Got Nailed by Powder

[Sondra]

Yup, Powder chomped my hand, it's been a while since I've been bitten by him. He was still excited by the Granddaughters visit 45 mins. earlier. I thought he had calmed down as he ate his dinner and was sunning when Max, Higgy, and Momma started their good night calls. I picked up Momma and Max and got Powder and as we were walking into the kitchen and down the hall to their bedroom he started getting real antsy and I saw the eyes go slanty - big warning with him. I couldn't grab his beak as Momma was on my right hand and Max was on my left shoulder. Next thing I know he chomps into the fleshy part of my palm as he's doing the flapping of wings and arcing towards the floor with a FIRM grip on my fingers. OUCH!! Didn't say a word, put Momma in her cage, put Powder onto his perch, Max on his cage and RAN to the kitchen trailing blood.  Now Powder is SCREAMING bloody murder. Clean up my hand and the floors and go back in to their room and finish getting the birds covered, poor Powder is shaking like a leaf. I tell him "it's OK, I love you, it wasn't your fault". I keep taking to him and he's looking at my hand and looking at my face, finally he comes over to the bars where I can touch him. I rub his leg and he moves closer and I show him my hand and tell him again it's OK. He calms down when I tell him he's a good boy and that tomorrow we'd go for a nice walk. He waved night-night to me (something we have been working on for a while now & he's only done it every night this week!  ).  When I left the room I heard beak grinding from everyone, and even got a grunt from Powder when I told him I'd be in later to turn off their TV.  All's well in birdyville tonight.

It really burns my butt that he gets so fearful after he bites or nips, and that he's afraid of open hands, brooms, shoes (especially work boots) and a water bottle. :pipen:

[BirdCrazy]

Oh poor guy :(

The "night night" wave sounds so adorable.

[steptoe91(tozie)]

  poor baby...you AND powder.  Poor guy was expecting to be punished for biting. Go You for not reacting, i know how hard it is to NOT do the 'bird get off me dance' when you have a large beak impaling your hand.    nothing sucks worse than to see the bite coming and not being able to do a thing about it but take it. <cringe>  i couldnt help but think "screaming bloody murder"...<snicker> pun intended??  
I know what you mean tho, when caleb bites he is scared to death waiting for the punishment he expects. Of course, like you, we dont punish him for biting. It took ollie over a year to stop expecting to be hit for biting. He will still cringe back, but he doesnt roll into a protective fetal ball after he bites anymore.

[Nakia]

Glad to hear all ended well for you and Powder.  :twirl:

Hope your hand isn't too bad and gets well soon.  

Such a sweet boy to wave night - night to his Mommy.   :angel:

[Tammy]

Sounds like you did a perfect job. I wasn't sure I could keep from reacting if Laurie bit me - then, she did it, a few days ago. It hurt (my hand and my feelings :( ) but I didn't react. I have no idea why she did it. Nothing was out of the ordinary with the day and I was just changing her water - which is something she loves. If there were warning signs, I missed them.

You must post a video of the bye bye wave. Sounds so adorable! 

[Sondra]

After 10 years I have learned not to react other than to keep an even, light tone of voice, and gently remove the bird from my hand/arm and RUN away! Tozie is right the absolute hardest part was seeing all the signs and not being able to do anything about the bite that was on it's way. Momma usually sits on one shoulder and Max on another so I have a free hand, my fault for not having Momma sit where she normally does. Usually all I have to do is point a finger at Powder and he stops, if he doesn't stop I can grab his top beak and gently direct his aim away from flesh while moving it to something else - a door, a wall, a cage.

[Ditty]

aww that stinks.  Sorry bout your hand, hope it gets better soon.

[BPMar]

  Sorry to the both of you.  At least you can follow through and react appropriately!  I have only been nailed once by Julio and reacted all wrong!  The nite-nite wave sounds super sweet!!

[wishforabird]

 

I am so impressed with how you handled that.