my darling gander bit my finger

[Goosebaby]

My ganders have been strutting back in forth, flexing to each other. I swear they care less about the girls than what the other ganders think of them.

 

[JRies]

My ganders have been strutting back in forth, flexing to each other. I swear they care less about the girls than what the other ganders think of them.

If we could only truly speak geese, Then we have to learn the difference between goose and gander!

 

[EAS]

Some pet geese will nibble their owners as a sign of affection, as they do to other geese in their flock. Check online. My Chinese geese (1 goose, 1 gander) both have little 'teeth' projections in their bills used to shred up grasses and weeds. If your finger(s) get caught in one of those, your flesh will most likely bleed. Love nips are different from actual aggressive biting. My gander will nip me and chew on my hair, nip my clothes. As long as it's not painful, I can tolerate the pressure/ squeeze. If they bite me and it hurts, I grab their bill and tell them NO BITING. There are other aggression signs you can learn online. We all know the low head, curved neck, wings out, stocking/chasing you behavior from Canada geese we learned as children at the local park/ conservation pond! I would still run from a goose showing those signs! The muscle strength in those wings and the infamous 'teeth' and claws are not to be challenged. This is particularly problematic when I'm trying to hold my goose and check her over for injury, esp. bumble foot, or when I need to pick them up and re-locate them.
My two Chinese geese are both imprinted on me and it's important to me to show dominance when needed. Geese are smart birds. I dunno if they understand, but my voice level and demeanor changes when I am asserting my dominance. I hope this helps you. Good luck!

 

[Sebbiemommie]

I have my first pair if geese this year. Sebastopol breed. They were raised by a family and are both very friendly so much so I have a hard time telling them apart. I always heard ganders could be mean. This is their first year breeding and they both have still been very friendly. She laid 15 eggs in her first clutch and they ate taking turns sitting. I'm giving them space but am in with them dally and there has been no aggression thus far.

 

[Strawberry74]

I have my first pair if geese this year. Sebastopol breed. They were raised by a family and are both very friendly so much so I have a hard time telling them apart. I always heard ganders could be mean. This is their first year breeding and they both have still been very friendly. She laid 15 eggs in her first clutch and they ate taking turns sitting. I'm giving them space but am in with them dally and there has been no aggression thus far.

I think you may have 2 females if they are both sitting? If they are "breeding", females will play breed each other. I have several sebbies and the males never sit the nest in my experience. Are the eggs fertile? Just a thought?

 

[Goosehill]

Some pet geese will nibble their owners as a sign of affection, as they do to other geese in their flock. Check online. My Chinese geese (1 goose, 1 gander) both have little 'teeth' projections in their bills used to shred up grasses and weeds. If your finger(s) get caught in one of those, your flesh will most likely bleed. Love nips are different from actual aggressive biting. My gander will nip me and chew on my hair, nip my clothes. As long as it's not painful, I can tolerate the pressure/ squeeze. If they bite me and it hurts, I grab their bill and tell them NO BITING. There are other aggression signs you can learn online. We all know the low head, curved neck, wings out, stocking/chasing you behavior from Canada geese we learned as children at the local park/ conservation pond! I would still run from a goose showing those signs! The muscle strength in those wings and the infamous 'teeth' and claws are not to be challenged. This is particularly problematic when I'm trying to hold my goose and check her over for injury, esp. bumble foot, or when I need to pick them up and re-locate them.
My two Chinese geese are both imprinted on me and it's important to me to show dominance when needed. Geese are smart birds. I dunno if they understand, but my voice level and demeanor changes when I am asserting my dominance. I hope this helps you. Good luck!

European geese have the serrations on their bills too, and on their tongues (on a smaller scale). The gander who became Christmas dinner was a biter and sly about it too, he would wait until a hand or fingers were in reach before biting and twisting his head sideways as they do when grazing- blood every time, just unpleasant to be around. It's a different dynamic without him...

One of the bird handling grips I learnt when dealing with introduced Canada geese is to grip the bird on the back, holding both wings at the base in the right hand. It doesn't damage them as the wing muscles are very strong but takes their wing power away. About then one can grab the legs with the left hand, neck under the right arm, ready for banding.