My macaw is biting its foot and squawking. Is this normal for parrots?

Thanks for reaching out about Tweety. It really depends on if there is damaging being done. Grooming is normal, but if chewing to the point of wounds or bleeding, then a veterinary visit is needed. The feet and legs can be cleaned with warm water and a gentle soap. Good luck.

This chewing may be due to boredom, stress, illness or injury. Check Sweeto's leg for redness, swelling, sores, bleeding or discharge. See your veterinarian or an experienced avian vet if you see any of these. Survey the area around her cage for any negative stimuli. Reduce or eliminate them if possible. Provide a variety of toys to prevent boredom and keep her engaged. Play and talk to her as often as you can. If you see her chewing, stop her then distract with a toy, treat or playtime. Reward and praise her when she complies.

Poor bird! If the foot is at all infected, trying to find a vet that can help in person is best. However, until you can find one, it is a good idea to separate the bird from any cage mates to keep from being picked on, and move him to a warm hospital cage with larger, flat perches that will make perching easier on his feet. Keeping the foot clean and dry and using an ointment such as Blu-kote (most feed and pet stores carry this for use in poultry and other birds) can help prevent infection. You can also Google how to make a bird-sized Elizabethan (cone) collar to put on the bird so that he can't get to his foot and bite it while it heals.

Your bird may have a skin infection, like from a bacteria or fungus, or he may have skin mites causing him to be so itchy. I would recommend taking him to the vet to be checked out so that the underlying problem can be treated and he will stop being so itchy. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

It's possible Green Bean may have some irritation going on from a skin issue such as external parasites, infection, etc. Checking for signs of infection such as redness, open wounds or sores, or visible flecks of "stuff" on the skin near the feather base can alert you to this- and if you see it, trying to get in sooner may be best. Dry skin can also sometimes be a cause of irritation. Providing a bird bath or gently misting Green Bean with warm water from a spray bottle may provide him some relief until the underlying problem can be found by your vet. Boredom or stress can also sometimes cause excessive grooming and feather plucking. Adding in some toys that can be chewed on, making sure the cage is in a quieter area away from other pets and people that may cause stress, and spending some more time together may also help reduce the behavior.

It sounds like your bird may have bumblefoot, or an infection of the foot which can cause oozing of debris, pus, blood, etc. Other possible causes can include a sprain or break to the foot. If you see a visible wound, you can try soaking the foot in epsom salts and then using an antiseptic like blu-kote, however if it is badly infected or broken this is something that needs to be seen by a veterinarian immediately as severe infections can make a bird ill very quickly and potentially lead to death. Until you can get to your vet, keeping Sunapana warm and in a hospital cage without perches and with food and water dishes that are easy to is best.

Follow directions for application on the container. Some sprays can be used directly on the bird (avoiding the eyes, nose and mouth), others cannot. Clean and sanitize her cage, bowls, perches and toys. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Change the cage paper or substrate daily. Provide a mineral block, pumice stone or cuttlebone to maintain beak length. Your avian veterinarian can trim the beak if necessary. Concrete or textured perches can also be used as they promote healthy feet as well as provide natural beak trimming opportunity.