Not my Glasses!

[Mawnee]

Looking for some advice with Cosmo. The last couple of weeks he has decided he loves to climb up on my shoulder. I really like having him on my shoulder as he is very affectionate and I hope to keep him this way. Its also a great way for us to spend time together while I do other things like watch a movie or work on the computer. The problem is that he is enamoured with my glasses. He absolutely will not leave them alone. I wouldnt mind, but they are very thin wire frame glasses not to mention very expensive!(Oakley). He bites on them very hard and I know its only a matter of time before he bends or breaks them. I am blind without them, so I cant take them off.

 

I have been trying to end his time on my shoulder whenever he goes for them. But once he decides he wants the glasses he ignores the step up command and I end up chasing him around my neck/back trying to get ahold of him. It takes so long to remove him from my shoulder that I doubt he is making the connection to the glasses behavior.

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated

Edited July 3, 2010 by Mawnee

[judygram]

Kevin you may have to decide whether Cosmo can even have shoulder privileges if he won't come down when asked so rethink whether you want to continue to allow him that but maybe you can come to a compromise and set aside some time each day you can have him there and you can take off your glasses and enjoy him on your shoulder, my opinion of course. I do allow Josey shoulder privileges because she will come down when asked and I don't wear glasses except for reading glasses and I don't wear them when she is on my shoulder.

[Mawnee]

Yea, thats my fear is that I'll have to deny it. Its too bad because it would allow us more time together while I do other things. He already gets a good bit of dedicated time throughout the day.

 

Do you think further reinforcing "step up" could eventually lead to him accepting it regarless of where his attention is focused? I know its a reach since he is quite strong willed when he wants something shiney Maybe doing step up training from my shoulder without the glasses on then adding them back over time?

[JJsHoney]

Rene goes after my glasses when on my shoulder, and that is the only time he gives me trouble getting off also.. I have been saying not the glasses and he immediatly does a funny little dance (anticipating my hand). Once I get him off that ends shoulder time for awhile, he is learning though I have to take him down only once or twice now instead off all the time!! So I think he still knows the glasses are a no no even after chasing him around my head.

[judygram]

It might but he seems fascinated with the glasses as they usually do along with jewelry, hence I no longer wear earrings when at home, I think just setting aside some time each day that he can spend a little time there with your glasses off will have to do, you can make that time special. Maybe some other members will have better suggestions for you than I have.

[Luvparrots]

Oh so sorry about Cosmo and your glasses. I also wear glasses which I have on top of my head if not over my eyes. Fortunately Ana Grey pretty much leaves them alone. I was just quite forceful when I first got her and let her know that the glasses are off limits. The couple of times she did reach for them with her beak were met with forceful Nos and a talking to about how I needed the glasses and she didn't. She thank goodness got the message very quickly and all is safe in the glassware department. My glasses are also the wire frame type. All I can recommend is tell Cosmo no and mean it; no exceptions.

[rawleyd]

Ha! I laughed when I read this title, that is exactly what I've been saying to little Sylvee for the past month.

She is very calm and happy to sit on my shoulder and does not normally pay any attention to my glasses at all.

 

The only time she goes for my glasses is when I start giving her kisses on her chest and under her wings, then she immediatley grabs the nose of my glasses, pulls them off my face and drops them to the ground.. LOL. I honestly believe she does this to annoy me because I think the kisses annoy her.

Who knows? =)

[danmcq]

I had the same issue with my sire frame glases as well. After several repeated "No GLasses" as I reached up and sepearted the beak from the glasses or simply turning my head to seperate them. He stopped. BUt, this was when he was a baby.

 

If your grey is older, it will be harder to stop.

[Georgiesmum]

Would you try contacts?

[birdhouse]

Kura goes after my glasses & yes, often the bridge, but sometimes she'll try to pull the ear pieces when she's preening my hair. I'll turn my head & tell her, "Don't break it." & she'll usually stop after a couple of times. Third or fourth time, I'll take them off, first & then take her down or step away. Usually, I'll put her on her cage for a few minutes if it got that far.

 

I try to get her to treat them like they're part of me. I do exactly the same thing if she comes down too hard on my finger or ear, etc. But they really aren't part of me & sometimes I think it's a preening thing. Like she's trying to help when she tries to pick the ear pieces out of my hair.

 

They're also what she'll go after to get my attention if she wants to get off my shoulder. She will not poop on me... thank you very much! So she knows I'll always stop whatever I'm doing if she starts to pull at them. And she knows I'll put her on her cage if she doesn't stop.

 

So, she gets it and she uses it. Just another example of how clever our fids can be.