The TRUTH About Parrots on Shoulders & Height Dominance

[@a-bird-lover]

"Step up" "No, head rubs" "Please step up" "NO, HEAD RUBS"

[@crdnofficial4741]

A Bird Lover 'SKRITCH MEHHHH"

[@bunnyrose5216]

lost it when you flipped the bird Omg 😂😂

[@aliciagarciafernandez7994]

What am I doing here. I don't even have a parrot...

[@Emma-zs2zu]

Same

[@zelda9001]

Alicia García Fernández my grandpas dog killed my bird last year and now we live in an apartment and I have to wait for like 8 more months till I can get another one 😞💔

[@aliciagarciafernandez7994]

Tulga Gençal I wish. They are very funny to be around but extremely expensive as well

[@mrs_moose3546]

Alicia García Fernández saaaaame -_- but smokey is so cute!

[@TheHimHerUs]

Alicia García Fernández same

[@RebornThroughHate]

I agree on the dominance issue. I have an 11 year old Yellow Naped Amazon (only 1 year so far) and what allowed him to feel comfortable with me and my family is trust, respect, and a feeling of safety. The concept of flock is important because, in a human family, the bird still wants to be an equal just like in a flock. If you can allow that, it will build a great relationship. It means that one should read their parrot's body language and respect it when the bird feels agitated or wants to be left alone - just like a person. And if he or she bites on occasion, well, it's better not to flip out and start yelling --- that I had to learn myself and he doesn't really bite much any longer. The idea of dominating over a parrot doesn't fly very well, based on my experience. It truly is a relationship. I now have a buddy that flies around my house (we keep his cage open at all times - previous owner kept him in and under a blanket most of the day, so he has an aversion to being locked in) and lands on my back/shoulder 5+ times a day to say hi. This is my first bird and what I quickly realized is that there is an "individual" inside that little body of his and that he needs to be respected and given rights of his own.

[@TamNguyen-zv9pd]

RebornThroughHate has pQ q z

[@christianbrooks1079]

Do they poop all over your house?

[@theresamoultrie4505]

@@christianbrooks1079 Yes

[@patrickmccann8701]

Yes, it's about 'disapline' isn't it?. Good luck. 🦜👍😂

[@mrs_moose3546]

smokey seemed very cuddly this video haha

[@JustNatax3]

pipe the fvck down I know right.. she just wanted some cuddles lol

[@MRDonatas]

you pipe the f###

[@ybuenosss]

Thank you so much for educating people!And Smokey is so cute!😊

[@aundreacabarlo1490]

Smokey is so beautiful! Her coloring is really pretty... I don't usually see African Greys with such a bright red tail in contrast to such dark wing tips. Great video, definitely debunked what I had been told by various people.

[@bethanykolander2498]

You are so gentle. I love that you reason with her instead of just being firm and insisting on your command. This is the 3rd video I've watched of yours and consider me subscribed!

[@robynm7221]

Good advice. My Yellow Nape Crystal Lynn is fine with me, but she gets so excited to see "Daddy" when he comes home that she wants to give him a kiss & when she finally gets to give him a kiss she's a bit aggressive and he's afraid of her, he doesn't greet her right away when he comes home & she paces or goes to the part of her cage (inside or out) to be the closest to him to get his attention. I let him know she's been waiting to have some time with him & by the time he goes to her she's all worked up - tail flared and fluffed feathers I tell him he has to play with her more and she'll be more calm with him. I tell him to talk to her too b4 uncovering her so he doesn't scare her awake. Thank you for your videos. They're very helpful.

[@ddsterk668]

Okay this is going to be a long korny comment. Hi. I don't even own a bird, but I like watching your videos. I am so fortunate to have had ferrets, rabbits, parrots, garter snakes, etc. in the classroom during my preschool and kindergarten years thanks to my teachers back then. I was destined to love animals and all life anyway (just the way I was created) but that was the first time I knew that parrots can be affectionate just like dogs and cats. I never really thought of getting one being afraid that it might fly away. I never knew that they could live so long until recently. After saying goodbye to my beloved dog and cat during the past several years, I was starting to feel that I could not bear any longer another goodbye with anything with a 10 to 15 year lifespan or shorter.. I really like your philosophy on how you train and treat your bird. It looks so much more based on pure trust compared to the majority of other examples. I am not ready to take care of a parrot at the moment because work is so stressful and time-consuming, but your videos give me lots of hope and optimism of how I may be able to treat my bird if I were to ever adopt one later on in life.

