Discouraged with Aviator Harness Training :(

[BoomBoom]

I've had the harness a little over a month now. It's not that my 1 year old sun conure is afraid of it, he just does not like it around his neck.

So for the first week I gradually introduced it to him by setting it randomly around the apartment so he does not perceive it as a threat. I tried to put it around his head by the end of the 1st week and he did not like it.

I revised my approach by putting a nut on one end of the neck loop so that he puts his beak in through it to get the treat. That was successful. So much so that he runs to the harness when he sees it. By the 3rd week I tried to put it in through his head again while he was busy with the nut. It went through but he freaked out and for 30 seconds ran all around his cage as if he was getting eaten by a predator. I calmed him down so I could take it off. Luckily he is still not afraid of the harness.

Problem is every time he thinks I try to put it through his head, he knows what's up and runs. I've tried this in at other rooms away from the cage to no avail.

I need help!!! I want him to enjoy being outside, he looks out the window longingly sometimes that it makes me sad . Any tips for me? I follow YouTube guides but I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

 

[BeakersBro]

Same thing here. Beaker tries to run when I get out the harness. He's not afraid of it... he just hates it. He does squirm quite a bit when I try to put it on him. When it's on, he fidgets with it and chews it non-stop (even though I ensure it's not too tight).

I'm in the same boat as you. Maybe I need to work on some reward training.

P.S. Watch out for hawks when you have him outside.

 

[MonicaMc]

You might want to change your approach further... use your hands as the harness. Get him comfortable with you touching him around the body where the harness would go with your fingers.

Over time, you may be able to put your hands around him with the harness around your fingers. Leave your fingers and harness in place for a few seconds (before he would freak out), then remove both. Keep repeating this process and slowly lengthen the time that the two are there together.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Rather than the collar use the wing part to put over his head at first, and slowly make it smaller as he gets used to it. Once he has that down move to the collar. I use clicker training and love it. In my opinion a clicker is the best bridge out there and is incredibly useful when training.

 

[Akraya]

I just got my harness, I'm not stuck yet (except with Guapo, but he doesn't like to be touched so working on that first) but the advice is useful thank you!!! Both Misha and Nimbus are letting me hold up their wings after 2 days, pretty proud they're doing so well
Thanks again for the posts

 

[Sasha2]

Great post.I am having the same problem.My greencheek lets me do pretty much anything to her.But the harness is not something she is happy with.
She chews it constantly once on. Eventually I want to get one for Nacho but since he is new I imagine he wont be ready till next summer.

 

[BoomBoom]

Thanks for all the responses. Those are great tips, Monica and Copper. I'll keep working on it. Boomer never has any problem with me touching him all over, he will even let random toys touch him all over. If its the harness though, different story. He will run away or squirm away. I'll just let him see me with the harness all the time. I'll strap it on my wrist or drape it on my shoulder if I have to. I'll take it slow. As long as it takes.

In the meantime, he really needs to go outside again. I'm looking into a small wire cage I can put him in for walks in the park. He has a plastic carrier but its so enclosed he would barely be able to look out. It's bad enough that he has to enjoy the outdoors in a cage But its the next best thing at this point. I will also look downright silly walking down the street with a bird in a cage but whatever! LoL!

 

[MonicaMc]

Another option is to get a different color. First harness Charlie had was red. Second two are both green. He's a mitred conure, so has both colors on his body. Some birds, even if they *are* red, may find red or other bright colors (orange and yellow) a "danger" sign so going with neutral colors (green/black/blue/purple) may help. Talk to the company you bought it from or go directly to the manufacturer?

 

[noblemacaw]

I have been also harness training Valentino for the preperation of taking him outside. Spring is VERY slow in arriving so I have not been pushing it either. This is because when I get it on him I want to take him outside right away and it is too cold right now to take him outside. Monday is going to be 35 degrees again..back into the cold.

I have been trying to slip it over his head and he does NOT like that. I can put the harness on my hand like my hand is the parrot and I pet him with my harnessed hand and he could care less. He is not afraid of the harness but he will not let me put it on him. *sigh* I don't want to accidentally teach him to hate it by putting it on him but I am hoping once I got it on him and take him outside he will learn quickly that harness = outside and associate it with that. All my other birds did and although they were never thrilled with the harness they wore it and put up with it because it meant being taken outside.

 

[BoomBoom]

Monica, good point about the color. Boomer's harness is black but who knows if he responds to green better? I'll hold off on buying another one though, right now I'm becoming more open to the idea of using a nice bird carrier to take him on his walks. I'd rather spend my resources in investing on a quality carrier (if I do decide to go that route). I'll make a thread to see what everyone thinks of the pros and cons.

Noble, good luck on training! I'm not giving up myself but I just want another option incase my training fails or takes too long.