Question for all you harness users out there....

[chimaysmommy]

I've been working with Chimay for a few days to get him acquainted with his new Aviator Harness, and wanted to get your input....

 

How long did it take your grey(s) to be comfortable enough to actually have the harness put on for the first time? Chimay allowed me to put the collar over his head, and we nearly got the harness all the way on (wings in and all), and as I tried to secure the slide to the appropriate tightness I think he could sense my lack of experience with the harness and he started to fuss. It's only been a few days since we got it, and I don't want to push him too quickly. I know that each grey is different, but wanted to get an idea so I know whether to slow it down or not.

 

Thanks everyone!

[Dave007]

If your bird is young, it usually gets used to it after putting it on often but you also have to become adept at putting it on correctly and somewhat quickly and with as little effort as possible which is gonna take sometime. He's sensing that you're uncomfortable and he's reacting. Some people have to take a few bites while they're learning to put it on. Adult birds are even worse. many won't accept any type of harness or restraint no matter what you do.

[Marauder]

I'm *trying* to get Schrodinger to accept a harness. She keeps fussing and I've had to towel her in order to get it on hoping that she'll see that it's not going eat or otherwise hurt her.

[danmcq]

Dave is spot on. It takes a few times before they will let you get them completely harnessed up and then they may not want it on for more than a minute. Every bird is different and some may readily accept it when very young.

 

Make sure you practice putting it on many times using another persons hand for example so you get get it down precisely and quickly, although it is a little different trying to get them to let you pick their wings up. The wing pick up should be practiced with your bird before you add the harness to the mix which just makes the situation worse by too many unfamiliar things happening at once.

 

If you have the DVD that came with the aviator harness for example, You should watch it a few times and follow the excellent instructions given.

 

My Grey did a few somersaults the first few times I placed it completely on him and I Must say, getting it off with him upset was much more of a challenge than getting it off. I finally just gave him a peanut each time to crunch the heck out of while I quickly removed the harness.

 

It takes time and patience, but the most important thing is to NEVER make it a bad experience, if you do, you can forget getting the harness on them.

 

Do not towel them, it just makes the experience that much more stressful to them. :-)

[chimaysmommy]

That was my thinking exactly...I've been working with him a lot on the wing pickup (I think he's ticklish under his left wing b/c he fusses much more when I handle that one. Ha ha), and getting used to seeing the harness collar coming towards his face. I stick my fingers through the collar holding a pine nut, and hold up one end with my other hand.

 

I am just SO excited for when that time comes when we can take him outside! Just trying to push my own excitement aside and go with his flow...Thanks for all of the feedback!

 

I'd rather let my $35 go to waste than towel him in order to get him to use it. No offense intended to Marauder.<br><br>Post edited by: chimaysmommy, at: 2009/04/27 18:05

[Tycos_mom]

I'm so glad I started training Adaya before she was even weaned. she still not crazy about me putting it on her because it take me awhile to do up that tiny little clasp I'm sure once I can get it done quickly it won't be a problem she doesn't seem to mind it one I get it on. Sometimes getting it off is bad again with that stupid little clasp I'm just not very good with fiddily little things.

[Marauder]

chimaysmommy wrote:

I'd rather let my $35 go to waste than towel him in order to get him to use it. No offense intended to Marauder.

 

None taken. It's possible that I have been approaching it the wrong way. I've (gently) wrapped her head in a sheet which seems to have kept her much calmer when I've put it on, though she still complains after it's on and I take the sheet off. I'll then immediately take her outside in the hopes she will associate the harness with exploring outside. She seemed a lot calmer yesterday then the last time.

 

I'll freely admit that I'm not an expert on these matters.

 

I'm looking at some of these other good tips and am more then willing to try other methods to make it less stressful and more of a positive experience for Schrodinger. I can survive a few more few bloody fingers if it means that she's not as stressed out. )

[Jane08]

I am training ours at the moment for the harness and it is a slow process, but I am trying to do it in a way that they won't be stressed.

 

I use sunflower seeds and at first I just touched them with the harness and gave them a seed. Once they were comfortable with that I got them to put their heads in the hole and gave a seed for this. We practice this a lot and now I have it over the head and resting on the back. This has taken me months though I must admit. I have to train them both at the same time which I think has slowed it down.

 

Now we are doing wing lifts to progress to the part of getting the wings in the harness.

 

I am really jealous of you all who have no problem getting the harness on and must admit I get frustrated sometimes and just want to whip it on them without the training. I know I could do it, but I want them to have a positive experience so I have been taking it slow, but sometimes the urge is there to force them a bit.

 

I haven't given into this urge as I look at their faces and know they trust me and forcing them would break that trust, which I couldn't forgive myself for even though I know they would see the good side once I got them outside.

[Christina]

I think even once they get used to it sometimes they just don't want to put it on. Sometimes Finnigan will put hers on with no problem, other times, she gives me a little bite and if I don't take the hint, it gets harder and harder. Needless to say, she has trained me to accept a little bite as a "no, I don't wish to participate today" and we don't go outside. Anyway to answer your question....I use the same process as Jane, use her favorite treat, so its a positive experience, baby steps, we did head in the hole about 100 times before we progressed to the wing, then both, then tighten. I've been working with my blue and gold for over a year and still haven't gotten him into his harness (he was older when I started him on his harness training). But, I shall persevere and will hopefully get him in there before I die of old age. :-)

[chimaysmommy]

Well we've made some progress! I decided to use the same approach and take a couple steps back and just work on getting him to accept putting his head in the harness. We worked up to having him put his head in then I hold it in place for a count of 3. We'll probably keep up the same pace for a while longer, maybe next week try getting a wing in.

 

The good thing is that even since the frustrating experience of trying to put the harness on right away didn't traumatize him. We do a little exercise each day, where he "acknowledges" different items. I'll hold up his wiffle ball and say "what's this?" When he beaks it, I say "my ball" and give him a treat. We do the same recognition-type activity with his harness, and he still beaks the harness when it's presented. So he's not afraid of it....yet. Ha ha

[Jason]

Just received delivery of the Aviator harness in red. Im going to give it a try on Ernie tonight after looking at the DVD.

 

For some reason he gets very interested in red objects and is less afraid of anything which is red. Ill update later and let everyone know how it goes.

[Eckobird]

Thats great Cindy! I hope Chimay likes it. It is so much fun to bring Ecko outside in his harness. He loves it and I bet Chimay is going to too. Just keep working with him and pretty soon you'll have it on him.