First time in a harness, and I'm confused.

[Polarn]

I'm not really confused weather or not Polarn liked the harness, it didn't seem to bother him for more than the 3 minutes it took us to walk outside, and as soon as we got outside he stopped trying to bite the harness, and looked around a bit then fluffed up started preening my beard, preening himself etcetera, clearly happy to be on my shoulder outside.

What I am confused about though is how the heck the harness went on so easily. I was at a local petstore to get his nails done and well chat some with the owner TBH, and after he had done his nails he asked me if I had considered getting him earing a harness to not have to carry around his carrier, and I told him a harness would be awesome but I'm not really allowed generally to touch his body, especially the wings, and that I was under the impression that I needed todo this in order to get the harness on and that I've never really looked at a harness so I wasnt sure.
So he went off to fetch an Aviator harness shwoed me how it looked liek and explained how it worked, then all of a sudden Polarn had the harness on. he was basically cuddling up on his chest and barely notised something was up. So we spent the day taking a walk outside, hanging out in the store, visiting my brother and his family eating dinner etcetera... Then came my one and only concern of today (disregarding the little cramped up feeling in my tummy about this concern I could not have had a more awesome day than today) removing the harness, I didnt put it on and I had only looked at it a couple of minutes before it was on Polarn, was i gonna be able to get it off of him smooth enough to not make him terrified of it tomorrow? well I dont know if he will be terrified or not when I'll try and put it on him tomorrow but he was calm throughout removing the harness, even though he managed to get a foot where it shouldnt go, and me messing up what loops goes back where after untangling his foot, took me a few minutes to get it off but he seemed calm throughout, so hopefully I'll be able to repeat the awesome day I had today again tomorrow. If not I am seriously considering having him go into the carrier, take the carride to the petstore and see if he can put the harness on again without any hassle, couse being able to walk in and out of houses (even stopped at the store to pick up a drink) with Polarn on the shoulder was a whole new dimension to having my little baby around.

Anyways here's some pics, first one is about 12 minutes into wearing a harness:

Second one is about 1,5-2 hours in and we tried driving to my bro's place:

[Polarn]

just though I'd give an update the harness went on today as well while he was cuddling up and we went out on a little trip, alot shorter than the one we did yesterday but was getting bed time so time to go back home to take te harness off get some dinner and go to sleep. Feels as if Polarn is gonna get so much more out of life now when were able to use a harness while going out. And myself, its kind of a wow experiece being able to take him along without the carrier, with the carrier its a bit of a hassle carrying it around, when perched on the shoulder, well its so easy to just walk in and out of places and take him along.

[pennyandrocky]

congradulations to both of you.

[Polarn]

Thank you! I just hope I doesn't manage todo something now in the beginning that scares him and render the harness to not go on easily. Also that once I take the harness out he will learn that means were gonna go have fun and well get excited about putting it on. The way it's done now isn't too bad other though since its basically just cuddling and distract him with that while it goes on.

[cml]

Im glad for you, its a shame that we cant get Stitch near the harness anymore.
Be careful though, and make sure every outing is a positive experience.

We worked with positive reinforcement to get Stitch to wear his harness, everything was going great in small steps, and we were outside with the harness a few times. Then something happened that spooked him, and since that time anytime he sees the harness, he flies away, he knows EXACTLY what it is, and what it means - and he wants no part of it.

I tried to retrain him to wear his harness about 6months after the incident, and he still refused completely, and he wont be near it. Because of that we now use a carrier, so that he could at least get outside a few times during the summer. Now its too cold though...

Back on topic ^^, keep up the good work Polarn, you seem to be doing great with all of your birds. I hope everything works out with Gila as well, I read the other thread with your latest update, but I havnt had time to reply yet!

[Polarn]

so far so good, been trying to get him used to the outside in a carrier but seems as if nothing beats the harness.

And to be honest I doesnt really expect him to come flying excited yet whn he sees the harness, I kind of prep it ready then "sneak" it onto him while cuddling, like I will pull my hand over his head couse he always close his eyes when i do this while i slide the headloop on, then i will try to keep the rest of the harness behind him, using one hand to scratch the head and making sure he wont eally look at whats happening and the other i kind of already had on his back to begin with so I use that one to slide it over the wing, then spend some time just cuddling before I tighten the loop around the first wing to make the loop going aroun the second big enoguh to slide that over the other wing then tighten it up and we just head straight out, its a bit chilly here though but everyone keeping birds here has ensured me that so far it isnt harmful for them as long as it isnt really windy when their not used to being outside, so the walk to and from the car shouldnt hurt too much, but the actual outings i try to spend inside.

Today we went to the store I got help putting the harness on at first and hung out and he got to see tons of peoples going in and out. And started todo tricks while on the shoulder to earn a stolen treat

Anyways the only time he really seems to mind the harness is when i have to take it off and be around his tummy to make a loop big enough for my finger to fit to pull the leach out and open the wingloops, but he doesnt seem to hold much of a grudge afterwards, as the following picture will show, this is btw something he learnt todo while in the harness.

i put my arm up and he will crawl under it and poke his head out on the other side

[janetafloat]

That's fantastic, well done you two! I hope to follow in your footsteps one day...

[Pricey_boy]

Your very lucky I've had no luck with my bandit he's an extremely fussy bird and I'm still trying to get him to wear ir

[terri]

Polarn looks pretty happy to me

[marie83]

Ahh why can't it be that easy for the rest of us . Well done, I'm sure he is enjoying his new found freedom.