to shoulder or not to shoulder...

[Guest Metona]

I've gotten mixed information on the subject, some say it is bad to allow a parrot to sit on your shoulder do to the "pecking order", and some say its bull pucky. Do you allow your parrot to sit on your shoulder?

[Wingy]

I don't let parrots on my shoulder but it has nothing to do with "pecking order" reasons. I never did shoulders for safety, mainly mine. A birds scream is loud and that is not something I want near my ear, birds use their beaks as a third leg and the last place I want them grabbing and holding on is my ear, beaks plus eyes don't mix, and lastly it can be a bit difficult to get a determined bird off your shoulder if you are the only human home. Honestly I really don't like birds behind me unless they are caged because I haven't developed the ability to spin my head around to see what they are up to.

 

In the end it is personal preference.

Edited June 24, 2012 by Wingy

[Talon]

I allow all 4 of my birds shoulder privileges. It IS a privilege, and if they misbehave, they are instantly taken off. My birds know that, and if they try to nibble on my ear, etc, I tell them ,no...and most times they stop. Rarely do they test me cause they know they will have to leave. They really like the closeness and feel better sharing in my activities at the time.

[Dave007]

I don't let parrots on my shoulder but it has nothing to do with "pecking order" reasons. I never did shoulders for safety, mainly mine. A birds scream is loud and that is not something you want near my ear, birds use their beaks as a third leg and the last place I want them grabbing and holding on is my ear, beaks plus eyes don't mix, and lastly it can be a bit difficult to get a determined bird off your shoulder if you are the only human home. Honestly I really don't like birds behind me unless they are caged because I haven't developed the ability to spin my head around to see what they are up to.

 

In the end it is personal preference.

 

I agree with Wings. With some birds, they'll sit on a shoulder and do absolutely nothing. With other birds, they find earlobes, jewelry, necks, hair, clothes extremely appealing. That type of bird is officially called *no shoulder bird* The other type is officially called *shoulder bird* As Wings said, grabbing a no shoulder bird is extremely hard because the bird is behind you and when you try to grab it, it simply moves to the other shoulder.

[Guest Metona]

Thank you for the information, I'm going to buy or make a perch to put buy the computer so he can spend time with me while I'm there. Does anyone have any suggestions for a play perch that is easy to move around?

[Luvparrots]

My three are all allowed on my shoulder. They know it's a privilege because I do not hesitate to just flick them off (drop my shoulder and turn the opposite way) and off they go with a stern "no bites". They are all flighted so they just go flying. Only my zon is a nibbler whenever he is anywhere on me, knee, hand whatever. He is a rehome so he gets a warning or two before he is ejected. I never turn my face toward them, they are animals and yes their beak is a "third" hand so it is my responsibility to keep us all safe. I take it very seriously. Only a parrot's provider knows how their parrot will react to a situation, so it is a personal choice that they have to judge for themselves. Three parrots on my body (one on each shoulder and one in the middle of my shoulders is a constant here. A very funny looking one to be honest {lol}).

[Wingy]

Thank you for the information, I'm going to buy or make a perch to put buy the computer so he can spend time with me while I'm there. Does anyone have any suggestions for a play perch that is easy to move around?

 

There are numerous stands and play gyms on wheels if your looking for something large. I hope to purchase one, hopefully the builder still has one, that looks like a giant tree house complete with ledges, ladders, a knotted rope swing, replaceable coconut shell halves as toy or treat dishes and multiple branches. It is almost 6ft tall, on a wheeled base, made of grape vine and meant to be chewed up.

[judygram]

I do allow all three of my birds on my shoulder, of course two of them are small type birds but Josey, my grey is allowed to shoulder sit for periods of time every day, she behaves herself and comes down when I ask so she has earned her priviledge to be there. It is totally a personal choice, if you do not feel comfortable with your grey shoulder sitting then do not allow it.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

None of my birds, would be allowed shoulder status, until they earned it. We all have different opinions. I don't follow " flock status". I follow " I am the parent belief." None of my birds were allowed to be on my shoulder,until we established, who was the parent, who was the child. Nancy

[Ray P]

A shoulder priviledge is a agreement between you and your bird and based on trust between both you and your bird.

There was a time when I said that a amazon would never sit on my shoulder because they could never be trusted and their mood could change in a heart beat.

Cricket my blue front amazon changed all this for me and has been one of the best shoulder parrots I have ever had. It can all come down to your relationship, trust and the bond that you have with your bird.

