Nanday harness & cage question

[EKSM]

Besides twiddling my thumbs and looking at my two pictures of our new baby Nanday, and being on this site when I should be working, I am passing the time until he comes home by thinking of things I can do and get for him before he gets here, lol.

I have a harness question that I didn't see an answer to when I looked at threads about them. I have never used one before, but recently noticed a hawk that flies by in our yard once in awhile (once it was low enough to bump into the net around our trampoline!), so I bought one to use when I am sitting on our covered porch with our little guy. My question is, when I go and visit him until he is weaned, can I start showing him the harness? Or is he too young? (He is @ 7 weeks this weekend.) The store is a specialty store so it doesn't get many people in at once, but I still wonder if it's smart to do it there in case he associates it with anything stressful he might encounter there (I trust them wholeheartedly but you know what I mean, plus I am new to him.)

Also, so as not to start another thread -- previously my birds have been one-cage birds in their own room, with perches to hang out on in other areas with me, but I am thinking about changing things up a bit. Where I want to put his cage would be in the front living room, more action but no doors to close, and I know there are times I might want him moved (sometimes during cooking for instance, not that we use coated pans but I worry about heavy hot oil smells.) We have cats, and people, and lots of activity so I have never let my bird be on a perch in another room without me in it, so I need something protective and our house is such that I can't just roll his cage everywhere.

Does anyone here have any experience with having a secondary smaller cage for a few hours' containment, or even sleeping? I am not talking about a tall cage, but one of those sturdy travel table-top ones. Size-appropriate but styled like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018C***E/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

or this

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AQ3EK/ref=ox_sc_sfl_image_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

or even one of these, which I don't think are travel ones bc they are like 30 lbs, but at least are still table-top: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00836NRK8/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER


The other reason I was thinking about that kind of sleeping cage is, I have read that Nandays commonly sleep on their backs on bedding or slings, but I would never want to put anything at the bottom of a tall cage he'd poop on all day. I imagine if I set him up in a shorter cage he can choose which way he'd like to get in the habit of sleeping.

Anyway - sorry for the long post...any help is appreciated!

 

[Sunnyclover]

I have a sleep cage for my Nanday. There is some neutral colored toys and a sleep hut. I know I know sleep huts are bad but he doesn't chew it and I check daily. I'd NEVER put a sleep hut in his large day cage because he'd see it as a toy and surely chew it. Mine sleeps on his back but also chooses to perch sometimes too for sleep. We have a pet cam in his sleep cage so we often observe him. Don't put anything on the bottom of the cage for him...birds like to be high not low.
As for harnesses... aviator harness and just keep the leash sort and him on your hand or shoulder and he likely won't attract attention from a hawk. I actually just put my Nanday in a harness yesterday for the 1st time and posted about it here: http://www.parrotforums.com/trainin...y-harness-training-refresher-ollie-video.html