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Baxters uses Aviator Harness for 1st time


BaxtersMom

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Now there's a concept: Max learning from Tanner! Not a bad idea in certain areas, but sssshhhh - don't let her hear you say that! She's a total snob, god bless her - you can just see her looking down her sharp little beak at him, thinking "Gawd, he is so gauche!" I definitely have one prim little egghead and one class clown!

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LOL, that's what I thought, too. Baxter does not like new things at all and I thought the harness would be impossible. I thought I had ZERO chance for him to go into a harness but I was so wrong and so glad I tried it with him.

 

We aren't very graceful getting the harness on yet. I do take him to a totally different room to do this in. I set him on a couch and try to get him in ti. He jumps around and tries to get up on my fingers which makes it hard and then he runs and when I get him cornered somewhere and the head part starts to go on, he starts his clucking but by that time it's on his head and I pet his back and tell him how good he is and he is nervous at this point but while I am petting & praising him I slip the wings in their spots which isn't too hard at all. Then it is time to tighten it. That is probably the hardest part. He is trying to run around but he can't get away and I try to tighten the strap up. Once I got that done, he steps up on my hand, I keep praising him and we go outside. I am hoping in time he will get more relaxed putting it. And no we are not graceful at it at all. I don't want you guys to think it's a breeze for us cuz it's not. :laugh: It's probably funny to watch us. But he is relaxed outside now and do think he likes that.

 

It doesn't hurt to try and you may be so pleasantly surprised like I was.

 

I figured Tigger my eclectus would be the easy one since he is so mellow. I tried to put it on him like the guy in the trainging DVD and really stressed Tigger out. When he sees it, he runs now:( So I kind of screwed that up for Tigger. That's why I suggested watching the you tube videos. Different ways may work better for some poeple.

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I didn't get to take Baxter out in the harness yesterday because it was raining. I did take him out just a little while ago today though. This was his 5th time in the harness going out. It is getting much better for him:) (and me) He didn't cluck at all or make the funny noises when I put it on him. It's getting easier. Today he seemed much more relaxed outside too. He was more interested in walking around on the ground and checking out the grass, rocks and trees, bugs, etc. He barely even tried to chew on the harness at all.

 

I felt comfortable enough today to put him on my shoulder and walk with him that way. He is doing so good. I think the hard part is over now. He is getting used to the harness and getting more comfortable wearing. I am so glad he is getting more interested in the outside world instead of chewing on the harness. I think after a few more times he will know what it's all about.

He did fly off my finger a few times today and flew off my shoulder but he can't go too far yet with the short leash yet. One thing he did while he was perched on my finger was flap and flap and flap his wings. He never left my finger. I think he was just enjoying it.

 

I didn't think Baxter would ever be a good flyer since he never really did it but I think different now. When he flies the short distance that he can with the harness it is straight up untill he gets to the end of it. He would be gone in seconds if he wasn't wearing the harness.

 

I think progress is being made in really just a short time.

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Thanks for the encouragement. I can't wait to take Baxter on errands and outings now. Figured we better get used to it at the house first but it won't be long untill he is going places with me. He traveled just fine in the car with me on our move so going in vehicles won't be any trouble for us.

 

I have been so curious about harnesses since I got Baxter but I haven't found any posts that actually tell how it goes so I thought I would update the progress (or lack of) with Baxter so others might have something to compare it to. Plus, I get excited too and want to share it with everyone:woohoo:

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OK Erika your experience with Baxter has encouraged me, and I worked on both the birds with their harnesses again last night. Tanner actually let me lay it across his back for about 20 seconds ;) , and Max let me touch her feet with hers - she also reached out and gave it a couple of chews! :woohoo: That is just a HUGE leap for her - I think maybe she has been watching Tanner and me and deciding maybe the Aviator might not be quite The Work Of The Devil she thought it was. I should say they were having an especially mellow night for some reason - I even had one of them on each shoulder for about an hour while we were paying with harnesses and listening to music, and I don't let both of them on me at once very often.

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That's wonderful LindaMary! You should keep it up. Baxter didn't like it all but we forged ahead. I think it's very uncomfortable and scary at first but once they get over the fear, they should settle down. Atleast Baxter did. Maybe I am just super lucky with him, too. He still doesn't like putting it on and he still squirms and tries to waddle away when I put it on him but once it's on, he doesn't seem to care very much anymore.

We took him for a walk last night with our dog around the block. It was his first time away from the back yard. His eyes were big again and I think a little nervous but he really did great overall. He was calm and didn't freak out. Just his eyes were big again:)

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quik question Have you only been putting the tightner on his back??

I was trying to do it on his belly and the tighting process hurt my hands from him biting me, not too hard but enough to let me know he was annoyed. Also I can get it on ok and make it outside its the getting it off that he gets real annoyed mabey if I didnt have to reach around to his belly it would be esier.

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I have learned to get the tightening thingy where you pull the strap through near his back area. That way his head is facing away from me. He still will turn his head and is annoyed but really can't get to me like that. He sometimes grabs my fingers with his beak to move my hand but luckily he does not bite me.

 

I put his head through, then as quick as I can, pull the slack out of the line from above his back area. That way, his feet and legs are where they are suppose to be and pull the slack out from behind. I pull all the slack out with room for one finger to fit in so it won't be too tight. Then pull it through again so it is tightened in place. I hope that makes sense.

 

Try tightening it from around the back side. I also noticed when the tightening thing is near his belly area it annoys him and he chews it and is more likely to get my fingers. so since it is easy to pull it around I pull towards the back behind his leg.

 

Getting it off is just as bad as putting it on for me. He doesn't like it but each time seems a little bit better. I am going to put in photos to show how I put it on him and have the best luck with it. You might have to pretend Baxter is in the harness:whistle:

h1.jpg<br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2009/03/27 20:12

h1.jpg

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And lastly the way it would look if he was in it. I keep the black tightening thingy up by his back wings. When he flies it may come down towards his leg area since it kind of swivels but I try and keep it away from the front where he can reach it and chew on it. I do think that part annoys him.

 

I hope the photos helped instead of confuse.:Sh6.jpg

h6.jpg

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tytytytytyt we are gonna start working again today the weather just hit 80 :)!!! I stopped for awhile cause it ended being so tramatic for both of us but I really want to do this for him and myself. The pics were perfect I really appreciate them .

 

We should sticky this post:)

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Oh good, I'm glad they helped. I mainly figured it out from watching the youtube video. Of course we are newbies at it too and my Baxter is no where near as calm as her Too is. If you didn't see it, there is a link for it on the first page of this post.

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Erika, thank you for posting this and especially the pictures of how you got the harness on Baxter! I have an aviator harness for Jenna but we have not had a lot of luck with it so far. You've inspired me to keep trying, I really want to be able to take her out and about with me!

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:( I'm bummed out today. Things were going so well and I thought things would only improve with the harness but I guess we are having a set back. It's been a couple of days since I put the harness on Baxter. I actually put it on him briefly last night just to keep him familar with it and he started making his clucking noises again and he was grabbing it with his beak in front of his chest and really chewing it hard:angry: . So, I took it off of him after just a few minutes and thought I'd try again later. Today I put it on him and the same thing. He is clucking and trying to get away from it and I did get it on him and we did go outside but he seemed totally perterbed about it the whole time. :unsure: So, I'm pretty bummed out and discouraged about it today.

 

I told you I'd keep you all informed about the good and the bad. Today was bad:S

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