I am getting frustrated, harness help?

[kahawia]

So I bought the Aviator Harness for my Caique, Kiwi. I am so frustrated and I try not to let it show, but I really would like to take her outside, in the car, bird shop, and other public places. She is very tolerant of me I can flip her over, pull out her wings, play with her feet etc. But she hates the harness. Every time I put the loop over her head she gets "crazy eyes" and tries to rip it up. She will let me lay it over her but once I try to put the tiny head loop over her neck she gets angry at the harness! She wants to kill it. I did everything your harness training blog post said, she just hates when the tiny loop goes on her neck. I've been working with her for everyday for the past week and a half and she isn't budging. Thanks-

[Michael]

All I can say is give it more time, take it slower, back up a step, and keep trying. I don't know of a better way of training it, do you? Of course while the head loop is on you want to put in some effort to distract it from chewing it whether its with a treat, attention, or playing. However, if even a treat doesn't help, you definitely gotta back up to the material touch stage to show the bird more how it is harmless and earns it treats to be touching. It is also possible that the treats are ineffective. Either find more effective treats or make sure the bird is a bit more hungry prior to harness training such as removing all food from cage for up to 6 hours prior to training.

Also you said you read the blog post, be sure to check out the forum post as well as it is more detailed:

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=1329

If you haven't already, watch the videos all the way through for more tips/tricks that I picked up for the process. Finally, don't worry if it's taking a while. I was able to do it in 3 days because I used an expedited training program but more importantly because my parrots were already trained many things before and know how to learn. If you have done less training before for other tricks, harness training will of course take longer. In the meantime, make a good carrier and start taking the parrot outside with you in the carrier so it can start getting used to being outside while you complete the harness training indoors. Good luck and let us know your progress.Don't worry and don't give up, you'll get it eventually.

[sidech]

Did you try just putting the harness on, even if she's mad ? I " trained " Jazz for about 4 sessions, maybe 3 minutes each, so about 15 minutes, for 3 days, then I put it on him. He's very calm, but still. I figure you have to go at it some time. I didn't use any particular technique, I just made sure I watched the video from the cie so I put it on right and as fast as I could (I was slow at first...), and got him used to having the loop through his head and on his shoulder for 3 to 10 seconds, maybe 6-10 times, before putting it on.

Maybe when she has the loop on, if you start working on lifting the wings, and don't pay attention to the biting, she will just settle a bit. And if not, it will be over before she knows it. And then, when you take her outside, hopefully she'll enjoy it and will associate the harness with pleasure.

I now take Jazz bike riding, and he absolutely loves it !

[FatimaAndCharlie]

birds also learn by watching each other. put harness on another bird infront of it or show her youtube videos of birds of the same kind putting on the harness.... leme know how it goes cuz i'm sorta having the same trouble

[kahawia]

Thank you guys so much!! All of your imput helped alot, she is now harness trained and completely relaxed with the head piece (I had to kind of put the head loop over her head against her will the first time.) After she found out the first time it wasn't painful she completely relaxed! Now I taker her for walks and flys daily! The neighbors love her. I'm excited to start taking her to the store and pet shop etc. The harness is the best thing!