Sneaky and Cheeky!

I had Kiwi on my arm and we ventured into the kitchen where my hubby was. I raised my arm so Kiwi could kiss Joe, and what does that sneaky little bird do? Kisses him and scoots right up my arm onto my shoulder Then he made a high pitched "weeeet" noise right in my ear and did the fluffy feather shake of happiness Kiwi has never been allowed on my shoulder, as he has bit my face multiple times (not for several years though). He is only allowed near my face for kisses, where I can clearly see what he's doing and clearly read his body language (which I can't do as well on my shoulder). Being he was quite content up there and didn't appear agitated, I walked calmly back to his cage and let him hop off.

Thankfully no new piercings for me tonight! Not sure if I want him up there again though... It's getting kind of hard with Kiwi, and right now we're kind of at a crossroads with him. When we first got him, it became apparent quickly he needed very strict, clear "guidelines" of what he could or could not do for our protection and his. Shouldering was a definitive "no", but so was being out of his cage unsupervised (and now he's pretty free range). As he has grown more comfortable with us and is proving himself to be a very smart and loyal bird, the lines between yes and no are getting blurred a bit. Kind of trying to reassess how to proceed with certain interactions I did not allow before as he clearly becomes more friendly and less dangerous. I really wasn't concerned he would bite me while on my shoulder. He was so calm and happy. I still somewhat fear ear and nose amputation though. So hard to be on the fence about the intactness of my face weighed against a better bond with my bird:22:

FWIW I think you can have just as close a bond without letting them on your shoulder.

Hm, that's a hard one April. I tend to agree with Karen. Then on the other hand, you hear of many people who do shoulder Amazons and mature male Toos, etc.

I've always been pretty wary of shouldering also. I've been relaxing a bit with Robin and Griffin when they "accidentally" go up there every now and then :54: even though Poi's bite pretty easily, whether it's from displacement, agitation, if they don't want you to remove them, or just because they feel like it! I usually only let them up there for a few minutes and not often.

Then Raven the Pionus really doesn't want much to do with me, but occasionally will sit on my arm. He's been pretty unpredictable with me for many months now off and on, as he's feeling hormones for the first time. So he's not a good shoulder bird for me either (he only loves his daddy, and is territorial toward me).

What does Joe think of having Kiwi on his shoulder? Does he do it since he's Kiwi's favorite?

If it doesn't freak kiwi out too much what about wearing ear muffs when he is on your shoulder? Maybe that would give you confidence since you would have a little protection and more reaction time. Where I live you can get them at the dollar store.

Glad to know I'm not the only one who doesn't shoulder. It kind of makes me feel like a bad owner sometimes, but I like him better where I can see him.

Julie- Joe occasionally lets Kiwi on his shoulder and he hangs out up there perfectly happy.

No one here goes on my shoulder, not even Brady who adores me. I can't see them up there and I feel like I am not interacting when a bird is on my shoulder I am just providing a ride. I want to see their face and them to see mine. When we play it is done sitting down together, on the bed, on a floor with a blanket (no carpet in my house). I do have java trees in almost every room in the house but the kitchen so that they can hang out with me where ever I am.

gracebowen said:

If it doesn't freak kiwi out too much what about wearing ear muffs when he is on your shoulder? Maybe that would give you confidence since you would have a little protection and more reaction time. Where I live you can get them at the dollar store.

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Am sooo glad that where I live, folks don't even know what ear muffs are!

Funny, Sammy (in my avatar) prefers to be on my shoulder, and seems to feel safe & secure there. If I'm just sitting and reading, he tucks his head under his wing, retracts one landing gear, and goes to sleep. If I'm walking around, he leans against my ear & happily rides around, taking in the passing sights in the house.

We currently have 7 parrot-species birds in our flock, and all of them are shoulder birds. The only issue we've ever had in the years we've been doing this is that my wife can't wear earrings...for obvious reasons ("Oooh, look! A shiny, dangly toy! For ME??"). Perhaps the fact that we've never had a problem with shouldering means we're not nervous with them up there, and they sense that?

I have just recently been allowing Sassy on my shoulder and only when I know what kind of mood she's in. Cisco is the only one who is always allowed on my shoulder as he is the only one I trust completely to be there. Sassy has never bit me while on my shoulder, but still, better safe than sorry.

mh434 said:

Funny, Sammy (in my avatar) prefers to be on my shoulder, and seems to feel safe & secure there. If I'm just sitting and reading, he tucks his head under his wing, retracts one landing gear, and goes to sleep. If I'm walking around, he leans against my ear & happily rides around, taking in the passing sights in the house.

