allowing young TAG on shoulder question

[rope]

i'm wondering is it ok to allow our 12 week old TAG on our shoulders? thanks

 

[Kyoto]

I do not allow my 13 week old GCC on my shoulder. She is not a biter but does like to explore with her beak, and I just don't want to get a bad ear bite. My hubby doesn't mind her on his shoulder however, so she naturally wants to be on mine anyways. :3 persistence persistence.

 

[thekarens]

You'll have to decide how trustworthy your TAG is. I have no problems letting my mac on my shoulder, but my sennies are not to be trusted.

 

[rope]

thanks...i'm also wondering if letting your young african gray on your shoulder could cause it to feel like he/she is boss...running the show...i've been reading some about folks that had nice babies but at about 2 the parrot got difficult...for our conures if we don't let them out to fly around a little each day they let us know..so maybe a lot of problems are caused over time by lack of exercise...

 

[thekarens]

IMO it has nothing to do with boss and everything to do with it's very hard to control them there and hard to see body language.

 

[Puck]

And also the fact that if they decide that they want to stay, you can't get them off without doing a cross between The Chicken Dance and The Twist.

 

[gracebowen]

And also the fact that if they decide that they want to stay, you can't get them off without doing a cross between The Chicken Dance and The Twist.

Yeah Jet can be a little difficult when he wants to stay. He (tiel) has never bitten me hard so he's allowed on my shoulder. He prefers my right one.

 

[Hawk]

i'm wondering is it ok to allow our 12 week old TAG on our shoulde? thanks

Frankly it depends upon your trust....at 12 weeks the tag will not really know how to control bite pressure. My Greg however is 2 yes old and always on my shoulder....he knows if I want him off he just moves to middle of my back.....thinks it's a funny game.

 

[jasper19]

I am not worried about them purposely biting my ear hard. I am worried about loss of balance, and then they reach out and your ear is what they grab.

To me, that can happen to any person, with any bird regardless of trust or experience. if the bird is falling, it wants to keep his balance.

 

[punkindave]

I am not worried about them purposely biting my ear hard. I am worried about loss of balance, and then they reach out and your ear is what they grab.

To me, that can happen to any person, with any bird regardless of trust or experience. if the bird is falling, it wants to keep his balance.

Most of ours use their wings (which can be worse if your'e looking the wrong way when the whip) LOL

 

[Birdman666]

My "shoulder bird" rule of thumb is based on the bird's behavior.

If he is trained to control his bite pressure and he behaves up there (i.e. goes down when it's time to go back); and if he isn't prone to displacement biting, I don't see the harm in it. If he doesn't control his bite pressure, and doesn't behave, then a finger or a cheek is probably gonna get nailed at some point. If he displacement bites, chances are that if something upsets him, it will be your face, or your neck that gets it.

The only bird I've got that isn't a shoulder bird is my CAG because he displacement bites when he gets mad. (Even though he is bite pressure trained, it hurts, and not my face, please!) So he's a hand bird. Always has been. Everyone else is allowed up there, including the amazons, which "the book" says is a no-no. (My birds didn't read that particular book. So, they didn't get the memo.)

 

[labell]

I am not an advocate of birds on shoulders. Many moons ago I had a cockatoo that was at my house for re-hab take a chunk from my neck and ear and that was the end of that. I want to see the birds body language and therefore know how to respond.
I also don't feel for me personally that I am interacting with them up there, more like providing a moving tree.

Brady (YNA) adores me and I don't believe she would bite me but she is an amazon, at first she would try to go up to my shoulder as she was allowed to in her previous homes but it didn't take long for me to discourage that. She understands now that it's no further than my forearm and now she seems to prefer being on my hand or forearm, mostly the hand because I lightly place my thumb over the toes of one foot (that makes them feel more stable) and plus when she is there she gets kisses and sung to and my 100% undivided attention which she loves.

When I am on the computer or watching TV she sits on my leg playing with foot toys or getting scritches which she quickly learned is way better than my shoulder!

 

[Hawk]

My "shoulder bird" rule of thumb is based on the bird's behavior.

If he is trained to control his bite pressure and he behaves up there (i.e. goes down when it's time to go back); and if he isn't prone to displacement biting, I don't see the harm in it. If he doesn't control his bite pressure, and doesn't behave, then a finger or a cheek is probably gonna get nailed at some point. If he displacement bites, chances are that if something upsets him, it will be your face, or your neck that gets it.

The only bird I've got that isn't a shoulder bird is my CAG because he displacement bites when he gets mad. (Even though he is bite pressure trained, it hurts, and not my face, please!) So he's a hand bird. Always has been. Everyone else is allowed up there, including the amazons, which "the book" says is a no-no. (My birds didn't read that particular book. So, they didn't get the memo.)

Have to agree with birdman here....My birds haven't read the book either.

All my birds are allowed on my shoulder except the grey....( it depends upon his behavior)...My Grey is in his terrible two's....and they call it terrible for a reason. My grey can't sit still, insist on pulling my bottom lip over the top of my head, which must say, hurts and he laughs about it.
Or decides My ear is in his way and thinks I don't need my ear. Or doesn't realize there is skin under the shirt. Or that my wife needs to buy a stainless steel bra....Yeah, she gotten bit on the breast thru shirt, never seen anyone jump so high.....

Greys are always wanting to play and explore, they can't sit still. Which is why I can't relax with a grey on my shoulder. He's a hand bird, but thinks he's a shoulder bird and that he's the boss. As they get older they mellow out some. So I'm told, have to wait and see.

