Clyde is a bad boy

He was fine yesterday, for the most part. I think something startled him, or he was mad because he wanted my attention and wasn't getting enough to suit him, and had to punish me.

That's definitely a scary story, beekersmom... but I appreciate you sharing it. I'm sorry for any suffering you endured as a result.. I imagine that must have been fairly traumatic. We all like to think this kind of thing won't happen to us, but it's always a possibility with those beaks. Just like any creature, behavior isn't always predictable and can sometimes go awry. I will be more cautious having read this.

Considering how sweet and good-natured our birds are most of the time, it's hard to remember that they really are not domesticated animals. They still have all of their wild instincts.

Aaron, I learned to do things one handed so I could carry Shah around on my other hand. However, lately I have popped him on my shoulder as I occasionally need 2 hands (plus I needed to spend more time with him after the mutilating incident). He has been a perfect gentleman (which is very unusual for him). Dont let Cupcake ride on your stepdaughter's shoulder - pop her onto your stepdaughter's hand instead. I do have a certain amount of trust in Shah as he preens my eyelashes every morning to make sure I look good for work. Plus he removes any unsightly blemishes from my face. He saves me the cost of a beautician. And he smothers my face in kisses every night which is delightful - he even makes the kissing sounds to go with it. I know Shah has those wild instincts, however, I trust him near my face - it is my hands that are always the target (got 3 bites this morning for trying to clean food off his beak). I think you have to assess your bird and what it is capable of doing and make sure you are safe from the biting end. Most importantly, you need to know what sort of mood your bird is in - if she is grouchy dont put her anywhere near your face.

Thanks Jan... I definitely don't plan on allowing Cupcake to sit on step-daughter's shoulder going forward... Luckily that isn't much of a change because generally speaking she doesn't do that, but lately they had been becoming a bit closer so we will have to put some preventative measures into practice.

Cupcake will nip, but it is generally pretty controlled. We've only had a few that broke the skin over the years and even those were pretty minor wounds. Generally, I do trust her near my face, but it does sound like when something startles them there is a possibility that they will fully lose their sensibilities and just lash out, even in the case of the most trustworthy bird.