[@NjlampGaming]

People always underestimate the intelligence of birds. A bird will sense patterns, if you lock a bird up after doing something they will piece together what's going on and not want to participate.

[@jenniferosburn322]

I am so enjoying these videos. We had a Senegal parrot for years, but finally had to re-home her. While we have always wanted to have an African Grey, we realize our lifestyle doesn't allow for one, so I'll just live vicariously through your videos! Lol

[@musicsesame]

beautiful bird, amazing handling!

[@sockfiddler2017]

Thank you so much for your videos. I have to say, though, my favourite ones are where Smokey's after your attention - she's absolutely adorable and completely smitten with you. It's very cool :)

[@Mariah-dn1xj]

"hey your finger is insecure "lol my favorite line from this video😂

[@rockinrowdy13]

A very informative video Wings N' Paws,as usual. My Blue Front has no problem going in her cage,I just tell her "in your cage"and she does. She also goes on my shoulder ALOT,if I am in my office or just walking thru the house,and she has no problems "stepping up" to get on my hand. She is rewarded with head scratches which she LOVES. My Timneh,who was also named Smokey,but a wild caught bird,on the other hand,HATED hands. When she was on my shoulder she would walk right behind me at my neck and refuse to get on my hand. She would end up jumping/flying off my shoulder,and MOST of the time if I told her "in your cage" she'd go,unless she was in one of her "moods" lol. My adopted Goffin's Cockatoo Jonesy steps up easily and will sit on my shoulder,but I can tell he is nervous about it. And even tho he says "time for nite-nite" he refuses to go in his house unless I chase him around it.

[@wingsNpaws]

rockinrowdy13 I'm glad you enjoy the videos! Thanks for sharing! Sounds like you have a full house!!

[@vanguardangel6912]

You just earned a new subscriber! I've been thinking about getting a bird once I move out on my own as a lifelong companion and there's so much contradicting information. Will definitely be doing more research for the next year or so! Thank you so much!

[@lindaketner2509]

I have had my double yellow headed parrot for 9 years. We used to have her wings clipped but stopped a couple years ago. Sometimes she flys from our living room to half way up our stair (when something has startled her) she does not seem to know she can fly. I am so impressed by your videos that I am now making a Hugh effort to train her correctly because of you and Smokey. I have always watched parrot videos but you are great at it. She knows a few things but we are going to change her diet and my husband made her a wooded foraging tree today. I want to thank you for enlightening us to some of the many things we really didn't understand. So thank you. Linda

[@wingsNpaws]

Linda Ketner Linda, thank you so much for sharing your story! These kinds of comments really do make my day. Just be sure to never throw your bird up in the air and hope they will "figure it out". I see too many people do this and end up scarring their bird for life. Start by enticing your bird to fly to you from a short distance for treats, head scratches, or just your company. You can gradually increase the distance, adding in turns later on as well. Once she learns how to control her flight, you'll see her crash landings decrease until there isn't any. You're on your way to a very rewarding relationship!! :)

[@cacatr4495]

wingsNpaws Please, There are several people in these comments here that need your answers. :) Please see the biting questions.

[@KikiYushima]

This is an extremely useful video. I'm not a bird owner yet, but I'm hoping to get a cockatiel soon. Watching videos like this is so useful. Thank you! :D

[@crazyeyeschams]

Great video! We just got out baby Timneh a few months ago and she is doing great with positive reinforcement training. One thing that has been working is getting her on our hand and putting her in the cage then removing her again immediately by stepping her up and rewarding. I try to do this a few times during my training sessions before work during the week when she will be in the cage for several hours in between sessions. This reduces her urge to not want to go into the cage and curbs any nipping due to not wanting to step up for fear of being stuck in the cage.

[@wingsNpaws]

Brian Stinson That's absolutely AMAZING!! I'm so glad to hear that you're doing that with her. You will thank yourself so much in the future for taking the time to do that. Thanks for sharing your story. It always makes my day to hear that people are using positive reinforcement to help teach their birds what they want their birds to do rather than to try to wait until a problem arises and then fix it.

