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Shoulder rides

Discuss the methods and techniques of clicker training, target training and bonding. These are usually the first steps in training a young parrot.

Shoulder rides

Postby Loriusgarrulus » Sun Jan 01, 2017 5:24 pm

So far Tupi has not sat on my shoulder and I have not encouraged him to do so.
In the past I have had earrings cruched and the occasional earlobe nipped by an over enthusiastic parrot.

I am wondering if it would be better to keep him away from my shoulder and forgoe snuggles in my neck or risk it.
What do others do.
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Re: Shoulder rides

Postby Bird woman » Sun Jan 01, 2017 5:59 pm

My 2 cents worth on shoulder riding parrots. I never let any of the birds except Maxie the Quaker ride on my shoulder for a few reasons. First I can control better any situation that may come up if there on my arm. I always have a visual when on my arm and they can't eat your face or earrings . :lol: when I take the birds to the front avairy one at a time I always use my left hand to keep there wings in so no mishaps. Lots of predatory birds around here and my birds are flighted. Also I have cockatoos large ones and cockatoos seem to be less sure footed, at least mine are clutzes except the LSC'S they seem to be more sure footed.And last but not least the smaller birds have learned to swing back and forth on my ponytail playing keep away from me making them get down.Maxie rides up there cause she is safe and gets right under my hair she's a little thing and can keep out of the big girls way in my hair. :lol: BW
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Re: Shoulder rides

Postby alienlady » Sun Jan 22, 2017 8:52 am

Liseth spends a lot of time on my shoulder and I haven't had a problem in the 3 years that she's been with me. Having said that , I do mean indoors not outside.
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Re: Shoulder rides

Postby Pajarita » Sun Jan 22, 2017 12:38 pm

I allow my birds to perch wherever they want on me so, yes, shoulders, head, hanging from the neck or hem of my tops, etc. I no longer wear any form of jewelry (not even my engagement or wedding ring) precisely because of the parrots -I also no longer paint my nails or wear perfume on my neck and even have an entire drawer and shelf with 'parrot clothes' (my husband says I look like a homeless person because of them :lol: )
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Re: Shoulder rides

Postby ParrotsForLife » Sun Jan 22, 2017 1:39 pm

Last time I tried putting Oscar on my shoulder all he wanted to do was play with my ears
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Re: Shoulder rides

Postby liz » Sun Jan 22, 2017 8:14 pm

Myrtle used to swing on my pony tail and she is no feather weight. She also liked to play with my ear even putting her beak way down in it. What I did hate was that she used my ear for a handle to hold he balance.
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Re: Shoulder rides

Postby alienlady » Mon Jan 23, 2017 5:44 am

Pajarita wrote:I allow my birds to perch wherever they want on me so, yes, shoulders, head, hanging from the neck or hem of my tops, etc. I no longer wear any form of jewelry (not even my engagement or wedding ring) precisely because of the parrots -I also no longer paint my nails or wear perfume on my neck and even have an entire drawer and shelf with 'parrot clothes' (my husband says I look like a homeless person because of them :lol: )

:lol: I'm just the same ! Lovely smart clothes in the wardrobe and bottles of perfume galore , never had things last so long. They will still be there when I'm not :lol:
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Re: Shoulder rides

Postby Wolf » Thu Jan 26, 2017 7:33 am

I guess it is a matter of personal preferences or self defense in some cases as to weather the bird should be on your shoulder or not.

For me it is a good place for mine to perch as it leaves my hands free to do other things. So far all of my birds are allowed on my shoulder, but I do get my ear bitten a lot but not by any of my larger birds. the only one that regularly bites my ears id Keeta, my parrotlet and she is the smallest bird that I have, but she can really bite hard for so small of a bird. Her first response to anything new or different is to bite it and then bite it some more until she is satisfied that it will not bite her back. My largest bird is a YNA and I am just a bit leery of her on my shoulder as she is large enough to do some damage should she bite my face or ears very hard, so I probably would be very cautious with ant bird that was any larger than that.

To me riding on my shoulder is great for my smaller birds that can't do too much damage but it is still a matter of how much I trust the particular bird, even the smaller ones.
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Re: Shoulder rides

Postby alienlady » Thu Jan 26, 2017 7:57 am

Wolf wrote:I guess it is a matter of personal preferences or self defense in some cases as to weather the bird should be on your shoulder or not.

For me it is a good place for mine to perch as it leaves my hands free to do other things. So far all of my birds are allowed on my shoulder, but I do get my ear bitten a lot but not by any of my larger birds. the only one that regularly bites my ears id Keeta, my parrotlet and she is the smallest bird that I have, but she can really bite hard for so small of a bird. Her first response to anything new or different is to bite it and then bite it some more until she is satisfied that it will not bite her back. My largest bird is a YNA and I am just a bit leery of her on my shoulder as she is large enough to do some damage should she bite my face or ears very hard, so I probably would be very cautious with ant bird that was any larger than that.

To me riding on my shoulder is great for my smaller birds that can't do too much damage but it is still a matter of how much I trust the particular bird, even the smaller ones.

I think that's it in a nutshell Wolf. Trust. :D .Liseth doesn't even try to bite my ears, only remove my earrings. They were small hoops which she would unclip and drop into my hand :lol:
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Re: Shoulder rides

Postby ParrotsForLife » Thu Jan 26, 2017 10:35 am

Oscar gets excited way too quickly to be riding on my shoulder lol I now have to give him treats from the palm of my hand because if I point them at him he gets excited and lunges for it.
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