Apple with his aviator harness.

[kaylayuh]

About half a day of introducing the harness as a 'toy' like object. Then came the desensitization for a day, where I approached him with the harness and held him still while I touched him with it. Then I rewarded with a treat. Then after, I made a little loop and practised getting it on and off briefly.

Overall, 4-5 days of short, multiple training sessions during the day.
But mind you, Apple still doesn't like the harness and will fly away several times from it at the beginning but soon calms down and accepts the ordeal and the treats associated with it.

I got Cheney Bird a feather tether and he's fine with it near him, but put it on him and he acts like I'm trying to strangle him! Between trying to hold him and pet him and bribe him with Cheerios, I felt like I needed ten hands and a sedative to get it on him. I don't think the poor bird is a fan.

[Vicki5280]

I got Cheney Bird a feather tether and he's fine with it near him, but put it on him and he acts like I'm trying to strangle him! Between trying to hold him and pet him and bribe him with Cheerios, I felt like I needed ten hands and a sedative to get it on him. I don't think the poor bird is a fan.

I've had the same experience with the Feather Tether and JJ as well. I'm thinking of taking a look at the aviator harness and seeing if it might be somehow different enough that JJ will tolerate it better. I'd really like to get her little flapping wings outside!

[Margaret]

Today we was on the longer walk in the forest with my bf + his dog + Chico.
Situation looks like this: when I put the harness, Chico thinks i want to murder her, so she's yelling. Dog is coming to rescue(not me- the bird) and boyfriend is going nuts. All four of us are outside: all of us enjoyed it(including Chico). We're in a car- again Chico: WEE WEE! Dog : Auu Auu! and boyfriend: Quiet everybody!
We're in the forest: dog is going without the leash, Chico forgets she has one and jump on my boyfriend's shoulder. All the time in park she was happy, no complaining, whistling once in a while. On the end of trip she was falling asleep on my bf's shoulder! I should have camera...
Reaction of people: "ooo, reall bird", "wow, cute bird", "can I pet it" or simple smile or steering. We didn't care. I walk bunny on the leash before.
Now everybody-except me-is calm and takes a nap
(I love bird's harness)

[GlassOnion]

That sounds so cute! Does Chico put up a fight when you approach him with the harness?

[kaylayuh]

How did you actually get the harness on Apple? Does he freak out when you try to put it on him?

I've been trying to put Cheney Bird's on and he's having no part of it. I gave him yesterday "off" to kind of just hang around the harness and be okay playing with it. Today, I've got it to go around his head, but as soon as I try to put it under his wings, he's flapping around like a fish out of water and making a sound I've never heard a bird make! I'm thinking it's going to take me four hands to get it on him. Two to actually work the harness, and two to hold the bird!

[Vicki5280]

I gave up on the Feather Tether today. The petite and small sized Feather Tethers are made in the figure 8 style, and when I try to put it on, JJ acts, I believe Michael says it best, like she's being strangled by a cobra! Like Kayla, I can get it around her head and she's fine. It can dangle there all day. But the minute I pull it around behind her wings and under her belly, you'd think she's being eaten alive or something. When I finally got it on, she walked around in a circle leaning to one side with a wing sticking out. If it hadn't been so pathetic, it would have been funny. I tried distracting her with treats and the few little trick-ish things she knows at 4'ish months old, and she ate, "performed" and played ~ooo-kkaayyy~ But even after MULTIPLE times making sure she wasn't being pinched, pulled or poked, having a feather being pulled the wrong way, making sure I hadn't broken something while putting the harness on.... everything I could think of... she still kept walking funny with a wing sticking out.

So I gave up and plunked down $$ for an Aviator. I'll keep you posted.

[kaylayuh]

I gave up on the Feather Tether today. The petite and small sized Feather Tethers are made in the figure 8 style, and when I try to put it on, JJ acts, I believe Michael says it best, like she's being strangled by a cobra! Like Kayla, I can get it around her head and she's fine. It can dangle there all day. But the minute I pull it around behind her wings and under her belly, you'd think she's being eaten alive or something. When I finally got it on, she walked around in a circle leaning to one side with a wing sticking out. If it hadn't been so pathetic, it would have been funny. I tried distracting her with treats and the few little trick-ish things she knows at 4'ish months old, and she ate, "performed" and played ~ooo-kkaayyy~ But even after MULTIPLE times making sure she wasn't being pinched, pulled or poked, having a feather being pulled the wrong way, making sure I hadn't broken something while putting the harness on.... everything I could think of... she still kept walking funny with a wing sticking out.

So I gave up and plunked down $$ for an Aviator. I'll keep you posted.

I laughed so hard at this, but I can't help but wonder if the Aviator is worth it. I decided on the Feather Tether because it had the clasp which I figured would be easier to get on. Maybe it's just our birds that are pathetic harness sissies? Let me know how it works when you get the new one!

[GlassOnion]

When I approach him with a harness, he'll fly away. We'll do this several times until he calms down. Then I hold him while I put on the harness. Periodically he'll flinch and we'll have our struggles but the way that the Aviator is designed, it really is simple. Slide loop on head, slide wing, slide other wing, fasten the whole thing, voila!

[CheekyandMalolo]

Rory had a similar attitude to the Feather Tether until I gave up on putting it on with the dee-ring at the front, it just doesn't work, the slide and buckle sit in the wrong spots. As soon as I can set aside the money for it I'll be getting 2x Aviators for him and Tika.

[Vicki5280]

I laughed so hard at this, but I can't help but wonder if the Aviator is worth it. I decided on the Feather Tether because it had the clasp which I figured would be easier to get on. Maybe it's just our birds that are pathetic harness sissies? Let me know how it works when you get the new one!

Pathetic harness sissies? Uhh, YEAH! I'm pretty sure that's a HUGE part of it with JJ! She's a Drama Queen, no doubt!

And I just read the description I wrote of how she acted, and it really doesn't do it justice. In retrospect, I really wish I'd had a video on her - she was SOOO pathetic! Only another parrot (Greencheek?) parent has any idea what I'm talking about... she could'a been on Broadway!