My Zons and Senegal are quite well behaved on my shoulder. never have to worry with them.

 

[Birdman666]

My CAG runs around on the back of the couch... he doesn't want to be held that long. He'll let you know when he wants to come up, and he'll also let you know when he's had enough of that...

He prefers to hang out.

THE MACAWS ON THE OTHER HAND... those are my "hold me" birds.

 

[Hawk]

I am not an advocate of birds on shoulders. Many moons ago I had a cockatoo that was at my house for re-hab take a chunk from my neck and ear and that was the end of that. I want to see the birds body language and therefore know how to respond.
I also don't feel for me personally that I am interacting with them up there, more like providing a moving tree.

Brady (YNA) adores me and I don't believe she would bite me but she is an amazon, at first she would try to go up to my shoulder as she was allowed to in her previous homes but it didn't take long for me to discourage that. She understands now that it's no further than my forearm and now she seems to prefer being on my hand or forearm, mostly the hand because I lightly place my thumb over the toes of one foot (that makes them feel more stable) and plus when she is there she gets kisses and sung to and my 100% undivided attention which she loves.

When I am on the computer or watching TV she sits on my leg playing with foot toys or getting scritches which she quickly learned is way better than my shoulder!

Ouch....God that brings back memories. My Major Mitchell back in the 80's took a big bite of my left cheek above jaw bone about and inch or two. Bit so hard and deep that I could put my tongue thru my mouth. Had blood everywhere, and 12 stitches to close it....no have a permanent dimple on my left cheek. So Too's I'm a bit Leary of being on my shoulder. My Grey is same way, no shoulder for him....

 

[Flboy]

Frankly it depends upon your trust....at 12 weeks the tag will not really know how to control bite pressure. My Greg however is 2 yes old and always on my shoulder....he knows if I want him off he just moves to middle of my back.....thinks it's a funny game.

My little JoJo does the same middle of the back dodge. I reach up with both hands at the same time and trick him out! He is quite funny at stepping up. His reflex to step up is too strong to ignore--but-- if he can pretend he doesn't see me reaching, he is legal! He is a pro at reading body language!

 

[Birdman666]

My little JoJo does the same middle of the back dodge. I reach up with both hands at the same time and trick him out! He is quite funny at stepping up. His reflex to step up is too strong to ignore--but-- if he can pretend he doesn't see me reaching, he is legal! He is a pro at reading body language!

My greenwing occasionally pulls the "birdie backpack maneuver.

Beak hold on (or through) the collar of your shirt. Both feet clinging to your shirt on the small of your back. "Please. I don't wanna go down. I wanna stay with you!"

 

[Hawk]

My little JoJo does the same middle of the back dodge. I reach up with both hands at the same time and trick him out! He is quite funny at stepping up. His reflex to step up is too strong to ignore--but-- if he can pretend he doesn't see me reaching, he is legal! He is a pro at reading body language!

My greenwing occasionally pulls the "birdie backpack maneuver.

Beak hold on (or through) the collar of your shirt. Both feet clinging to your shirt on the small of your back. "Please. I don't wanna go down. I wanna stay with you!"

Hha ha ha....Though my Grey I don't like on my shoulder unless he behaves, is incredibly fast. He can go from finger to shoulder in .02 of a second...or something close to that....like having a "road runner" on you...This guy can move....

What's even funnier....My grey has an attitude...he's the boss and makes his presence known. I have 3 dogs, Greyson will come down off his cage or fly down....then goes for a walk to get to me. Moving anything out of the way that's in his way including the dogs. He'll be like " get outta my way flea bag"...and bite their tail if they don't move. The dogs have come to now run when Greyson is on the floor...Poor dogs...LOL.

 

[suresh]

Good morning,
hope you can help me to clear my doubt about my parrot:
i bought an Alexandrian parrot. i think its 2 months old. all feathers grown up(tail and wings are grown almost 5” longer) but he couldn’t eat anything by himself. so we are hand feeding him with a syringe.
Problem is his head always moving/shaking (up and down). but if he keeps his head normal position, he could not swallow anything. when i give food, his head/neck is going back side and touching his tail and sometimes going more back and turned over....!? liquid/clay type food only he could eat......! i feel some abnormality in it...
what is your opinion? is it normal behavior or he is sick?
Can you advise me on above matter. Please…
waiting for your kind answer.....
thanks,
suresh

 

[JerseyWendy]

Good morning,
hope you can help me to clear my doubt about my parrot:
i bought an Alexandrian parrot. i think its 2 months old. all feathers grown up(tail and wings are grown almost 5” longer) but he couldn’t eat anything by himself. so we are hand feeding him with a syringe.
Problem is his head always moving/shaking (up and down). but if he keeps his head normal position, he could not swallow anything. when i give food, his head/neck is going back side and touching his tail and sometimes going more back and turned over....!? liquid/clay type food only he could eat......! i feel some abnormality in it...
what is your opinion? is it normal behavior or he is sick?
Can you advise me on above matter. Please…
waiting for your kind answer.....
thanks,
suresh

Hi suresh, and welcome to the forums. Please post your question in a separate thread in the Alexandrine section here:
Alexandrines - Parrot Forum - Parrot Owner's Community

And if you are uncertain on how to make your own thread, please look at this helpful tutorial:
http://www.parrotforums.com/technical-support/49121-how-start-your-first-thread.html