the harness thing...

[Rana]

Hi guys!

i'm trying to get PipsQueek used to his harness, he was very severely clipped when we got him so we never really had a need for it, but now that he is fully flying operational, i don't want to risk taking him outside without it.

I found this thread but it didnt have much feedback http://www.parrotforums.com/training/21762-i-bought-suki-harness.html

so, any practical tips you can give to get him to like it? treats are not helping at all, i've left the harness in his box of treats next to his cage (he knows the sound of that box opening all too well, i figured he'd associate one with the other...) but that didn't work out at all, i played with it, but that just make him think it was a chew toy, and i carried it on me for a while...

he's not afraid of it, he goes to it, grabs it bites it etc,
he's fine with me covering his eyes holding him in any sort of position touching/stretching his wings - you name it. but as soon as the harness goes towards his head, he's a little ball of furry anger...

he had a little rant about it as well to his birdy friends...
birds in puberty....sigh*

 

[astar86]

with my ekkie what i did was hold the harness open and use a treat to lure him to place his head into it to get the treat. repeating that daily ofr a few days got him comfortable enough for me to start putting in on him.
Once it was on i would shower him with love and treats and then take it off.
He is still getting used to wearing it but it is going smoothly with that method.
Hope that helps

 

[Rana]

the only issue i have with that method is that - due to the size - it doesnt smoothly slip over his head, so he wont fully stick his head through when i lure him with a treat. but other than that i'll give that a go

thank you!

 

[tab_xo]

when fargo first saw the harness he was petrified of it! and would fly away as soon as he saw it.. i would hang it near his cage, then like astar said, would lure him with a treat.. he would have to walk over the harness and under the harness to get to the treat, so slowly he was becoming less scared.. i then would start to rub it on him while he was eating his treat... then we were in a bit of a slump, i didnt know what to do next! so i wrapped the harness around my arm and tried to pat him, he was a bit concerned, but the harness was wrapped tightly around my wrist so didnt look too scary... so when he was used to me patting him with it, i then unwound it a bit, so it was dangling, he was fine with that, so i had the loops hanging over his body and over his head and he was fine!

but the difference is, your guy ISNT scared, he just doesnt like it but you could try wrapping it around your wrist and scratching him

 

[josiesmom]

I guess I've been lucky. The first day that I got the harness, I lured Josie into it with a treat and continued putting it on her. As soon as we were done, I gave more treats and took her right outside....tons of praise and continued telling her that she is outside and bye bye. She never gave me a problem putting it on, it's a problem getting it off of her now. She will even bring it to me when she wants out. Good luck! Once they get used to it, it is well worth the effort to get them in it.

 

[Rana]

there's something i was thinking too - just go straight outside with him so he has a ton of things to distract him rather than sitting on my knee or wherever getting frustrated with it... i might give that a go. he will let me put it on though, but he really hates it

 

[JasmineGCC]

Hi my little green cheeked conure has progressed to putting her head voluntarily into the aviator head loop for a treat and will let me slip it past her eyes for a few seconds. I'm struggling to keep her still long enough to progress any further! She's like a hyperactive monkey

 

[MaraWentz]

It's not annaturalmfor a birds unless they grew up within they will prob. Bite at it and at weird in it. Erin ate through a flight suit in less than a day and a harness in 10 minutes.since she grew up with a band on her leg we are switching to a biothane falconry anklet which is indestructible and more natural since she is used to having a band on her leg.

 

[lotosha]

I purchased a harness to. As suggested by them I tried to work on wing lifting first but my AG went crazy. She won't let me touch her under the wings too. Any suggestions?

 

[Riio]

I have yet to try the harness on sunshine. We are still working at getting used to under his wings being touched. Rio fought me nail and beak to get it on, then when she had it on she would flop over like a dead fish. She acted like it weighed 10 pounds. Even when she went outside she would fall off my shoulder etc. So I gave up. Im hoping with sunshine things will be different! Good luck with the entire process! I wish there was a magic spell to put on these little buggers!

 

[lotosha]

I have yet to try the harness on sunshine. We are still working at getting used to under his wings being touched. Rio fought me nail and beak to get it on, then when she had it on she would flop over like a dead fish. She acted like it weighed 10 pounds. Even when she went outside she would fall off my shoulder etc. So I gave up. Im hoping with sunshine things will be different! Good luck with the entire process! I wish there was a magic spell to put on these little buggers!

Same thing here. I am afraid that if I push to much it will hurt her good bonding to me...

 

[JessieRosie]

Hi my little green cheeked conure has progressed to putting her head voluntarily into the aviator head loop for a treat and will let me slip it past her eyes for a few seconds. I'm struggling to keep her still long enough to progress any further! She's like a hyperactive monkey

That's the same as me and Rosie!!
She get's it over her head and then won't sit still long enough for me to get it on her. Cheeky! Not sure what to do next...

 

[Dinosrawr]

Hi my little green cheeked conure has progressed to putting her head voluntarily into the aviator head loop for a treat and will let me slip it past her eyes for a few seconds. I'm struggling to keep her still long enough to progress any further! She's like a hyperactive monkey

That's the same as me and Rosie!!
She get's it over her head and then won't sit still long enough for me to get it on her. Cheeky! Not sure what to do next...

Hey Jessie, just so you know this thread is 2 years old and you're unlikely to get a response. I would recommend checking the post date next time or looking for recent threads, as there's been a lot on the harness.