New Sennie Owner

[AlexanderV]

Thank you so much!

Kepler's been doing great with the harness so far but she nibbles on it. im currently getting her used to letting me move her wings and to stay calm with the front bit on

i can post pictures of the tree as im working on it if its of interest to someone!

[seagoatdeb]

I think that most of them nibble on it. As long as they dont constantly chew on it, it is nothing to worry about.

[AlexanderV]

got it!

[AlexanderV]

update:
i did some harness training today and i felt keper was ready to put it on with the belt bit, not just the 'leash', and she was! (ive been desensitising her to it for a few weeks now) i didnt want to tighten it quite yet but were gettin there
im hoping that by spring shell be enjoying the great outdoors with her harness!

though i have to ask in advance: is there anything (besides birds of prey and harmful fumes obviously) i should watch out for when im walking around outside with my bird? maybe things like wild bird's feathers (many have feather lice on them so im assuming theyre a big no-no)? and i know that parrots can get ticks so should i steer clear of the woods altogether? (i asak because i hike pretty frequently and kepler loves hearing the birds outside so i think shed love hearing the birds in the forest)

[Wolf]

There are always risks involved, things that you should always be aware of no matter where you go with your bird. As far as the risk of ticks go, I think that I would do two things, the first one should probably be done before ever taking your bird out into the woods with you and that is to have your vet explain to you the best way to remove a tick from your bird just incase she picks up one. The second thing is to get your bird accustomed to you giving it a complete inspection after every outing to eliminate any ticks.

If you are out and about any place that there are humans, I would avoid letting any stranger touching or holding your bird. Many people have lost their birds by allowing stranger to get too close and touch or hold their birds.

Also no matter where you go with your bird attach the leash to you. do not count on your holding the leash to be enough as most people when startled or surprised tend to jerk on the leash and/ or momentarily loosen their grip on the leash. Jerking on the leash could injure your bird while losing your grip could result in your bird getting free from you. For this reason I suggest that when taking your bird out in its harness that you attach it firmly to a belt around your waist before you even open the door to go outside.

Others may have more and different precautions to share with you.

[Pajarita]

What I would caution you the most about is the stress that you will be causing the bird by exposing it to strange places and people. Parrots are not made by nature to be adventurous, they are born, live and die surrounded by the same family and in the same territory so a single bird (no flock to protect it) in a strange place and where strange people are around is very stressful to them. Furthermore, it has been shown in studies that exposing a young bird to stress does something to its brain and makes it high strung for the rest of its life so I would suggest you wait until your bird is an adult and, when you do take it out, you do it VERY gradually starting with just a couple of minutes the first day and, as you extend the time, always watch it for signs of stress. A quiet, unmoving bird that looks all around is not a bird that is enjoying the outing, it's a bird that is scared - I mention this because most people think the bird is actually having a good time when it's doing this, they compare it to a kid looking in awe at something but it's not awe, it's fear.