Sitting on shoulder

[FONT=Arial, helvetica, verdana, times new roman]So, I've been considering getting a parrot for a few months now, doing a considerable amount of research to make sure I am ready and know what I'm getting into. Today I was talking with my father, who has an Umbrella Cockatoo, and about a year ago he was asked to bird sit someones Severe Macaw. Well, he still has this guys Macaw, and the guy told him a while back that he does not want it back. He asked if I was interested in taking the Macaw, so I decided to go over and check out the Macaw. The bird is very tame, only problem I have is that he is a shoulder bird. I'm not a fan of this for a few reasons, such as can't really see what he is doing, and it can be a pain to get a bird off your shoulder when he decides he does not want to come off.

So, my question is, how hard is it, or is it even possible, to get him to realize this isn't acceptable behavior? I'm not positive how old he is, I haven't asked that yet, but I am sure that is a factor in how hard it will be to train him not to go on my shoulder.

Also, another thing that kind of worries me, they tell me is a very picky eater, eating pretty much only sunflower seeds and peanuts. I'm sure that over time I can get him to accept other foods, but I'm just curious if anyone has dealt with this before, and if so what the best plan of action is.

Sorry for the long winded post, but just trying to get a gauge on what to expect here.

Thanks,
Brad[/FONT]

First of all, a big warm welcome to the forums! Pleased to meet you.

So, my question is, how hard is it, or is it even possible, to get him to realize this isn't acceptable behavior? I'm not positive how old he is, I haven't asked that yet, but I am sure that is a factor in how hard it will be to train him not to go on my shoulder.

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I have a good link fo that question. Read this, you might find it useful.

Also, another thing that kind of worries me, they tell me is a very picky eater, eating pretty much only sunflower seeds and peanuts. I'm sure that over time I can get him to accept other foods, but I'm just curious if anyone has dealt with this before, and if so what the best plan of action is.

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There are a couple of ways to respond to this 'picky' behavior, one is to go cold-turkey and the other is to slowly wean. Personally, I like to go cold turkey and just abruptly and completely change the diet, rather than weaning. With weaning, you risk malnutrition. The bird will see his favorite seeds and eat those, while avoiding the other seeds. By going cold-turkey, the bird realizes that he only gets to eat what you put in front of him and he can't have those sunflower seeds anymore. It's the same concept as disciplining toddlers; "you get what you get, and you don't throw a fit." Harsh as this sounds, it's actually harmless and even very effective. I switched my cockatiels from a store-brand feed that was mostly sunflower seeds, to a quality seed mixture like Volkman's 'Sun-free' mixture. I even introduced veggies in the same 'cold-turkey' manner. It worked, and I've seen a huge turn-around in their feather quality.

I hope this was of use to you!!

Parrotqueen, thank you for the information. I wasn't sure about just switching it, wasn't sure if they would basically refuse to eat it for so long they would become malnourished.

For the shoulder thing, I don't see a link. I read a few other things, I think my first step is to get the bird really well trained on Step Up (he isn't yet, the owner didn't really teach him much of anything) and then get him to Step Up off my shoulder every time he is up there. Maybe with time this will teach him he does not need to be on my shoulder.

Most parrots enjoy the shoulder ride for a while. I would wait until you have a bond with the bird and it is comfortable in the new home before any training sessions. I do not think the bird will understand why he can no longer sit on a human shoulder. Only thing you have to worry about is a bite. If he is not a biter then I would not make such a big deal out of it and confuse the bird.

We are happy to have you on this fantastic forum.

For the shoulder thing, I don't see a link.

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Oops!! I completely forgot to paste it there. My bad!

Here it is: Strategies for Reducing Behavior

Queen, thank you for the link, I've bookmarked that for future reference. Looks like something that could help quite a bit if needed!

Spirit, you have a good point, as he isn't a biter. I guess I am just uncomfortable with the shoulder due to my grandfathers parrot being vicious. He has gotten on many shoulders and then pierced their ears for them. I suppose if I get him trained well on Step up, then ideally I could remove him from my shoulder when I see fit, I guess a compromise is in order for this one.

BB There is a very good article on shoulder sitting on the thread I just posted called A Wealth of Parrot Information. It is excellent. Here is the direct link: http://www.companionparrot.com/Avoiding%20Problems.htm