Do you allow your bird(s) on your shoulder?

[Amanda]

Every book/article I've read advices that birds should not be allowed to go on the shoulders. I've always allowed my birds to go on our shoulders and none of them have been aggressive or bitten us (they were budgies, cockatiel and lovebirds). Rio has never been on anyone's shoulders (she was not encouraged to go up on shoulders when she was being socialized at the pet store) and I have continued to discourage her from going on our shoulders here at home. So, I'm just wondering if anyone on this board has experienced all the bad things they talk about in books/articles regarding letting a bird go on shoulders. I would like to let Rio sit on our shoulders because sometimes it just makes it so much easier to do things while the bird is on my shoulder instead of perched on my one hand (or I have to carry a stand everywhere with me).

[Jenny]

My budgies rarely land on my shoulder, but of course when they do I let them and it's no problem. When I got Kirby my green-cheek, I let him on my shoulder because I didn't really know any better and I did have some problems. When I tried to get him off, he'd crawl all over my back and it'd take forever before I finally outsmarted him and could get him off. So, for a few weeks it was no shoulders. Then one day I felt bad and gave in since he absolutely loves cuddling under my hair, and by that time he had learned more that I was boss and I'd also learned better ways to handle him, and he was also getting the hang of step-up. From now on he's pretty much glued to my shoulder whenever he can be, and I have no problem with it at all. I just put my finger by him and he'll step up, or I can grab him off and he doesn't mind. My sharp-tail on the other hand is never allowed on my shoulder because he throws a small fit when I try to get him off. His beak is razor sharp and could easily do damage if he bit me because he was upset I was trying to move him off! When I first got him he tried like crazy to get on my shoulder but I never let him, so now he knows not too and doesn't even try. My lovebird also has now been allowed to sit on shoulders now that she's tamer and learning to mind better. At first she too would crawl all over, but now it's not much of a problem anymore. I agree, it makes it SO much easier to be able to let them sit on your shoulder!

[birdgirl]

I let Barkley on my shoulder all the time that way I can get stuff done. nothing bad has ever happend when my birds have been on my shoulder.

[birdygirl]

Both my birds are allowed on my shoulder. I try not to let Sophie becasue she eaithe climbs up my head or perches on my back. But the reasonis not agression.

[Mrs.Birdy]

My budgies rarely like to ride on our shoulders, but like us to cuddle them in our hands.

Snickers, my tiel, loves the shoulder and she has never, never bitten anyone, let alone me.

Marcel, my pionus, loves the shoulder too, but sometimes it is a pain because he hates to come off and climbs down my back where I can't reach him. But I manage to get him off anyway. He has never bitten me or anyone except my daughter who can't even get closer than 3 feet from him.

I have heard pros and cons about the shoulder, but it is my tiel and pionus' favorite place to cuddle and I let them. I don't like to stress them out.

[Amanda]

Thanks for all the replies, everyone. I think next time Rio tries to go on my shoulders, I won't stop her. It seems that the books/articles all said not to encourage a bird to sit on shoulders, but it seems like there's no one that has ever had a bad experience. Sometimes when I'm on the computer and Rio is sitting on her basket (on my computer desk), she wants to be on me and I find it really difficult to type when I have a bird perched on your arm.

Bijou goes on our shoulders and she's usually very good (except when she was having her PMS). But she doesn't like staying on our shoulder for too long because she prefers to be crawling all over me ... going inside my pockets or inside my sleeves (and now that it's warm weather, she loves to try and go inside my shirt and hang onto my bra! :rolleyes: ). Lovebirds are so silly! :)

[dlaura]

Let us know how it works out. You may need to go thru a training period - just as Jenny did.

Our green cheek conure goes on my husband's shoulder and will sometimes resist leaving the shoulder by running down his back and such. Bob will sit down on the couch and slowly lean his back against back of couch and Einstein will run back up to shoulder where he is then removed.

Angel is not much for the shoulder - she would much rather be on my chest with her head being scratched. Taz (B&G) is a very large bird and while he would like to be on our shoulders it is too uncomfortable - so Taz will perch on top of couch corner.

