What do you think about the Flight Suit Diaper?

[Timneh]

I was thinking of training my new baby greenwing to use a harness and also one of these Flight Suit Diapers, what do you think of the diaper harness, is it unsafe?

Thank you

https://www.flightquarters.com/bird-diapers/category/flightsuit-bird-diapers.html

 

[EllenD]

All of my guys are Aviator-Harness trained, and I love that because they go everywhere with me during the spring/summer/fall. It took different amounts of time to train them to simply accept the Aviator Harness being put on them (the loop going over their head is usually the biggest struggle), but regardless of what brand/type of harness you want to use, you need to start training your Macaw to accept it as early as possible. The earlier they start getting used to the harness, the easier it is to get them to not only accept putting it on, but also accept wearing it so they aren't constantly chewing on it once it's on them...As far as a regular harness goes, the Aviator-Harness is by-far the one that is most-recommended and is the easiest to get them to accept and put on. It's also very safe for them, and they can easily fly on the lead with you running with them. They also have leash-extensions for "Recall-Training" and for just giving them more leeway.

As far as any type of "Flight-Suits" go, that's a totally different thing all together. Again, you want to start training your bird to accept putting them on/wearing them as early as possible. Some birds can't stand "wearing" anything like a flight-suit. I bought one a long, long time ago for my Green Cheek Conure when he was a just-weaned baby, and I can still put it on him, he doesn't mind it, but in all honesty I found the flight-suit way more of a pain in the ass than anything else. You have to change the pad inside it often, which is a real pain for both you and the bird, and I found it much easier to just train them to fly to their cage/stands to poop than to having them wear a flight-suit all day long and having to change out the pad inside constantly...Personal preference...but I'm all for the Aviator Harness.

 

[Timneh]

All of my guys are Aviator-Harness trained, and I love that because they go everywhere with me during the spring/summer/fall. It took different amounts of time to train them to simply accept the Aviator Harness being put on them (the loop going over their head is usually the biggest struggle), but regardless of what brand/type of harness you want to use, you need to start training your Macaw to accept it as early as possible. The earlier they start getting used to the harness, the easier it is to get them to not only accept putting it on, but also accept wearing it so they aren't constantly chewing on it once it's on them...As far as a regular harness goes, the Aviator-Harness is by-far the one that is most-recommended and is the easiest to get them to accept and put on. It's also very safe for them, and they can easily fly on the lead with you running with them. They also have leash-extensions for "Recall-Training" and for just giving them more leeway.

As far as any type of "Flight-Suits" go, that's a totally different thing all together. Again, you want to start training your bird to accept putting them on/wearing them as early as possible. Some birds can't stand "wearing" anything like a flight-suit. I bought one a long, long time ago for my Green Cheek Conure when he was a just-weaned baby, and I can still put it on him, he doesn't mind it, but in all honesty I found the flight-suit way more of a pain in the ass than anything else. You have to change the pad inside it often, which is a real pain for both you and the bird, and I found it much easier to just train them to fly to their cage/stands to poop than to having them wear a flight-suit all day long and having to change out the pad inside constantly...Personal preference...but I'm all for the Aviator Harness.

I hear you about training them to use a harness while their young.
The diaper harness is not for them to wear all day but just on occasions when you take them to a family or friends house or in a building for sanitary reasons, I would never make them wear it all day inside my house.

 

[Sunnyclover]

I hate flight suits. I don't think it's good for the bird to have poop touching or near it's butt for that long of period of time. Not to mention putting them on is one thing g but taking it off with that poop diaper pad is a pain to get off in tact without getting it all over you and the bird or and the flight suit (if they've had it on for a few hours). Not to mention if you've potty trained your bird then this flight suit will be very very confusing because they'll wonder if they're on your shoulder in the suit should they go there from now on even if they aren't wearing the suit? So you may accidentally unpottytrain your bird after a few days. Yeah...the harness is much better in my opinion and my birds just sit on my shoulder and in about 15 mins if being out and about in a store or outside (even better) I just tap the tail and ask them to go potty and most of the time they go and we're good for another 15 to 20 mins. Super easy...in stores I usually just put a Kleenex down on the cart for them to go off the carts handle or I'll just slip into the bathroom and have them poopy in the toilet or sink (don't worry I don't like sit them on the toilet seat). Hope this helps.

 

[Morty]

I love the flight suits, I have used one on a pigeon I was raising and so I got one for my GCC. Neither bird liked it. My pigeon "accepted it" but my Green Cheek, oh good lord. I can get it on but he incessantly picks at the straps and refuses to stand while its on, lol.

