Harness training, the tightening up part...

[KimKim]

So, Perry will let me put the harness on her (aviator), but once she realizes I'm trying to tighten it, she gets a little upset. She will start to growl and make her unhappy macaw sounds, and I start to freak out inside which causes my hands to shake because she is moving and getting tangled and putting a bit more pressure on me with her beak. I think oh gosh, what if she gets stuck or hurt... So this last time I was able to get it off without major incident other than my hands shaking. I know I have to try and work on that... But she is my first macaw :straightface:, I'm still getting use to her size, and all the bite pics in that thread haunted me while I was trying to get the harness off . I feel the large size is a bit small to get over her head, and I have to kind of bend her wing feathers to get it on and off, so maybe that is our issue. So after consulting with a friend and searching the forums, I ordered a Kaylor Collar, size large. Anyway, I guess my question is, what do you guys do to get their minds off the tightening up and feeling restrained part?

 

[faeryphoebe1]

Millett, but sometimes I still get a nip.

 

[Ark]

I give Rowan a piece of a Nutri-berry and that usually keeps him occupied long enough for me to fiddle with getting the straps in place. I totally feel you on the hands shaking stuff, especially after a bad experience where he got scared and tangled in the harness. Fortunately after trying it a few times you get used to the action of putting it on and taking it off, and a lot faster with it too. And I totally love the Kaylor harness, it helped us a lot. I hope it helps you and Perry too!

 

[Macawnutz]

Pine nuts! Or anything that is a favorite food. Start rewarding through every step. Head in ( reward ) one wing in ( reward ) if you need a minute to relax ( five rewards )

Get used to your harness, I practiced on one of my sons stuffed animals a few times. I have only the Xlarge size, the large ones have a smaller head loop.

It takes a bit to get a routine down but you will. Make sure to open the harness as wide as it will go and leave a bit of slack in the adjuster as well. Do the head loop then pull all the slack over to do one wing, pull it all back to do the other. Pull it all forward before tightening and hand her a few treats to compose yourself for a moment. Pull it tight with a big loop in the adjuster then tighten the leash out of the adjuster. Reward reward reward.

I keep saying I should make a video... someone needs to hound me until I do. Korbel has been quite moody about wearing the harness the last few times so it would be a perfect time for me to do the video. You can't learn anything from watching a perfect bird do everything right right?

 

[KimKim]

Thank you everyone!

@Macawnutz I'm hounding you got a video now

 

[Macawnutz]

Really give me until next week and if I don't get it, remind ( or hound ) me again. I have been meaning to do it and continue to keep forgetting. It's hard to explain how to do it easily and it's always easier to see a video. Especially a video where the bird is not "the perfect" bird and you have a bit of trouble. Korbel and I .... are never perfect. He is also in the best "stinker" mood to show some mischief I believe.

 

[KimKim]

@Macawnutz did you make a video yet??

 

[Macawnutz]

@Macawnutz did you make a video yet??

See.... forgot all about it again.
I will try tonight or I have tomorrow off.

 

[alcmene]

@Macawnutz I'm going to hound you too!

I successfully trained Lucy (my sun conure) to accept her aviator harness. I have one for Tulip. We started working with it a little bit today. She is NOT. IN. TO. IT. And holy moly do i fear that beak when her majesty is feeling displeased!

I really want her to accept the harness. But i want her to do that without sending me to the ER.

 

[Macawnutz]

Korbel was a butt tonight but I practiced with Sam. I should be able to set up the camera and get a good video tomorrow. Sam is the type of bird you don't practice with... throw it on and go but he practiced well tonight and will demonstrate how I teach it.

 

[KimKim]

 

[Blackshapes]

It's a trick. Pom-pom is learning hers. We already had one bad experience where she just LOST IT when we started tightening, she was fine up till then. We figure just take our time go slow. But more videos of not the perfect bird would be good. Hey @Macawnutz .... <---HOUND

 

[Macawnutz]

You will never believe this ...... I did the video with Korbel today and did not realize my internet bombed halfway through, it only recorded the first part.
I will have to do it again.

This is where I start. Only the leash in a loop and only going as far as they want too. Once they are comfortable I rub the leash over their back and under the wing during rewards. You can see part of this before my internet went out.

I will try to do it again tomorrow but I work during the day. These guys seem to need the practice anyway.

 

[alcmene]

Awesome! Thanks for doing this!

What are you using for treats?

 

[Macawnutz]

It would have been MORE awesome had my internet not been lost.

Pine nuts broke in half. Nothing too large as you don't want them to need a foot to hold it, nothing worse than getting a foot through a loop. And small pieces that keep them coming back quickly for more.

 

[alcmene]

I'm still trying different things trying to hit on what kind of treats will work best for Tulip. Not a lot of luck so far

 

[KimKim]

Thanks! So, it's like you have to start over with him even though he has had it on before? I can't wait to see what happens once it's on him

Good idea about a half a pine nut, I know exactly what you mean with feet getting in the way... That was one of our big issues, she got caught up in it

 

[Blackshapes]

Hey @Macawnutz is that a Tonkinese that waltzes in around 1:17?

 

[Macawnutz]

Thanks! So, it's like you have to start over with him even though he has had it on before? I can't wait to see what happens once it's on him

Korbel does not like the harness, he does not like me touching his wings and only easily gets into the harness when he knows we are outside and he wants to go. He also dislikes taking off the harness when the head loop has to come back over his head and it ruffles his feathers backwards. That's why you are seeing him being tense about practicing the head loop, it's not going on, it's coming off that upsets him. As touching his wings and ruffling his feathers are the two main "must do's" in wearing a harness, he eternally dislikes it. This is the bird everyone says "my bird will NEVER wear a harness" about.

No, we do not have to start over everytime. I'm showing you how I started teaching him to wear it. Korbel needed a ton of practice while other birds, like Sam, really required none. Sam is the easy bird you see in every video, throw it on and go. I figured seeing some resistance would help more than the perfect bird. Korbel complains and can bite if you do something wrong, if you notice though, he bites at the harness and not me. ( Most often)

I do not believe he will ever "love" putting on the harness. He just does not like it but he does like to go outside. Still everytime we put it on it has to be his choice .... even if he complains and gets angry about the choice he made.

Hey @Macawnutz is that a Tonkinese that waltzes in around 1:17?

No, seal point siamese. I had to look which one Tiamo my very overweight girl.

 

[Macawnutz]

He would not do it on the table tonight. No problems on the chair.