How not to tame your bird

[shinbatsu]

Never look your bird directly in the eye when he is on your shoulder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1quYYov0DQ

[linda040899]

I would tend to agree with your statement! Cute video! Aren't you glad you're working with a lovebird instead of a Macaw????? :lol

[piousm]

Kiki bites me on the lip, and strewth does it hurt! I get no warning, she can be happy happy, sitting on my shoulder, but there is just something about lips that she has to chomp, and when she gets them she really doubles down on the bite. I am very careful, and she still got me on the weekend. It is something that started when she got nesty (that and biting on the back of the neck to tell me to go somewhere), and I am having trouble getting her out of the habit(s).

[CompassionAk]

My Pele likes to bite my lip like that and one good thing about it that I'll never need lip injections to have that bee kissed look. =p

[BarbieH]

Some bird behaviorists advise not letting birds on your shoulder at all; I think this is more directed at larger birds than our lovies. However, if I had a bird nipping my lip, or anywhere on the face or neck (I've gotten my share of lovebird hickies!), that bird would not be in a position to do it again.

I had to carry Gracie and George lower on my arm, or on my chest, until I figured out what was causing those little neck nips -- I'm sure she thought it was perfectly sweet and appropriate, but my neck just doesn't have the same feathered protection! In her case, she was nipping there to get me to feed her. The counter-action was to give them food as soon as they came out with me.

[HaleBoppPeachyluv]

lucky me, sunny prefers to ride around clinging to the shirt on top of my boob. LOL She likes riding on hubby's shoulders though, i think becuase his are wider and more room.

i still get nipped in the face when she doesn't feel like a kiss though.

[michael]

Seeing how you still have both eye's, i'd say he's pretty tame. ... Perhaps the nose would work better? .... At least then you'd be able to inspect the damage! ...........:wink:

[alwaysodile]

Elphie got two chances at shoulder life. Once she bit my lip, then she tasted my earlobe. She has no such thing as a curious bite. When she bites, she bites hard. Thankfully, she does not bite very often. :)

From time to time I will let her cling to my t-shirt on the curve of my shoulder to get around, but as for actually using it as a resting spot? No. Those bites hurt!

[FuzzyAga]

I think the bites on the neck are for fun. My husband gets those a lot from Juanita. Chomp, "Aah!" How thrilling for her to hear that screech. My two could be preening in the sunlight, a mellow domestic scene and out of the blue Juanita will screech and chomp on Petey. Or try to, but Petey is fast and he can flit away easily. Something like this might be applicable to your case, Piousm. :) ...just a theory.

I think the bites on the lips are food related, like, is this wriggley thing edible? Let me taste it. Nope.

My two leave my face alone --- just the hands now, oh, and still my clothes. Holey clothes and scabby hands. :)

[Pips mom]

I've had my share of face, nose, neck and lip bites! the way I look at it, it was my own fault for getting my face so close.....although 95% of the time I can get my face close and he won't bite me! Pip is the same....happy and all of sudden out of the blue, he'll just give you a nip! Other times it's more predictable, but I wasn't careful! I would never stop letting my birds on my shoulder! It's worth it to me the slim chance I might get a nip here and there......sometimes it does hurt pretty bad, but mostly Pip isn't a hard biter, so I can deal with it.

[jimpierce]

hehehehe cute video!