Owners have shared stories of their African greys biting lips, severing ear lobes, and fracturing bones in their hands/fingers. An African grey parrot’s bite can easily tear the skin and cause bleeding.

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African greys are known for biting, but nippiness diminishes post-training and socialization. The risk can be further reduced by heeding their defensive body language cues and vocalizations.

Signs An African Grey Will Bite

• Puffing the feathers and spreading the wings to appear larger and more intimidating.
• Flattening the feathers or hiding in the corner of the cage to avoid detection.
• Eye pinning. This is where a parrot rapidly contracts and dilates the pupils.
• Lowering the head and crouching.
• Fanning the tail signifies annoyance and frustration.
• Blushing cheeks, which can be difficult to see due to facial feathers.
• Hostile vocalizations, like hissing, screaming, and growling.

Why African Grey Parrots Bite

If a parrot bites you, it’ll have warned you to back away through its actions and sounds.

Here are some common reasons why African greys bite humans:

Fearfulness

Parrots are unable to fly away and escape because they’re caged. A scared African grey that believes its life is in danger will have little alternative but to defend itself fiercely with its beak.

It’ll be wary of petting, handling, or cage cleaning from unrecognized humans. Even if you know the parrot well, it could be startled and bite if approached while its focus is diverted elsewhere.

Sometimes, parrots are spooked by loud noises, bright colors, and unfamiliar objects.

Parrots have ingrained fears and phobias that may seem irrational to humans. An African grey may find an authentic-looking plush toy bird every bit as terrifying as a cat stalking its cage.

Not Enough To Do

An African grey can grow frustrated without regular physical activity and mental stimulation.

Cognitive exercises inside and outside the cage are essential to keeping an African grey calm because boredom will lead to behavioral problems and stereotypies.

African greys should never be subjected to more than 8 hours of solitude.

As well as exercises for the mind, African greys must interact physically, spending 3-4 hours outside the cage. Don’t clip a parrot’s wings because flying is essential for their mental and physical health.

Play fun games with an African grey, avoiding overstimulation, which can lead to nippiness.

Bluffing Stage

When an African grey reaches adolescence, it’ll go through a bluffing phase. A bluffing African grey will be uncharacteristically aggressive, biting and lunging at those approaching the cage.

This stage can shock owners because the bird’s personality changes overnight. Unfortunately, the bluffing phase can last several months, so you must be patient and understanding.

Breeding Season

African greys also enter the breeding season at least once a year, sometimes twice.

When an African grey wants to mate but is denied the opportunity, it experiences an increase in testosterone or estrogen, leading to frustrated and agitated behavior.

This agitation may be directed at you, or the parrot may target people who visit the home. An African grey may see you as its mate and react jealously when interacting with others.

Molting Feathers

When parrots’ feathers become dull and worn, they’re molted and replaced. While this is entirely natural, it’s an irritating and uncomfortable time. Consequently, molting parrots are likelier to bite.

Large parrots molt less frequently, so an African grey may molt once every 12-18 months.

Territorial Behavior

African greys can grow territorial, especially in a small cage. This parrot may start lunging and biting when approaching its cage, even if you’re providing food, cleaning, or changing its water.

Consider getting a bigger cage and letting it spend more time in a parrot-safe room with you.

African Grey Parrot Bites Hurt

The force of a bite is measured in pounds per square inch (PSI.)

The maximum PSI of a healthy adult human is around 160, while that of a large dog like a pit bull or alsatian is about 235. The PSI of an African’s grey parrot is between 300 and 400.

Biomedical Engineering explains how a force of 1,485 newtons is enough to fracture a human finger. This equates to a PSI of 333, which is inside the bite force range of African greys.   

An African grey would be highly agitated or deathly afraid to bite with this much force. As painful and damaging as an African grey’s bite is, it can’t exert enough force to sever human fingers.

What To Do When An African Grey Bites

Yelling at a parrot will startle and frighten it, potentially causing it to clamp down harder or bite again. Shaking or pulling at the bird will have the same unwanted outcome.

Move away from the parrot once it releases its grip. If an African grey feels its point has been made and the perceived threat is gone, it’ll calm down shortly afterward.

Wash the bitten area with antibacterial soap and apply a bandage if the skin is broken.

Risk of Infection from Parrot Bites

Parrots’ beaks host bacteria, most notably staphylococcus, streptococcus, and Escherichia coli.

The wound could become infected if an African grey drew blood when biting. As explained by the journal Hand, zoonotic diseases can be passed from parrots to humans through biting.

These include psittacosis (parrot fever,) mycobacterium avium complex (MAC,) acute compartment syndrome (ACS,) which can lead to tuberculous, and tetanus (lockjaw.)

Bird bite infection symptoms usually manifest within 24 hours of the parrot’s attack. Be mindful of the following symptoms, especially if they continue for more than 24 hours:

• Prolonged pain.
• Loss of motor function.
• Excessive bleeding.
• Redness and swelling.
• Fever.
• Throbbing.
• Cramping and locking of the jaw.
• Involuntary muscle spasms and stiffness.
• Spikes and falls in the heart rate or blood pressure.

Most African grey bites are sterilized and stitched before prescription antibiotics are administered.

Training An African Grey Not to Bite

While biting is undesirable, African greys won’t bite without reason. If a parrot has developed a habit of nipping and biting, keep a diary of patterns preceding attacks.

• Were you handling the parrot against its will?
• Did you handle or pet the parrot for too long?
• Were you bitten before or after it had eaten?
• Does the parrot bite at certain times of the day?
• Do certain clothes or scents agitate the parrot?
• Was anyone else in your company?
• Did you show affection or give time to someone else?
• Did you attempt to take or introduce something new to the cage?
• Are you disturbing the parrot’s sleep?

Spend more time with your African grey. Parrots thrive on consistent interaction with their owners because they need regular mental and physical stimulation throughout the day.