How can I stop my pet Blue and Gold Macaw from biting?
Find out what he likes and doesn’t like. When he bites or misbehaves, make sure the punishment consists of something he doesn’t like otherwise he might start biting because he actually WANTS you to punish him. Squirt bottles tend to work well with Macaws, but aren’t necessarily a true punishment; they just work well to get them to stop in their tracks. A sharp stream towards their face and they will usually back off. Some may like it though, thinking that a bath is coming. Birds also have a very short short-term memory; if you do decide to punish them over a minute after they’ve already done something, you’ll just be confusing them. Try to make sure you act quickly. Macaws also like making lots of noise. When you yell at them when they do something wrong they translate it as “WOW I’m having so much fun! Let’s do it again!” when in fact you’re telling them “No!” If he bites when you’re not paying attention, he might want more attention. Don’t give it to him, instead turn your back for a
