Harness help

So, I've been trying to get Oz to wear his harness. We've had 4 sessions so far. I tried leaving the harness on his cage/playstand for a few days, but he wouldn't go near the harness part of the harness ever. He did play with the elastic (this is an aviator harness) but avoided the actual harness like the plague. So I took the matter into my own hands and we started our sessions. Now, he's not scared of touching the harness anymore, if I have some threats near it, he'll stand on top or pass his head trough the big holes (not the small one for his head) and I gently place it on him as I let him pig out. He'll even perch on the harness if I hold it in the air (with a tension)

The problem is, when he does poke his head trough the actual head hole (I don't force it, just encourage him to do it on his own with a threat) he panics a little: the first time, he literally threw himself off the bed, thank gosh for carpeted floors, and the second (during our last session, he kept running around and it took me a good minute before I was able to get the harness off him (I kept going after that with the usual 'play' on the harness to see if he would have regressed but no. He doesn't seem any more scared of me or the harness after those little panics happen. The moment I manage to remove it, he's fine. He also doesn't make a sound during them)

Any tips on how to help him?/Am I doing it wrong?

I tried doing the slow way as well, but finally found (with my birds) that I just had to get them to about the point you are at and then put it on them and take them outside...

I had Onyx poking her head through the neck part, but if it stayed on she would flop and roll around biting it (Caiques are good at that). After putting the harness on her 5-6 times with help of a towel she is letting me do it better and better. She is comfortable with me grabbing her whole body though, and a bird kind of has to be like that to be comfortable with wearing a harness. I place her on top of a towel (just in case I need it) and then I first place my right hand on her back (I'm a lefty though, so whatever is comfortable for you) and use my left hand to slip the head part over her head as if I'm petting her. Then I pull the harness out to the side and slip it over one wing and then pull it out the other side and slip it under the other before grasping the buckle and tightening it. If she starts biting it I will drape the towel over her head to calm her and block her line of sight and keep from getting bitten (she's not really interested in biting me but chewing the harness at this point).

Once it's on, other than fussing with it (and me needing to distract her with movement and treats) every once in a while, she's great!!


After years of off and on trying to do the slow acclimation way as described in the DVD with my conure, and being confident after using it on Onyx, I finally just used a towel to put it on him and he wore it just fine and had a blast outside! It all depends on the bird. Some birds are fine once you have it on, others might panic constantly once it's on and secure and that's when you're going to have to really step back and figure out a better way to do it.

I've seen him before and thought he makes it look easy

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BzMYma4QCo]How to Put Flight Harness on a Cape Parrot - YouTube[/ame]

I had to cut my harness off Rio today and throw it away. Both my husband and I got bit pretty good, he was braver about it though. I know I made a huge mistake by even trying to get it on her, but I wanted to take her put with me today. She was so upset with it on. She chewed it, I could not distract her for nothing. Even tried to,take her outside with it on. Nothing worked. Finally I had to use a towel and cut it in 3 places to get it off. Once she is not liking something I don't care if its her most favorite treat, there is no distracting her, she will not take anything from me. Frustrated and I deserved the bite.

I took her anyway with me. She sat on my shoulder to run errands. At Trader Joes she rode on the cart and ate sprigs of thyme. She was having so much fun and was so relaxed, she fluffed up and started preening in the cart. I will have to get another harness eventually but now I'm afraid to even try again

I'm intrigued that Trader Joes let a bird in! The only stores I have taken birds into are non-food related. Staples, Michaels, Home Depot, garden centers.

Nocturnal said:

I'm intrigued that Trader Joes let a bird in! The only stores I have taken birds into are non-food related. Staples, Michaels, Home Depot, garden centers.

