Shoulder Birds?

[LivingFiction]

I've never allowed Feo on my shoulder. I've heard conflicting opinions about whether or not any Macaw should be allowed on a shoulder. At first he used to try and fight his way up to my shoulder, but now he's content to snuggle on my forearm.

Do you think a Macaw should be allowed on a shoulder?

If I do allow him up there, how can I teach him that it's not okay to climb to a shoulder, and that he can only be there if he is placed there?

It scared kids to death when he tries to climb them, I don't want to reintroduce behavior that I've trained out of him already.

[TooLover]

My personal opinion is No! I allow my cockatoos on my shoulder, when I want them there; they do not automatically climb up. I don't like the macaws up there at all; when Elwoodblue came to us he was a shoulder bird and I had to break him of it.

[Doubleyolk]

I don't allow it with my Charlie or Eddie if they should start to fall they will go for that handle on the side of your head called an ear. Some allow it and they say they know their bird, the other side of this is Roy Horn he knows his cats!

[The Outlaw]

Depends totally on the bird and the environment. In an active and busy household with lots of commotion and fast movements such as dogs and little kids, I'd say no. However, around here the BIRDS are what is active and crazy. They all have shoulder privileges under most circumstances. I do agree, however, that if a big macaw slips, they will grap absolutely anything to regain their balance. However, that doesn't mean a nasty bite.

The only bird here that I really have to be careful with is my Quaker (I know that shocks you ) Tilde is just too nuts. He only gets shoulder privileges when I can give him my complete and undivided attention. Fortunately, even when he does bite it doesn't really hurt. He has a permanent beak injury that has left him with the pointy end of his beak missing. However, it keeps him from doing nothing that any other Quaker does. Except biting me, of course.

[birdsnthings]

I do allow all my birds on my shoulder except for my U2. He goes for ears when warning me and it can be a nasty bite as he is pretty fast..
I fully trusted my GW on my shoulder. He never did peck to warn me as the female B&G did. I learned with her, it was better to be fully aware of the situation around me to know when to remove her from my shoulder.
Your shoulder (and your head) is the two sturdiest parts of your body for a bird to perch which is why they are most comfortable there. As you grow with your bird you will be able to understand what the bird is communicating to you or predict what your bird will do in situations and how to handle them.
Just a story to tell on my U2.....
I had an employee who had her own Bared Eyed Cockatoo. She one day picked my U2 off the perch and allowed him to go straight for her shoulder. I told her not to let him on her shoulder and the reply was, "No, he is okay". Well sure enough he bit her ear! It is a thing that he likes to also do to people to see what he can get away with. Employee immediately hollered for another to get the bird off her. The other employee was not in any way going to get him off her so I had to jump in from across the counter. She went to doctor her ear and her pride was very hurt. From that day on according to her the U2 was a dangerous bird and should not be in the store. In her efforts to get my U2 out of the store the U2 did win out on this one. As far as I was concered he wasn't going anywhere. It was not the bird's fault but her fault as she was told not to allow him to do this. It was also obvious to me that this person did not understand a thing about bird behavior.

[Rue]

I let my Amazon up on my shoulder, because that's where she's happiest...I do watch her though - and if I get bitten, it's my fault...willing to risk it with her...

I let the WC up too, but actually, he prefers to ride on hands...

...however, no one goes up there without my permission....

[DocT]

I am as guilty as the next person and yes they sit on my shoulder. The only bird who doesn't is my U2 but she can't because of the previous owners breaking her leg and and her feet. She is unable to keep a good balance. So I just carry her in my arms and she seems happy with that.

Bonnie

[Rue]

...good grief! Did they do that to her on purpose???

[dislater]

Having retired from a busy eye care practice where we saw all kinds of eye injuries I would never allow a bird of any size on my shoulder.

I saw two people who completely lost their eyes from injuries from their bird's beaks. Both had to have prosthetic eyes inorder to appear normal.

I have also seen several people who have had traumatic cataracts from injuries to their eyes from their birds as well severe eyelid injuries requiring plastic surgery repair.

As much as you love your birds, please, plesae, please don't allow them on your shoulder. di

[DocT]

Unfortunately Rue yes they did. she wouldn't come out because she was afraid so he just yamnked her out. That was bad enough but they never got medical attention for her and it never healed right. But that was over 15 years ago and she has learned very well to get around without much use of the one leg.

Bonnie