12 replies to this topic

[juliehitchcock]

I have been leaving the birdie harness out so that the fids can befriend it and all. It has been around for quite sometime. After Yoshi flew away I started working with them on getting them to wear it so they can go outside this summer. They hate it! Absolutely hate it!
Has anyone had any luck with one?

[Carls]

I have an aviator harness for my galah, but I haven't started her with it yet. I think it just takes a LOT of time to get them used to the idea. I'm starting to get AJ to let me touch her all over and fiddle with her wings etc, as the first step to the harness. Soon I'll hang the harness in her cage, so she isn't frightened of it. A friend of mine has started her ekkie on the harness - he hated it too, at first. But he is getting better. Just time and patience, I reckon! Good luck! I'll let you know how I go with AJ.....and let me know how you go with your fids!

[juliehitchcock]

I have gotten to the point where they let me put it on. I can get it all the way on, but then just just stand there with their head turned all the way around and hold on to the back of it with their beak. ABSOLUTELY nothing else in the world matters when they have it on! NOTHING! Not even standing up. They will just fall over. I only put it on for a few minutes and a couple of times a week. Buddy is starting to get use to it. He will actually stop for a few seconds and look at me. One time I actually got him to play step on a little! But they HATE it. I wish they knew why I want them to wear it! They are so sweet.

[Carls]

OMG....falling over.....that is too funny!

They are such stubborn little critters, aren't they? I guess, being small birds, the harness weighs a bit to them. I don't really know......don't you just wish you could get in their heads?

[Kristl Nowell]

Once the harness was on my quaker (Nikki) would either a) only chew on it or pretend it was killing him by falling over and rolling around like it was strangling him. Many people don't like wing clipping, but that's what we do as we have fans in the house and because Nikki loves to go outside.

[kalipso2]

cricket would almost hyperventilate whenever i tried to put it on him... he would literally pant like a dog. i felt so bad i stopped trying.

if they let you put it on them... keep it up and hopefully someday they'll get used to it!

[juliehitchcock]

Hi Newbie FYI! I thought if I had my birds wings clipped then it was ok to take them outside. NOPE! I had both of them on my shoulder and just went out to get the dogs out of the kennel and Yoshi flew away. I thought that if they got spooked they would just land on the ground like they do in the house, but THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED! I guess she got caught by the wind, because there she went! It was the ABSOLUTE SCARIEST THING EVER! She didn't even know what was happening to her and I knew that! She is still a baby and she has
never flown before! She ended up down the hill in some trees. It was dark and I FREAKED OUT! I knew that she was scared! Thank God that I did find her! I can not imagine how I would have ever lived with myself if I hadn't! It wasn't her fault it was mine. And she just tried to do her little "I'm scared, fly to the ground thing" and away she went. Her wings were VERY CLIPPED! She was absolutely unable to fly in the house, but outside is a WAY DIFFERENT STORY! Just thought you would like to know.

So, as you can probably tell, this is why we are working on the harness thing. I will never, ever, ever take my birds outside again - unless they are in their cage or TIED UP! haha!

Thanks for the harness stories. Guess that it is not a popular thing among fids.

[juliehitchcock]

Sorry Kristi! As you can see I am still a NEWBIE myself! I looked up and thought it said your name was Newbie, but now I look back and see that you are Kristi Nowell!

[juliehitchcock]

The Aviator!!!!

 

Have any of you heard of the harness called the Aviator? I just bought one off of Amazon. It comes with a 45 minute video on how to use it with your bird. The idea is great! He works on getting your bird use to it with training sessions every hour. I have not gotten it on Yoshi yet, but she will actually let me pet her with it wrapped around my had from the training sessions. It really seams to be working. This harness is so much better than any other harness I have ever seen for birds. There are some videos on youtube. Type in aviator bird harness.

[Sharyn and Mr Piggy]

I have an Aviator harness for Mr P. It's in a box, under my desk

 

I've never taken it out of the box except when I first got it to make sure it was the right one and it came with the instruction video.

 

Mr P had way too many other issues when I first got him (I adopted him from a parrot rescue) to even attempt the harness.

 

I've had him 6 months now. Maybe next year

[juliehitchcock]

Well, I have been doing the one hour trainings for two days and Yoshi just went for a walk in her harness!!!!

 

It wasn't perfect, but so close to it!!! The harness fits really well and is NOT invasive like ALL of the other

harnesses that we have tried. It is also very light and does not weigh or pull her down. It seams very

birdie friendly.

 

I cannot believe I just got this harness both ON AND OFF her without a major conflict or major stress.

 

She didn't love it, but she didn't freak out either. She did really good!

 

I will be in touch....

[Bene_Gesserit]

I think I'd end up needing stitches if I ever tried harness training Happy.  Wish I could, though, so she could go outside.

[zuznit]

I have been training with Penguin for 3 months. He will now put his head in the collar part and sort of tolerate it touching his back. But he doesnt enjoy it much. I also tried the flight suit and the same thing happened, he´d just chew on it the entire time and fall over trying to get it off. I still try with the harness but half heartedly I have the Pakobird and it is PERFECT for taking Penguin outside