[@Lydia4Jesus_]

You are a God send. Intuitively everything your saying rings true. I rescued a Conure and your videos are invaluable in offering clues to training her in the most humane/bird way.

[@annalisa14]

I haven’t seen anyone wiser than you advising on parrots. Thank you very much for being serious and helpful to us bird owners as we keep these wonderful parrots from their flocks in the Wild !

[@saturninc3786]

Your videos remidn me so much of how to train dogpuppies. Also it makes me so aware of what an incredible responsibillity, and what a timeconsuming work it is to do this right. Much respect for your work! Thank you very much!

[@soggybread5355]

My parents always try to teach me things or tell me things most of the time so my most common words are I know and now every time my parents talk my bird keeps on repeating the words I know so my bird is perfect parent repellent

[@Wild0hChild]

That's hilarious as hell!

[@jeweliarex]

This is such a great message! I was trying to explain this to someone and they were just like naaaaah but its very true. Love this

[@frizzo128]

I love all your videos . Keep them coming.

[@devrabraun6534]

Another exceptionally informative video. I have an African grey, Grendel, for 12 years. He has been moderately well trained using the type of behavioristic training you describe. Yet we have a big problem with occasional somewhat unpredictable SEVERE biting. Since this has happened several times on my shoulder, I have stopped carrying him on my shoulder. (It also happens in other circumstances for both my husband and me- but occasionally). The big problem is that once he bites, he holds on viciously. When this happens on my shoulder I am really in trouble if he doesn't let go. Several times he has grabbed my ears, neck or face and held on, injuring me. Sometimes this was while I was moving. I wondered if it might have started as an attempt to balance himself and hold on. (I realize now that I should'nt move or move only very very carefully with him on my shoulder, but that is the main usefulness of having him on my shoulder- being able to multitask. Any ideas about how to get him to let go once he bites and starts hanging on?

[@weegiewarbler]

+Devra B (Grendelspal) ouch! I know how that feels. My Amazon attacked me biting my cheek really hard, drawing blood and damaging a small nerve - numbness persists to this day. I'd been away on holiday - my husband was looking after him, so not even left with stranger and this was his punishment for abandoning him.

[@keenanlee6401]

Thank you so much for making these videos. I would like to have a companion parrot in the future, and throughout all my research, your videos are the only ones I've found so far that don't bullshit about dominance training or pushing the bird to talk. You treat them like sentient, feeling creatures - which they are. It's really reassuring how you keep in mind that birds have wild instincts and personalities and that what they need isn't constant validation/attention, they need to feel secure in their environment and their human flock. Plus the fact that doing flashy tricks is not at all the most rewarding part of having a bird. Love the videos!

[@BJGvideos]

+Sunnie Lee Truth be told sometimes I feel like my bird is teaching ME flashy tricks.

[@TheAwey21]

i was screaming "GIVE HIM THE SCRATCH!" on the whole video Great video, will use those tips on my Blue Fronted Amazon Parrot

[@kiralachlan4802]

I'm still studying up in preparation for a bird, but at one point in this video Smokey whistles. She actually made my dog think I was whistling for him. Adorable.

[@IlTuboCatodico]

I'm watching ALL your videos because I'm thinking whether to buy an African Gray and wow, you are such a wonderful trainer and owner! I'm learning a lot from you and your videos and I hope to be as good as you with my parrot, in case I'll buy one. Thanks for everything you do and please, don't stop recording such wonderful videos! We have so much to learn from you!

[@GippyHappy]

I can tell that bird really trusts you when you grab her foot and she is just like "yo wuss good, where we goin?"

[@TheParrotMom]

This is the best video if seen about [non] Height Dominance. Great Job!

[@wingsNpaws]

The Parrot Mom Thanks!

