A Henry dilemma...what would you do?

[itchyfeet]

So...Our son Jack is 5. His school teacher has asked if I'll do parent help for literacy, with Henry. The whole 'read to the animal, not the human' kinda thing for those not so confident.

Now this is Henry's dream job. He's my doing anything, eat anything, play with anything, go anywhere, to anyone bird. But aside from that, he spent most of the first year of his life in a classroom with his previous owner. He loves this stuff.

But there's a catch. Confession time. He was so awesomely harness trained, and then not, and then we made progress, and then somehow taking it off him one day he got a fright or something went wrong - I don't know what - and he was distressed. I quickly grabbed the scissors and snipped it off him. His safety was priority number one and you've got to get it went wrong, and was over and done with, in a matter of a few seconds. I don't even really know what happened.

So no harness, fully flighted, dodgy at best recall. To take him, would be to clip him. Normally I wouldn't care - he has an awesome life and that gives him freedom and opportunity that he wouldn't have otherwise. I wouldn't bother for the other two but this is Henry's thing.

Except him, Marley and Ethyl are getting on really well, and are loving their flying sessions together. And it's impressive to watch. It's a risk to take that from him...I don't know how he'd cope if the others were out having a grand old time and he could just glide to the floor.

I'm kinda feeling like he's losing out here either way. Wouldn't have been a problem if I didn't muck up the harness. We had suck a good thing going for a while It's enough motivation to consider starting again, but after his fright It'd take months...I have four days to decide....

 

[Doublete]

Have you tried since then? Maybe you would be surprised.

I've heard even clipped birds are not truly grounded so I could never rest easy taking a clipped bird out.

 

[itchyfeet]

Have you tried since then? Maybe you would be surprised.

I've heard even clipped birds are not truly grounded so I could never rest easy taking a clipped bird out.

Fair point! I've got a tiel size but won't risk that....could suck it up and order another one.
In this scenario the classroom would be closed, with a laminated sign on the door warning people.

Could I use Ethyls harness in the meantime to work on desensetizing (sp?), and buy Henry's new one in the same colour?....

 

[plumsmum2005]

Morning itchyfeet, my thoughts are that he probably saw something that scared him whilst wearing the harness - it only needs to be a bird of prey many feet up in the sky but they see them! So you wont know if its about the harness or not without trying one. The other alternative is have you a decent size travel cage or dog crate at a pinch? He can see and be seen, interact etc and has all that he needs with him some food etc and no risk of escape unless you get some little fingers exploring!

 

[JerseyWendy]

I whole-heartedly agree with Plumsmum about the travel container!! I think it's a phenomenal one!!

 

[Anansi]

Hi, Itchyfeet! I definitely would not clip Henry for the purposes of making this opportunity work. Especially given that he loves flying about with Marley and Ethyl. Why mess with something that currently works and that he enjoys?

Besides, as Doublete and Plumsmum pointed out, you might actually be surprised the next time you try to put the harness on. Sometimes an experience will traumatize a bird, but other times they'll just shake it right off.

For example, the harness experience with Maya went horribly sideways the first time I had to take it off of her. HORRIBLY. SIDEWAYS. I'm talking full on freak out and entanglement! To say she was vexed would be an understatement! Yet, surprisingly, she went right back to putting it on a few days later. It was as though nothing had happened. I think I was more traumatized than she was. Hahaha!

How much does Henry weigh? According to the specs, a bird weighing between 75 and 110 grams can wear a petite sized harness, which is the size for a cockatiel. 115 would be very much on the smaller end for an average IRN, though, so unless Henry is just very petite for his species I wouldn't work with the 'tiel harness.

Maybe you could pick up a fitting size right quick? Or go with Plumsmum's idea of using a travel cage. At 5 years old, I'm sure the children will be fascinated with Henry even from within the cage.

 

[itchyfeet]

Thanks guys! It seems so obvious now

There are a few retailers of the aviato who may have one or two on hand, but usually it's a matter of preregistering for an order, then an import process from Aussie.

I do feel a little guilt about him being in his travel cage there, but it is the best of both worlds - flight with the others and time out.

The pack o bird is becoming more and more appealing....

 

[plumsmum2005]

Thanks guys! It seems so obvious now

There are a few retailers who may have one or two on hand, but usually it's a matter of preregistering for an order, then an import process from Aussie.

I do feel a little guilt about him being in his travel cage there, but it is the best of both worlds - flight with the others and time out.

The pack o bird is becoming more and more appealing....

itchyfeet I have a pack o bird, backpack and a travel cage. The back pack is fantastic to take Plum out and about but he is inaccessible to me ie zipped in - the front is mesh.

The travel cage is open so I can give him a treat, head scratch etc. I feel if we are not actually doing something that is stimulating him whilst in the backpack I shall need to send it back for repairs sooner rather than later as bored parrots chew!. So I would recommend one but they have to be used at the right time IMO.

 

[itchyfeet]

Thanks guys! It seems so obvious now

There are a few retailers who may have one or two on hand, but usually it's a matter of preregistering for an order, then an import process from Aussie.

I do feel a little guilt about him being in his travel cage there, but it is the best of both worlds - flight with the others and time out.

The pack o bird is becoming more and more appealing....

itchyfeet I have a pack o bird, backpack and a travel cage. The back pack is fantastic to take Plum out and about but he is inaccessible to me ie zipped in - the front is mesh.

The travel cage is open so I can give him a treat, head scratch etc. I feel if we are not actually doing something that is stimulating him whilst in the backpack I shall need to send it back for repairs sooner rather than later as bored parrots chew!. So I would recommend one but they have to be used at the right time IMO.

Oh thanks for that Plumsmum! A very handy review!