 

[Timneh]

I hate flight suits. I don't think it's good for the bird to have poop touching or near it's butt for that long of period of time. Not to mention putting them on is one thing g but taking it off with that poop diaper pad is a pain to get off in tact without getting it all over you and the bird or and the flight suit (if they've had it on for a few hours). Not to mention if you've potty trained your bird then this flight suit will be very very confusing because they'll wonder if they're on your shoulder in the suit should they go there from now on even if they aren't wearing the suit? So you may accidentally unpottytrain your bird after a few days. Yeah...the harness is much better in my opinion and my birds just sit on my shoulder and in about 15 mins if being out and about in a store or outside (even better) I just tap the tail and ask them to go potty and most of the time they go and we're good for another 15 to 20 mins. Super easy...in stores I usually just put a Kleenex down on the cart for them to go off the carts handle or I'll just slip into the bathroom and have them poopy in the toilet or sink (don't worry I don't like sit them on the toilet seat). Hope this helps.

Thank you for the info, I kinda thought the same things, plus a GW Macaw can hold it for over an hour without pooping.

 

[EllenD]

All of my guys are Aviator-Harness trained, and I love that because they go everywhere with me during the spring/summer/fall. It took different amounts of time to train them to simply accept the Aviator Harness being put on them (the loop going over their head is usually the biggest struggle), but regardless of what brand/type of harness you want to use, you need to start training your Macaw to accept it as early as possible. The earlier they start getting used to the harness, the easier it is to get them to not only accept putting it on, but also accept wearing it so they aren't constantly chewing on it once it's on them...As far as a regular harness goes, the Aviator-Harness is by-far the one that is most-recommended and is the easiest to get them to accept and put on. It's also very safe for them, and they can easily fly on the lead with you running with them. They also have leash-extensions for "Recall-Training" and for just giving them more leeway.

As far as any type of "Flight-Suits" go, that's a totally different thing all together. Again, you want to start training your bird to accept putting them on/wearing them as early as possible. Some birds can't stand "wearing" anything like a flight-suit. I bought one a long, long time ago for my Green Cheek Conure when he was a just-weaned baby, and I can still put it on him, he doesn't mind it, but in all honesty I found the flight-suit way more of a pain in the ass than anything else. You have to change the pad inside it often, which is a real pain for both you and the bird, and I found it much easier to just train them to fly to their cage/stands to poop than to having them wear a flight-suit all day long and having to change out the pad inside constantly...Personal preference...but I'm all for the Aviator Harness.

I hear you about training them to use a harness while their young.
The diaper harness is not for them to wear all day but just on occasions when you take them to a family or friends house or in a building for sanitary reasons, I would never make them wear it all day inside my house.

I know plenty of people and have seen plenty of people here who have a flightsuit on their birds WHENEVER they are out of their cages. That's unfortunately pretty common. That's what I thought you were talking about doing...As far as what you're talking about, just using a flightsuit when you take him somewhere like a friend's house, I still prefer just training them to go whenever they are on their stands/cages or however you want to train them...The flightsuits in my experience aren't "sanitary" at all, at least not for the bird...But I'm very happy to hear that you aren't one of the people who want to make their poor bird wear the thing every time he's not in his cage!!!

 

[SilleIN]

I usually put my parrots in flight suits when I bring them to a business meeting. For some reason no one loves a meeting to be interrupted by the smell and mess of a bird poop.

My job accepts me to use my parrots as ESA's and I therefore bring a parrot with me almost every where.

Also use them, when they go shopping with me. No stores will accept me bringing a bird into the store if any food might get contaminated by bird feces.

I have used them for all sorts of birds (lorikeets, mini-macaws, eckies, cockatoos, large macaws). I don't trust the diaper as a harness on the cockatoos or large macaws, they get a harness on top, but the smaller birds just gets the diaper on and the leash on the velcro attachment.
Mulle can't fly, so no additional harness is needed.

 

[ChristaNL]

diapers: I haven't tried them (yet) but I think it would be great in 'sensitive' situations (f.e. visiting non-bird people who are probably not okay with birdpoop- even if it is removed almost at once).
In any other situation...why? Just remove it after it leaves the insides of the bird...



Safetywise...no way... velcro will not hold anything beyond a zebra-finch in my not-so-humble opinion.
A parrot in a panic will take off at full speeds and velcro gets dirty/ old pretty fast so the force it will able to absorb will not always be great.
Not something I will ever trust.

 

[Sunnyclover]

I usually put my parrots in flight suits when I bring them to a business meeting. For some reason no one loves a meeting to be interrupted by the smell and mess of a bird poop.

My job accepts me to use my parrots as ESA's and I therefore bring a parrot with me almost every where.

Also use them, when they go shopping with me. No stores will accept me bringing a bird into the store if any food might get contaminated by bird feces.

Umm bird poop shouldn't smell or something is terribly wrong with the bird.

 

[SilleIN]

Umm bird poop shouldn't smell or something is terribly wrong with the bird.

Ohh trust me, if some office lady sees a bird poop she can "smell" it. By not seeing it, it magically stops being smelly :14::14:

The diapers are just made of regular fabric and does not stop any odor from exiting, but no one has ever smelled them in the diaper, but "OHH, that's SO smelly" if the diaper is not on

 

[Timneh]

Umm bird poop shouldn't smell or something is terribly wrong with the bird.

