I'm after an alternative taming method for one of my GCC's

[NuItch]

I have two green cheek conures, Chico and Greenie
Chico is 1 and the beak taming method has worked a treat, he loves a good scratch.
Greenie is 3 but I've only had him for the last 6 months, the beak method does not appear to be working on him which I'll explain shortly and I've tried the other method explained in the trained parrot videos where you reward them for having your hand close to them and eventually you move closer but that only works until a certain point because he's too nervous when he can't see your hands so when he realises where they are he gives a little nip. He doesn't mind hands so long as they are not behind or above him.
When Greenie was a baby his parents tried to eat him and in the process he lost the front half of the top part of his beak. As a result of not having the front part of his beak the bottom right side never stops growing and it has to be trimmed with clippers every 4-6 weeks so it does not interfere with his ability to eat. I've attached a close up photo of his beak.
Because he's had this done retrained for the last 3 years it takes a lot longer to make progress with his taming and it seems like whenever I do I have to trim his beak and we end up back at square one. He has to be restrained and then his beak held open while the clippers get the right angle and then snip.
This issue hasn't affected his ability to trust me as such, I am able to trick train him just fine which I do twice a day and he thoroughly enjoys, I'm just not able to touch his beak or put my hands behind or above him.
I want to start taking the boys outside but there is no way I could even attempt to get a harness on Greenie so I think I need a fresh perspective and some new ideas.
Any suggestions?

[zazanomore]

I've been trying to get the harness on my cockatiel for the past couple of months. He's tame, but he just doesn't like the idea of the harness.

Michael has a blog, and there's a couple of articles and videos about harness training. Maybe you should check them out.

[idlepirate]

i can get the harness over the head but thats about it. the moment he realizes it has to go under his wings he freaks out---and i mean biting as hard as he can and clamping down.once once did I manage to 99% get it on and I think since then he knows what happens so wont let me go that far again:(
hormone season isnt the best idea for me to try and get it on but ill keep at it.
I must say though Michaels video for harness training is excellent. step by step but generally be prepared to practice for a long time if they weren't brought up with the harness from a young age.

Im really sorry about greenies beak, that really looks upsetting maybe its given him issues for people coming too close to him?? all the beak clipping for so long will make him very wary of hands near his beak. One bad experience for them will stay in their heads way too long- if not forever, and it can be very hard to make them comfortable with something again.

Just keep at it, positive reinforcement, treats and loads and loads of patience:) also i find once the harness is over the head distraction is a big key to getting the rest on--- being able to make the bird not notice theres this big strap thing tighening onto their body and that they get out of it.

Good luck

[NuItch]

Well it looks like Greenie saw me typing this out and wanted to make a liar out of me he let me scratch the top part of his beak briefly but took it as a sign and cupped my hand around him and within a short period of time I had him on his back in my hand preening.
I guess given enough time and persistence these techniques will work for any bird regardless of history.

Thanks heaps for the tips though, it gave me the motivation to try again where I have almost given up