Hello from Cape town, SOUTH AFRICA

[nadeem]

Hi all, i am so glad to be here, hope to learn lots and lots.
im nadeem, from the beautiful mother city of South Africa, Cape Town.

so i got my first parrot 2 days ago, a beautiful senegal parrot, the lady i bought it from said it is 6 months old.

he is a very nice parrot, gets onto my hand readily, but he does not seem to stay on the hand, now when he hops onto my finger, he immediately starts running up my arm to my shoulder. so yesterday he did this, and i was afraid he would bite my ears, so i gave him my finger so that he would get off my shoulder and he bit my finger really hard, didnt want to let go. anything i can do about this? to help him stay on hand, and not just want to run up my arm???

Thank You
N

[Ariahna]

Welcome. I don't have a Senegal but hopefully someone more familiar with them will be by to give you tips. My daughter has a Green cheek conure that behaves the same way. We have to keep him off the shoulder at all costs because he will do the same thing. He also bites unpredictably, so another good reason never to let him be on anyone's shoulder. I just block him from going up my arm using my other hand, put him on my knee if I'm sitting (another high place but not near the face), and if he continues to insist on going to the shoulder he gets put back in his cage. Distracting him is another good tactic. This is an area where target training with a clicker would be handy as well.

I'm sure you will find something that works soon though. Oh, and use a perch to remove him from your shoulder if he manages to get there. Don't give him the opportunity to bite your hand. Good luck and welcome again.

[nadeem]

Hey there, thank you for the advice, i dont think i am going to allow him onto my shoulder for a while, a bit terrified of being bitten on the ear or neck or face.
when he starts running up my arm, i just lower my arm so that my elbow is at the top of his cage, the he gets back onto his cage, chickening out on my side i know, lol, but hopefully it will come with time.
the sitting on the knee is an awesome idea, i am going to try that when i get home for sure, he seems to like watching tv, so i will let him sit on my knee in front of the tv.
Thank you again for the advice and the warm welcome.
N

[laducockatiel]

Man u are so lucky, I want to get a Senegal soon!