Bird Harness for Blue Crown??

Ok so I am looking at getting this bird harness for my Blue Crown Conure. Bird Travel & Outdoors: Aviator Flight Harness and Elastic Leash by Parrot University I would like to be able to take him outside in it when the weather is warm only in my backyard which is pretty safe and calm. I clip my littler birds wings but I don't want to clip his. What are the pros and cons of a bird harness??

Honestly, their are more pros then cons

Pros
Your bird is secure and his only chance of escaping is human error(not checking the harness for wear and/or chewing, not holding onto the harness properly)

You bird can remain fully flighted but still enjoy being out doors

A new thing to train your bird to do, parrots love mental stimulation

The aviator harness is lighter, and better fitting than most harnesses. This means less pressure points and a happier birdie.

Cons

Birds have been known to throw up food if jerked out of flight. The aviator harness combats this by having a elastic leash that greatly reduces this risk. Birds still shouldn't be wearing it with a lot of food in their crop.

If they get lost they have a higher risk of becoming tangled in a tree.

Wearing a harness is a little bit uncomfortable, but they get used to it.


Plus, if you get your bird a harness and train them you can do flight training and take photos like this

thanks! and that is such a cool photo!!

Copperarabian said what I would say

Harness training are also better for their overall health. It would be much better for your parrot to get some fresh air, and they enjoys siting in the sun. Harness training can also help to bond with your parrot, and I'm sure your parrot would enjoy a nice relaxing walk. Harness training may also help stop bad behavior like feather puking.

And with the parrot have been known to throw up food if jerked during flight, the aviator harness not only have the elastic leash, they also designed a collar which aviod pushing on the parrot's crop.

Here's a photo so you can see how the harness is not actually on or near the crop.

LoveMyParrots said:

Copperarabian said what I would say

Harness training are also better for their overall health. It would be much better for your parrot to get some fresh air, and they enjoys siting in the sun. Harness training can also help to bond with your parrot, and I'm sure your parrot would enjoy a nice relaxing walk. Harness training may also help stop bad behavior like feather puking.

And with the parrot have been known to throw up food if jerked during flight, the aviator harness not only have the elastic leash, they also designed a collar which aviod pushing on the parrot's crop.

Here's a photo so you can see how the harness is not actually on or near the crop.

Click to expand...

I think it depends on the species of bird, Rosie's is over her crop some, but not nearly as much as the feather tether I used at first. I didn't know they designed them that way, really cool to know!

Copperarabian said:

LoveMyParrots said:

Copperarabian said what I would say

Harness training are also better for their overall health. It would be much better for your parrot to get some fresh air, and they enjoys siting in the sun. Harness training can also help to bond with your parrot, and I'm sure your parrot would enjoy a nice relaxing walk. Harness training may also help stop bad behavior like feather puking.

And with the parrot have been known to throw up food if jerked during flight, the aviator harness not only have the elastic leash, they also designed a collar which aviod pushing on the parrot's crop.

Here's a photo so you can see how the harness is not actually on or near the crop.

Click to expand...

I think it depends on the species of bird, Rosie's is over her crop some, but not nearly as much as the feather tether I used at first. I didn't know they designed them that way, really cool to know!

Click to expand...

Yeah, it might. They said in the DVD that came with the package that they designed the collar.

thank you both for the advice! I'm pretty sure im going to get one soon! ill start with it on my house so hess used to it

MarciaLove said:

thank you both for the advice! I'm pretty sure im going to get one soon! ill start with it on my house so hess used to it

Click to expand...

You're welcome Looking forward to see your parrot in the harness!

LoveMyParrots said:

Harness training may also help stop bad behavior like feather puking.

Click to expand...

What a cute bird. Thanks for posting! I'm curious as to what you meant by harness training deterring feather pluckers. Do you mean that training in any form prevents feather plucking? Could you please elaborate more? My sun conure does not pluck but the reason I was hesitant to use a harness on him was the possibility of stressing him out and giving him a reason to pluck (it is my biggest fear for my bird). Also, do they ever seem like they forget they have the harness on so that they are relaxed and their usual selves during the walk?

I've been interested in harnesses. Ever since I let Boomer's flight feathers grow out (he came clipped from the breeder), I haven't been able to take him outside. We used to have our early morning/afternoon walks all over the neighborhood on my shoulders and he enjoyed it. Let me know how it goes, Marcialove!

I ordered the Aviator harness for my RFM Valentino and it arrived last week. Because it is winter here and I will NOT be bringing him outside I have not started his harness training yet (getting use to me putting it on him and taking him outside). My RFM is fully flighted almost 6 month old. While waiting for spring to come I have been recall training him from multiple levels of my home. Valentino is an excellent flyer very capable flyer. He can fly backwards, sideways, hover, fly straight up and two weeks ago had learned to fly down to me from the upper level of my home.

Even though he will be in the Aviator I want him to be 100 percent recall trained before I take him outside. I am already comfortable with his training so far and am very glad he had learned to fly down to me. THAT is very important skill for him to learn in case he ever gets outside without the harness.

I am very impressed with the Aviator design in their harness. WAY better than any harness I ever used before and I have been using harnesses for almost 20 years. None of my birds ever plucked because of the harness. With taking the time to get the parrot use to wearing it there should not be an issue with this.

noblemacaw said:

Even though he will be in the Aviator I want him to be 100 percent recall trained before I take him outside. I am already comfortable with his training so far and am very glad he had learned to fly down to me. THAT is very important skill for him to learn in case he ever gets outside without the harness.

I am very impressed with the Aviator design in their harness. WAY better than any harness I ever used before and I have been using harnesses for almost 20 years. None of my birds ever plucked because of the harness. With taking the time to get the parrot use to wearing it there should not be an issue with this.

Click to expand...

I bought a flight suit for Mango and he absolutely hates it. I cant even get it in the same room as him. We are going to invest in an aviator harness, my research has indicated that its the most comfortable an easiest to train. The lady who runs the local bird rescue actually told me she has seen flight suits come off of birds mid-flight. Please keep us updated on your progress, Im hoping to have Mango harness trained before the summer. Im also working on recall over short distances. Mango isnt really doing great with this, but I just keep working at it. I call him let him see the treat. He comes about 60% of the time. I look forward to reading about how other people work through the training. I know someone here posted some really great videos throughout the process.