[@jpavlovits]

thank you for these videos. I have two Greys, one purchased as a baby and the other rescued as a teenager. For twenty years I have studied birds and I must say that your advice is helping me to understand each behavior better and to see some errors in teachings of the past. Thanks you, I am more in tune with both of my babies :)

[@alexr215]

OMG you helped me again. ive been having trouble getting sapphire to step up but after seeing this video and another one i decided to try another taming sessions where i held the millet under my thumb and kept my pointer finger extended straight and firm. before i was kinda hesitant/weak finger perch like you showed at 7:06 and she wouldn't feel comfortable stepping up LOL but 2 great points you shared that nobody else mentions, 1. dont push on their chest, hold it in front of them above their feet so they step up on their own. 2. keep your finger straight and firm because they WILL peck at it but they are only doing so to check the perch stability before trusting their entire body and life to it - the peck may seem scary but it wont hurt - my budgie pecked at my finger a few times then BOOM gave me a nice 1,2 step up :D now i just need to keep her on and bring her out of the cage :( but im hoping that as i keep doing this she will trust me more and then want to stay on and come out :D ya screw pushing on them and forcing them to step up, BAD BAD BAD IDEA!!

[@jeweliarex]

***** I love your videos so much! I just brought home a parrot after 17 years of experience with other birds and your training techniques on socialization and desensitization have helped me understand Arnie so much. Its been about a week and he's already attempting words! I just thought I'd reach out and say I support Smokey and your channel very much

[@wingsNpaws]

jeweliarex Thank you so much for the support! I mean it. What kind of parrot is Arnie?

[@Wild0hChild]

Most grateful for your video and common sense explanation! I have such aversion to umbrella generalization and, particularly when it comes to parrots. Plenty false, misleading and misguided "info" out there, and this particular issue was something I've been grappling with again as we speak for I now have a baby quaker who's cage free, and made his hangout on a one of the tallest bookcases.I'll be sure to check out your other videos and am so happy I stumbled upon this one.

[@Mskatie1357]

it's like with wolves. people saw that in captivity there was a hierarchy or 'alpha' so they thought that hierarchy existed in the wild. but in reality there's no such thing as 'alpha' amongst wolves but instead there's mom and dad and all their children. same could be said for birds, they are family and if they build a bond to you, you are mom/dad and you don't need to show dominance. maybe this is the wrong analogy because I really don't know that much on birds but that's what came to my mind

[@wingedlynx2584]

Watching this video with my dusky conure perched on my shoulder. I really appreciate the advice, I've been having issues getting him to step from my shoulder to my hand and hopefully this will help.

[@Shull140]

Very helpful! Angel is gradually beginning to trust me more and nearly stepped up the other day, so thanks for the tips on stepping up!

[@wingsNpaws]

Samuel hull No problem! I'm working on another video that might be REALLY helpful to you. Wish I would've made it earlier before you got your bird but the opportunity didn't come up. It should be done 2 Mondays from now.

[@Shull140]

***** That's actually really good timing! My birthday is on July 14th and I will be buying Angel some presents :) Angel also turns 6 months old on Monday :)

[@Shull140]

+MegaMiner223 Yeah, so sorry to hear about your loss :(

[@annnissen]

Hi My Macaw likes to sit on my shoulders.. but sometimes he won’t stay there an gets on top of my head or climbs on my back... I guess he pretends to be a backpack. 🤪 I can’t get my hands back there and tell him to step up since I’m not very limber, I stoped yoga classes years ago😜 and I’m pretty sure he knows that. If he could speak I think he would sit back there and say “Na na na na na you can’t catch me. “🤣 Is there away to teach me to make make him stay in one spot. Any advise ? Please don’t tell me I have to start yoga again. 🤪

[@NeveMindAnything]

Smokes was like "not stepping up, me wants cuddles :p Great videos, keep the work up .. thanks to you i'm really wanting to buy a parrot, i had doubts cause everyone said not to get one, including parrot owners ..

[@BJGvideos]

+Empias Kater I wouldn't discourage it entirely, but speaking as a parrot parent myself I pretty much demand that all prospective owners do a TON of research, know their shit, and understand EXACTLY what it is they're getting into. Even a budgie needs care and attention.

[@debukarchowdhury8611]

You are so right. I trust very few breeders who really care for their animals.

[@abbasaly9013]

Bro. I have a semi tame Grey. He just wants to sit on my shoulder and when he does, he doesnt want to get off. Whenever I try, he tries to bite me. Today I applied your trick and it worked. I took him off and he bit me hard few times. But once he came off, I offered him treat and put him back on shoulder and after 2-3 tries, he came off easily without any bite. Thanks buddy

[@randykuklis8950]

Great video and comments. When I asked a breeder about this subject, they included in their response the importance of keeping the bird in sight. The bird on the shoulder is out of view, and if by chance the bird bites, the bite can be very serious considering the veins/arteries in the neck. Your thoughts?