Ohh trust me, if some office lady sees a bird poop she can "smell" it. By not seeing it, it magically stops being smelly :14::14:

The diapers are just made of regular fabric and does not stop any odor from exiting, but no one has ever smelled them in the diaper, but "OHH, that's SO smelly" if the diaper is not on

Thanks SilleIN,
I think I will buy one for my baby GW macaw and a harness too. The diaper has cotton pads for the poop that can be changed and when they poop it move down away from contact with the bird. I will only use the flight suit when going in store, offices, family and friends house.

 

[SilleIN]

Thanks SilleIN,
I think I will buy one for my baby GW macaw and a harness too. The diaper has cotton pads for the poop that can be changed and when they poop it move down away from contact with the bird. I will only use the flight suit when going in store, offices, family and friends house.

I don't use the pads, that comes with the suits. On the larger birds I use discount pantyliners and cut them in half. The smaller ones I use round cotton pads for make up. That's much cheaper than the "original" ones.

I have used the diapers quite a lot and I have not seen any poop on the bird. However the diaper does need to be washed from time to time. The top part of the pouch can get dirty and some poop can scootch down past the pad and dirty the diaper also.

 

[Sunnyclover]

Umm bird poop shouldn't smell or something is terribly wrong with the bird.

Ohh trust me, if some office lady sees a bird poop she can "smell" it. By not seeing it, it magically stops being smelly :14::14:

The diapers are just made of regular fabric and does not stop any odor from exiting, but no one has ever smelled them in the diaper, but "OHH, that's SO smelly" if the diaper is not on

Ahh yes. I understand.

 

[ChristaNL]

I love the fact you can take your birds anywhere-- overhere you cannot even enter a store with one unless you have special permission.
(yup rules and regulations, sometimes they are a real stick-in-the-mud)
Even sitting outside a cafe can be a problem sometimes.


LOL@ seeing = smelling
some people...

 

[Timneh]

BTW I love PF.

Before we put a down payment on our baby GW we visited several times to 2 shelters (that nightmare for another thread) and we almost adopted a 26 yr old GW, we visited him several times, he pooped just before we took him to the stand where we sat with him, one time for one hour and one time for 2 hours and he did not poop, he held it for 2 hours, I think because larger macaws can hold it longer, one reason I like large macaws
Year later I still miss that GW named Chaco, he really liked my wife, so sad that shelter owners are incompetent and liars.

 

[sweetpeamusic]

Nico is a rare bird who actually enjoys wearing a flightsuit - it means he gets to go outside of our room and go to more exciting places and hang out with people. I’ve been training him to wear one since right after he was weaned, so I’m not sure if a bird who isn’t accustomed to it would tolerate it. I use pantyliners cut into thirds as liners, they’re thinner than cotton pads and water-resistant on the bottom so I’m pretty sure Nico’s poops dont touch him unless the diaper is full. Nico has had a really bad wing clip that he’s still growing out of, so right now it is impossible for him to fly to a potty location, and for me it’s much more convenient to change a diaper every two hours than to take him to the potty every 10-15 minutes. Nico knows wearing a flightsuit means he’s expected to be on his best behavior, and he also knows as long as he behaves in it he’s allowed on top of my head (his favorite spot in the world).
That’s my experience with flightsuits anyway, it’s kind of unusual so I thought I’d share.

 

[SilleIN]

I just want to add, that I have trained a 28 year old cockatoo and a 5 year old eckie to wear the diaper, so it is possible to train older birds as well.

 

[Kiwibird]

Umm bird poop shouldn't smell or something is terribly wrong with the bird.

My first thought too! They may be slimy and gross and a rather lot of poop when they come from a big bird but a HUGE plus for parrots as pets is the fact their poop doesn't smell (unless they are seriously sick).

As for my opinion of flight suits? I think they have their place but I personally prefer that my bird is potty trained rather than have to diaper him. For longer trips/riding public transport etc.... Kiwi goes in the Pak-o-bird where he can poop if he needs. I prefer it when out and about because it keeps him safe from idiots wanting to touch the bird without permission and the idiots safe from him Also nice to have a place to put a water or food bowl. And just a 'personal' thing but I don't much care for the thought of a parrot (or any animal/human) loose in a vehicle. A backpack can be buckled in but can you imagine what would happen to a loose bird in a serious accident?

 

[SammyAndyAlex]

I usually put my parrots in flight suits when I bring them to a business meeting. For some reason no one loves a meeting to be interrupted by the smell and mess of a bird poop.

My job accepts me to use my parrots as ESA's and I therefore bring a parrot with me almost every where.

Also use them, when they go shopping with me. No stores will accept me bringing a bird into the store if any food might get contaminated by bird feces.

I have used them for all sorts of birds (lorikeets, mini-macaws, eckies, cockatoos, large macaws). I don't trust the diaper as a harness on the cockatoos or large macaws, they get a harness on top, but the smaller birds just gets the diaper on and the leash on the velcro attachment.
Mulle can't fly, so no additional harness is needed.

Are you in the US? If you are you are breaking federal law by bringing them into any store that sells food. ONLY service animals (dogs) are allowed into stores that sell food. Not bashing you, but just letting you know.