Caique goes crazy when picked up from boarding

This summer we have done quite a bit of traveling, all our friends are getting married. We have already done 3 of our scheduled 4 weddings so far this year. Every time we go, we have to board our birds because we don't know anyone in the area that could care for our birds properly. (We just recently moved to Denver). So we board them with the awesome people at the Gabriel Foundation, an avian rescue organization and just overall cool bird organization.

Anyway, every time we have gone to pick up our two birds our Caique Ozzi gets this crazed look and is all puffed up. Every time ends with the same story - my hand bleeding like crazy. Every time I see him looking all crazed, but I think "maybe this time it's different" and stick my hand in the cage - sure enough another few band-aids are required.

I have no idea why he does this. Usually by the time we get him home, he is fine and he is back to normal and hanging out with me with no issues. Our only guess is that he is overly excited to see us and just doesn't know what to do about it.

Now, let me ask you a simple question: why are you still putting your hand in his cage? Yes, the biting is caused by two different feelings:
a) relief because his family is back (birds in the wild are never, ever, ever separated from their family and separation, even a temporary one, is HUGELY traumatic to them (yes, even leaving them with the GF people).
b) anger at you for leaving him behind.

In the future, you might want to consider asking somebody familiar to come and stay at your house, it will be less traumatic if they can stay in their familiar 'territory'. And, please, don't put your hand in his cage until he calms down.

Unfortunately we don't know any other bird owners in Denver - we just moved here 5 months ago. All our family is in Southern California (which is mainly why we travel). If we could get someone who could handle all our animals and keep them at home, that is definitely ideal - with 9 animals in our household it would also be cheaper!

Every time I've stuck my hand in the cage it was because he appeared to be settling down - unfortunately I was wrong.

Check your local listings for bird clubs, they often know of somebody who bird sits or who would be willing to do it. Ask around the neighborhood to see if there are any other bird owners, we all know how hard it is and often try to help one another. Call the pet-sitting services, sometimes they have somebody who also knows about birds. Post in several bird sites asking if there are any other members from your area, again, bird owners are usually very helpful to fellow bird lovers.

Definitely great suggestions, thanks!