What I would like you to understand is.

1 I am not an advocate for a bird sitting on your shoulder.

2 I am not an advocate against a bird sitting on your shoulder.

This has to be between you and a individual bird if there is to be shoulder privildege or not.

 

P.S. All my parrots over the last 40 years have had shoulder privildges

Edited June 24, 2012 by Ray P

[Dave007]

Shoulder status. " I am the parent belief." This is starting to sound like a kindergaten class.

To put it simply, there's #1 bird that likes to nibble and bite on things that he or she is attracted to. Those things happen to be on the owner's body. There's nothing wrong with the bird. It's actually natural. Then you have the #2 bird that has absolutely no interest in the same things that #1 bird has.It's actually natural. There's nothing wrong with that either. There's nothing to establish between the owner and #1 bird. It's nature that makes #1 bird do these things. He's the way he is.It's nature that makes #2 bird behave the way it does. He's the way he is.

Ray's Zon Cricket simply showed that he's a #2 bird.

Ray doesn't like a #1 bird on his shoulder because of biting and he likes a #2 bird on his shoulder because of non biting. That's pretty simple.

Tell me something--with all of your constant, annoying bird classroom behavioral talk all the time, can you make a #2 bird into a #1 bird on a shoulder on a steady basis? Can you actually change a bird's likes and dislikes and attractions to things? You're making it sound like #1 bird is misbehaving.

Edited June 25, 2012 by Dave007

[Talon]

Pardon me Nancy, but I have to say, that it is starting to get on my nerves. This "I am the parent, you are the child" mentality when it comes to any bird. Anyone owning a parrot knows it is a " flock" mentality when you are an owner of a bird. You CAN NOT and WILL NEVER in a million years make a bird change their natural instincts going back to its ancestor flock. They are instinctively a FLOCK by nature, inbred into them. Us humans CAN NOT change that.

 

Dave is right, it does sound like a kindergartner and a teacher, not a bird and a bird owner, but we all know none of us here are bird owners, we are flock members helping our flocks adapt to what we are capable of understanding regarding their wants and needs. We can set some rules, yes, but we can't rewire their brains.

 

I just don't want new members here to think that you train your bird to behave and fit into our world like you can with a dog, because if they do, then there will be some very neglected,stressed, plucked, and borderline abused birds if they take your "parent-child" way of thinking in the wrong manner, and believe me, most of your posts come as a stern way of thinking.

 

Sorry again Nancy, I am not saying your birds are any of the above, I am sure they are very happy, but others following that way of thinking can be harmful as a new owner.

Edited June 25, 2012 by Talon

[Talon]

My three are all allowed on my shoulder. They know it's a privilege because I do not hesitate to just flick them off (drop my shoulder and turn the opposite way) and off they go with a stern "no bites". They are all flighted so they just go flying. Only my zon is a nibbler whenever he is anywhere on me, knee, hand whatever. He is a rehome so he gets a warning or two before he is ejected. I never turn my face toward them, they are animals and yes their beak is a "third" hand so it is my responsibility to keep us all safe. I take it very seriously. Only a parrot's provider knows how their parrot will react to a situation, so it is a personal choice that they have to judge for themselves. Three parrots on my body (one on each shoulder and one in the middle of my shoulders is a constant here. A very funny looking one to be honest {lol}).

 

I couldn't agree more. That is exactly how I handle any mis behaving. Only, eing a dance teacher, I pick up one foot and do a double spin if they won't step down when I tell them, and off they fly!

[Ray P]

Hay Dave

When Cricket came to us 3 1/2 years ago she had a history of aggression to people and other birds. Cricket was about 13 years old at that time.

All that I had read about zons was keep them off your shoulder or you will be sorry.

I had at that time no intention of ever letting her on my shoulder, but as we were resocializing Cricket and building a bond this other bird came out of her and it was like a 180 turn around.

I know that there is a differance between male and female zon personality but I don`t buy into this bird 1, bird 2 theory as I think socializing and bonding is what makes the differance.

I also do not buy into this parrent child approach, so I guess this puts me in the middle on this one

Edited June 25, 2012 by Ray P

[Jayd]

 

 

[Wingy]

As you can see some are yes and some are no and we all have very valid and real reasons for our opinions. So really get to know your bird and see where that leads you because in the end it all boils down to personal preference. If you feel comfortable with your bird on your shoulder then go ahead but if you don't feel comfortable that is alright too. Your relationship with your bird will not suffer for allowing it or not allowing it.