We currently have 7 parrot-species birds in our flock, and all of them are shoulder birds. The only issue we've ever had in the years we've been doing this is that my wife can't wear earrings...for obvious reasons ("Oooh, look! A shiny, dangly toy! For ME??"). Perhaps the fact that we've never had a problem with shouldering means we're not nervous with them up there, and they sense that?

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Has nothing to do with not feeling nervous. Some birds are more prone to displacement biting and for those types of birds I'd keep them of the shoulder. It only takes once and you could have a serious injury.

My mac is fine on my shoulder, but my female sennie will chomp if she gets startled or if someone else gets too close so she's not allowed on the shoulder. My male sennie is fine unless he's in his feisty moods, so he's only occasionally allowed up there.

Zilla is way more comfortable on my shoulder than on my hand or arm, so I always allow her on my shoulder. She occasionally will run down my arm to "steal" something I am "playing" with, but always goes right back up. I hardly ever wear earrings, or jewelry, so when I do I have to make sure I remove them before she goes up. So far she hasn't even come close to looking like she was going to bite me (though she does "nibble" on my ears and use them for handles if she starts to slip)

My cockatiel and my quakers love a shoulder ride. When Poppy arrived she wasn't accustomed to being let out of her cage, she would try to run up my arm, if she reached my shoulder, her whole attitude would change and she would get aggressive. It took a couple of weeks of training before she learned shoulders were off limits. She still startles easily and displacement biting is risky. Now that we've built a bond, I'm not worried about letting Poppy on my shoulder, but I wouldn't trust her on anyone else's, so shoulders will stay off limits.

Buddy is a shoulder rider and Venus is too. I quit wearing earrings because Buddy has destroyed some. In the evenings Buddy will snuggle up to my head on my shoulder and he hasn't tried to bite me, other than grabbing my ear when he was slipping off earlier this week, lol. He was gentle.

I don't blame you for being wary, I still remember the picture of your nose, courtesy of Kiwi, you never forget it. Right now Venus and I are working on biting when she's on her perch in her cage, she's getting better, but I'm Leary of standing my ground waiting to see what she's going to dish. Building trust. With Kiwi I don't think you should feel you have let him on your shoulder, where some rules are black and white, some can be gray but only what you feel comfortable with.

Does it have to be a species thing, or is it maybe an individual thing? I only allow my grey on my shoulder. If he is on your arm or hand you are GOING to get bitten no matter how much you try to deflect it. On a shoulder he is a perfectly behaved gentleman. On the other hand, my mini Mac is the exact opposite. The farther up your arm he gets the less behaved he becomes, on your finger- perfect angel. My doves you can place anywhere without any biting or behavioral issues
Maybe in their previous homes they just had experiences that led them to have such strong preferences?

Taw5106 said:

Buddy is a shoulder rider and Venus is too. I quit wearing earrings because Buddy has destroyed some. In the evenings Buddy will snuggle up to my head on my shoulder and he hasn't tried to bite me, other than grabbing my ear when he was slipping off earlier this week, lol. He was gentle.

I don't blame you for being wary, I still remember the picture of your nose, courtesy of Kiwi, you never forget it. Right now Venus and I are working on biting when she's on her perch in her cage, she's getting better, but I'm Leary of standing my ground waiting to see what she's going to dish. Building trust. With Kiwi I don't think you should feel you have let him on your shoulder, where some rules are black and white, some can be gray but only what you feel comfortable with.

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Ya, I really think personally, I'm going to keep him off my shoulder for now. It's only because I didn't have my arm bent at the elbow that he snuck up there. I love Kiwi, but he goes for the face when he's mad. I'd prefer to have a visual on him at all times

My tiel will only really stay on my shoulder. If I take her off she flies back. She wont stay on a perch and sometimes she will stay on my hand or if I am laying down she will sit on my chest. She has never bitten me. She sometimes nibbles on my ear but thats it. I think that her exploring with her beak is okay so I allow it. She has bitten my Dad once but she broke the skin. She also hates the new dog and lunges at her. She also will not go to any one except me and my mom. She also hates my cousin Mike. She allows people to hold her for maybe a minute at the most and then she flies back to my shoulder. But she wasnt allowing Mike near her. I dont know why she does this but I love her no matter what.

I find birds who like shoulders are less secure. They have more control over their situation when on your shoulder where you can't reach them. My hen nape,Jake, would much rather be on my hand or forearm where she
can get more attention, in fact , if i want her on my shoulder i have to "chase" her up there and she won't stay long.