Ruby VS the flight suit

[Boysmom]

Kya and I take afternoon/ early evening excersize walks, and we used to take Ruby with us. One time along the walk a neighbor who drives like a crazy person in a very loud truck raced by and scared Ruby, she took flight and flew about 10-15 feet downward ( she is clipped ) and landed. she instantly started walking toward me and stepped up, worn out from her flight. Since I have been conditioning her to the flight suit, and today was the first time I actually got it on her all the way. Ruby freaked out, she curled her toes in and wouldn't stand, she just rolled to the side. I panicked calmly and removed the suit, and she went back to the normal Ruby.

I guess my question is :
Has this happened to anyone else?
Is this normal or was the flight suit maybe too tight? It didn't seem tight.
Should I continue to try the suit with her ?

I would never want to traumatize Queen Ruby in any way, but she def had a negative reaction to it being fastened around her. It was almost as if she panicked and went into shut down mode. I have only seen her do this behavior once before, and that was when she flew into the front glass door and the vet said it was head trauma. That's why I think it was traumatic for her to feel confined in the suit. She has been her loving self ever since though.

 

[ruffledfeathers]

Gilbert hasn't done that same thing but he dislikes it a lot. What he does is puts his toes in the bottom of it and tries to pull it down and of course he falls over/loses balance and the whole thing is unpleasant. I can get it on him and 'make' him wear it because he is kind of easy, but I know he hates it so we don't use it.

How was Ruby when you were getting her used to it? I know Gilbert hated even just the sight of it for a while. Maybe she wasn't quite ready to wear it yet?? One other thing that I think I did wrong was not get it to sit exactly right around the top of the wing. When I realized that, he was better in it. However I don't think the size I have fits Gilbert exactly right either, so what you are saying about size and possible discomfort may be possible.

I'm sure others with more experience using it could have better suggestions. We have one, yes, and he has worn it about 5 times but that's it.

 

[Boysmom]

I ordered the size supposed to fit her, and I have been conditioning her for 2 weeks with it. At first she just wanted to chew on it, then she would allow one foot into it. Later I got both feet in but not a wing. She just seemed traumatized. It will take time I guess, more than what has passed already. She goes in public with me often and I just hold one foot with my fingers and it's never been a problem except for the day the Mario Andretti driver passed us on our walk. I just wanted to be safe with her, so if I can harness train her it is for her utmost safety. I have no intention on flight training her.

 

[ruffledfeathers]

Did you already try the aviator harness or no? Just wondered. (You may have said this in another post, sorry if you did and I missed it.) I bought the flight suit first thinking that Gil would take to it better but he did well with the aviator.

 

[MikeyTN]

I'm behind on trying it for the very first time on Lola....Heather couldn't get her to do it, but supposedly the previous owner before her did flight suit on her so we'll see what happens when I try it....

 

[Boysmom]

This is the suit I have: FlightSuits? Bird Diapers - Avian Fashions

Is there another different one I could try ? Something less confining to Ruby, so she doesn't freak out.

 

[ruffledfeathers]

This is the one i have had the easier time with: The Aviator Harness The Parrot University
It would still take some 'training' and time to get her used to it but once it's on, i think Gilbert seems perfectly comfortable in it and doesn't even pick at it.

 

[Boysmom]

Thank you Patti, I think that one may work much better for Ruby. I think she didn't care for the suit being around her body, this one will be much less confining. I am ordering one and will let you know how it goes getting Ruby to wear it. Time to restart the conditioning.

 

[ruffledfeathers]

I hope she likes it!!! I am very happy with the freedom it allows Gilbert to be with me.