The battle for the shoulder has begun

[GreatBlue320]

Last night, Baxter decided it was time for him to take his rightful place on my shoulder. Here's how the battle when down:

Baxter: Hey mommy, I think I should just climb right on up your arm and get on your shoulder!

Me: No Baxter, honey. Not on my shoulder. Why don't you come down to my lap and I'll give you head scratches?

Baxter: Nah, I think I'd rather just climb up your shirt and sit on your shoulder.

Me: No shoulder, Baxter. Let's practice your step ups!

Baxter: Step ups are for BABIES! I need to work on my shoulder sitting now.

Me: Hey, look at this really cool foot toy! It has all kinds of good stuff to chew!

Baxter: Well, that foot toy is kind of interesting... Hey mommy, I have the BEST idea... Why don't I take that foot toy up on your shoulder and play with it there?

Me: No shoulder, Baxter! Get down, please. Do you want a yummy piece of banana chip?

Baxter (with a beak full of banana chip): Oh that's good. But you know what... this banana chip would taste even BETTER if I could eat it on your shoulder! Plus, I could drop banana chip pieces all over you - wouldn't that be fun?

Me: Your not going to win this battle, Baxter.

Baxter: Oh yeah? Well how 'bout I just flap my wings REALLY hard and launch myself right at your shoulder? How ya like me now?

Me: Time for night-night, Baxter!

To be continued (no doubt about it)...

 

[ChocoboFun]

Hahahaha well at least he is comfortable enough to want to be on your shoulder already.

Plus, tehre aren't a whole lot of places more fun than the shoulder!

 

[kq_fan]

Oh dear! Strong willed Baxter just won't back down from what he wants to do!

 

[labell]

LOL Oh Shawna, hold strong, resisting that absolutely adorable face will be a challenge!

 

[Taw5106]

Ohhhh good luck!!! There's a battle for sure, love that he has a one track mind, lol!!!

 

[Birdman666]

Ohhhh good luck!!! There's a battle for sure, love that he has a one track mind, lol!!!

And judging by your avitar pic... (and most of the pics you ever see of me with birds) you lost that particular battle.

This is an individual choice, and an individual bird thing. My thing with parrots and shoulders is their propensity to bite, especially displacement bites. If the bird displacement bites, he's not a shoulder bird.

I only have one bird that is not allowed on shoulders. My CAG.

I DO however use a hand signal when I don't want them going up there. It's a raised hand placed on my forearm just above the elbow...

It's my way of reserving the right to say I don't want you up there right now.

If you're consistent with it, they do eventually get it. But you can pretty much expect them to try it for awhile, to see if you'll make an exception in this... one... case... pretty please!... I'll be cute & cuddly...

 

[Scott]

Ohhhh good luck!!! There's a battle for sure, love that he has a one track mind, lol!!!

And judging by your avitar pic... (and most of the pics you ever see of me with birds) you lost that particular battle.

This is an individual choice, and an individual bird thing. My thing with parrots and shoulders is their propensity to bite, especially displacement bites. If the bird displacement bites, he's not a shoulder bird.

I only have one bird that is not allowed on shoulders. My CAG.

I DO however use a hand signal when I don't want them going up there. It's a raised hand placed on my forearm just above the elbow...

It's my way of reserving the right to say I don't want you up there right now.

If you're consistent with it, they do eventually get it. But you can pretty much expect them to try it for awhile, to see if you'll make an exception in this... one... case... pretty please!... I'll be cute & cuddly...

Every one of my hand-fed birds has unrestricted shoulder privileges except for my TAG and my late Citron Gandalf. None have abused that perch so far! But it is a position from which great damage can be wrought, so know your bird and have strict ground rules!!

 

[Shayne]

The shoulders not high enough for my macaw. He prefers to sit on my head.

 

[GreatBlue320]

I really don't want to cave-in on this, but it going to be really hard! I'm going to do my best to be consistent now so this doesn't become a battle for our entire lives together!

Taylor was allowed on my shoulder from day one because I really didn't know any better. From there, it went to the head (just like your macaw, Shayne) where she would preen my hair and break it off!

 

[JerseyWendy]

ROFLMAO! That was absolutely HILARIOUS!!!

Shawna - 1
Baxter - 0

 

[Birdman666]

The shoulders not high enough for my macaw. He prefers to sit on my head.

Oddly enough my greenwing will lay on her back on my head, and then hang her head over upside down, and try to beak wrestle with my nose...

I know what you're thinking, "BIRD PEOPLE ARE RIDICULOUS...!!!" (Or was that just me?!)