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Hmmmm nope no one said anything to me except for those who wanted to admire her. Even the checker didn't seem to have a problem with her. She was really good. My daughter had her parrotlet with her. It made for an interesting shopping experience with two birds in tow. We take Kiwi (plet) with us everywhere. I really wanted to us th harness with Rio but oh well

Well, things got better for us, it was a matter of letting calm down once he poked his head trough the hole. Once it was on, he fussed with it a little and kept slipping his foot in the belt but at least he wasn't panicking. We went outside and he was fine when I sat on the bench with him, but kept trying to jump off me whenever I started walking. =P

SoCalWendy said:

I had to cut my harness off Rio today and throw it away. Both my husband and I got bit pretty good, he was braver about it though. I know I made a huge mistake by even trying to get it on her, but I wanted to take her put with me today. She was so upset with it on. She chewed it, I could not distract her for nothing. Even tried to,take her outside with it on. Nothing worked. Finally I had to use a towel and cut it in 3 places to get it off. Once she is not liking something I don't care if its her most favorite treat, there is no distracting her, she will not take anything from me. Frustrated and I deserved the bite.

I took her anyway with me. She sat on my shoulder to run errands. At Trader Joes she rode on the cart and ate sprigs of thyme. She was having so much fun and was so relaxed, she fluffed up and started preening in the cart. I will have to get another harness eventually but now I'm afraid to even try again

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Lol! I had to cut the harness off mine too. She was fine with it at first, we had practiced, did the wing movements...all the recommended stuff, and I got it on her but I couldn't get it off. I was sweating and nervous and she started wiggling as conures do, so I snipped it off and she just went back to playing with it. I think I'm getting a red one this time so it doesn't look exactly the same.

I had a similar problem as well. Rosie did not want it on. I got it on her and she was not happy. Trying to get it off was a nightmare, she got all tangled in it and we were both petrified. That is the only time she ever bit me. I just don't have the heart to try it again, so I don't know what to do about taking her places.

What harnesses is every using? The feather tether and Kaylor harness works real nice on birds who don't like things going over their heads

I use the aviator for my birds. But have used the feather tether in the past. Works good.

Frankie hated putting on the aviator harness even after multiple sessions of working with her. I ended up using a towel and got it on her. Afterwards, she really did well with it. She wore it pretty much for a full day, and even slept while wearing it. She did pick at it a few times. I think it was rubbing some pin feathers or something. And, luckily taking it off wasn't nearly as bad. I'm thinking about getting a different kind though. Slipping the loop over head was really the only issue. If I can find another, I think she'll do better.

Kalidasa said:

SoCalWendy said:

I had to cut my harness off Rio today and throw it away. Both my husband and I got bit pretty good, he was braver about it though. I know I made a huge mistake by even trying to get it on her, but I wanted to take her put with me today. She was so upset with it on. She chewed it, I could not distract her for nothing. Even tried to,take her outside with it on. Nothing worked. Finally I had to use a towel and cut it in 3 places to get it off. Once she is not liking something I don't care if its her most favorite treat, there is no distracting her, she will not take anything from me. Frustrated and I deserved the bite.

I took her anyway with me. She sat on my shoulder to run errands. At Trader Joes she rode on the cart and ate sprigs of thyme. She was having so much fun and was so relaxed, she fluffed up and started preening in the cart. I will have to get another harness eventually but now I'm afraid to even try again

Click to expand...

Lol! I had to cut the harness off mine too. She was fine with it at first, we had practiced, did the wing movements...all the recommended stuff, and I got it on her but I couldn't get it off. I was sweating and nervous and she started wiggling as conures do, so I snipped it off and she just went back to playing with it. I think I'm getting a red one this time so it doesn't look exactly the same.

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What a freaking nightmare! Both my husband and I sustained bites, his was worse than mine, but still - it hurt like hell. Then when I tried to cut it off, we had to cut it in three places. The first two cut left the part that goes around her abdomen. Ugh! What a nightmare.

I looked up the other two, feather tether - looks too complicated, and the other one looks similar to the aviator. I may go with the flight suit. I have one for my P'let and as feisty as she is she doesn't seem to mind it, and it doesn't go over the head.