Flight Harness on smaller birds?

[Agapornis]

When the weather warms up, I would like to take my little GCC for walks. Does anyone here have a small bird and use a flight harness? He likes to ride around on my shoulder, but I don't want to worry about him flying down and a hawk or other animal getting him before i pick him back up. OH, thats another question: Will a hawk snatch a little bird off a human's shoulder?

You can tell I am an over-protective bird mama. What to you small bird parents do for outdoor activities?

 

[ruffledfeathers]

You could either try a harness/flightsuit type of thing and see how the bird likes it, or, either for added security/protection or if your bird doesn't care for the harness, you could try a pet pocket carrier. i have had one for years, got it for Georgie, and when she saw it come out of the closet, she knew 'bye bye' was coming and got excited and hopped right in. I got to take her out hiking that way, places she would normally never go because i would worry. Gilbert has used it as well, although not much because the weather got cold shortly after he came home!

 

[Agapornis]

A pet pocket carrier! I like the sound of that. Is this what you mean?

Pet Bird Travel Cage: Celltei Birdie Pouch | DrsFosterSmith.com

 

[ruffledfeathers]

Mine is similar but you wear it on the front of you.

 

[MaraWentz]

People will tell you all different things about hawks. The people in the ton I'm living now near about had a heart attack when they saw Erin outside, and said that a hawk would swoop her, a macaw, off my shoulder and that they've seen them scoop up chihuahuas and other small dogs too. In my experience, I have never had a hawk come down anywhere where I was training Erin- be it on my shoulder or 20 ft away on a perch or on the ground and there were always 1-4 hawks out at least each time we trained. It's better to be safe than sorry because there are horror stories out there, each to its own degree, but the risk is yours'. I don't care for hawks as long as theyre not eyeing her up and shes not up in a tree.

 

[ruffledfeathers]

i'm not seeing the exact one i have listed in stock anywhere right now, but i just searched 'backpack bird carrier' and a few different ones came up. I walk 3 dogs with my bird in the pack so i like the totally hands free pack.

 

[Agapornis]

I like the idea of being totally hands free. I'm going to search for a backpack type bird carrier. That one from Drs. Foster & Smith can also be worn like a fanny pack, but that sounds kind of weird...plus its SUPER expensive! But then again, when it comes to our birds, money is no object, right???

 

[Shade]

I've seen small conures in what I believe are the smallest size Aviator harness.
My Cape was harness trained as a baby but I haven't put her in it myself - just too paranoid and afraid that she'll either chew through it (she's quite beaky) or that the leash will somehow get away from me. I much prefer the idea of the carrier.

 

[Izzie89]

My Izzie HATES her harness, I loved the idea of being able to take her outside and not have to worry that she would escape or another bird would take her.
I didn't know about the carriers till reading this - I love the idea. She has a travel cage that I painted pink and diamontied up for her, but it is very awkward to carry places, normally left for just the car.

I'm off to find a carrier now

 

[ruffledfeathers]

This is such a silly pic but it's Gilbert getting ready to go for a walk in the carrier i have.

 

[Echo]

Love this, Ruffledfeathers!!!!!!

 

[LoveMyParrots]

I have two cockatiels and a alexandrine parakeet. I use aviator bird harness and I recommend them.

It comes in petite, x-small, small, medium, large, x-large and xx-large. A GCC fits the petite size, it's for birds from 75g to 110g. They are probably the safest harness out there.

You can get them at the parrot university website, all the harness are $35, free shipping world wide.

 

[ruffledfeathers]

How are your birds with the aviator harness? do they 'like' them ok? any issues getting used to wearing it without picking at it?

 

[LoveMyParrots]

My cockatiels are totally fine with the harness. At the start they did tries to get out of the harness, now they are totally fine. With my alexandrine, I tried the feather tether, Ozzie did wear it, but he doesn't like it. Now I've ordered a aviator, I haven't got it yet. It will come tomorrow or on Wednesday.

 

[MonicaMc]

I have both the Feather Tether as well as the Aviator Harness. I personally prefer the Feather Tether as it's easier to get on and off, but the Aviator has better features all around.


Feather Tether

Aviator

 

[LoveMyParrots]

The feather tether is actually harder for me to put on. Because there are lots of clips, and it's pretty heavy. I think the aviator is a lot safer. I personally prefers the aviator.

But the good thing with feather tether is that you can unclip the leash, which sometimes makes it easier to use, but your bird can unclip it as well. So, it's a good thing and a bad thing.

There's nothing I don't like about the aviator so far, I've been using it on my cockatiels and it worked great.

 

[MonicaMc]

LoveMyParrots, I like the Feather Tether because it comes apart and it's easier to get on my mitred conure. He doesn't like it when I use the Aviator (which I know is a better harness) because the Aviator often touches the ends of his wings... it's simply easier to move the harness beneath his wings rather than over them.

Besides that, it doesn't seem as if he cares which one he wears. If we're outside, he mostly leaves it alone. If we're inside, he wants it off, and now! LOL

 

[LoveMyParrots]

That's what my cockatiels do too! When they are out, they don't seem to care at all, but when they are inside, they HATE the harness! Lol