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Post by beccilouise on Dec 31, 2015 6:09:08 GMT -5
Hello again everyone. I was wondering if I could ask the general consensus on the idea of parrot harnesses for flight? Byron's primary wing feathers have not grown through yet, but he's due a moult soon and I'm starting to think about what my plans are going to be for when he regains his flight. I have heard incredibly different accounts about what is good for/healthy for parrots of all types. A friend recently recommended the idea of training Byron to accept a harness so he can fly outside. I have to admit, I'm quite skeptical. I'm concerned about the level of stress it will cause him and how happy I am about the idea of putting a bird in a harness. However, I have also heard some excellent accounts of how, when done responsibly, training a bird to take a harness and allowing them to fly outside has massively improved the health and happiness of some birds to the extent that it has helped cure a nasty plucking habit. Byron does not pluck, and I have found a harness from a very reliable site that I've used before. It is here: www.northernparrots.com/the-aviator-parrot-harness-petite-prod83911a/?sessionid=8c5b89d6b99d5a4567b19ffbca32a7d64ef71756 I haven't bought it yet, as I wanted to check people's general opinions and thoughts. The other thing is quakers are so tiny. The advert says the leash is elastic to prevent injury if the bird flies to the end of it, but I know that it takes less pressure to break a quaker's leg than it takes to break a cocktail stick. Couldn't this kind of flight hurt him? Is it worth training him to take the harness INSIDE, teaching him to fly for treats and do tricks, and then take him outside (if at all) when I'm confident? That way the the flight is controlled but he still has a little freedom. I genuinely don't know how I feel about the idea of harnesses and would really appreciate the thoughts of others. Thanks and Merry Christmas/Happy New Year! |
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Post by biteybird on Dec 31, 2015 7:17:26 GMT -5
We bought an Aviator harness for Bonnie. I did the requisite conditioning (leaving it lying around and using it as a toy to play with her) prior to trying to fit it. Unfortunately, during the fitting, a loud noise outside startled her and now she freaks out whenever she sees it, so we can't even try to put it on her again.
Recently I bought a flightsuit (called 'bird diaper'), which also looks a very good design. I haven't tried to put it on Bonnie yet. I've just been leaving it lying around in her view, amongst other things on the bench, as I don't want to get impatient and stuff up the fitting like last time...I'm going to try and spend a small amount of time each day next week engaging her with the suit, even if I don't try to put it on.
I think both of them could work, given enough acclimatization inside the house first. I'm planning on putting the flightsuit on Bonnie inside the house on a regular basis, without the leash attached. Then when she's used to having the suit put on and taken off (with lots of treats along the way), I can try attaching the leash. When she's comfortable with that we might go for a stroll outside.
Our motivation for wanting to use a harness/flightsuit is that we could go for a walk outside together, as people do with their dogs, with Bonnie sitting on a shoulder - and no danger of her taking off in a panic if she gets frightened by something/someone. |
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Post by easttex on Dec 31, 2015 15:34:12 GMT -5
I bought an Aviator for my grey, but she was seven when I got her, and phobic about a lot of things - none more so than the harness - so we gave up on that for now. I have had her for seven years now, but it can take a while for a grey to develop confidence.  I'd encourage you to train her to it now, even if you are unsure if you will use it. You will never have an easier time getting her accustomed to it than now. The older they get, the harder it is. I would love to be able to use mine. Neither of my birds are big fliers, but I would like to take them outdoors free of a cage. Peppy has been too ill to consider it. Direct sunlight, the kind that makes the vitamin D that helps to process the calcium, will not come through glass windows. |
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Post by Jan and Shah on Dec 31, 2015 17:09:36 GMT -5
Tried the harness on Shah a few years ago - it affected his legs and every time I put it on him, he fell over and just laid there until I took it off - then he miraculously recovered the use of his legs and went about his business.
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Post by julianna on Jan 1, 2016 12:03:25 GMT -5
That is cute Jan. I have a harness as well but there is no way in H### that Oscar will let me put it on him. If the leash is made of elastic I think your QP will chew through that in no time.
