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Harness and recall questions

Discuss topics associated with teaching birds to fly. Training parrots recall flight, target flying, and other flying exercises.

Harness and recall questions

Postby Birdnerdperson » Mon Jul 28, 2014 5:07 pm

I recently bought an aviator harness for my green cheek. I tried a feather tether or something in the past with no success (the aviator is so much better). The only hitch to getting the aviator on is when it comes to putting it over her head. I have the petite size which fits fine once on but takes some work to put over her head. She is getting a bit testy with me putting on the harness or taking it off but I can't exactly target her through the head loop to have her willingly do it because it's so small. I tried and was only able to get her to happily press her face up against it for treats or through one of the side loops no problem . Does anyone else have this problem with the harness and their gcc? I'm worried about her getting even more resistant to putting on the harness so any training tips?
Also, any advice for preparing her for flight? Right now she's in the process of growing in her flight feathers in and only has her sixth primaries back. I'm not sure if I should start training her to recall now or to wait until she can fly. She is six or so years old and is a bit on the chubby side after living with my parents for a year. I don't think she's ever flown before but now that I'm moved out into a place of my own I can finally let her. She already knows a few easy tricks, steps up alright, and is super handleable but needs some major work socializing with new people. Thanks for any advice!
Birdnerdperson
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 4
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Green cheek conure
Flight: No

Re: Harness and recall questions

Postby Wolf » Mon Jul 28, 2014 5:52 pm

You can pull on the head opening so as to cause it to stretch out some. As to the bird does she fly at all or not ?
While I think it is great that you have her nearly trained to use the aviator harness, I think that I would spend some time on indoor free flight to begin with. There is no reason that you can't teach her to recall and targeted flight indoors, before progressing to outside flight.
Wolf
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 8679
Location: Lansing, NC
Number of Birds Owned: 6
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal
African Grey (CAG)
Yellow Naped Amazon
2Celestial Parrotlet
Budgie
Flight: Yes

Re: Harness and recall questions

Postby Birdnerdperson » Tue Jul 29, 2014 12:14 am

She can't fly yet, the rest of her flight feathers won't grow back for a few months at least. I took her out with the harness a few times so far getting her used to all the new sights and sounds of walking around. She just seems to be disliking the process of putting on the harness more and more even though I've been rewarding her for her efforts. I don't want to undo all of my work but it's difficult because I can target her head through the side loops and rest the harness on her but when I try the head loop she's been getting bitier and tries to back away now. I guess I'll just have to slow down and really reward the collar bit since she's so uncomfortable with it. When watching videos of people putting harnesses on larger parrots it looks like the head part slips on much easier.
Birdnerdperson
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 4
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Green cheek conure
Flight: No

Re: Harness and recall questions

Postby Wolf » Tue Jul 29, 2014 1:17 am

Again stretch the head opening out a bit, you can pull on it quite hard and it will stretch a little and make it easier to put on.
Wolf
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 8679
Location: Lansing, NC
Number of Birds Owned: 6
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal
African Grey (CAG)
Yellow Naped Amazon
2Celestial Parrotlet
Budgie
Flight: Yes

Re: Harness and recall questions

Postby Harpmaker » Wed Jul 30, 2014 3:34 pm

I hold the treat in one hand, and the head loop opened (takes practice) in the other. The treat is gradually moved farther away from the loop so she has to put her head farther into it to get the treat.

My problem is getting the head loop off before she decides she is trapped. It catches on the feathers.
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Harpmaker
Amazon
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 637
Location: Southern California
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Types of Birds Owned: Meyer's Parrot
Flight: Yes

Re: Harness and recall questions

Postby Wolf » Wed Jul 30, 2014 9:15 pm

Why thank you Harpmaker ! What a splendid Idea and I am surprised that no one has thought of it before.
How about it, Michael, perhaps a new video showing the proper way to remove an aviator harness to go with the one showing how to put it on ? What do you think ?
Wolf
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 8679
Location: Lansing, NC
Number of Birds Owned: 6
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal
African Grey (CAG)
Yellow Naped Amazon
2Celestial Parrotlet
Budgie
Flight: Yes

Re: Harness and recall questions

Postby Tman007 » Thu Aug 14, 2014 6:40 pm

I recall mine when they are on the floor walking around. I can call my GCC when he's is across the room I will hold a treat down so he can see it and call him and he will run over and step up.
It takes a great man to give advice tactfully
But a greater to accept it graciously

Logan Pearsall Smith
Tman007
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 227
Location: Las Vegas Nv
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Galah (rose breasted cockatoo)
Cockatiel
Flight: Yes


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