[@MsKariSmith]

Your advise is sensible...thank you

[@lorencewinchell7829]

You have the best advice I have heard for birds, and or other species as well. Thank you for what you do!!

[@crystalinedreams6039]

you have such an awesome, amazing way of viewing the bird/human world. i thank you from my heart for sharing your knowledge, for the birds to have a better life and for the humans that want to share their life with a bird. have you or are you planning to write any books on the subject? there are many people who would get lost or get the wrong information online or just prefer books that could really benefit from your teachings. again thank you!

[@bRadicalmagic1]

Thanks for sharing this with the rest of us . Your advice is most useful & your birdie is VERY Special ! ! !

[@saltlifess6226]

Always enjoy your videos, thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@TangDynasty1983]

Excellent video as always. Was one of the pictures on the wall taken at Palace of Fine Arts?

[@jenniferlynn1659]

I was given an african grey parrot from my grandmother and he used to be out of the cage alot but unfortunately my grandfather had gotten sick and he was in the cage for a long time, can you give me some advice on helping him learn my trust to come out of the cage? I can get him to step up while in the cage but once I move my hand out of the door he freaks out and grabs ahold of the bars....I really want to love on my peanut and I have made a huge accomplishment with him by getting him to step up! do you have and advice that could help me out?

[@wingsNpaws]

Hi Jennifer, that's a huge accomplishment! At this point, it's important that you don't damage the trust you've built with him by forcing him to come out. What I would do is ask him to step up while he's in the cage as you are doing and just spend time feeding him his favorite treats while he's in your hand. You can slowly move your hand one inch and then reward him(but don't take him out). Then move your hand two inches and reward (but don't take him out). Keep on repeating this so he learns that when your hand moves, you're not trying to take him out and nothing bad is going to happen. Eventually, he'll be comfortable enough for you to take him out of the cage completely. He'll let you know what he's comfortable with and you just have to take it at his pace.

[@margaritad2809]

wingsNpaws hi I'm just wondering do you have any other birds and do you make other videos on other breeds of birds? I've just subscribed and I will be watching more!

[@nichegholm1]

Why did you put your grandfather in a cage?

[@raecoy]

I've been binge watching your videos and saving them in my birds playlist because my aunt and uncle have a very young African Grey that will certainly outlive them and I've been told I can have him when they pass. He hasn't had a whole lot of attention, hardly any at all, in the last 5-6 years and I fear I may have to retrain some things. I'm stocking up on parrot info for the next couple years so I can give him the best possible home! 😊😊

[@keandric2765]

How awesome that you're learning all these things and getting ready so that if and when you inherit the birds you'll be aptly prepared. Good job :D

[@arose60]

I love your videos, definitely taken a lot of what you've said into account since I've owned him, result is a happy cuddly Quaker who happily steps up to my or my partners hand to come out, has no issue stepping to our hand from our shoulder and doesn't fight us to stay out and usually happily obliges to voluntarily step up to a perch in his cage when it's time to go back

[@squaretriangle3945]

this is really insightful, thank you very much for all the knowledge you are sharing !

[@MRDonatas]

SO i love your channel and i am have to watch because in a few days owner is go for holidays and when i went to see the bird and the owner said go on my shoulder and din't

[@canxida]

Your videos are fantastic and a real inspiration to many parrot owners. My 3 year old Grey is very reluctant to take a flight harness and really freaks out whenever it is near her. I'd love to be able to take her outside for flight but have struggled with the harness for so many months I've just about given up. I've been told that harness training is only possible with birds from a very young age. Do you have any tips on how I can slowly get her to accept a flight harness?

[@seychelles44]

Hello all, I was wondering the cost of keeping a parrot. 1, How much will food cost PCM? 2, How often do you have to buy new toys? 3, What's the average insurance costs?

[@maybemo00]

All depends on what borb

[@TehYumehChan]

Thank you for your videos! Again, this is very well thought-out, especially when addressing some of the opposing viewpoints.

[@wingsNpaws]

TehYumehChan Thank YOU for watching! :)

[@TehYumehChan]

***** You're welcome!

[@jillglenn]

Thank you so much. I love your videos! Great advice! Keep the videos coming please.

