My boy bit my mom today.

[Jennyhaschicks]

I have a goose and a gander who are four months old. They are Pilgrim geese and are great with the me, my hubby and our kids. They like the kids next door but chase my nephew. Of course he is the only person who runs from them. Today my mom was out back with me while I was filling their pool with water and the male came over to her feet. He nibbled and she put her hand down and he freaked. He bit her ankle quickly and then his elbow got her in the leg. I am so embarrassed and feel so bad. They are my babies.. I don't care for the fact they go after my nephew and now he got my mom.
How do you all do it? When you have company and I the only person with attack geese? I am so afraid it will get worse and I will have to rehome them. Like I said, they are my babies.

 

[shelleyd2008]

My geese usually avoid strangers/visitors, but they do go after my son. Apparently he thought she was trying to 'get' him, and he was just checking her out. Not much different than a dog really. Just make sure that your visitors don't bend down to them and you should be okay

 

[Jennyhaschicks]

Well I thought since she bent down to touch him it ticked him off. That was where things got worse. I didn't know if he didn't like her being near me either since I am their mommy. I just feel so bad about it.

 

[shelleyd2008]

That's possible, I had one that would do that. Of course he got to where he would nip on me too, but usually worse if I had someone near.

 

[The goose girl]

That's just how geese are. They get scared of people they don't know VERY well. He was checking out your mom, but when she reached for him he thought she attacked him, so he fought back.

When my mother visits, she really wants to get close to my goose, Keld. But she gets too close too soon, and often she tries to sneak up on him to touch him. He shrieks and runs away, but he's still just a baby, 10 weeks old. I'm guessing when he's older he'll bite her.

I've tried to explain to her that he needs to feel secure around her before she can touch him, but she still "rushes the relationship". If she sits still, he cautiously checks her out by nibbling on her. She then reaches out for him to pet him, and we're back to zero.

A gander is even more "aggressive", since he has his flock to protect. When your nephew runs from them, he confirms their belief that he's a threat they chased away.

Geese are not like dogs; they can't be taught to "behave". They have very strong natural instincts concerning threats, so instead you need to teach their surroundings to behave around them - or pen the geese. Geese also have elephant memories, so if they develop a dislike for someone or something, it will take them a loooong time to change their minds. Can be done, though, with a lot of patience.

Don't feel bad or embarrassed about your geese. They just act like geese.

I don't like being touched by strangers either - I don't usually bite, but I understand the urge!

 

[dreamcatcherarabians]

When I had my geese, I had a "Talk to the HAND" policy if you got bit by my geese. They're my geese, it's mine/their yard and if you persist in doing something you've been told over and over they don't like, if they bite it's on you. You can apologize to my geese, but they certainly won't be to you, nor will I. If you abide by their rules, eventually they'll decide to accept you on their terms or not at all but it's strictly their decision.

 

[Jennyhaschicks]

Well after hearing from all of you I feel a bit better. I can see how he thought my mom was a threat when she reached down to him. She said she was just trying to be friendly which I can understand as well. I am getting a lot of flack from my sister (the mother of my nephew) and my neighbor. He is my brother in law but he's really being ignorant about how my geese and my nephew. He's saying the geese should be shot for going after my nephew. (he's really a jerk!).. of course he has chased them on his four wheeler so maybe that is why they don't like my BIL.
It just seems that none of my family understand about my geese and how they act. So because of this I feel like they are ganging up on me.

 

[sillysister74]

I understand why you would feel bad about the goose biting your mom, or even how he reacts to your nephew. I would not tolerate though how your neighbor is mistreating and saying that the geese need to be shot though. Those are your feathered children and he should respect that.
I have two neighbor girls about 6 and 12 years old that likes to come see my geese, one minds pretty well, the other does not. The younger one came too close to the baby geese and the daddy gander caught her pants leg, scary but then she understood why you have to follow the goose rules.
The only thing I have to say is, geese cannot do the damage that a dog can do. Sure you might have a few bruises and maybe a scratch or two, but you will never need stitches.
Have your mom start giving some fresh fruit scraps while she is sitting calmly a few times. It will not be very long before the geese start trusting her.

 

[Ceilismom]

Quote:
That's a difficult situation to be in. When your BIL chased the geese on his 4-wheeler, was that on your property or his? If on his, I would suggest doing whatever you have to to keep them safely contained on your property so that he doesn't get the opportunity to harm them. If on your property, I'd suggest maybe he needs to keep himself and his 4-wheeler at home.

 

[Kim65]

Quote:
I would get censored for what I have to say about your BIL. Fill in the blank.

No it's not just that I have a soft spot for geese. It's his entitled attitude. It says a lot about him that is not pleasant. Besides his oh so manly chasing them on a four wheeler. I feel sorry for your sister, and your nephew.

My ex husband (that's right) and I moved to Idaho to set up a farm. He had a sadistic streak and chased me geese on a four wheeler too. When people like that know you love something, they feel compelled to harass you and seem to enjoy making threats toward what you love.

Geese are the kind of pet that you do not mold to fit you. You mold to fit the geese. It's just the way it is. Geese have an instinctual fear of things coming down on them from above. My geese are very imprinted and tame, but reaching out for them is obviously uncomfortable to them. If I am holding them on my lap, I can pet them all I want, but not when they are standing there beside me. Your mom just did what every human does, they pet their pets

. Petting most geese just ain't gonna happen.

I'm sorry your family is ganging up on you. It says a lot of not so nice stuff about them that they would do that rather than support you or try to understand. Not sure how old you are, but someday you'll have your own space and can call the shots without their interference

That will be a good day!