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Post by obironkenobi on Jan 1, 2016 12:09:00 GMT -5
I never tried one cause I figured it would just get shredded in the rush to "get this thing off of me!!!" LOL
I also worry that having something that cloying on could lead to plucking. *shrugs* Plus I never, never trust that trouble won't happen when outside. Loud noises, vehicles, birds of prey, dogs, cats, insects, pests, the list goes on and on.
For me there is no really good reason to take Maya outside. Why risk it?
She has been fully flighted for a while now, but only because she no longer flies on her own initiative. More on that in another post at another time.
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Post by cnyguy on Jan 1, 2016 20:23:43 GMT -5
I never tried one cause I figured it would just get shredded in the rush to "get this thing off of me!!!" LOL That would be Ralph's reaction too.  Ralph is flighted, mostly because he has what seem like never-ending molts, and loses flight feathers at odd intervals. When the feathers are falling out and being replaced by new ones, it seems pointless to clip them. He rarely flies anyway, as he prefers being carried around by his slave (me).  When he does go out anywhere, it's always in his transport cage; I wouldn't risk taking him anywhere otherwise. |
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Post by biteybird on Jan 1, 2016 22:13:13 GMT -5
Surely you're not a slave, Gary? 
If/when I try to put Bonnie's new flightsuit on I'll post either photo/video of how it pans out and whether we think it will be a success outside. |
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Post by easttex on Jan 2, 2016 10:32:10 GMT -5
This video might help anyone thinking about harness training:
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Post by julianna on Jan 2, 2016 15:48:34 GMT -5
I am different in that I do take Oscar outside with me... when he is clipped. I know the risks and trust me... he is with me constantly. We just go outside and he sits on my shoulder or arm while I sit at the table. His outside cage is always close by. If I have to leave for any reason he is put into the cage until I return. I know others may say I am pushing my luck and maybe I am... but man...he loves it sooooo much and so do I.
He walks around the table checking everything out... walks in the grass and chews some of it... comes to the garden with me and helps himself to peas .... and loves to go in the gravel driveway to play with the stones.
There are many risks by them going outside .... and not being in a cage. I am not recommending this to anyone.... just for me.
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Post by beccilouise on Jan 2, 2016 18:42:03 GMT -5
Thanks guys, lots to consider here. I think I will harness train Byron and see if he can cope with it. It may be that he can't, and that's fine. I may not take him outside out of a cage in the end, but I guess there's no harm in trying to train him. It's so lovely you have such a trusting relationship with Oscar, Julianna. I could never do that with Byron, however as a) our garden is communal and b) there are a lot of kites flying around near where we live and I'd be worried about him being spooked and flying off. For this reason, outside may never actually be possible as if may just be too stressful, but if he is trained, he is trained and that means it may be an option later if I'm brave enough!
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Post by wsteinhoff on Jan 2, 2016 21:07:20 GMT -5
I have Skye using both the flightsuits and the aviator harness. She accepted both without any training and she has never gotten injured from it's use. Even though the aviator harness is elastic it doesn't allow much stretch and quickly jerks back when she gets to the end, pulling her to the ground. Luckily she'd rather walk or be carried most of the time. You probably wouldn't have much issue with this with Byron though since homing pigeons are much stronger flyers than quakers so he probably wouldn't even be able to pull the elastic enough for it to jerk back like that. Bishop on the other hand is afraid of many things and won't let the harness anywhere near him. When his wings were clipped he would go outside with me which I know is a risk but he almost never even tries to fly even after I let his wings grow out.
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Post by aaron on Jan 4, 2016 14:47:57 GMT -5
We got a harness for Cupcake early on and it terrified her so much that we ended up using it (successfully) as a deterrent object to prevent her from landing places we didn't want her to go.
I'd love for her to be harness trained, but unlike many of the other flighted QPs mentioned in this thread, Cupcake is a very talented and avid flier and makes use of her flight capabilities constantly. So even with the best harness on the planet, I am honestly a bit nervous about the whole concept. But it would be so cool to have her outside with us and not have to have her in her carrier.
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When he does go out anywhere, it's always in his transport cage; I wouldn't risk taking him anywhere otherwise. 
