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So Ive been working in this bird sote and have become attached to two female Tiels that live in the same cage. I take them out and after seeing how they acted put them on my shoulders. For the first couple days had no problems, stepped up great from my shoudlers, but now they've gotten to know me and won't get down. They try to nip but I insist they step up. I'm guessing no shoulders, right? But they feel safe up there, is there a way to get them to be less"bratty?"

They just like it on your shoulders so well they don't want to leave. That's not bratty 'Tiels are so small that I don't worry about their bites unless I need to catch one for vetting or medicating. Then they can panic and bite really hard, but just getting one off your shoulder shouldn't be too hard. My way is to gently but firmly put my finger to a foot while saying Up in a calm and firm way, like I'm teaching, not reprimanding. If at first, she resists, maybe she'd let you cup her in both hands loosely and pick her up that way. Worth a try while she's learning. Try always to let her get her feet around something, finger, thumb, or another part of your hand. They don't like the insecurity of just dangling.

I give shoulder rides to many of my birds and have no qualms about 'tiels at all. Obviously, the larger the bird, the greater the lunge capacity and beak strength, so I'm selective. I like my eyes and lips as they are.

Haha. Thanx Bluesbird. But the problem is they seem to like to avoid my hands and scuttle to the toehr side. Do you have any tips on getting the other tiels out of their cages. They sing to me and come close to me but when I open the cage door and put my hand on the outside they get nervous and go into the open beak mode. Thanx

My male, Boomer, often refuses to get off my shoulders too. He bites at me and runs around out of my reach. It's hard to get him off when he doesn't want to! If my husband isn't around to get him off, I usually sit down on the couch and he hops off on his own. It's not the best method for 'tiel removal, but it usually works!