[@sharonarogers2026]

Smokey is a great name for this great. Thank you for taking such good care of smokey as they are wild.

[@tribalwolf9804]

Hi, I have a parrot that I found outside. his wings were bloody and he was limping. I took him to my vet and in a few months I had a bird. he took a little while but now he is really talkitive but he does NOT like stepping up. I could give him head scratches and stroke his wings but if I ask him to step up he bites and nips at me. Any suggestions? this is my first time owning a parrot.

[@cacatr4495]

I know nothing but what I see in these videos, but it seems to me your parrot may have had a handler before you that wanted him to step up, and for whatever reason, he does not like it one bit. Have you developed a rapport of complete trust with him?

[@kindregardskatie]

Flock talk has a great videoing on training less tame birds to step up, watch it, she uses target training first xoxo

[@reda1727]

you are a legend i tried many videos and it works im from morocco my friend and you are such a great guy on teaching parrot i try my best with my new grey parrot !

[@cegeldenhuys7775]

Hi. Can someone help me with following question: I never had to teach my parrot to step up - he is very sensitive and will climb on my arm whenever I hold it out to him without any bite whatsover. My problem is that I will then become his personal "climbing pole". He will climb all over my body and sometimes hang/ride on the bottom of my T-Shirt just above my but or will e.g. hung upside down on my arm. sometimes he will do like a kind of flip down my shoulder and while holding with just his one paw will rest like a baby against my chest. I can kiss and scratch his belly then without hazzle. Also from recently he gets very jealous and while I feed my smaller birds he will say "uh - uh" and give me small bites although not painful. I have gone over to pretend to "bite" him back with my lips (at no stage do I hurt him, it is nothing worse than a kiss) since my whole arm is full of his little bite marks and as a result bruised. That worked at first but now he got clever and will climb upside down to the bottom of my arm and nibble there. My question is basically do I have some sort of special bond with my bird or am I totally wrong and raising the 3 year old to turn into some sort of psycho bird one day.

[@lexburen5932]

" I can kiss and scratch his belly " that's not a way to pet or stroke a parrot. kissing and scratching belly, is something that bird couples do. when you do that when he is in a hormonal behavior, then you become his mate after a while. That is also the reason why he gets jealous when you are feeding your other birds. He now thinks that you are his mate, wich is completely wrong. This is very hard to unlearn. I advise you to BirdTricks videos on youtube, on hormonal behavior, and how to discourage it, because it only gets worse from this point on if you keep scratching and kissing his belly, under his wings, his back, and tail feathers.

[@becm4993]

I don't know if you have addressed the topic before, but if not, could you do a video on routines and birds fear of change? I hear a lot of people talking about this issue, saying birds are too stressed by any type of change,and that they must have a certain amount of routine to be happy. This really worries me, as I believe the only way to have a well rounded individual (of any species) is to give them as many experiences as possible. And have an animal that is curious about the new. A bird that is unable to deal with something as small as moving into a new room, is not normal.

[@wingsNpaws]

Bec M I've actually been telling myself to address that issue but somehow never got around to it. You are spot on! The only thing routine about Smokey's day is the time I change her food/water. Aside from that, EVERYTHING (playtime, out of cage time, independent playtime, whether or not we train, etc) is kept completely random. She sees and experiences new things every day. I'm so glad you brought this up because I couldn't agree with you more. When owners try to keep a routine, the bird grows to expect those routines and won't learn how to handle changes. Since these birds never learn how to handle changes in their environment and view them as being a normal part of life, the slightest change could stress the bird out to the point where they begin to pluck. Again, this is a very important topic and I think it deserves a video of its own :)

[@saramahmoud3487]

This is super useful! My gran's bird is bitey on the shoulder and when he needs to be put back in his cage, and it's mostly towards me, not anyone else in my family gets bitten like I do because I'm the one who puts him back in his cage all the time. I'm hoping these tips will help.

[@Bunnywithablade]

I know this video is years old, but the fact that she's not co-operateing ALL the time, just shows that you have experience. Animals can't be counted on for tricks, the fact that you're patient is amazing!

[@abdelrahmanhassan3100]

very good vid. thanks bro you helped me alot in this problem keep up the good work .

[@wingsNpaws]

Abdel Rahman Hassan I love hearing comments like these. Your very welcome!

