Cockatoos?

[Giantmoa]

I love cockatoos but I don't understand them at all. I just can't read them. Conures make sense, I can tell what they want but I haven't been around cockatoos enough to be able to read their body language. My friend has a lesser sulfur crested cockatoo whom I adore but I can never tell if he wants to bite me or get a head scratch from me (plus he's a complete weirdo ). I did see a large gorgeous pinkish cockatoo on somebodies shoulder at a fair last saturday. I'm seeing parrots everywhere lately!

Despite all this, I think I find conures to be the post painful biters overall.

Would have loved if you mentioned this before! My GCC has an insanely painful bite, but bites only when I'm bothering him with the harness or he's trying to get at the phone.

really? I don't find my GCC to have a painful bite at all! I still haven't really gotten a bite from a larger parrot so I really don't know what to expect, 'tiels and green cheeks are nothing (or the "bites" I've gotten were)

[captwest]

I still haven't really gotten a bite from a larger parrot so I really don't know what to expect,

Hey Miss Moa, it hurts, it hurt yesterday, even after cool water and ice, it hurt last nite , it hurt today, and it still hurts tonight.

[Giantmoa]

I still haven't really gotten a bite from a larger parrot so I really don't know what to expect,

Hey Miss Moa, it hurts, it hurt yesterday, even after cool water and ice, it hurt last nite , it hurt today, and it still hurts tonight.

ha, I guess I can't expect anything less!

[kaylayuh]

really? I don't find my GCC to have a painful bite at all! I still haven't really gotten a bite from a larger parrot so I really don't know what to expect, 'tiels and green cheeks are nothing (or the "bites" I've gotten were)

I've been bitten by one of the larger cockatoos, a Moluccan, as a child. It's led to a mild fear of large or grey beaks. I'm still kind of tenative about Cheney Bird's beak, but if I show him that, he knows to bite to get me to go away.

I must say, the GCC bite hurts much worse. A cockatoo bite is like pliers chomping down on you, but a GCC bite pinches and they pull. When they're serious about biting, they really get their tiny little heads and bodies into it and WILL make you bleed. I'm currently sporting four band-aids from harnessing Cheney Bird. The cockatoo was fast and it was over before I knew it.

[RudysMom]

If I was going to get a Too it would be a Rose Breasted or a MToo but I don't think that will ever happen , thoose beaks are mighty big

[zazanomore]

The most painful bite from any animal is the budgie. They aim straight for the cuticle, and man, it hurts.

[Vikki]

You haven't felt anything until you've gotten "nipped" by a hyacinth. They are known to have the most powerful beaks in the parrot world and have been tested above 400 psi (consider that a shark is 600). Most hys won't "bite" because they know they can hurt you, but all they need to do is grab you and can break a finger or wrist very easily. I don't think they realize how powerful they are, especially babies. I've lost feeling in fingers from "nips".

But, with that said, I'd rather get bit by a hy than a hahn's. Those tiny little razor beaks will rip flesh right off you. I'd rather have a bruise than blood any day.

[Vikki]

As for toos, you need an abundance of patience, lots of time and really good earplugs. They are very loud (and can be continuous) screamers, are snugglers that get clingy very quickly (and very angry when you want to stop with the affection) and get aggressive if you don't spend a lot of time with them. Not to mention the dust. Lots of dust. Tons of it.

[captwest]

Hey Vicki, Do you know Lin Lu ?

[Vikki]

No, is she a member here?