Help please!

[Anneke]

I've got a problem. My budgie attacks my ear or neck skin when I put her on my shoulder. It starts out with her tickling me, and then she suddenly gets aggressive! I had to grit my teeth last night in order not to react angrily b/c she just kept on pinching me (and it REALLY hurts ). I usually take her off my shoulder for a few seconds and then put her back, but Lo! in two ticks she's going for me again. Sometimes she makes angry noises while doing it. I've noticed Lychee is quite playful, so I don't know whether she knows it hurts. I wouldn't think it is to get my attention since she hasn't quite warmed to me jet - she bites my fingers and I can't scratch her or anything.
She targets pretty good and I'm working on getting her to go through a hoop.

Thanks for reading and please give any advice you have!
Anneke and Lychee

[Michael]

Some parrots just shouldn't be kept on shoulders. Over time you can teach proper shoulder behavior by only putting it up there briefly and taking it off before it has a chance to bite. Progressively increase the duration but always take it off before you think it will get bored and start biting. When they get in a habit (and biting is not part of it) they generally stick to it.

[Red Moppet]

I've found that my budgie freaks out and bites when he's frustrated so I try to avoid frustrating him in the first place.

For example, if I don't let him try whatever I'm eating he keeps trying to get it until he gets frustrated and bites so now I put him in his cage when I'm eating or even snacking. If it's healthy food for him I always give him a bit on his own little plate but he's inevitably drawn to MY plate so just putting him in his cage avoids the whole issue.

He also gets very worked up over any reflective surface and then gets nippy. I have a SAD lamp that I use in the mornings and after a couple of times having Sputnik out when I'm using it (he'd play with his reflection in the bottom part and get so excited he'd run over and attack my fingers) now I just leave him in his cage until the light gets put away.

So what I'm saying is that your budgie might be frustrated at something. Can she fly? Maybe she doesn't like being on your shoulder and can't get away. You say she hasn't really warmed up to you - maybe you want to wait until she has before you shoulder train him. I've read that parrots shouldn't be allowed on shoulders until they are completely trained (that probably applies more to the larger parrots that can do damage) but it might hold true for budgies too - she needs to be comfortable with your fingers handling her and you have to trust that she'll step up whenever you ask from your shoulder.

Maybe you are wearing shiny earrings that excite her? Does she have enough toys to attack and play with in and out of her cage? Is she hormonal right now? Is she moulting? Is she getting 12 hours of sleep and eating veggies and healthy food? Light, sleep, diet, moulting and hormones all will affect her behaviour.

Good luck! : )