Harness Training

[lac575]

How long did it take you to teach your adopted adult (or almost adult) parrot to accept the aviator harness so you could put it on?

Thanks!

 

[wrench13]

Took me a year + to get my Salty happy with the harness. And that was working with him almost every night during our training sessions. 365 times + . He still gives me a bit of greif putting it on, but happily he no longer chews on it at all. Some parrots accept it easier, some never do. Salty was not an adult, he was a 3 month old Amazon. The key is
a) getting him used it being around his cage, play area , you
b) Finding his favorite treat - only use this for training
c) Holding the head loop open and placing the treat just before it
d) gradually (holding the treat in your other hands fingers) enticing his head thru the loop
e) Once he does the above, getting him used to the wing loops

By now, significant time has progressed and he is ready to try and put the harness on for real. This is a really short synopsis of how I did it. Some just take the bites and blood and force the harness on the bird ( I dont like that way). Good Luck!

 

[ChristaNL]

It's not the putting on they really mind - that took me a few tries after they got used to me (wo)manhandling them.
So... just a few weeks actually- getting them to stick their heads in the smallish loop was the most difficult part-, and I am *no* parrotwhisperer!

They just won't stop chewing and pulling once it is in place. -> I sort of got stuck with them there...


So I went back to square one - Sunny (new to it) has to start somewhere, so the greys can join in.
(Or the other way around - sometimes I am not sure what they are up to )

She is after a few weeks in the "I will shake it to death", "throw it all over", "stick my head in the first loop, grab the treat and then scuttle backwards as fast as I can" stage.

I am not sure if the greys are actively mocking her, but they give grand immitations of how she does it!
(they both will just let me put it on them, they don't really make a fuss or care what I do but also will not actively participate during all of it -> hence the square one for them.)

I wanted Sunny just to get chill around it first, but after seeing the greys get treats (!) for sticking their heads in a loop she insisted!
Sometimes she will take a run at it - and get herself entangled - drama and panic of course - and after being untangled and a short breather she will just try again...
(she is treats-crazy? Munchy-mania?)


I almost wanted to find someone with a really well trained aviator-savvy-parrot so they can see how it is done! I am sure it will only take them a few sessions around said bird to get it right.
Its inventing the wheel over and over again that is the difficult part (for all of us).
Maybe I should let them watch the instruction DVD's by themselves and talk it over.

 

[IndySE]

I have no idea. I've been training Kermit to accept a harness for over a year. She was doing great, then all at once backpedaled and was terrified of the harness -- so we took a big long break and started back at square one. I'm an inconsistent trainer which means my results take a lot longer. We're at the point where she'll stick her head in the harness loop and tolerate it for maybe 3 seconds before backing out. We're working on getting her desensitized to her wings being handled. But honestly? I'm not sure we'll ever get it together. After watching her backpedal from pushing her too hard, I'm proceeding very cautiously I want her to be very comfortable with the process, and maybe that's not something that can ever truly happen with her. Still, we'll keep up the good fight.

 

[noodles123]

still trying...lol
I honestly think the head-hole in my aviator is too small, but honestly, I haven't worked with her enough on this....I am sure if we practiced daily, there would be progress, but it isn't #1 on my current priority list, as the weather is getting cooler and she is currently a huge harness hater.

 

[TiredOldMan]

still trying...lol
I honestly think the head-hole in my aviator is too small, but honestly, I haven't worked with her enough on this....I am sure if we practiced daily, there would be progress, but it isn't #1 on my current priority list, as the weather is getting cooler and she is currently a huge harness hater.

Anakin averages about 615g. By Aviator size chart he should be able to squeeze in to a medium. Having a medium on hand I tried it. Went on fine but taking it off got me bit three times. I bought a large and it is MUCH easier going on and off with the much larger head hole. I haven't been bit since.

 

[noodles123]

GOOD TO KNOW!!!! I am glad you tried this, because I am pretty sure it's a major issue for mine.

 

[MonicaMc]

It is recommended to go up a size with the aviator harness... at least with medium/large birds.


As for how long it took? Well, I've only got one bird who wears the harness... and it's been pretty much stick it on and go. Putting it on is actually pretty easy! No training required! Granted, he did wear one before I adopted him... but again, it's been put it on and go. He does attempt to chew it, especially if we are inside. If outside, he ignores it a little more.


Pretty much, I just got lucky with him... would not recommend that with other birds!

 

[LeslieA]

I had more trouble with flight suits than Aviators. Ther

 

[LeslieA]

Oops I messed up while playing with my GCC.
Anyway, 2 of my 7 (soon it'll be 3 of my 7) wear Aviators. Time for me is 3- 6 months depending on the bird.
I find that my birds do well with the charted /recommended size. Of course, my birds are medium to small birds.
Best wishes with the choice you make for you and your bird(s).

 

[sweetpeamusic]

I use flight suits… I have an insane bird who loves wearing them (I've had him since he was around 8 weeks old though and asked the breeder to get him familiarized with them a couple of weeks beforehand). He screams and bites when he isn't wearing one outside his cage, putting it on seems to calm him down. I attach the leash to the velcro back of his flight suit, I don't know about bigger birds but Nico is not even close to strong enough to break free/take it off on his own. I find flight suits easier than aviators since when I take him outside people are usually worried about poop everywhere, haha.
I think one of the reasons why Nico loves his flight suit so much is that it's consistently associated with being allowed to sit anywhere he wants (especially my bed and my head!) and fun experiences (walks, meeting new people, new stuff to chew on, etc).
I do agree it's very important to have the correct size, imagine how you'd feel wearing something that's too tight! And obviously if it's too big they might be able to wriggle out of it.