Bird Tip - Shoulders are a Privilege

Q:  How did the pirate lose his eye?
A:  Polly poked it out!

Seriously, think about it - That beak cracks nuts like nothing.  Have you taken a good look at that hook on the end?  I've suffered temporary nerve damage in my hand from an eclectus bite.

On your shoulder a bird can easily take your earlobe off, scar your face, blind you, take chunks of nose or lip.  It doesn't even have to be intentional.  If the bird loses its balance, it may use its beak like a climbers pick and thwack it deep into your cheek or neck.  I've had this actually happen - it hurt . . . A LOT. . . I bled. . . A LOT. . .  I have the scar.

Shoulders also aren't very safe for your bird.  They can fall and break their leg, wing, keel bone.  A really bad fall onto the pavement can cause internal bleeding and death.  A clipped bird can fall like a brick.

I personally don't put any parrots on my shoulder unless it's a quiet moment like watching TV.  And the bird has to be well behaved and predictable.  Some birds are not not well behaved on the shoulder and will bite faces, necks and hands when you try to get them off.

Teach your bird that the shoulder is a privilege and not a right:

• 1st scurry to shoulder 1st discipline is blocking with hand, if bird reaches shoulder retrieving off shoulder and holding on hand.
• 2nd scurry 2nd discipline is blocking and if bird reaches shoulder then retrieving off shoulder and putting bird down somewhere it doesn't want to be like the floor, wait a minute and pick up the bird and see if it will stay off shoulder. LOTS OF PRAISE, SCRITCHES AND REWARDS FOR ANY AMOUNT OF TIME THE BIRD STAYS ON YOUR HAND.
• 3rd scurry 3rd discipline is blocking and if bird reaches shoulder then retrieve off shoulder and put in cage. 

You can repeat discipline 2 numerous times if the bird's making small improvements and you may not need to go to discipline 3.  

If it gets to the 3rd discipline, end interaction time for a significant amount of time like 1/2 hour or more, leave the room, etc.  The bird learns we're done if he can't behave.

Block before each escalation.  That's a warning to the bird that there's a consequence coming up and he gets a chance to decide to stay on the hand and avoid the consequence. 

If your bird allows it, you might also pin the toes along with the blocking when teaching it that you want it to stay on the hand.