More on The Beak

[Hezz]

The Beak has been particularly active this week ...

After breaking into the Little Boys' house for a beak-full of little-boys' food, which resulted in a quick-link being used to secure the little side door to their cage, (and so far has worked a treat), The Beak found a number of before unnoticed cable ties just waiting to be popped. Then what??

Popped the cable ties holding his own side door closed and made an escape (while the ceiling fan was on - the reason he was inside in the first place ) then proceeded to nip my fingers each time I tried to fit a quick link to that door. We got over that one, and as he hadn't had a cork to chew up this week, I let him have his pick. My delightful Bro and Sis -in-law have given me some of the wine corks they have been collecting over the time, so what does The Beak pick out?? Probably the only Moet cork of the lot. It must be a goody - I chased him all over the house trying to get it back to put it onto a skewer, he was not going to give it up!! I even had trouble putting it onto the skewer when I did finally manage to separate him and it.

Some photos .....
The proof .... with the bite mark to prove it.


Enjoying the treat ...

[clt80]

Great pics

You know, I think 'The Beak' wants to be head of the household Hezz.

[Hezz]

Not on your sweet nelly, clt80. He might like to dictate on certain terms, but someone else still does like to think that he has a say.

The Head of the House must be an adult, and The Beak hasn't gotten there ..... yet.

[ffiscool]

an alchi beak, lol

[Marianne Marlow]

Naughty Loki!

Has he given you any bad bites Hezz?

[Shirls]

What a super character Loki is Hezz. Keeps you on your toes all the time! Lovely pictures.

[Hezz]

Mar 17, 2018 14:06:46 GMT Marianne Marlow said:

Naughty Loki!

Has he given you any bad bites Hezz?

He is very nippy at the moment, Marianne. I put that down to hormones/season and his age, neither of which are helpful. The worst are when he is playing (doesn't feel much like fun to me) and rolls over onto his back. He gets his beak right around my finger and bites down hard. Trying to teach him to be gentle about it, but I see it as expected. You don't have a puppy and not expect to get bitten by those sharp little teeth or scratched by their sharp little claws, so I don't expect any different from Loki. His nips are like little pinches, and about as unexpected - they are hard and often. I yelp and let him know that he has hurt and it is not appreciated. I often have a row of bruises on my inner arms from his nips, look like a DV victim to others, I think. If I can't distract him with other things (champagne corks) then he has to go in his cage for a while.

He hasn't broken the skin, though, so I guess that is something.

[OP]

I would imagine he does like the budgies do, sort of look at something and then grab at the skin, not in a vicious way just a sudden move that they have. A bit like they do to each other when beak bashing.

[Marianne Marlow]

Oh dear, that doesn't sound nice. I don't think that some people realise what hard work the larger birds can be.

Even Hectors bites can hurt and he bites often too. He seems to do it for no reason. Hector just has a little beak!

[OP]

starlingqueen has said they can be dangerous if startled. suppose she may mean in the way of just having the beak can cause damage. I know if Whiskers is on my hand and he gets startled he can catch me with the beak whilst not intending to bite. The wings alone can hurt as well.

[Hezz]

A lot of the time it is just him wanting attention, as well, which is really frustrating, because you don't want to reward him for nipping. Almost as bad are his claws - very sharp - and I always have welts and scratches over my arms, shoulders and back. I have considered giving them the smallest clip, just to take the tip off; I haven't done it yet .... we will see. It is mostly from when he leans forward to get at something, there is 115gms of weight hanging off these very sharp needles for claws, so they really do dig in. I am looking forward to cooler weather when I can wear tshirts without sweltering. He is also very loud when shut in, so again, trying not to reward him for screeching can be a matter of timing, as you say, Marianne, he is a lot of work to keep exercised, interacted with and occupied, without being spoilt and expecting everything on his terms. He is great fun though. We often spend an hour or so each day just playing on the bed .... used to be my reading time.

As we all know, birds use their beaks the way we use our fingers, and they don't know how much they hurt sometimes. Some times it is, but most times it is not intentional, to hurt, I mean, and that's the main thing to remember. It will be interesting to see how this all evolves over the course of this year and the next, as he progresses towards and through adulthood.

[samwiseg]

Seems like it's a learning curve for both of you then atm!

He is such a lovely character though Hezz I don't think he can be all that bad... surely?! :

I think you are doing wonders with him especially as he is such a specialised breed

Pat on the back for both of you! Well Loki has to get some credit too

[Hezz]

He certainly not all bad, Sam; far from it!!

I had a bad night's sleep last night, so was trying to have a catch-up in the afternoon, Loki was with me, usually not a problem as he loves to cuddle, but this time he insisted in sitting right beside my face, mostly over my nose, so that I either couldn't breathe or had one feather blocking one nostril each time I breathed in. Every time he re-settled he blocked my breathing, so I would move just a little so that I could breathe again, he would give an annoyed little chip, give me a little nip and the evil eye (for disturbing the peace, I presume) and snuggle back down again, over my nose ..... and so this continued over and over. Not much rest happened, but it was funny.

[helenmat]

Not a very restful sleeping companion!

[ffiscool]

Aw he must have liked the warm air as you breathed out, lol