Flight Harness Help

[Cazz]

my conure Jack is now 6 months old and loves flying indoors.
is it a good thing to let them out for a walk with Harness? and any recomendations

 

[Beakaboo]

Sure, the hardest part is conditioning them to understand the harness allows them fun things like going outside to have extra fun, but they seem like they are worth the effort to train them to use. I just ordered one myself, and plan to use treats to slowly adjust mine to wearing it.

I got the aviator harness, but there are many out there to choose from depending on preferences.

 

[wrench13]

The Aviator harness is the one to measure all other harnesses by. However, and this is critical, most parrots do not take to wearing a harness gladly. They need to be gradually introduced to it and to wearing it. It took me almost a full year, of every night training sessions, to get my Salty to accept wearing one and not spend the whole time trying to chew it off. We still put it partially on almost every night, 8 years later. Now a days, he puts it on as easily as you or I put on a jacket.

 

[Cazz]

Thank you for advice, tought if I started while jack was 6 months it might be easier. Sounds like either way, it’s going to take time and patience.

 

[wrench13]

IT does! Unless you have one of the Wunder Parrots that takes to it immediately (rare!), its a gradual process. I;d suggest:

• leave it near his cage for a week or 2, gradually bringing it closer and closer
• Start giving him the special training treat through the head loop in the harness, at the door of the cage - and then graduate to doing that when he is on a training perch or your leg
• THen start asking him to get the treat by putting his head thru the loop, slowly increasing the amount he needs to put his head thru.
• Then start draping the wing loops OVER his wings
• Then start actually putting the harness on

You must be able to manipulate his wings in order to get them thru the wing loops, so start desensitizing him to that too, and learn how wings move -you dont want to extend his wing wrong and possibly hurt him.

Hardness training is probably the most difficult thing to teach a parrot to do, but is soooo worth the efforts.

Salty early in his harness training:

 

[Cazz]

Thank you for advice, tought if I started while jack was 6 months it might be easier. Sounds like either way, it’s going to take time and patience.

Great video, i see wht you mean i will get the treats in and start soon. harness ordered

 

[Beakaboo]

Great video, i see wht you mean i will get the treats in and start soon. harness ordered

Videos are so helpful! I just got mine today, and my guy was on my lap crawling all over it and beaking it curiously. He put his head through it [just wing part] for a treat, but can see how it's going to take time to fully get it on.

I found this video specifically for green cheeks and thought I'd share. Hopefully it helps when you get yours too.

Adding this video [thought it was pretty great]

 

[wrench13]

I also want to mention the color of the harness itself. Using a green one is probably the best choice because some parrots are very sensitive to the color of things. I would not get a harness with the same color as the flashes of color at their shoulder. For some reason some birds do not like anything that color. Seen it happen over and over again with harnesses and also with spray bottle tips. A parrot freaks out at a spray bottle with a red tip on it, changing it to one with a blue or other color, and the bird is fine with it. So just keep that in mind.

 

[Beakaboo]

I also want to mention the color of the harness itself. Using a green one is probably the best choice because some parrots are very sensitive to the color of things. I would not get a harness with the same color as the flashes of color at their shoulder. For some reason some birds do not like anything that color. Seen it happen over and over again with harnesses and also with spray bottle tips. A parrot freaks out at a spray bottle with a red tip on it, changing it to one with a blue or other color, and the bird is fine with it. So just keep that in mind.

I had no idea about this. I got black, and mine doesn't appear to care about the color. /whew

So far, we're doing pretty well with it and even went outside today to enjoy a bit of fresh air and sun. We adjusted things as needed to work for us, but really glad we went with this harness...he doesn't obsess with it at all, and even gave kisses between his treats.

 

[wrench13]

@Beakaboo - Good work, how long did it take you?

 

[Beakaboo]

@Beakaboo - Good work, how long did it take you?

Thank you, it took around a week. I am going to back up a tad, even though he's doing great, I think I could do better with his wings in making that smoother [found a better video, slipped it in above with other].