sassy on my shoulder?

[pyrowaves]

So I've noticed all sassy wants is to be with me. I'm the only one around so I'm not sure if its just me. She is currently on my arm and i'm in the computer room for the first time. just with her hanging out. so far so good.

I'm trying to take it slow. I don't want to puch her. I know she hasn't bitten me yet and I know it will probably happen I just want to be ready for it.

 

She likes being on my shoulder but when I can't totally see her Its hard to trust her 100% seeing how shes so new to me.

 

When can I feel more confidant shes not going to take off my ear when I'm least expecting it? She really hasn't made me think she will. Its just something in the back of my head.

 

For the past few minutes shes been on my shoulder just sitting there quiet.

When shes on her cage and i'm not around or paying attention to her she is always trying to get it.

 

I have read the other shoulder thread, and she hasn't fought me once on getting her off my shoulder. She is fine with it. but will go back up there the next time I let her.

[pyrowaves]

been sitting on my shoulder facing back looking in the room. not as much standing all the time as she is resting her legs sorta squatting. also has a new quiet squeak thing.

 

shes grooming herself on me a lot. I think I'm taking more time to trust her than she is me....

[Animalspirit]

As it is said in the other shoulder topics: it depends on the bird. I have 7 birds and some of them I do allow on my shoulder, others I don't. For instance, I don't allow Fernando, my TAG there. He has a habit of sneekily climbing up there, and suddenly snap! in my earlob, or neck. So he can sit on my lap while I'm watching tv. I don't allow my Yellow Crowned Amazon there, for the same reason. Sometimes I hear him chuckling behind my back when I'm sitting at the computer, and I know what he's up to... But my Orange-Winged Amazon is a sweet, but timid bird. He may sit there while I'm scratching his head. My Blue Fronted Amazon likes to sit on my shoulder 24/7. She preens my face and neck, and yesterday discovered a sensitive spot there, I got the shivers all over when she's preening there. So she continues of course! But... she is female, and in the springtime it's mating time. I have to be careful then, because her hormons start to work. She is not interested in male amazons, only in humans. And she lays eggs if I don't put her away in time. I'm telling you this, because it can also happen with African Grey females. If she's comfortable on your shoulder, and never bites, you can recognize sexual behavior this way: lowered, trembling wings, rubbing, lowered head, cooing sounds. This was the way in which Tabu, my first grey, tried to get the attention of other greys. Time to put her away for a while!

[pyrowaves]

Animalspirit wrote:

If she's comfortable on your shoulder, and never bites, you can recognize sexual behavior this way: lowered, trembling wings, rubbing, lowered head, cooing sounds. This was the way in which Tabu, my first grey, tried to get the attention of other greys. Time to put her away for a while!

 

she is comfortable on my shoulder it seems. and she has all of those in red. The sellers said also she loves people and not birds.

 

What should I expect if it is sexual? I never even thought of this.

[Kaedyn]

As others have said, it does depend on the bird. Of my two greys, Rigel is definitely not a shoulder bird. Even though he means no harm, he just finds ears too tempting.

 

Sierra on the other hand has always been a shoulder bird. She's so well behaved that I have a hard time denying her anything, and sitting on my shoulder is one of her favorites.

 

The thing to always bear in mind is that this can change at any moment and you never know what the catalyst might be. As was mentioned above, sexual maturity can trigger behavior changes, but it can also be something as simple as a stranger entering the room.

 

Only you know your bird well enough to judge whether allowing them to sit on your shoulder is a good idea. If you don't trust them with your fingers, then I wouldn't trust them with your eyes and ears.

[BaxtersMom]

:laugh: LOL. It sounds like Sassy is falling head over heels in love with you.

 

I was afraid to let Baxter on my shoulder at first but he proved to be trustworthy. I will let him do it untill he proves himself otherwise.

 

I didn't know about the sexual behavior part either so it is good to know.

 

I just can't believe how fast she has taken to you. That is amazing. You are a natural with birds.

[EFGriffith]

I got nervous when I first started letting Tango on my shoulder, so I can empathize with your concerns! He nibbles my ears and will groom my hair, but nothing ever harder than nibbles. Even so, every now & then he nips my fingers, but is never bad to my ears. The only thing I worry about now is him pooping down my back :sick:

[Sallas]

Oh yes, the sneaky back poop.

 

Here is something I just thought of. We had someone watching our birds because we had to go back home for a family emergency. Well, the two Sun Conures together can be trouble, they work at a team. He had them both out and they decided to crawl up to the top of his head. well it was right away in the morning. So he got two morning bombs down the back of his head....:sick:

[casper]

Oh Im laughing but that is so not funny! I couldnt imagine EVER having the morning bomb on my head!:sick:

Out of three greys I only let one perch on my shoulder!

The other two are just a bit nippy for my liking around the earlobes!

You will learn what you can trust your bird to do! Everybodys grey's are different.

Your grey obviously loves you very much:kiss:

[she]

You are right to be cautious letting Sassy on your shoulder.As has already been said it depends on the bird.Animalspirit was spot on in her assesment,showing the verious temprements and state of mind of her different birds, proving they are as individual as you and I.I do let my grey on my shoulder but only at times I know he is in a sweet mood and as far as I know can be trusted.There are times when I would never let him up there.I can see you falling big time for this sweet little bird, Sheila.

[Dave007]

"""""The only thing I worry about now is him pooping down my back """""

 

 

Well, you could always use this stylish item when the the bird is on your shoulder. More than likely, the poops will add to the ultimate beauty of the garment. The beauty in the garment will allow you to clean it less frequently. You don't want to lose your customized design? The poop pattern will be created by your designer grey. Good luck in today's fashion world.

 

PS---feed your grey some multi-colored pellets and you'll have multi-colored poops. Stylish to say the least.

 

<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/10/30 22:24

[she]

I love it Dave.Are you marketing it.Ill have 2.

[Gryphon]

Hot. So hot.

 

I have poop on my sock right now. Does that count?

[judygram]

OMG, we all should have one of those Dave, thanks for putting a smile on the old face today:cheer:

[Animalspirit]

If it is sexual, then again it depends on how the bird wil treat her mate. Some parrots will sow their affection eventually by biting. My Blue Fronted Amazon doesn't bite, but last year and this year she had some eggs in Springtime. She didn't do that in her former home, she really seems to be in love with me. Egg producing costs a lot of energy. And she is already 34 years old. I try to keep a little more distance, and balance on the line of having a close friendship relationship with her. In groups of amazon it's normal for a bird to have more friendship relations. I observed feeding behavior between all my amazons! I don't want to be her partner.But there are birds that continue laying eggs, which will sometimes even cost them their life. This often happens to lovebirds and cockatiels. Some greys want to sit in a dark place, making a nest. When they lay eggs, you have to wait until the breeding time is over. You can imagine that will cost her a lot of energy.

 

When your grey is showing this behavior, you could best ignore the behavior, and put her aside for a while. I observed that grey parrots are more bonding to one bird or person than south american parrots. So if she's bonding with you, you must take care that she doesn't see you as a partner. If you pet her, don't pet her on her back, especially not the lower back. This is an erogenic zone, which will stimulate your parrot to continue the behavior. You can put her aside and attract her attention with a game, and reward her while she's not sitting on your shoulder.

 

Another idea: parrots are group animals. if you don't want to breed greys, you can also think of having another species of parrot as a companion. For instance a Senegal. Then they can have a friendly relationship, and sometimes preen each other. The problem with many hand-raised greys that are kept solitary, is the ( often sexual) bonding with humans.