[Dave007]

Hay Dave

When Cricket came to us 3 1/2 years ago she had a history of aggression to people and other birds. Cricket was about 13 years old at that time.

All that I had read about zons was keep them off your shoulder or you will be sorry.

I had at that time no intention of ever letting her on my shoulder, but as we were resocializing Cricket and building a bond this other bird came out of her and it was like a 180 turn around.

I know that there is a differance between male and female zon personality but I don`t buy into this bird 1, bird 2 theory as I think socializing and bonding is what makes the differance.

I also do not buy into this parrent child approach, so I guess this puts me in the middle on this one

 

I can understand where you're coming from and in certain ways I agree but Let me tell you about a bird. You spoke of Cricket and I'll speak of Smokey. I've had Smokey since he was in the egg. That's because I also own his parents. If a person wants to see a well socialized, friendly, non biting, no aggressive type bird who's friendly with my other birds except one quaker I own, it's Smokey. He's also a family bird.

 

BUT--if he's on my shoulder, he just can't help himself. He has to nibble on my earlobes with that pointed beak, has to bite the necklace I wear ( which he broke once), loves to slightly chew on my shirt collar, picks at my glass frame around my ears. He doesn't bite my face but he loves to tug at my beard hair. There's no way to change him. There's no trust that has to be built up. There's no respect that can be instituted. respect has nothing to do with anything. He simply can't resist. It's in his nature to do this so my solution is simple --no shoulders. When I take him off my shoulder, there's no squawking, yelling, growling, no attitude.

 

PS--he's 14 yrs old now.

 

Then I have another grey--A TAG who wants to be on my shoulder all the time and all he wants to do after being up there 15 minutes is tuck himself into my neck and go to sleep. He's so quiet I forget he's there. He'll stay there until I tell him to step on my fingers.

Edited June 25, 2012 by Dave007

[Luvparrots]

LOL!!!! Jay, I love the pictures!!!!! I thought about posting a picture of my three all over me but I live alone so that's not going to happen real soon! I am so glad you are back!!!

[Luvparrots]

.......... BUT--if he's on my shoulder, he just can't help himself. He has to nibble on my earlobes with that pointed beak, has to bite the necklace I wear ( which he broke once), loves to slightly chew on my shirt collar, picks at my glass frame around my ears. He doesn't bite my face but he loves to tug at my beard hair. There's no way to change him. There's no trust that has to be built up. There's no respect that can be instituted. respect has nothing to do with anything. He simply can't resist. It's in his nature to do this so my solution is simple --no shoulders. When I take him off my shoulder, there's no squawking, yelling, growling, no attitude.

 

PS--he's 14 yrs old now......

 

Hey Dave that's my Louie, the zon. He has no malice going on when he nibbles (not bites) my ears, hair or whatever. It's just something he has to do. He is happy and unafraid of me now and thinks my body is his playground. I can now touch him around his head and chin and I am delighted and hoping the nibbling will stop soon. Now, of course, with your story of Smokey, I guess I might have to just be happy that he's happy and finally is trying to trust me.

 

On another note, I had to laugh about Smokey and your glasses because once Louie actually came over to the edge of his cage and took my glasses off my face and then took off!!!! When I finally got them back the laughing look in his eyes was priceless.

[Talon]

Jayd, I LOVE the pictures!! I was giggling away...Thank you for the big smile today!!

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Sorry if you are all tired of " I am the parent". It works for us. I won't comment on it any furthur. Nancy

[Jayd]

Sorry if you are all tired of " I am the parent". It works for us. I won't comment on it any furthur. Nancy

 

Thank you....It's good to know your a "Parent" and most forum members are "Parronts".....

[jdmjr1]

Agressive birds can be dangerous to have on your shoulder.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

No bird... should EVER be on your shoulder... until they deserve it. ( NOT the average owner!) All my birds are now on my shoulder. Nancy

[Mickeys Mom]

So true. I also do the same with my 2 year old CAG. I have a Greater Blackwing Jardines too and she also knows - misbehaving or screaming in my ears immediately results in no more shoulder. I can gladly say that both of my birds also understands the NO command and immediately stops what they are doing if I say NO. I have seen that when they are being naughty outside of their cages and I say NO they immediately stop what ever it is they are doing wrong. They DO know and understand if you teach it to them early on and also show them consequinces for misbehaving is to be removed from whatever it is they like, wich is usually shoulder priveleges.