Harness Training

I have a standard sized GCC, he's been great learning steps towards accepting the harness (i.e. me picking it up, bringing it closer, touching him, and even getting him to take treats through it, even through the neck hole) but I've had problems with the next step, putting his head through the neck hole.
The Problem isn't getting him to do it, he's had it on 3 times and 3 times we've gone back to square one. now the first time was my fault I pushed him to much to put his head through the hole, he got it on and was fine until I tried to take it off and he paniced and had to be calmed down after getting himself tangled up in the harness. After this I've taken it slower every time, and everytime it comes down to the same issue, he'll put on the harness neck strap, be fine, then panic when I try to take it off and get himself tangled up in his panic. My boyfriend is the reason we've calmed Pazu down enough to get the harness off him without cutting it off.

Today I was training him, just getting chips of almond and getting him to poke his beak through the fabric to get the treat, it'd been going great, I started with a large loop of the harness and made it smaller til he was sticking his beak through the neck strap. But one time he calmly stuck his whole head through the strap for the treat, "yay, he's doing it!", I try to calmly take it off him, and for a few seconds all it fine, then the panic and he's off. Rest is history, he got himself tangled, boyfriend had to hold him calmly for me to get the strap off him.
I've since picked up the harness to see how far back this inccident took me and he's stepped back but not as much as I thought, he's wary but happy to take treats near it and have it touch him while he's eating a treat (otherwise no chance).

So my question is more a Want of Advice.
I know smaller birds take longer to take to harness' normally, I know I pushed him the first time but he's the one that's stuck his head in it...

Any advice as to how to get him to not panic next time he decides he's brave?

I wouldn't worry too much about that... Just do everything slowly as shown in the video and talk/pet him while you are working with the harness. It took me a while to get my gcc used the putting on and taking off the harness, but the worst part was that I couldn't use it outside. He was a superfast flier and took off right away, and the harness made him land on the ground. He only wanted to fly, and the harness was too restricting. He also kept chewing the harness all the time.
It also depends how tame and handleable is your bird. With my cockatiel I didn't even do any training - I just put the harness on him with a very little struggle and took him out for 2 hour walk. He just chilled on my arm and couldn't care less about the harness. He loves seeing the harness in my hands because it means we are gonna go for a walk. Pretty much like a doggy.

Hmm, I worry that (like when he panics) he'd do the same thing outside and end up on the floor (But I'll never know until I try, he might do great...). Although I just want to take him out into our garden when it's warmer to see the sky. A lot of car outside the front but I want him to see real sunlight. And for vet visits.

Thankyou for the encouragement though, I am following the DVD and Someone called the Parrot Wizard as far as training goes to get him used to the harness. It's gotta be working a bit as he's not abslutely terrorfied of the thing after todays incident.

I also have a hard time getting the loop of of my gcc's head. I wish it was just a little bit bigger. I got the harness completely on him today for the first time and he kept chewing it and it was really hard to tighten. I'm hoping familiarity with it will get him used to it. Good luck with your little guy.

I also wish the neck was like 5mm larger. Not alot larger, I do understand why the neck strap is the size it is and in terms of our smaller birds we are just unlucky....

Would anyone reccomend the next time my Bird gets to this point of head in the loop, that I just try to put the whole harness on? or worry about taking it off like I have tried?

Are you using the Aviator harness? If so, what size are you using?

Size petite, as recommended for small conures (he's in that weight range)

i'm having the exact same problem with my sun... i rushed him too much the first time and he got himself tangled in it... screamed, bit, hissed, bungee'd himself halfway across the room... it was a horrific experience for the both of us and set his training back a lot (every time i so much as picked the damn thing up after that he retreaded, bless him).

i have made some slower positive steps since then like yourself, a few tricks i tried were...
Wrapping the harness around my fingers and getting him to step up onto them for a treat, he responded very quickly to this positive reinforcement.
Usually his harness is draped over his makeshift lemon tree play gym and he has since started to take interest in it.
i haven't progressed as far as you yet in getting him to pop his head through the loop and do agree with the other members that getting the head piece off of smaller birds is quite difficult... i'm sorry i couldn't offer you any more advice but it does sound like you are doing great so far, keep it up and good luck =)

Well he's never had such a bad response to the harness, even after his accidents.
Give him his favourite treat with the harness around and slowly bring it closer until you can pet him with it, I'd suggest using a loop of the harness to pet him and not the harness on your hand if he's nippy, work up to it.

Recommend giving this a read to along with the DVD:
Parrot Forum ? View topic - Flight Harness Training Parrot

Personally, I don't give Pazu almonds unless it's with the harness, so it's special. He gets popcorn for everything else good.

I use the x small. I have found that to be a better size for the Green Cheeks I've had previously. It is bigger.

Have you tried constantly offering treats while he has his head through instead of just giving him one?

Also, while he is eating the treats you could try slowly moving the harness down his back.
If he starts panicking, take it off immediately and try again.

I think it's too soon to just put the entire thing on him.
It usually takes a couple of months to get them to wear it but it depends on the bird.
I'm sure he will wear it eventually.

I see, I guess that may work (having a bigger size) but I believe once it's on and everything it'll be fine, just until then it'll seem tight because he panics over it (with the smaller head loop).
He has the head for it, he's stuck his head through it 2 out of 3 times happily so I think more treats will be a good plan, distract him from wearing it. I wish this cord were detactable too like on flight suits but that'd make it heavier I guess.
The only issue i see with Pazu and sliding the harness down is that he panics into flight very quickly... guess I could learn to hold him when taking it off to help him...

I'll update our next attempt on here, good or bad.

Another point i forgot to mention, it's just a theory really, but i remember reading somewhere before about a member who had a similar problem so he used to take the bird into a dark room and put the harness on him in there where he will be less likely to react. As i said though this is just a theory and i have never tried it myself =)

I guess the parrot gets tired, and maybe more familiar with the feel of the harness?
I've been told not to train a tired bird though, it's less about trust and learning?

feel free to correct me anyone!

It's food for thought though, if you do it post the outcome?

you are correct you shouldn't try putting a harness on a tired bird but i think the dark room theory is more about the bird being in a more agreeable state and less likely to panic, it's not without it's negatives though and i wouldn't advise to anyone who hasn't already tried a fair amount of harness training and positive reinforcement first.

I myself am only looking at it as a plan C if other attempts fail but as Merlin has been doing well with normal training (I've been doing some head loop exercises with him over the last few days and he did really well) i won't be considering it yet. I'll definitely keep you posted if i do though, thanks for the parrot wizard article link as well, it's been very useful. Hope your training is going well =)

Glad to help!
And fair point on the dark room theory.
I think Pazu is nearly back to a good point with the harness! Which is encouraging

Can I just ask, what size harness do you use?

How's the training going now?

Aviator Harness, and to be honest not well. Pazu took his last tumble a bit worse and is more hesitant about the harness so we're set back a bit here.

Awh, what happened?
But what size?

oh sorry, I missed the question. I have the petite size (the recommended for small conures) I know some people say they got the next size up but I personally wouldn't advise it unless it's just for training purposes

Whew, so I got the right one, it looks really small though!