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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6673
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
| Anyone ever use a harness? |
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Does anyone ever use a harness to take their bids outside? I had one for a short while last year, but, my macaw broke the clasps within just a couple of weeks, making it unusable. So I ordered 2 more off the internet which I just recieved in the mail yesterday.
I took him outside on his stand & he just loved it! I think, lol! At one point, however, he did manage to completely unhook the leash, which I was holding onto for dear life. Luckily, he didn't seem to realize the significance of having no leash attached & I was able to get it hooked again right away!
He did nibble at it quite a bit, but I just kept distracting him with other things & he really did pretty good! He really did seem to love being outside without being in a cage! |
Wednesday May 18, 2005 5:44 pm |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7956
Location: Australia |
Hey ya Cathy
I have a harness for Apollo too. He doesn't seems to mind it too much these days. Although he did bite it quite a bit when I first put it on him. He loves it outdoor, but I haven't really taken him out much because it's been raining a bit here. But here's a photo or two of him in his harness...  Hope you like them.
Bih
Click Here To See The Photo No. 1
Click Here To See The Photo No. 2
Last edited by Cheeta on Friday July 1, 2005 4:11 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Thursday May 19, 2005 7:07 am |
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Fluffy Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10063
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| Re: Anyone ever use a harness? |
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I don't have harnasses, though I'd love one for little Flit!
And I'd also love my other fids to wear one..
I have tried it on Zazu, but he absolutely freaks..  Oh well, I can hold his foot as well.. (Not that this is the same)
Great to hear that it seems to be working with you, though he managed to unhook it..  |
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Thursday May 19, 2005 8:45 am |
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Fluffy Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10063
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Hey Bih,
how did you manage to get it on Apollo? Doesn't he start to pull his feathers?
I'd really want my fids to wear one.. |
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Thursday May 19, 2005 8:46 am |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6673
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
Oh, just look at him, he really is beautiful! He looks so regal 
I got some photos yesterday of Manu with his harness on outside, but haven't yet downloaded them. I'll post them on my homepage as soon as I'm able to. I'm babysitting today, so probably wont be able to do it until this eve.
Bih, can you tell me where you got yours? I got mine on line from "Chirp & Skwack (Oh, I know I never spell it right!)", but sheesh, it cost me almost $60 for 2 of them, which I thought rather high!! |
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Thursday May 19, 2005 11:55 am |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7956
Location: Australia |
quote:
Originally posted by Administrator
Hey Bih,
how did you manage to get it on Apollo? Doesn't he start to pull his feathers?
I'd really want my fids to wear one..
Hey Sue
When I first got the harness, it was with great difficulties and a lot of distraction to get it on. Now he kinda just sit there, but might still fight it every now and then!! 
Apollo doesn't pull his feathers at all, he's more interested in that red thing holding him!! He'd rather destroy the harness than his feahers. He preen quite a lot afterward to get his feathers back to it's previous states though. But he doesn't pluck it which is good coz I was worried about that before I had it on him. |
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Thursday May 19, 2005 12:05 pm |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7956
Location: Australia |
quote:
Originally posted by Cathy
Oh, just look at him, he really is beautiful! He looks so regal
I got some photos yesterday of Manu with his harness on outside, but haven't yet downloaded them. I'll post them on my homepage as soon as I'm able to. I'm babysitting today, so probably wont be able to do it until this eve.
Bih, can you tell me where you got yours? I got mine on line from "Chirp & Skwack (Oh, I know I never spell it right!)", but sheesh, it cost me almost $60 for 2 of them, which I thought rather high!!
Oh cool, I was wondering if you got some pics or not. I have't got any outdoor pic of Apollo in harness yet, but I will try next time I get him outside. I can't wait to see Big Manu again. he's a real beaut!!
I got mine on the Australian Ebay for $11, plus $3 postage (Australian dollars). pretty good in price. I must say I've seen it for way way more than that, like $50 in the pet store. A bit much there. |
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Thursday May 19, 2005 12:08 pm |
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Fluffy Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10063
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Wow, great that he doesn't pluck. You know, I'd be worried that the plucking would become worse with Zazu. I'm almost sure it would.
How long did it take you to get the harnass on?
Did he bite your fingers? |
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Thursday May 19, 2005 12:13 pm |
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ekkiemom
Fledgeling
Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 203
Location: Saint Louis, MO USA |
Hi all,
I use a harness called the Feather Theather on my Eclectus Linus. I started putting iton him when he was about 16weeks old. He hated it at first and I had to put a small towel over his head to get the thing on without requiring medical help.(for my chewed fingers!)
Now he just stands ther and lets me put it on. He chews at it a bit if he is bored, but if we are walking about with interesting things to see he ignores it.
