Need help with a shoulder-loving severe

[MsFoxTrott]

About a month ago, I agreed to foster a severe macaw. She's quiet, healthy, and a great flyer. The only problem is that she likes shoulders a little TOO much.

The moment I get her to step up, she runs right up my arm and settles on my shoulder. That'd be fine, if she didn't 1. decide to randomly attack my neck and 2. go full Rambo when I try to remove her.

I've tried stopping her from running up my arm in the first place (by dropping it, shaking, bribing, holding her higher than my shoulder) but she's determined to get there and stay there (even if I jump, shake, brush her away, don't react). What other methods are there to stop a bird from running onto your shoulder and getting them off afterwards?

I'd love it if she was tame enough to chill there, but I don't want to give her bad habits her next owner will have to deal with. :/

 

[Flboy]

Bumping you back up the list!

 

[Birdman666]

I always just blocked their path, and put them on the floor if they argued. And kept doing it until they got the message. You're a hand bird.

Sometimes it's just a battle of wills. I only have one bird who is HAND ONLY. That's my CAG. It took a few days of butting heads with him, but he got the message... and as an added quirk THE BIRD decided that if he was going to be a "hand bird" it was going to be "right hand only." (Yeah. The bird figured out I was right handed by watching me. If I reach for him with the left hand he pushes it away, and refuses to step up. Been that way ever since. Compromise. Hand only. More specifically right hand only.)

Severe's have a tendency to overbond, and to displacement bite so, yeah... NOT A GOOD CANDIDATE for a shoulder bird.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Do you think there is any mileage in wearing a long scarf or towel round your neck? It gives you something to pull up to protect your face.

Hope you get on with Birdman's advice above?

 

[SilleIN]

I take my birds outside quite a bit and often it is just not a good idea to have them sit on my shoulder. However usually they want to go there if not taught differently.

I don't know if you can use any of my methods, but here goes.

1. getting them to not go there: When I take my birds on my hand and don't want them further up, I make them face me and keep my hand at just below chest level pretty close to my chest. When they start their journey up my arm, I use the other hand with my thumb and my index finger on each side of the birds shoulder/wings. When the bird then tries again I keep my hand firm on their backs and again thumb and index is holding the bird from moving upwards. Once the bird eventually gives up to climb up, you can then move the correcting hand and just have the bird on the original arm. If the bird tries to climb up I just to the same as above.

2. how to get the bird down, once it's on the shoulder: When the bird is on your shoulder I start by bending slightly forward. This usually makes the bird move lower on your back (as they always wants to be at the highest point). While bent over I place the hand, which is on the same side as the bird, and place it on my shoulder. I then slowly stand up straight or maybe even bend a little backwards until the bird moves onto my hand (again searching for the highest point). Once the bird is on my hand with both feet, I can then move my hand down and should have the bird with me. This way the birds steps up of it's own accord and your hand does not approach the bird at any time (which is usually when they tend to bite)

 

[Boudreau]

I especially like #2....isaac, my sunnie, can be a terror from time to time when on my shoulder. Other times he's the typical sunnie with cuddles and kisses.
Trying to get him off has been tough when he won't step up and he does the down the back retreat. Thank you for the tip, I'm one up on the little bugger next time. Lol

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[Mariar]

Sissy is a severe..an arm,breaded rope,hand bird. Never on my sholder bird. She is over bonded to me...and very opinionated. But....she knows the house rules.she does displace bite with my fiance...plays rough with me..but pressure trained. What a tough bird to get off your sholder especially once they decide thats where they want to be. Try treat training.try rope step ups.sissy will not stick step up. A rope is safe to them.my girl was abused.so things were abit different with her. Try fresh apples to coex her down..then put her on her play perch and give her the treaat.p.m. me if you have questions...ive learned alot from this forum