# Allow my cockatiel to sit on my shoulders?



## mannycool

i read some where that allowing a cockatiel to sit on your shoulders is a bad idea because they feel dominant over you, my cockatiel is always trying to get on my shoulder during training sessions. should i allow this?


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## lperry82

My peachy or tanya likes to snuggle up to me while on my shoulders, they cuddle up against my neck and cheeks


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## moonchild

The dominance thing is a myth. Shoulders are up high, so they are safe...plus they are pretty comfy.


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## chikkubukku

Well. My understanding is if your tiel is pretty aggressive with you, in terms of not allowing you to touch it on its head or tries to bite you, and you allow your bird on your shoulders then it feel it is dominant. This is something I have read and not something I have seen


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## lperry82

Might get a stiff neck by keep on kissing and cuddling them though lol but it be worth it


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## moonchild

Yeah, obviously with an aggressive bird it's a bad idea as it gives them the chance to get at your face. But ordinarily, no, there is nothing wrong with letting your tiel on your shoulders.


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## sunnysmom

I think the dominance issue is only with larger parrots, not cockatiels. You should be fine letting your tiel on your shoulders. I think they feel safe there.


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## Bird Junky

mannycool said:


> i read some where that allowing a cockatiel to sit on your shoulders is a bad idea because they feel dominant over you, my cockatiel is always trying to get on my shoulder during training sessions. should i allow this?


*Hi Part 1, old wives tale.. Part 2 Unless your training him to use your shoulder
as part of a training program, he shouldn't be up there should he???
Don't forget plenty of treats for wanted behaviour while training....B.J. *


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## Payton Leeroy

Sitting on a shoulder is fine... Birds don't do dominance. ****, even dogs don't do dominance like so many old wives tales say. Shoulder sitting is a great way to bond with your bird, so go for it!


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## roxy culver

> ****, even dogs don't do dominance like so many old wives tales say.


Certain breeds of dogs may not do dominance, but I know huskies for one do and they tend to pick one person to be their alpha which is looking like that's me!

Larger parrots do have dominance issues but tiels are not large parrots so they don't, that is a myth. If you have an aggressive bird, you really shouldn't be letting it on your face because it will bite your face and that's not good training. Start slow, fingers first then once the bird is more tame the shoulder is fine.


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## Sunshinebird

Just watch out if you have skin tags or moles on your neck -- Sunshine tries to 'groom' them off of my husband, LOL


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## SunnyNShandy

My boys love the shoulder. Sunny, the not as tame one, can get a bit soft bitey and when he gets like that it is time to move off the shoulder (of course he hides in the middle of my back then so I cant reach him) but since we are still bonding, I let him get away with it


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## nassrah

I totally agree with Iperry82.Ive already got a stiff neck.HAHAhahahaa X x


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## Nicci_

And to add to what Sunshinebird said, watch out for pimples as well. Chase is always trying to pull mine off!


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## mannycool

i think she's beginning to get comfortable around me, this afternoon she flew unto my legs while i was watching TV and climbed to my chest and started to chew on the zip on my jumper- glad she didnt nip me not even once


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## enigma731

Bird Junky said:


> *Hi Part 1, old wives tale.. Part 2 Unless your training him to use your shoulder
> as part of a training program, he shouldn't be up there should he???
> Don't forget plenty of treats for wanted behaviour while training....B.J. *


BJ, it's starting to bother me that you claim ALL interactions with our birds should be explicit training sessions. There is such a thing as bonding with a tiel on a level which extends beyond commands and treats. Shouldnt we aspire to have our birds be our companions, not just our trained performers?


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## tielfan

The dominance theory about parrots is wrong and outdated, and I can provide links to articles about it if anyone is interested.

It can be dangerous to let a large parrot like a cockatoo, macaw or Amazon sit on your shoulder. Even a bird that's usually gentle might suddenly decide to bite under the right circumstances, and with a big bird you might need plastic surgery afterward. But cockatiels are too small to do any serious damage, and it's perfectly fine to let them sit on your shoulder.


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## Christiansen

mannycool said:


> i read some where that allowing a cockatiel to sit on your shoulders is a bad idea because they feel dominant over you, my cockatiel is always trying to get on my shoulder during training sessions. should i allow this?


dear friend there isn't some dominance thing...it is not true...dont think all this false thing and encourage your cockatiel to play & sit beside or on you..its not good to discourage any animal just by false beliefs..


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