# Shoulder perching and hissing



## Johnafer (Mar 2, 2013)

I was just wondering why Appa keeps hissing when I move my head when it's perched on my shoulder. Keep in mind that I've only had him for 3 days but he/she already learned to step up and it's very comfortable being around me and what not. Whenever Appa perches on my finger, he/she climbs up to my shoulder and sits there the whole time. But whenever I move my head, occasionally, Appa would hiss at me. I read somewhere that this is a territorial/dominance thing. Anybody know what the hissing really means? Thanks!


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## ~SarahJayne~ (Oct 14, 2012)

Munchkin hisses and splays her tail for a lot of reasons. If I make a kiss sound she hisses back at me, probably because its a similar sound so she thinks I'm hissing. She hisses while flying around the room when she first wakes up, which I think is her version of a grumpy teenager in the morning. If she hisses while holding her wings out or hanging upside down she's saying "This is mine!". Occasionally she does this after landing on my head. I take it as a compliment. 

I think s/he could be saying "this is my perch, quit moving it/invading my space with your head!"


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Tiels aren't dominant, that's a huge misconception. Other, bigger parrots are, but tiels really aren't. Pretty much, what s/he's saying is exactly what Sarah said, "stop moving!!" S/he's probably really comfy on your shoulder, to the point of falling asleep and when you move, your shocking him/her awake. The hissing is a normal "stop it or get away" response. Totally normal!


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## Yope1995 (Jul 28, 2012)

My Ladybird was like that too at times. She wasn't being"dominant" or aggressive or anything, it just irritated her if I moved and she was comfy. Such a queen.


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## Famine (Feb 11, 2013)

I was also wondering about the exact same thing. Mist has been doing this the last two days and it's been making me think that things are going backwards rather than going forward in terms of progress. 

Mist also moves her head in a cobra snake way, and stretches her head up towards my eye. ):

Not to mention Mist goes to attack my finger when I bring it towards her slowly to get her to step up so she doesn't start climbing up my hair. :\


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## Brisa440 (Jan 11, 2013)

Opal usually gives the odd hiss and nibble when I get her to step up too... I'v only had her for 2 days now though so its a bit understandable.
She seems really clingy once I get her to step up after that though. 
It sounds like she's just shocked at times.


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## CookieTiel (Feb 6, 2012)

Cookie does this all the time. She does it for various reasons. When she's perched on my shoulder and I move my head she does the exact same thing. When I first open her cage in the morning and say "Good morning, Cookie!", the greeting that I get is a long, grumpy hiss. If I want to pick her up and she refuses to, she hisses. I think they try to tell you different things in different situations by hissing.


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## ~SarahJayne~ (Oct 14, 2012)

Famine said:


> Not to mention Mist goes to attack my finger when I bring it towards her slowly to get her to step up so she doesn't start climbing up my hair. :\


Munchkin attacks my finger too when I try to get her to step up. I'll hold my finger still, she'll do her open beak attack with accompanying noises, then stick her head down under my finger for scritches. She doesn't care what fingers do above beak level, but as soon as they are lower down, she knows the finger isn't there to rub her head, so she has to tell it off and redirect it to the correct location - rubbing her head, lol


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## minifish (Feb 4, 2013)

Bluey tends to do this when he's surprised or u invade his space! I've learnt to keep my finger/head still n he'll soon be looking for scritches


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## Famine (Feb 11, 2013)

Mist hasn't asked for scritches yet. Doesn't like my finger near her feathers. But Mist will still (at some point) preen herself on my should whilst still hissing.


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