[@koolsam80]

Hello wingsNpaws..!! I really really liked your videos. And had been sooo helpful I just bought a alexandrine parrot. This is my first bird pet. 😀

[@tianasexotics8293]

Awsome video! Adopting my first african grey in just 6 days so doing lots of last minute research! Thanks!

[@Venuszenith]

I think your videos are full of good advise, I would love an African Grey but alas I do not have the time resources and space to give one a good life so I watch them on here they are beautiful birds.

[@kellypalmer8599]

My parrot is soooo opposite of most! He LOVES his cage, and gives us friction when we try to get him to leave his cage to go into another room! Once he is placed on a perch in another room, he seems to enjoy it though...and he never gives us any flack about going back to his cage, because he loves it there so much. Of course, he has his own iPad where he watches KZbin in his room, so I'm sure that's part of it!

[@themainflamingo134]

Excellent video, I will use this advice

[@jrgc5600]

I'm a bit jealous. I have a CAG who is 17 now, and I'm her third owner. Her first passed away after having her from a hatchling to nine years old. Her second heard her sad story and bought her without understanding what she was getting into and had her for five years under less then ideal conditions. I got her because the second owner finally gave up on her. For a while, I felt like I was making good progress with her - got her on the right diet, she was stepping up for me and my husband, was starting to forage and play, we started clicker training...and then she got sick. She had a bad sinus infection. She would not step up for me or go in her travel carrier. I had to towel her to get her to the vet. Then towel her every time to medicate her until she was healthy again. It's been a year since then but she still won't step up for me at all anymore. She will for the hubby, but I'm evil now because of the towelings. I don't even know how to fix it.

[@Lunamorado]

Thank you so much for the advice. It will help and explains alot.

[@qamarunnisajumani2467]

Just give her some love already! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️😭

[@UncleRanger]

For anyone who don't have a parrot, I dont have either. But it's always enjoying to watch.

[@LEADER911]

i just subscribed and i believe ur a natural! i got a 5 y.o. african grey the other day and need to know if its ok if i put the sheet on the cage for my bird to stop being loud while i have ppl around or watching my fav tv show? i dont want to be cruel in any way! i am sorry i asm asking here, but is there any other way to ask you questions??

[@mykickasslife5431]

I love the bird videos. I have a Solomon Island Ecclectus male that I have raised from a baby, and a Timneh African Grey that is 7 that we adopted because her owner died. All in all, we have had birds about two years now. It is a learning process! But, I have found personally that there is a lot of attention to body language and some intuition with birds. They have definite likes and dislikes, and trust is paramount! We dont do everything right. We also have four dogs, so we juggle for sure. But we are lucky because pur birds are very interactive, give kisses, and love to spend time with us.

[@dreadedbanter7072]

Hey! Off topic I know, but I was wondering what do you do for a living? I didn't know if it involved video editing? I edit video's and get paid (I'm only 15 but it's enough!). Your video's look really professional!

[@electricsunshine646]

You always have such good advice!

[@Celticcross688]

Height dominance does exist.. Thanks for your tips very helpful.. Smokie is beautiful.. We have a year old Turquiose Conure male.. he is a super talker very sharp boy so clear.. just started to dominate us two girls Tiki is my daughter's bird.. he sits when out of the cage above our heads on curtain rails.. also flies to our shoulders.. Tiki his name, has just started to nip earlobes and nibble necks.. also bit my lip after climbing down from a rail above me.. tonight.. I think a new set of rules has to be reinforced, around his cage. and less time out of his cage.

[@jtonga3736]

My African Grey LOVES to step on my shoulder without me asking. When she is standing on my shoulder, she will stand still and look around , explore as I walk around the backyard. She refused to get off my shoulder by biting my finger!! I guess it all depends. When I try to ask her to step down, she will fly away and back to her cage.

[@cacatr4495]

Remember he suggested to ask the bird to step Up, not to step Down. :)

[@MsKariSmith]

Great video, thanks so much for sharing.

[@peterzimmerman1114]

I heard the younger birds in nature flocks tends to follow the elders of the flock. Because they are the wise ones who knows where the food or medicine against a poison or whatever they need ... is. And the others also follow because they don't want to be left behind alone. Birds also got very different personalities, some can be a little bossy while others like to avoid conflict. The bossy type seems relatively rare among flocking birds though.

