On your shoulder?

[Oscar23]

I've read articles and heard people discouraging allowing a bird to hang out in your shoulders. What's your opinions on this?

 

[tab_xo]

Only you can decide!! Depending on how well you know your bird

You should be able to read their body language 'Is my bird in a cranky mood and might bite me?'


Yes some people have a no shoulders policy because of the damage that COULD be done.. But if you trust your bird then it is up to you!

I allow Fargo on my shoulders.. and my head... and he preens my eyebrows.. and he holds my nose hahaha
I tell you, i am getting so good at balancing a macaw on my head whilst i am studying

It is good to have boundaries though! There are just some moments when they can't be on your shoulder!

 

[Kiwibird]

That is one of those "things" that depends on the individual bird and the owners preference. Many people shoulder their birds without any issues and find it a very important way they bond with their birds. Especially people who got their birds when the bird was very young, the bird has only had positive interactions with people it's whole life and has been used to riding the shoulder since it was a juvenile. Others have more unpredictable birds, rescues with lingering issues or birds who have territory/dominance issues and choose not to. I personally do not shoulder my bird. He is a generally good boy, but he can be unpredictable especially during breeding season. He has bit me in the face before and I would just prefer not to put him in a place where we could have a negative interaction, or if we do, I'd rather him remove a chunk of my hand or arm than my face. He is just as happy on my hand or arm and I still take him all over with me on his very portable t-perch so he's never far away. On my shoulder, I just cannot see him well enough to see subtle signs he is in an aggressive mood and avoid a bite. On my hand or arm I can almost always predict and avoid a bite.

When I still lived at my parents house, I always allowed my moms female amazon on my shoulder. She was very predictable behaviorally and never aggressive (towards me at least). I felt totally comfortable with Lucy on my shoulder. Even when she would reach over and preen my eyelashes or nose, I trusted her that much. Sadly, Kiwi (my bird) was not treated so good in his past, and even though he's come a long way in a loving home, he still has some lingering resentment towards humankind and you just never know what will set him off.

Shouldering is just one of those things you have to decide if it's right for you and your bird. Everyones situation and relationship with their bird is different, so theres no right or wrong way

 

[lucy1]

I have to add the issue of glasses! My macaw is obsessed with my glasses. I don't allow him on my shoulder but he will do everything he possibly can to get my glasses. I learned at great cost that a £300 pair of glasses has a life expectancy of only a few seconds in a macaw beak

Also, don't forget hormones. Your little fluffy bundle of feathers may be trustworthy near your face, and it's so lovely to be face-preened, but do you want that beak near your face with crazy hormones? That's why I don't let Milo on my shoulder- he's fine now (when I wear contacts!) but when the hormones kick in a) I don't want to have to seem like I'm punishing him by not allowing him on my shoulder when he's all mixed up and confused anyway, and b) if I'm going to get bitten I'd rather it was my hand or arm, not my face or eye.

As Kiwibird and Tab have said above, there is no right or wrong answer, only what suits you and your bird best. My old amazon used to pretty much live on my shoulder but Milo is a big no-no. Same person but different birds and different situations

 

[Jayyj]

Alice is fine on my shoulder - in fact, she's up there as I type this - but she knows to come down when prompted, and i trust her not to bite. She loves face to face contact and is incredibly delicate when anywhere near my face. When she does bite in any context it's always prefaced by a pantomime of lunges and posturing and if she started anything like that whilst on my shoulder she'd get turfed off pronto but it's never been necessary. I don't allow her on stranger's shoulders though, just in case, and I'd prefer not to have a bird I don't know on my shoulder. But I concur with the other posters, there's no problem with it as long as you know and trust the bird in question.

 

[MangieSun]

I allow all of mine on my shoulder, but if any of them had issues stepping up to get down, or acted aggressively at all they would get shoulder privledges revoked. Things may change when they mature though. Right now they are all perfect little babies

 

[TessieB]

I will allow the smaller birds to ride on my shoulder if they prove to be reliable. The larger birds rarely get the honor as they can give plastic surgeons plenty to do.

 

[LoriP]

I have had Snoopy since a baby and she has always loved riding on my shoulder. I had started to do this before I found out that there could be a question about it's advisability, and it would break both our hearts to stop now. If she wants a head scritch she will touch my ear with her beak or sometimes stick her beak into my ear. If I am doing something with food and she wants a taste she will lean around and plant "butterfly kisses" around my mouth. But here is the interesting thing. I always wear a hand towel draped over my shoulders when carrying her. This is partly to catch the poop, but also to give her something to hold onto, since being in the tropics I pretty much live in tank tops and bathing suits. On the rare occasions when something upsets her and she wants to bite, she will bite the towel, which is my signal to get her back to her cage.
I don't think I would ever have the courage to let a big bird like a Macaw on my shoulder, though
Oh, BTW, I did manage to teach Snoopy to leave my earrings alone!

 

[Taw5106]

I have a RCA, and he comes on my shoulder. He's between 10 - 20 years old, had him for 4 weeks now. He's very well mannered so he was trained. I watch him though because he does get moody, hasn't bit me but he gets vocal. Now my husband is a different story. We won't even try putting Buddy on my husband's shoulder. Their relationship is completely different.

 

[Oscar23]

Thanks for all the opinions! We are leaning towards letting Oscar on our shoulders. He's a baby and has very positive interaction with the people at the store I purchased him from. He's just going to need to learn that glasses and earrings are off limits. I don't wear earrings much when I'm home anyway but my bf wears glasses.

 

[MamaFuzz]

I would personally not wear earrings at all while a bird, especially a baby, is on my shoulder. Depending on the size the bird, it could go from preening to ripping out your earring in a matter of seconds. I usually don't wear earrings but I went and got my second hole done. Everything was ok until one night.
Indy my Senegal would preen my ears occasionally and seemed to be learning to ignore the tiny, not so shiny stud I had in. Out of nowhere she grabbed the front of the post and yanked. I was still wearing the piercing earrings so it hurt bad and she had to really pull to get the earring out. I freaked out so bad thinking she might swallow it especially with the point on the end. I grabbed her and pried her beak open. Luckily she had already dropped it but now no earrings during shoulder time.

 

[Oscar23]

Glad you got it! I usually wear bigger earrings so I would worry about him getting caught in them and yanking but as I said, they aren't usually on at home anyway. First thing I take off.

 

[Taw5106]

Same happened with me, small gold stud and Buddy handled it out and I heard him crunching. I was trying to get it from him before he swallowed. He had dropped it but it was no longer a ball. No earrings, no jewelry for us. Just be prepared for poo. I have specific shirts I wear when I let buddy out.

 

[Sterling1113]

My boyfriend and I both have lip piercings/ear piercings. For the ones in our lip they're just little acrylic spacers, so it won't rip skin if it's pulled out. We're just careful about kisses.
I always wear a beanie, so my cartilage piercings are covered by that, and then I don't wear earrings in my left ear at all so that's where the bird(s) go if they're being shouldered. I also don't have a lip piercing on my left side, so that's the "bird safe" area.
It was a pain conditioning them to leave my glasses alone, though. Most of the time they're fine, and if they go for my glasses all I have to do is look at them and they back off cause they know it's not okay. They still try every now and again though.

 

[goalerjones]

Hahnzel and George before him were/are shoulder riders. The time to boot him off for my own experience is where dangerous circumstances arise, or bullying begins. Food is a trigger for Hahnzel to begin his "reminders " that he wants some too. Usually nipping at my neck or ears. If this continues its time for him to be in his cage eating his own portion of my dinner. If we're cooking and he is feeling bossy he goes there too, for his own safety sake.