Hi, part of your problem is that if you let Alfie sit on your shoulder sometimes, how is he do know when he is not allowed to sit there? You must be consistent if you want your grey to understand the rules. I only have one parrot, Ana Grey, who is allowed to sit on my shoulder. She does not bite. Louie, the zon, loves my ears and Sterling Gris, the CAG, thinks I am the potty plant. So they are not allowed ever. If they fly to my shoulder they are immediately tossed off. I have boings and perches in each of my rooms that the birds are allowed in. They know where they are to sit or be removed. As for being returned to the cages. I do not feed my parrots except in their cages, just an occasional treat outside the cage. So when it's nighttime I just place their foods in their food bowls in their cages and they go in without too much trouble. You have to be consistent for route to work in a household. Just like with kids. Clipping birds is a personal choice even my canary gets out of cage flight time. He has to follow the rules also. No food but in the cage so he returns for night. He is not tame, I can't handle my Captain Caruso, the canary.