Harness time

[Camille]

I took Floyd outside into the big wide world yesterday. He was very nervous, but did explore a little. As soon as I sat down next to him he was crawling all over me.

He is so funny, after I get him inside and undone, he wipes his beak crazily for a couple of minutes.

He does become frustrated when I am taking the harness off, but he had done that throughout all of the harness training. He bit my so hard I bled yesterday. Will he just get used to this in time, with more exposure?


Here is my boy.

 

[Agapornis]

awwwww he looks so pretty in his red harness! i love that color on him, much better than Fiji's black harness. I havent been able to get his harness on by myself, for now it's taking 2 people to do it. I think its just putting it on and off, and giving lots of treats. I am hoping that Fiji eventually will realize that when he puts on his harness, he gets to go on an adventure!

 

[Jos]

How cute! I need one for Quig...

 

[LoveMyParrots]

What a cutie!

Ozzie loves to go outside! He sometimes gets a bit frustrated when I can't take it off, but luckily, he has never bite!

Floyd looks fantastic in his harness!

 

[Camille]

We just went out again and I just had to share these....









Hehehe

 

[Camille]

All the colours have come out funny, sorry.

 

[LoveMyParrots]

Aww, Flody is just such a cutie! Loved the photos! Very beautiful! That just made my afternoon! Lol

Thanks for sharing!

 

[khaiqha]

I despise you guys lol. I was able to train my Alex to put one on, but once on, he freaked out so badily. He flew and flew until he couldn't fly anymore, and repeated this for 45 minutes straight. The second time this happened, his breathing rate dropped and he struggled to keep his eyes open. When I went to take it off, he got his second wind and resisted me to no end. I ended up having to towel him and cut off the harness with scissors.

My guy has a phobia of hands above him. He almost never lets me pet his head, and freaks sometimes when my arm is above his eye level. At the store he was fine with hands, but when the worker just grabbed him and boxed him, my guy got a phobia of grabbing, and things around him in general. I wish I had just held him (like hands around him) more as a baby so he wouldn't be afraid.

I've been targeting him under my hand every day since I brought him back home in July, and he still does it, fearfully, and only a few times. Short of flooding him, I don't know what else to do. My last hope is that my friend is getting a snuggly sun conure, so I'm hoping I can have him learn by observation that petting and holding is ok.

I should note that my guy's perfect in every other way. Not an abnormal screamer, not too destructive, is house trained (so awesome), always steps up, never bites, snuggles under the blanket, likes to give kisses, and allows me to pet him with my nose. I jus wish I could harness him so I can let him fly outside. Free flying is out of the question as 1) I cant afford a trainer to train us and b) I doubt my guy is a good candidate. His first reaction at any new location is to freak out and fly all across the room to get a feel of it, then he calms down and behaves normally.

 

[LoveMyParrots]

I despise you guys lol. I was able to train my Alex to put one on, but once on, he freaked out so badily. He flew and flew until he couldn't fly anymore, and repeated this for 45 minutes straight. The second time this happened, his breathing rate dropped and he struggled to keep his eyes open. When I went to take it off, he got his second wind and resisted me to no end. I ended up having to towel him and cut off the harness with scissors.

My guy has a phobia of hands above him. He almost never lets me pet his head, and freaks sometimes when my arm is above his eye level. At the store he was fine with hands, but when the worker just grabbed him and boxed him, my guy got a phobia of grabbing, and things around him in general. I wish I had just held him (like hands around him) more as a baby so he wouldn't be afraid.

I've been targeting him under my hand every day since I brought him back home in July, and he still does it, fearfully, and only a few times. Short of flooding him, I don't know what else to do. My last hope is that my friend is getting a snuggly sun conure, so I'm hoping I can have him learn by observation that petting and holding is ok.

I should note that my guy's perfect in every other way. Not an abnormal screamer, not too destructive, is house trained (so awesome), always steps up, never bites, snuggles under the blanket, likes to give kisses, and allows me to pet him with my nose. I jus wish I could harness him so I can let him fly outside. Free flying is out of the question as 1) I cant afford a trainer to train us and b) I doubt my guy is a good candidate. His first reaction at any new location is to freak out and fly all across the room to get a feel of it, then he calms down and behaves normally.

I think the thing you did wrong was that you took the harness off after your alex was scared. At the start, Ozzie was very afraid of the harness too. And every time before he starts to get nervous, I took the harness off. Although you are taking the harness off at the end, it has already given your alex mad memories, that's why he would be very scared while wearing it.

It took me 2 months until I put the harness on Ozzie for the first time. And anther week until I took him out. At the start, when he is on the harness for 10 second, I would take it off him and reward. And longer and longer, until he is in the harness for 10 min.

I would not give up on harness training your alex. Just take it nice and slow, you will get there! It would be very fun to harness train him!

Good luck

 

[khaiqha]

He freaks out the second I get the harness goes under his wings. That's why I waited 45 minutes, hoping he would calm down, but by that point he was fainting. He sticks his head through the collar portion just fine, and removes his head just fine. I didn't attempt the harness uner the wings until 3 month in.

My IRN wore a harness with no issues. She was also not afraid of being grabbed or having my hands manipulate her. I have to figure out how to get my Alex over his fear of hands on him.

 

[cthulhus_minion]

He looks so adorable with it on!!!

Have you not heard? The bird is the word!

 

[silentcyborg]

Awwwww he looks absolutely adorable! Such a cutie!!....How old is he?

Thanks for sharing....God bless you both!

 

[Camille]

Awwwww he looks absolutely adorable! Such a cutie!!....How old is he?

Thanks for sharing....God bless you both!

He is 6.5 months old thank you

 

[Camille]

He freaks out the second I get the harness goes under his wings. That's why I waited 45 minutes, hoping he would calm down, but by that point he was fainting. He sticks his head through the collar portion just fine, and removes his head just fine. I didn't attempt the harness uner the wings until 3 month in.

My IRN wore a harness with no issues. She was also not afraid of being grabbed or having my hands manipulate her. I have to figure out how to get my Alex over his fear of hands on him.

Floyd doesn't like to be touched much and it has taken a great deal of persistence and patience. He sounds like a lovely little guy. Just keep practicing a rewarding his progress.