My shoulder is the first place Lilly heads for when she either steps up or lands on me, regardless of which part of me she lands on. We have been working on an arm only rule with her for about a week and a half now and it is hard going, though I can see it is going to be so much better in the long run. She has quite a naughty habit of ear clamping every time she gets up there and trust me it reaaaally hurts when she clamps on and wont let go. Little devil she is

Does anyone else have a no shoulder rule with their Eclectus, or other species for that matter? Do they stay on your forearm, lap (or where ever that isn't your shoulder) without much fuss? Lilly always manages to convey how pissy she feels about staying on my arm or lap.

The charming Lilly today







Urgh look at her raggedy tail feathers

what a beauty..... sorry to hear she clamps on ear though.....

Well, when I first got into birds, I remember reading that you shouldnt let them on your shoulder because they can bite your ear, their close to your eyes, and some species, most birds I believe, when their higher than you, thier the boss. So in the begining, I didnt let them on my shoulder. now I play it by ear (no pun intended). Papi will sit on my shoulder when I'm sitting down at the computer or couch and mumble, cudle his head under my neck and be fine. He also knows that if I think hes getting nibly , He comes off and he doesnt put up any fight. Jack thinks my ear is yummy and I dont enjoy that, so Papi can, Jack cant. Twitch and Screech would be fine I think, but they show no interest and thats fine too.

aw come on now, those ear nibbles don't hurt!!! When Sophie still had the yellow beak she was sweet as could be on my shoulder and would, to her delight, tickle my ears!! Well, with the yellow went the nibbles. lol Inside the house I do not shoulder her if I am going to be still, like sitting. Outside she is ok and if she is scared it is her safe spot.

Your right Jim, ear nibbles don't hurt at all. When Lilly tries to peirce my ears for free it does kinda ouchy me a little. Lilly was all nice and well behaved on my shoulder for about a week lol, then must have decided she was comfortable enough to let her inner devil out for a lil fun on my ears. Also she goes straight for Sam's ears whenever he walks past her, flies straight at him and wham. Lilly is certainly not a Sam lovin kinda girl, even though he tries so hard to win her over. Is Sophie like that around your wife or is it just Lilly? She always either gives him the cold feathered shoulder or flies at him and gets (and you can just see its meant to hurt) his ears.

I don't allow any of my birds on my shoulder. I notice in the store that instinctively they climb to the shoulder. Keep trying and reenforcing the no shoulder rule. Eventually, she'll figure it out. Just takes time.

The only one here that absolutely not allowed on my shoulder is my M2. Molly my ekkie, never gives me a problem there and that's where she usually is throughout the day.

My GW is the one I'm working on with the shoulder. He never used to be let up there, now I've let him run loose up my shoulder out of laziness over the past few months. Now I've got a monster on my hands again. Well not really that bad. I am having to revert to letting him on my shoulder when I say it's ok and when he's proven to me he'll be good. I usually have to work with him with pine nuts, his favorite treat, in order to do this. If he stays perched on my wrist and doesn't give me a fuss he gets a pine nut. If he gives me a fuss he gets his training stand (which he'd rather be on me). So I'm not punishing him by putting him on his training stand, I'm just taking away what he really wants (to be on me). Then we start over. If he can remain on my wrist for a few minutes without giving me a fuss, then he gets rewarded by being able to sit on my shoulder. Once up there, if he give me any fuss, then it's back to the wrist or training stand depending on how big of a fuss he has given me.

It can be a chore to come to an understanding between you and your bird, but you know what I find the hardest part to be? Me staying focused and continuous with what I'm trying to teach. If you slack once or twice, the message gets confused then you have to start all over.

Once it gets started, it is hard to modify but it can be done. If she flys to your shoulder, immediately ask her to 'step up' on your finger and give her lots of praise and a treat. Everytime she does it, YOU do that.
It's easier for them to learn and understand positive reinforcement than being punished for negative behavior.

I will let Skyler on my shoulder briefly as we've never had an issue with pinching, biting, or nibbling, but he also still gets lots of praise when I want him down and he steps-up to lift him down.

Like Lara said, you have to be consistent with it and you may have to do it for quite a while to confirm to her your response when she tries, or does it.
Once they understand they can't ever do it or they're going to have to get down, it will cease.
Sky

I just wanted to say that Lilly is doing wonderfully with her no shoulder training. When she flies to me, she tries to go there once (She lands on my forearm ) gets a "Mummy said no shoulder Lilly" and thats it, she stays put on my forearm without trying to go up my shouler.
She made me laugh yesterday, she was eating some corn cob and had it stuck all over her beak. She spies me, flies over, rubs her beak along my jumper to wipe it off then turns and flies back over to keep on eating I am under the feathered thumb I think... very much so

That's great news Katie, glad to hear that Lily has gotten the idea. It is only right that in return, you have agreed to act as the "human napkin"!