[@rivkashalvahweiss3080]

I clicked on this video because I have a new cockatiel who I've had about a week, she is 10 weeks. She steps up easily and is generally very gentle. When I take her out of the cage and I talk to her a lot when she's on my finger. She is constantly trying to get on my shoulder and nips and hisses at me or anyone else who approaches her. I have other birds and I've never dealt with this. I don't use my computer or my phone when she is out of the cage spending time with me. I give her toys to play with, with me. I'm at a loss on how to keep her from biting my fingers when I try to bring her off my shoulder.

[@vijayvaswani6076]

Could you help with stopping caiques from perching on the head? We have good trust and they do step up well, however they often fly onto our heads or that of guests which can be unnerving. We don’t use ANY dominance techniques and do not force our birds- rather we try to understand and incentive.

[@Megamare1]

Positive conditioning is key💯♥️🦜 but always respect the beak. Some have lost lips, cheek skin & even eyes 👀

[@Animefreakfan006]

The only reason why I don't let my rainbow lorikeet on my shoulder/head is because of the constant licking. He keeps licking my ear, the insides of my ears and when he's on my head he would 'preen' my hair. If I could stop him from doing that and if he could actually stay still on my shoulder without licking me at all I would let him be there as much as he wants. Another problem is that whenever I use my tablet pen he would jump on my hand and attack it sometimes making growling noises. At some points he would bite my hand really hard in the process. Is he just playing or is he scared of it? (He's also a pretty young bird by the looks of his beak. It's not a bright red colour yet. I rescued him not long ago as well so he is not trained yet. So I don't know his age nor his gender, I'm only assuming his a male.)

[@bakkedbren]

my gosh she is a sweetheart!!!! great job you do with her :)

[@gimmiethat911]

where can I get a perch like that?? it's incredible

[@OCDrummer74]

Hello, I'm just finding your videos and seem helpful thank you. We just acquired a Lilac Crowned Amazon who was in need of a home, and now a Senegal whose family couldn't care for him anymore. I wonder as you dispel some rumors, if you could share your basis for giving advice that is sometimes contrary to what many say, as height dominance or saw in another video about reacting when they bite. Our Lilac is nippy when on my shoulder and does not want to leave, and reacts to any hand movements, yet I can scratch her head. So, I appreciate rumors dispelled but helpful to also know where the info is coming from, Thank you

[@paulkearns100]

What your saying, parrot's are smparter in practical ways to which most do don't/can't see, everything interaction is relivent to them. Ive had 38 yr old Turquoise Fronted Amazon Parrot for the last 23 years. It's been awesome, he's loyal to one but loves to bite 90% females plus he won't let them speak longer than 2-3 minutes with gibberish in pitchy a female voice When I walking with him he wolf whistles and asked them to come over while he makes a smooching sound then a very clear hellow speads his tail feathers while seeking a way to get close. Well, I haven't clipped his nail in ten years nor his wings. His nails are very sharp, he don't hurt me he would never do that. He was not the easiest to train he was rather independent and had a two person relationship for his first 10 years but he had a boy and girl raised for those 10 years, their first 10 years of school, little girl Surly was no friend of his. I called him an old Salt but his name is Kermit. He going to out live it seems it's going to be hard for him it will for me. All way be kind

[@wryruss]

Subscribed. Good info. Thank you

[@rowaneberle9241]

Omg you picked him up by his foot but it’s so cute 🥺

[@Alexandra-dd7nj]

My bird doesn’t like to go on my shoulders. She prefers my hair, and I *want* her to be on my shoulder. Is there anything I can do to train her to like it? The second she *does* get on, she just climbs my hair, which is long, so I can’t stop her. Even when I put it to the side or in a ponytail.

[@gommel8780]

Smoky is in love with you.....awe

[@marie3925]

Thats it 3 videos of yours that i find very helpful and not this do it fast situations i am subscribing

[@Hakanozdemiruk]

I'm new to this hobby and learning so much. Within 2 days I have bonded very well with my 14 week bird. He likes sitting on my shoulder but then decides he rather sit on my head. Is this because it wants to be high up

[@duppy666.]

Smokey is just so adorable 😍❤️🧡💛💚💙