My first Scotty bite.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

If it's not one bird, it's another. Waah!

Actually, I don't feel too bad about this one (except for the bruise on my thumb). It was a sheer temper tantrum on his part, and I only wonder if I should have handled the situation any differently.

I was working at my computer desk and I let him explore a bit. He was starting to get into trouble and I felt it was time to pick him up and either hold him or put him back in or on his cage. He clearly found being out more rewarding, and when I asked him to step up, he growled and snarked at me. I asked again and he nipped, taking a pretty good hold of my thumb. I figured at this point backing down was a bad idea, so I asked again and he banged his beak on the desk, but did step up and I gave him verbal praise and a good head scratch. However, after that he offered to nip again because he wanted me to put him back down on the desk, so I put him away. He promptly took a nap!

Is there anything I should have done differently, aside from having a treat ready and basically bribing him to come to me rather than continuing to explore? He's never been anything other than totally responsive for the step up with me before, but I think training this particular scenario might be warranted. He clearly does have the ability to throw a tantrum!

[Azure Hanyo]

No! It sounded like you asserted yourself properly. That stuff happens with me and Gal all of the time, and if I wuss up and move my hand back she will bite harder next time and be even more stubborn. I have learned to deal with it and it is getting much less frequent for her to even nip at me anymore. Good luck!

[lzver]

I have just come to accept that owning parrots means you're going to get bitten from time to time. The other night was an example with Jessie. We were enjoying our nightly cuddle time on the couch and when I went to go give him a kiss on the top of his head, he reached up and bit my nose for no apparant reason ... there certainly wasn't any warning. Fortunately, it turned out to be more of a nip because I moved my hand away and there was no damage done.

Sometimes they just don't want any part of what you're doing and there isn't much we can do.

I suppose you could spend a lot of time training to prevent these situations, but even at that, I don't think it can totally be avoided.

[ptuga72]

I think you handled it perfectly. They are such toddlers I can here Scotty saying: "mooooom I don't wannaaa take a nap! *stomps feet* NO NO NO NO!!!"

[Michael]

I think training can reduce many of the unwanted behaviors and improve things but a bite here and there is unavoidable.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

I guess it is like getting stepped on with horses... or having a fall if you ride. You do a lot of things to try to avoid it happening, but when it does, it's really part of the picture and not a big deal. In theory maybe you could prevent it 100% of the time, but in practice... perfection is not a reasonable goal.