Harness Training (Videos)

[ChristaNL]

Yup- the clips are actually *the* reason I went with the aviator ones.
(metal clip-ons & birds with strong beaks...asking for trouble / just my unhumble opinion of course )


LOL, my cag are *not* helping - by tightening the strap for me!
Japie is fascinated by the process and will grab a random piece of the "tape" and start pulling it!
Usually it is not the part I would have chosen, but he is having so much fun!
So putting it on and taking it of again...not a smooth procedure.


I am trying the "drop it" command, but you know parrots: sometimes what they are doing is so much more interesting than whatever the human is asking them to do...


(Going through the youtubes you al posted - so much great information/ and yes, of course I made a few mistakes along the way, now lets see how we can fix those. I have the DVD's - but no way to play them, so I have been winging it- and the Heidenreich vid of course.)

 

[Anansi]

I hope you keep us posted on your progress, Christa. Harness training can be so tough... but so very rewarding!

 

[ChristaNL]

Well, since Japie decided to take them for flying lessons ... I have to find them first!

 

[Anansi]

Find the harnesses? Or the birds? Lol!

 

[ChristaNL]

(grinnnn) Birds are all acounted for - now those harnesses ...
(I make little bundles of them, like knittingwool, and Japie found that *very convenient.)


Just like when he steals my phone: he flies away with it and then - finding he can't land with it- just drops it somewhere.


That bird is part duck en I asume one of his ancestors had a fling with an amazon -delivery-guy/gall as well.

 

[faysalitani]

Excellent thread & videos, thank you so much!

For those of you who have harness trained, what harness would you recommend?
Now that Levi is flying, I really don't want to clip him. However, I still want him to be able to enjoy the outdoors w/ us.

Thanks

Everyone will say aviator, but I firmly believe had we gone with that one, Kiwi would still not be harness trained. Too complicated, must be pulled on and off and is all one piece, including the leash. Probably good for birds bought as had raised babies who have been target trained all their lives. Not so good for obstinate/older set in their ways birds who are resistant to target training methods and have no desire to wear a harness.

As our bird fits the latter description above, we went with the father tether. Took about 2 years to get him to wear it too. Lots of patience required for harness training! Having the ability to unbuckle rather than pull it off him was invaluable during early training. Also, the leash is detachable (like a dog leash) so not having a 3' piece of cord dangling there to get tangled up while trying to wrestle a harness on a less than compliant bird was also beneficial to the process. The harness can also go on the bird both ways (leash clipped in the back for "walking" or to the front on the belly (for riding on a shoulder), if that makes sense. Since Kiwi's feathers hide portions of the harness, I made this demonstration image of how it fits using my feather-free hand

I found this video helpful too in making my decision to go with the father tether instead of the aviator:
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqL6_fsjrIY"]Putting the Feather Tether on your parrot - YouTube[/ame]

Very interesting. You're literally the first person to tell me this. I tried with the aviator but gave up. I went by the book, took it slow, did everything I could and while I did get him to wear it he hated the removal so much that I think he started to hate the whole thing as well. I just stopped at that point. Im going go try the feather tether. I reaaaallly want to harness train him.

f

 

[ParrotGenie]

I may do a video on how to harness train a bird properly and quickly, as have to train a macaw soon and a cockatiel, but plenty out on YouTube already that are pretty detailed. As have people on here that claim they are still months later trying to harness train a bird and get bird use to it. Most birds I harness trained even birds I just started working with and not fully bonded to me it take me on average about a week, even a Amazon that was well over 30 years old. I prefer the aviator as it comfortable for the bird, as I tried flight suits and other harness and they tend to chew on them and unconformable due to clips, or material to thick, or easy to chew as not strong durable material? With the Aviator have it on them at times for over a hour with them not even noticing it, or trying to chew on it. It not as hard, or as complex as some people make it seem to harness train. It took my U2 baby which is 29 years old and pretty resistant to Target Training as she was never trained before I received her and took her only 3 days and literally take about 1 minute to get it on and off of her. My male U2 Cooper next day he adapted to it. He even put his head in the loop for me. Birds are like politicians. The more you bribe them, the more they will reward you back and accept the training and you have to trick the bird into it as video below shows.

One thing did notice on the Aviator worth mentioning is that sometimes you do have to go a size bigger then recommend size. As loop that goes around head sure be big enough to slip on easy while not being snug that it can slip off easy as well. Now never tried the feather tether, but see those metal clips that the harness go in, not sure how comfortable that will be? Plus way more steps then the aviator harness. The aviator just loop on head and then straps under wings and tighten down leaving it slight loose to where finger can slide in. That it and take me one minute.

Here a couple of good videos