How to prevent shouldering

[CDavis]

Ok so mr bonkers will not sit on my arm or hand and he only sits on shoulders and i know that they aren't supposed to be there. But I need to interact more with him so he has been riding shoulder and he steps down nicely when I ask. The right angle close to body thing doesn't work he just flies up to the shoulder. Should I just accept that he's gonna ride shoulder or should I keep trying to keep him off the shoulder? Also what are the negatives to letting him ride shoulder

 

[Taw5106]

Buddy my GCA rides my shoulder. He behaves, haven't had issues so as long as he behaves he can shoulder ride.

There are parronts that do not allow fids to shoulder ride and those that do. My Ekkie Venus for the most part shoulder rides but on moody days she can't. She rides each morning while I make coffee, feed the dogs, make parrot chop, feed the fids, put the dogs out and sits to eat her chop with me while I sip my coffee. Other ride activities, loading the washer, folding and hanging clothes and making cold snacks.


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[GaleriaGila]

The voice of chaos... here I am...
Rbird is flighted and fearless.
He rideth the shoulder when he pleaseth.
He only goes back into the cage when I toss a green chile in there... happily, he has NO IMPULSE CONTROL and hops in.
I think it's a find-your-own-level-of-control thing. And if you and your bird are happy...

 

[Kiwibird]

If he gets of on command and is not known to be aggressive, shouldering is fine. It's when they won't get down and/or may attack your face it's a problem.

Kiwi bit me in the face, twice, and while he wasn't on my shoulder at the time of the bites, he wasn't allowed on my shoulder because he had shown himself to be dangerous at that point in time. I used to bend my arm and hold in so he couldn't/would struggle to climb up there and give him a firm "no". Yes, he did in fact bite my arm a few times for that too. There is arguably dominance issues that can arise from being on eye level with you and in a position to inflict damage (parrots are smart and manipulative). A worse case scenario with a large parrot is damaging your eye, nose, lips or ears irrevocably. Arms and hands can take far more abuse. Has only been in the past year or two Kiwi has been allowed on my shoulder, as we seem to have overcome the aggression issues and he hasn't bitten in a very long time.

But from what I've heard about Bonkers, he is a very mellow and friendly bird and it likely won't cause any problems at all. It's birds who behave like Kiwi did when we adopted him who should not be allowed on shoulders. For trusted birds, it seems to be an organic scenario between human and parrots and can actually be a bonding thing Unless Bokers does something that would make you be concerned about him being up there, I really don't see any reason he shouldn't be.

 

[CDavis]

The voice of chaos... here I am...
Rbird is flighted and fearless.
He rideth the shoulder when he pleaseth.
He only goes back into the cage when I toss a green chile in there... happily, he has NO IMPULSE CONTROL and hops in.
I think it's a find-your-own-level-of-control thing. And if you and your bird are happy...

I would love to meet the Rickeybird it seems like he is the closest to a demon as you can get lol I also have a huge amount of respect for you to live with such a spirited bird

 

[CDavis]

If he gets of on command and is not known to be aggressive, shouldering is fine. It's when they won't get down and/or may attack your face it's a problem.

Kiwi bit me in the face, twice, and while he wasn't on my shoulder at the time of the bites, he wasn't allowed on my shoulder because he had shown himself to be dangerous at that point in time. I used to bend my arm and hold in so he couldn't/would struggle to climb up there and give him a firm "no". Yes, he did in fact bite my arm a few times for that too. There is arguably dominance issues that can arise from being on eye level with you and in a position to inflict damage (parrots are smart and manipulative). A worse case scenario with a large parrot is damaging your eye, nose, lips or ears irrevocably. Arms and hands can take far more abuse. Has only been in the past year or two Kiwi has been allowed on my shoulder, as we seem to have overcome the aggression issues and he hasn't bitten in a very long time.

But from what I've heard about Bonkers, he is a very mellow and friendly bird and it likely won't cause any problems at all. It's birds who behave like Kiwi did when we adopted him who should not be allowed on shoulders. For trusted birds, it seems to be an organic scenario between human and parrots and can actually be a bonding thing Unless Bokers does something that would make you be concerned about him being up there, I really don't see any reason he shouldn't be.

In the time that I have known him he has never bitten anyone or shown signs of agression except toward cats. He seems very relaxed and content on the shoulder and I don't have a problem getting him off actually today he climbed to my hand and faced his cage to tell me that he was done. I kinda figured out that at one point he was a very well trained and loved Amazon and really is a people pleaser

 

[chris-md]

Tracey I need to take a page from your playbook. Parker is such a shoulder bird, but he's bit my ear twice. Two nights ago he up and did it out of the blue while we were sitting on the couch watching tv. Thing is I KNEW something was off and was uncomfortable having him there, but let him sit there not paying attention.

Not sure what got into him, he was clearly intense and focused, but your "moody days" just really hit home the lesson I learned: trust your gut. If something is off, listen to it and don't let them up.

 

[Taw5106]

Tracey I need to take a page from your playbook. Parker is such a shoulder bird, but he's bit my ear twice. Two nights ago he up and did it out of the blue while we were sitting on the couch watching tv. Thing is I KNEW something was off and was uncomfortable having him there, but let him sit there not paying attention.

Not sure what got into him, he was clearly intense and focused, but your "moody days" just really hit home the lesson I learned: trust your gut. If something is off, listen to it and don't let them up.

