One more thing I meant to add... I think a better approach to harness training might be for the breeder to periodically put the harness on and leave it on for most of the day, starting at the youngest age possible.

Nate Waddoups
Redmond WA USA

Not that leaving the harness on is a bad idea either, but i'm not sure that the original plan was really implemented in a way that you can now evaluate it.

As for Tangent's loathing the thing, that attitude from my birds has always dampened my resolve too.

Didn't Shan Lung end up making his own harness for Tinkerbell?
Maybe you could design something more acceptable? i'm staring bemused at Zazu as i write, who loves draping torn t-shirt ribbons over his neck and back, but acts as though the harness is a hair shirt. Maybe if i just hang the harness on his playstand he'll figure out how to put it on and buckle it up himself?


lisa
"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement."

I've tried that approach already (hang harness on play stand and wait) with no luck whatsoever. He'll play with it, but he ain't about to put it on. :-)


Nate Waddoups
Redmond WA USA

I gave up! After months and months of trying to get Hoot into a harness I finally succeeded. The outcome.......
She looked at me as if to say "not bloody likely!" and threw a complete and total hissy fit. Screamed blue murder (set the entire bird population around here into a frenzy) nearly throttled herself by spinning in cartwheels (I never knew she was so agile!) until I managed to grab her to release her. She immediately shut up and glared at me. I know she was swearing at me! :o
Hoot won.....I give up!

Debbi
NZ

My Husband, Gonzo and I have been trying the harness and a 'flight suit' for 6 months now. Gonzo is a year and a half old Timnah African grey so luckily young enough to be little more paticent if still feirce. Though I can't say he likes it, he is accepting it more and more.

We have really needed two people for the process, and we simply kept trying over and over, verbalizing to him before hand that we were going to do it and why. Gonzo watches us go outside and we've explained to him that 'flight suit' is going outside as well. When we weren't successful he could watch us walking down the street with the harness draped around one of our neck.

With the two of us, he can be on one shoulder or hand, and with both of us murmuring 'flock praise sounds' one offers treats (which are largely ignored and/or agressively torn apart) while the other puts on the suit.

We've also brought the cat and bunny outside his window in harnesses and that really helped our little competetive Grey into the suit, i think more than anything. (my step daughter even got me into one of the adjustable harnesses but that's an Exxtrrrreem measure and requires a self esteem that can handle a bird's bemused 'not buying it' gaze and a fifteen year old's teasing. )

We are still harness training eagerly. Yesterday was the second time we've been successful at it, and Gonzo really enjoyed being outside in it. The three of us walked around a couple of blocks with David and I singing his praises and our excitement at being outside. Gonzo went from shoulder to shoulder and seemed to love flapping his wings against wind. We're hoping we can keep it going.

This is my first post and late to your discussion, but I was so eager to see a talk about a topic so fresh to our spring time adventures!

Lily
Maine USA

What are the advantages of a flight suit? Having the leash on so that your bird can walk around outside? My cockatiel's wings are unclipped, so i'd be afraid he would try to fly off and explore, then have the leash yank him back to the ground and injure him.