[jackie]

jake has always been allowed on my shoulder. he behaves, but sometimes i forget he's there. he'll fall asleep there and will continue sleeping even if i'm moving around and vacuuming or something. about forgeting that he's there....sometimes i'll reach back to fix my hair and nearly knock him off. he'll regain his balance and then give me a lil nip on my ear like "be more careful! ni was sleeping!"......sam took a lil bit more time to trust that he wouldn't bite my face. he's allowed up there now, but rarely since it is hard to pick him up afterwards since he's afraid of hands.

[dlaura]

casegura, that is exactly why I do not allow the B&G on my shoulder. Taz wouldn't intentionally hurt me - but thrown of balance Taz would grab for the nearest thing - my face. So, I agree it depends on the bird and it's size.

[birdygirl]

I understand that. A macaw's beak is so big that even if it doesn't mean to hurt you you could still require stiches. My birds may grab onto me but Sophie and Pumpkin have smaller beaks so It doesn't hurt to much.

[MacawMad]

I have never let my macaws on my shoulder, I do not personally believe it to be safe. They are very tame but like dsimko says if they lose their balance they may well grab for your face. Mine also have a habit of becoming over excited about everything and will often grab just for the hell of it! Also my B&G fancies herself as a dentist in training & will try to remove my teeth if she gets too high up!!!!!!!!!!!!
I guess its easier if you have a smaller bird but its hard to do ANYTHING when you have a maacw attached to you, whether its on your shoulder or not!!!!!;)

[teri]

it depends on the place and time, you have to know your bird and it's body language really well, i don't allow my blue and gold on my shoulder, however.......if we are in a public place and go into a building and she gets frightened, she will climb up on my shoulder and i allow for her security feeling. my lilac-crowned amazon frequently rides on my shoulder, however.......if we come in contact with other parrots he gets really jealous and will bite my face so i have to remove him. so it really depends on your bird and your communication with it and understanding of it and different situations that you encounter.

[Amanda]

Thanks for all the great replies. I think I'll do as everyone has suggested ... to see how Rio is, her behavior, how she is communicating with me, and then decide if the situation is right to let her on my shoulder. She hasn't been allowed on our shoulders so far, although sometimes when we are outside and she gets insecure about something, she tries to climb up my arm to my shoulder. Also, when I'm on the computer she likes to perch on my wrist ... and it's really hard trying to type with a bird perched on your wrist (especially since I don't want to move my hand too much and make her off balance).

[sleeepy2]

Cleo is now allowed on my shoulder for short periods of time, when I let him ( after months of never being allowed). If he is being good, I'll let him up for ten minutes or so. If he is on my arm and is trying to climb up my shoulder, I don't let him. His beak is a pretty powerful weapon.
A man at my vet's office had his lower lip torn off (literally) by a yellow nape amazon. He's had seven reconstructive surgeries so far. The vet said his amazon was sick, and that may account for his aggressiveness, but I think of that incident whenever Cleo is on my shoulder.

[retret]

I allowed Dexter on my shoulder and I never have a problem yet, when he losses his balance it scares me because he might grab my neck or ear but it never happened he just flap his wings and regain balance and he usually very careful by just grabbing my shirt intead of my face or ears..But if he happens to nip me once he goes to the cage and will be ignored for an hour without toys, so far we didnt get that far yet :D

[parrotboy]

I let Chip my indian ringeck on my shoulder all the time! i open his cage he walks up my arm and spends all night sitting, talkin and watching on their. This was both my hands are free to do my jobs and he can come for the ride (jobs around the house i.e homework)

But ive heard about not letting parrots on shoulder as they might go for eyes, ear, mouth and with their strong beaks could cause damage! and this would ruin the realationship between parrot and owner!

[Amanda]

Yes Parrotboy, I've heard the same thing too. I've let all my other birds on my shoulders (budgies, lovebird & cockatiels) but have not let my Blue-Headed Pionus on my shoulder. She is the "biggest" bird I've had so far and she was trained not to go on anyone's shoulders when she was still being socialized. I find it a little hard to do things when she is with me because I'm forever trying to do something one-handed. I think I'll take some of the advice here and "play it by ear" -- if the situation seems right for her to be on my shoulder, I will put her there.

[Love Bird B]

I love it when Perky sits on my shoulder. She's only bites me when I try to do anything to her cage while she's in it. She likes to sit on my shoulder when I take her cage apart to clean it. I feel like she's making sure I do a good job. I often ask her if I missed anything, LOL.