After the finger massacre, I really watch her moods and I keep a perch next to her cage so if she turns into Medusa, no contact at that point, just step up on the perch. This typically happens when she makes it to the floor and makes it under the couch. Below is a picture of when I put Husband's steal toe work boots on because she meant business after one of those runs and got a toe. Hit that boot all you want but you still have to get on the perch, lol. It's been about six weeks since she got to the couch. And no shoulder riding for at least an hour a after a Venus moment and her temperament changes.

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[Scott]

Ok so mr bonkers will not sit on my arm or hand and he only sits on shoulders and i know that they aren't supposed to be there. But I need to interact more with him so he has been riding shoulder and he steps down nicely when I ask. The right angle close to body thing doesn't work he just flies up to the shoulder. Should I just accept that he's gonna ride shoulder or should I keep trying to keep him off the shoulder? Also what are the negatives to letting him ride shoulder

Shoulder privileges should be reserved only for birds you totally trust. If Mr. Bonkers has not proven both of you wrong, I'd just let him ride the shoulder and he happy for the gift of trust. Of course he should dismount when you choose, but many of mine don't want to on command. So, I just place my fingers over or under the feet and they comply.

Other than the outside chance of them surprising you, can't think of any negatives to the shoulder. (notwithstanding the back of your shirt!)

 

[Kentuckienne]

There is no guarantee. My husband's Amazon loved him totally, let him flop him on his back, swing him like a circus parrot, sat on his shoulder through countless car trips and nights on the couch. Very well behaved for an Amazon. But one day I was driving home and he was sitting on the shoulder in passenger seat, and as we went around an exit ramp the bird bit my husband on the lip so hard he almost detached a big triangle of flesh. He wound up not needed stitches because the cut sealed back together by the time we got to the urgent care center, but it was a deep, bad, bite. He said he know the bird was getting amped up but didn't take him down. So even a well behaved, adoring bonded bird can bite. If it had been an eye, he would have been blinded. All you can do is trust your intuition and if the bird seems any bit wiggy, take him down. I'm fooling enough to let the new B&G sit on my shoulder because he has never bit either of us ... Yet ... And because he is timid and feel safe there...but I don't keep him up there long and I try to keep my face turned away from the can opener.

 

[chris.carr11.cc]

There is no guarantee. My husband's Amazon loved him totally, let him flop him on his back, swing him like a circus parrot, sat on his shoulder through countless car trips and nights on the couch. Very well behaved for an Amazon. But one day I was driving home and he was sitting on the shoulder in passenger seat, and as we went around an exit ramp the bird bit my husband on the lip so hard he almost detached a big triangle of flesh. He wound up not needed stitches because the cut sealed back together by the time we got to the urgent care center, but it was a deep, bad, bite. He said he know the bird was getting amped up but didn't take him down. So even a well behaved, adoring bonded bird can bite. If it had been an eye, he would have been blinded. All you can do is trust your intuition and if the bird seems any bit wiggy, take him down. I'm fooling enough to let the new B&G sit on my shoulder because he has never bit either of us ... Yet ... And because he is timid and feel safe there...but I don't keep him up there long and I try to keep my face turned away from the can opener.

I applaud you. Macaws intimidate me when just holding them on my hand, be scared senseless to have one on my shoulder.

But thanks for the input about the amazon, something to keep in mind when mine gets closer with me and I'm able to hold him.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Amy is a shoulder bird. 98% of the time I have no problems at all with her.
Sometimes she gets over excited..poofs up,starts to bob her head,bang her beaky on my shoulder,thats a warning sign to me!
I keep her perch stick by my side ( she has chomped my hand/fingers in the past when she is like this) and she steps up.
But the majority of the time she is a sweety.

That little grey thing,on the other hand,who thinks my ear lobe is his personal chew toy/punching bag has a lot to learn!


Jim

 

[Dinosrawr]

Everyone has made some excellent points. It really does just depend on the bird. Avery used to be my shoulder buddy and she would ride around with me often. In fact, she hardly left my side. Unfortunately, it created over-bonding issues and it got to the point where she became jealous of my partner and would act out violently if I paid attention to him versus her. I've been bitten three times on the face by her, which was once a year until last year. After these incidences, I had revoked her privileges as a shoulder bird indefinitely because she simply can't be 100% trusted.

Shiko, however, is my permanent shoulder or hang-onto-anything-he-possibly-can bird. He's ridden on my hips, my knee, my shoulder, my head, my sleeves... seriously anything he can grab. The reason is because in the near 3 years I've had him, he's never once bitten me. He might grab at my glasses or nibble gently on my face, but he's never bitten down on me. He communicates verbally and with body language before becoming physical, and that's why I trust him. Avery is a shoot first, ask later kind of gal.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Excellent points, all.

You're right, CD... he is a demon. "Spirited" is a generous interpretation. Bless you!

I forgot to add that I ALWAYS have my hair over my ears if he is out and about. A shoulder landing and ear attack are possible at any time, but all he'll get is a beak full of hair. He has never, ever bitten my face. (It's always so thrilling to think of a bad thing he DOESN'T do!) And lastly, since there's no getting him to step up, especially if he's excited, I truly and literally carry a pepper in my pocket in case I need to lure him back into the cage. In a pinch, I'll show him the pepper and he races me to the cage!

I used to get bitten a LOT, but once I completely gave up hope and accepted the above, I have no bites.

I wish other better luck!