I think most birds can learn to accept a harness if you gently, but firmly insist on them wearing it. Just start slow using the harness only short times at first and always with praise and reward for a good bird.
Regards,
Genny |
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Thursday May 19, 2005 2:00 pm |
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Fluffy Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10063
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Thanks Genny, for your explanation..
I'd really love Zazu to wear one, as I think this is much safer when we're biking.. (And he decides to chew my hand when he falls LOL!)
I do hold on to him, but it seems less painful with a harnass..
When I put it on Zazu, some years ago, he freaked. He really FREAKED! I praised him, but to no avail..
He will accept towels, so it's not that he doesn't want anything on him..
Does Linus like towels? (Just for comparison) |
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Thursday May 19, 2005 2:13 pm |
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ekkiemom
Fledgeling
Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 203
Location: Saint Louis, MO USA |
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Linus will accept a towel but he really does not care for it at all. 
I used a slow step-wise approach to the harness.
1) I showed it to him, then put it on a toy parrot and let him get used to seeing the harness. When his curiosity overcame his fear he approached the toy parrot and began chewing the harness.
2) then I removed the harness from the toy parrot and held it in my hand. Linus came over and chewed a bit then decided he had more interesting toys
3) I lay the harness across his back without trying to fasten it talking to him all the time, explaining to him that he had to learn to wear the harness if he wanted to go outside.
4) when the feel of the harness touching him no longer scared him I progressed to fastening the harness
5) As soon as I had the harness on I imediately went onto the porch so he could related harness with exciting trip outside
6) I only left harness on about 5 minutes the first time. As soon as he began to chew at it and acted a bit scared I returned inside and removed the harness.
6) I played with him for about 10 minutes afterward, keeping him distracted so he did not pay so much attention to his feathers.
(I was afraid that he might start plucking again because of harness)
Now he is pretty calm in the harness, but it took about 2 months from first buying the harness for him to be relaxed and comfortable in the harness.
And he was a baby, very easy to adjust to new things. An older bird might require more time?
It was very much worth the effort to me. Linus is fully flighted and could not go outside without the harness, except in a cage.
Also it is very important that the harness fit correctly. The wrong size would probably hurt Zazu, and once something causes pain, it will be even harder to get him to accept it. |
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Thursday May 19, 2005 2:36 pm |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7956
Location: Australia |
quote:
Originally posted by Administrator
Wow, great that he doesn't pluck. You know, I'd be worried that the plucking would become worse with Zazu. I'm almost sure it would.
How long did it take you to get the harnass on?
Did he bite your fingers?
Hey Sue
Yes, I'm very grateful that he doesn't pluck. I can totally understand why you'd be worried for Zazu.
It really only took two to three days for him to sort of get used to it. I reckon it would have been faster had I taken him out the first few times I put the harness on. But now he kinda lets us do it. He didn't only just bite my fingers, he destroyed them!!! Boy those beaks are strong! I guess you would know what it'd feel like having a cockatoo yourself! You do give out pretty nasty bites or what!! |
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Thursday May 19, 2005 3:18 pm |
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Fluffy Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10063
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Hi Bih!
Only two or three days? Wow! I would be really jealous if Zazu'd accept it that quickly!
I know what you mean by strong beaks.. Wow, did Zazu give me a nasty bite today. It wasn't meant like this but it sure did hurt! |
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Thursday May 19, 2005 3:22 pm |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6673
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
I really just didn't have any problem getting it on Manu at all. Altho, when he was on top of his cage, he kept running from me when he saw it, but when I put him on his stand, he was really pretty good.
I did start out the first day just having it somewhere within his site, close, but not within his reach.
I just kept saying, "outside?". Yesterday, the first day I put it on him, I only kept it on him outside for a short while, 2 different times. Afterward I put him into his outdoor cage & took it off of him while he was in there.
Today I've only had him outside with it on once for a short while, then put him in his outdoor cage again. I'll just keep increasing the length of time I keep it on him. |
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Thursday May 19, 2005 3:26 pm |
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Fluffy Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10063
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That's so smart, using a toy parrot as an example! Only thing is, Zazu really hates any toyparrots I have..
How does Linus respond to any toy parrots?
I think it'd be difficult to have Zazu associate the harnass with the outdoor life as he is used to go outside without a harnass.. And to keep him indoors till he is used to a harnass, well I think that would be mean of me..
Perhaps relate harnasses with food?
I wish I had started sooner with the whole harnass thing. From the time he was a baby. But, ifs won't help me here..
I will give it a try someday.. I really would like him to wear a harnass when we will be cycling or anything dangerous..
What color is Linus's harnass? |
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Thursday May 19, 2005 3:26 pm |
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