Scarlet Macaw Biting

Your Biting Scarlet Macaw
Can Be Tamed!

The Scarlet Macaw is one of the most recognizable breeds of parrots. These multi-colored birds are larger than life in both personality and size, growing to about three feet long. In addition to their long length they come with a large beak. Scarlet Macaw Biting can be a problem if you don't know how to tackle it.

They also tend to be noisy, but affectionate birds. While they aren’t as talkative as other breeds, they will learn a few words and mimic some sounds.

You want to make sure you protect your investment by taking the time to Train your Scarlet Macaw. By putting the time and effort into your Scarlet Macaw, it will be worth the investment.

You’ll have a lovely and affectionate companion bird for many years to come. If your Scarlet Macaw is getting aggressive and nippy, there are a few things you can do to prevent Scarlet Macaw Biting.

Biting Because of Diet

If the bird isn’t eating properly, it can affect its mood. If they are in a bad mood, they are more likely to bite. Consider how wonderful you feel after a week eating nothing but chips and Twinkies.

Not so peppy, right? Be sure to check with an avian veterinarian who is knowledgeable about parrot behavior. If the mood doesn’t change, then you can start investigating other problems.

You can also check out our Scarlet Macaw Diet suggestions!

Biting Prevention Techniques

One trick to teach to stop Scarlet Macaw Biting is to push into the bite, as long as it doesn’t hurt. Turn your hand so the back of your hand is facing the bird and push into the mouth, gently but firmly. Why do this? Because by not reacting the way your Macaw expects you to, you’re going to be making him stop and rethink the behavior.

If you pull your hand back, the bird is getting what he wants – he’s getting you to react. No reaction confuses your Scarlet Macaw. Above all else, the majority of parrots behave in order to elicit a reaction from you. They don’t always care if it is positive or negative. No reaction from you is the first step toward changing the behavior. You have to make sure you show the bird who is the boss.

Training to Prevent Scarlet Macaw Biting

If you train your bird to do tricks and give it plenty of toys, it will help keep it too busy and entertained to bite. If Scarlet Macaw Biting is already a problem for you, and it doesn’t want to interact with you, you can start training it in the cage by using a target training method.

You give it a click and a treat when it does the positive behaviors you want it to have. It can be something as simple as making a pleasant sound, stretching its wings or playing with a toy. The point of the exercise is to introduce the concept of training and positive reinforcement.

As training becomes more familiar with your Scarlet Macaw, they’ll start seeing you as a provider of those yummy treats. They’ll be more receptive to training. Now, as your Scarlet Macaw begins to be less aggressive, you can start moving the training to outside the cage.

Sometimes macaws become aggressive as they reach sexual maturity. Do not react to the bad behavior. Instead, keep rewarding it for the proper behavior that you’ve been teaching it all along. When it becomes mating season, make sure your bird gets 10 to 12 hours of sleep every night.

The proper rest will help prevent bad behavior. Think about the tired toddler in the grocery store. There’s no reasoning with them, right? There’s no reasoning with a tired Scarlet Macaw either.

As with any other animal training, consistency is crucial. As long as you keep working with the bird and use proper training techniques, you will have a happy, healthy bird. While biting may still occur from time to time, if you continue to focus on the positive, you will be able to prevent Scarlet Macaw Biting!