# Obsessed with my shoulder!



## KaylaHansa (Aug 8, 2012)

My cockatiel LOVES sitting on my shoulder! He tries to get on it all the time by climbing up to it from the ground or from my hand (I imagine how he'll be when he learns to fly!) I don't mind him sitting there it's just that...I CAN'T GET HIM OFF! He knows the "up" command pretty well but if he's on my shoulder...it's completely useless. Any hand that gets near him while he's on my shoulder makes him frustrated and angry. He makes this sound that he always does when he disapproves of something. He digs into my hair when someone tries to take him off. I seriously can't get him off my shoulder unless I grab him (I don't like doing that, neither does he).


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## Ghosth (Jun 25, 2012)

Shoulders are up high, shoulders are far from hands, shoulders are close to hair to preen.
Shoulders are warm, shoulders are soft, easy on the feet. 
Shoulders give a perfect view of whatever you are doing.

Shoulders in effect are the perfect spot.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. 

Instead use it, what do you want your bird to do? 

Cara will fly to my shoulder at least a dozen times a day. If I'm busy he'll nudge me with his head (asking for skritch's) If that doesn't work a little prick in the ear, if that doesn't work, a little harder one. Mostly now that I have figured it out it, I can stop whatever I'm doing and scratch that itch and all is well. 

Sometimes he'll move up to my hat, sometimes off to play, eat, or or just there preening.

Secret is to work with your bird, its a relationship. You both have wants and needs, work on finding middle ground where your both happy. Also from what I've seen Tiels are very affectionate. Shoulders are a "safe" place to express that affection.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Try tempting him off your shoulder onto to something else with a treat til he learns that he can't always be up there when he wants. Is he biting you when you try to move him? If not, then I would go ahead and continue to push the up. If he is biting, try the treat or try to get him onto a perch or his cage. And then give him a treat for getting off like you wanted him to.


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## KaylaHansa (Aug 8, 2012)

Ghosth, I don't mind him on my shoulder I just don't know how to get him off.He gets aggressive if I try. That's the annoying part. I will try the treat method, thank you.


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## Ghosth (Jun 25, 2012)

Kayla I had some of that with Cara. Biggest thing I learned was to 

A give skritch's and loving first. 
B make hand movements slow.
C you can tempt a tiel onto your hand with skritch's same as you do with millet.

If you give your bird a consistent signal (I wiggle index finger up and down just a little) with the other hand positioned as a convenient perch they will learn to step up onto hand for a skritch same as for millet.

Possibility exists that none of this will work and I was just lucky with Cara. Shrug


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## KaylaHansa (Aug 8, 2012)

Well he doesn't really like scritches too much. He only wants them sometimes. He's on my shoulder right now and I will try the millet when its time for him to get off. Also, he had crawled from my shoulder to my back so I tried moving him back by pushing gently with a stick. He hissed at the stack and acted very aggresive. He scares me when he's on my shoulder


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

Awe. It's not scary. It's just birdie attitude.  He is just trying to tell you he is comfortable. 

Willow will scale down your back to avoid your finger, hissing all the way. And then climb back up when you quit trying.


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## KaylaHansa (Aug 8, 2012)

I know, he's all hiss but no bite. He has never bitten me before but still. I get intimidated easily lol  I put millet on a table and tipped my shoulder towards it and he eventually got off (yay! ).


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## alli (Jun 17, 2012)

Mine loves my shoulder as well and took me ages to get him off it. He still sits there 95% of the time or on my chest under my chin for cuddles/scritches.
He's gonna crack it if u try n move him/her, cause thats where they are most comfortable. Just be persistent. I made sure it didn't matter how much of a fuss my bird made that if i wanted him off i would get him off and make him do step ups on my hand for a minute or whatever i wanted him to do before letting him go back and then i would praise him telling him hes a good boy. 
It seem's to have worked as majority of the time now he will still sook but get straight on.. except for the odd time when i've tried to put him in his cage and he runs down my back where i can't reach. Cheeky little things they are.


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