Harness vs. Flight Suit for my Green Cheek?

[AS91379]

I have a little Green Cheek, who does not have her wings clipped. I'd like to be able to take her outside with me and have been looking at harnesses and flight suits. Which would you recommend? I like the harnesses I've seen because the leash is in the front, but they look like they would rub. The flight suit looks like less rubbing, but the ones I've seen have the leash in the back.

 

[mysteryfoxes]

If I'm not mistaken (I've read on a few places) that you can turn the harness around on some of them.

 

[QuackQuack]

Any good ideas as to how we get them to let us put them on

 

[Luna]

Hi, I do not recomend this to others but both my wife's grey and my greenwing spend many hours out doors with only a leash locked to their band. They are never unsupervised and no injury has occurred.
Both accept the leash but really object to the harness D.D.

 

[roxynoodle]

Hi, I do not recomend this to others but both my wife's grey and my greenwing spend many hours out doors with only a leash locked to their band. They are never unsupervised and no injury has occurred.
Both accept the leash but really object to the harness D.D.

The problem is if the bird should decide to fly, it's possible it's leg will be broken. Parrots do have much more fragile legs than raptors. I realize though you said you don't recommend it for everyone, so I just wanted to point that out for anyone considering it.

I've never used a flight suit or harness so I can't comment more. With West Nile virus being in my area, I no longer take my birds outside, and use full spectrum lighting instead.

 

[Echo]

I find that for smaller birds, the flight suit is easier to use.

 

[mysteryfoxes]

Oh I love that little pink flight suit! ^_^

 

[Doris48]

I just bought the flight suit for our greenie.It was okay to put on but she hates it..I think it looks more comfortable then the harness does though.

We bought the blue with palm trees on it in the jr. small size and it fits perfect.

 

[Luna]

Further considerations. The two options sugested above are cirtainly the best if you can get them to work. I try to keep things in perspective. The few birds we occasionlt attach leishe to band quickly understand the limitation. The bird is much less likely to injure its self than to injured by inattentive owner who allows the leish to catch on a soild object. Yes West Nile is a consideration. However if you are outside with your bird you should know if mosquitoes are present and take action. Wild birds that have died have been expossed to many thousands of mosquitoes of many varieties. If someone lives within a few miles of Malton airport they may get malaria each summer,few peoply worry. Every time I pick up a handfull of soil I am exposed to "flesh eating virus" but even when the media makes it sound like it is something unusual or dangerous I still help my wife in her garden. After 35 years a a police officer I refuse to let "what ifs" that I hear so often affect my life. D.D.

 

[luvmytooo]

I find that for smaller birds, the flight suit is easier to use.

I love that picture Such a cute face
.

 

[roxynoodle]

My vet seems to consider the West Nile to be a real danger, so I listen to her on that one. I've had it myself as well, so if I can get it, so can my birds I figure. And my horses, which are vaccinated. I do not know of a vaccine at this time for our pet birds.

 

[Mike]

Further considerations. The two options sugested above are cirtainly the best if you can get them to work. I try to keep things in perspective. The few birds we occasionlt attach leishe to band quickly understand the limitation. The bird is much less likely to injure its self than to injured by inattentive owner who allows the leish to catch on a soild object. Yes West Nile is a consideration. However if you are outside with your bird you should know if mosquitoes are present and take action. Wild birds that have died have been expossed to many thousands of mosquitoes of many varieties. If someone lives within a few miles of Malton airport they may get malaria each summer,few peoply worry. Every time I pick up a handfull of soil I am exposed to "flesh eating virus" but even when the media makes it sound like it is something unusual or dangerous I still help my wife in her garden. After 35 years a a police officer I refuse to let "what ifs" that I hear so often affect my life. D.D.

A moment a sanity greatly appreciated.

 

[Echo]

I find that for smaller birds, the flight suit is easier to use.

I love that picture Such a cute face
.

Thanks . The birds love to go outside. West Nile virus is a mild threat here, but I make sure they are back in the house by dusk.

What I did do is set up a bat house nearby. 1 bat can eat 3000 mosquitoes in just one night!!!! So I bought a "bat condo" which houses multiple bats. It helps, when bats are around, no flying bugs stand a chance

 

[roxynoodle]

Yes, bats are wonderful! I never had any mosquitoes when I had a huge population of Big Brown bats in my old barn. The Toledo Metroparks people used to come here to study them, as they thought I might have had the largest population of them in the area. Then the barn came down in a tornado. I would love to get a big bat house out there, but don't really have access to a crane or bucket truck to get it up high like the old barn was. They thought it was the height and metal roof that they liked so much; that it provided the perfect temperature for them.

I'm considering building something for the birds that has both strong bars for raptor and other predator protection, but also screening that protects against mosquitoes. People, horses and of course birds have died in my area from West Nile. For us it's really only a concern if one has an underlying health problem that would cause them to get that sick. Otherwise it's like having a mild case of the flu. For the birds and horses it is a much more serious issue.

And last year was particularly bad for mosquitoes because we had record setting snow amounts followed by the rest of the year where it never seemed to stop raining. My road was flooded more times last year than the previous 18 put together. I also had both a tree and my dish for internet hit by lightening strikes.

 

[JonnyG]

I am currently using a harness with persie, the first few tries he didnt overly like it but now he is happy to sit still whilst I fit it. I am curious on how it will affect him for longer time periods, I would like him to come enjoy the sun in summer, I have no doors downstairs so its needed to let him out his cage. He is happy in it although he does nibble at it, I dont think its because its uncomfortable as he is easily distracted from it, I think its more he just wants to chew it...

 

[roxynoodle]

Your bird is very cute!

 

[JonnyG]

Your bird is very cute!

Thanks

He is brilliant, I have had him from about 10 weeks, he loves everyone, infact if your not so known to him he will generally prefer you as he loves the attention he gets from people, I think its a side affect from bringing him into work where he sits in reception and makes a show of himeself for people! He is so tame its amazing, best bird I have ever had...

All I need to do now is toilet training!!

 

[roxynoodle]

My toilet training technique backfired, lol! I turned my bird into one who goes and then announces brightly, "Poop!". The idea was for her to tell me before it came out.

I keep a paper towel nearby and when I see her take her poop stance, I slip it under her. But, I still sometimes get poop down my back or ha ha, in my hair.

 

[luvmytooo]

Oh that's too funny Roxy , lololol.

 

[roxynoodle]

Oh that's too funny Roxy , lololol.

I was in Pet Supplies Plus one day, not long after I got Rowdy and someone was in there with their Grey. The Grey told it's owner, "I need to make a poop." And I thought, well, she might not be a Grey, but I'm sure I can at least get her to say, "Poop." Well, I did, but not until after the poop arrived!