at the training! Your bird will get better with time.

[DC Reptiles]

growing up we always had birds in the house, worse bite I ever got was from an amazon that took my thumb nail off. Other then that me and my dad have raised sun conures for almost 20 years and they are not to bad, that or I guess I"m just use to it now. I learned the hard way though, dont ever mess with a mothers nest....outcome not good.

[python_addict]

this was from the other day and he still obviously hates me lol he keeps trying to intimidate my by looking bigger lol so far he has bitten my finger the meaty part of the back of my arm and my head twice since this post im pretty sure he wont ever like me again even though i was the first person who he let feed, pet, and hold him even the 9 hour drive home with him he sat with me lol traitor......

[sgath92]

this was from the other day and he still obviously hates me lol he keeps trying to intimidate my by looking bigger lol so far he has bitten my finger the meaty part of the back of my arm and my head twice since this post im pretty sure he wont ever like me again even though i was the first person who he let feed, pet, and hold him even the 9 hour drive home with him he sat with me lol traitor......

I hear the bigger species like this one are "one person birds" and will tolerate all kinds of interactions with one particular person & not tolerate it much at all with anyone else. This "one person" can change from time to time to another individual. I have heard stories of couples with bigger parrots having one "switch sides" when the hours of the couple at work change [like if one suddenly works nights and is now always around the bird instead of the other human].

[NorCalAl]

I've had a B&G, Mollucan and Umbrella cockatoos, Blue Front and Yellow-Naped Amazons and still have a SI Eclectus. I am almost 50 and wanted birds since I was a teen. In my 20's, I started getting cockatiels, lovebirds and other smaller birds. In my 30's I got the big birds.

The Mollucan and macaw were the best and most interesting of the bunch. The Molly would bark like a dog - including head movements and growls. He'd eat a bunch of whatever dinner was and then look at you and say "I love you". The macaw would eat with a spoon or fork and cuddle with my ex in bed after climbing the stairs looking for her. I've had the Ekkie since hatching - I handfed him.

And I've come to the conclusion that birds are not good pets. Not large parrots anyway. That wonderfully beautiful smart Molly left me with nerve damage in one arm from a bite he administered cause I was stupid enough to be talking on the phone when he wanted attention. He nearly severed the ex's thumb on another occasion. The macaw climbed the stairs another time to find the ex absent from the bedroom and spent much of that day (I was home but in the garage and the ex had left him out) destroying my three-DAY-old bedroom set.

I know lots of people that have them and known of many more that do. A good friend runs a cockatoo rescue in Washington state with 300+ 'toos. Since they live nearly as long or longer than us, but never grow up, most folks end up getting tired of them. They are wild and will always be. They bite for attention and they know how hard they are biting - never doubt that. Once sexually mature, a large parrot is a ticking time bomb. They will have a bad day and do damage. Period. Anyone who tells you different either a) is lying or b) never owned one long enough.

Many folks get babies and give them up in 5 or 6 years and never meet the fully sexually mature bird that goes to rescue or the zoo. My Ekkie is 12 and never once bitten me, but I understand the bird. He's bitten everyone else tho.

Sorry, to rant so long. Just have very strong feelings on this.