Can I tie a fishing line to his band?

[Mare]

100% can never be attained. Life is chance. You have to decide and be the decision maker for your bird, unfortunately.

 

[waterfaller1]

It might serve you well to read up on Chris Biro and the methods he uses to train recall. Please don't just assume your bird loves you enough. He is very cute.

 

[artgeek09]

Your bird might not want to fly away, but please keep in mind that there's a whole different way to fly outside in the "real world" with strong wind currents that can just carry your bird away even if he wants to come back. Not to mention predators. Indoors our pets don't really have the opportunity to learn how to deal with wind currents and the like. Please don't take him out without some form of protection!

 

[karen256]

The guy suggesting the fishing line may have gotten the idea from it being used in some movies as a precaution against flying off (when a parrot has to appear free). But that would be a well trained bird in a relatively controlled environment, for very brief scenes, and I would also think that they would not allow enough length of line for a bird to gain any speed flying. I don't think it would be at all safe or suitable for taking a bird outside - no better than a leg chain.

 

[shanlung]

I known of a guy who tore off the leg of his cockatoo with the lease attached to the leg
I wrote that somewhere in my journal about 5 to 6 to 7 years ago but I could not locate that now.
That cockatoo took a long time to die, of septic poisoning in the end.

So go on, tie that fishing line to that band.
No injury to you anyway. Injury will be on that bird.

 

[waterfaller1]

Oh Shanlung how horrible.

 

[Quiverful]

Definitely no on the fishing wire....or any other type of string or rope attached to a leg.

I have used the Feather Tether and didn't like it. I had much more success with the Aviator harness. I also have a screened in carrier that attaches to your chest like a human infant carrier. It has a perch inside and several of my birds love going on walks in that.

 

[Mrcrowley]

Ill do one better *DO NOT USE FISHING LINE * If he panic fly's my friend he could cut his leg or do real joint damage glad you asked ... The harness is the best way just need to train him to ware it .

 

[Sadieladie1994]

Nothing is fool proof and each method needs to be evaluated on its merit and what you tend to do.

Here are a few of my experiences.

Flight suit was easy for little birds to put on, used for day care and nursing homes so birds would not put on people. But, a baby stroller outfitted with a perch across and pads in the seat was just as effective with my non flighted birds.

Aviator. Trial before they came out found the crimp not good for bigger species. It was tried on severe macaw, b&g, gcc, golden conure, aracari, lsc2. Didn't fit the aracari very well. Severe was ok with it. Ok for the conures. The lsc bit through the leash ( I didn't think she could or would) The advantage is being a one piece system

Kaylor collar. Easiest to get on big birds, least bothersome to the birds and the leash could be detached. If you have a bird who likes detaching leases though this is not the right one. Mine liked doing tricks so once i was in a safe place I could take the leash off. I had her in a carrier in the car so took the leash off so she would not chew it.

Feather tether. REadily available at most bird stores. Lots of clasps that birds can open. Most difficult to learn to put on but you can always practice on a stuffed animal first. I was in a pinch one day and needed a harness. That is when I found out that once a bird learns to wear a harness they are more accepting of a different type. I was going to beach and left the harness home. Got a feather tether and it worked great!

No leash. Some macaw owners have great success with this. One poster has a beautiful flock that she takes to a park. They are big birds so are not as intimidated by larger birds. She knows the area she brings her birds. She is mindful of dangers of dogs. It is a beautiful group.

No leash/harness. Some folks have a handicapped bird who cannot fly off due to handicap.

Safety. Harness is used to retrieve bird from the ground if they should jump. I have seen a picture and a video of a hawk coming in to take a small bird off a persons shoulder. The harness does help.

Then there are carriers and strollers. For the beach a stroller is nice. Bird can come out and perch on the handle or bar in front and at the same time go into the stroller for some shade. Closed up your bird is protected from unwanted advances from gulls or dogs. when taking multiple pets a stroller keeps it simple to transport a bird and place to store items (basket in the bottom).

Others. I have carriers that look like purses. My bird may be out most of the time but need to be placed in a carrier going certain places. I would then place her in the carrier and no one knows I have a bird in my purse (lsc 2 was very quiet and loved being with me)

What ever method you use evaluate it by determining what/where you are going, size of bird (some better for little and some better for big).

I have evaluated, taught and/or used each of the methods above and like each for different reasons and use some more than others (or none)

the additional method is free flight birds which I do not do. Do watch the videos though and note how the birds are transported to get to the free flight sites.

What you end up doing then is your decision and what you think is best. Hope this information was helpful for you deciding what works for you.

 

[DQTimnehs]

A harness is a for sure way to hang on to your bird. How do you know FOR SURE, AmberMuffiinz, that a strong bond will not? Just curious here, why would you think this?

I had a very strong bond with Pogo and he flew out and would not fly back to me in all the hours I was out calling him and looking for him, even though I walked right by him at least 50 times. I would NEVER trust that a strong bond is more powerful than instinct.

 

[Viva]

Wow! Thanks for the great input! So true about calling for a bird that's right under your nose and they just stay quiet... *Sigh* You just never know. I read that my little bird can fly 27 mph! He'd zip off on a wind current so fast if it could! I'll let you guys know what I come up with. The hawk trying to swoop in on the bird on your shoulder story is scary!!! I definitely live in hawk country... :/

I'm so sorry to hear about the Cockatoo... What a horrible freak accident. Cockatoos are AMAZINGLY fun. I really want one day.

Thanks for the long explanation on different harnesses (Sadieladie) but it definitely helps a lot! Thanks!

 

[SandraK]

Your bird might not want to fly away, but please keep in mind that there's a whole different way to fly outside in the "real world" with strong wind currents that can just carry your bird away even if he wants to come back. Not to mention predators. Indoors our pets don't really have the opportunity to learn how to deal with wind currents and the like. Please don't take him out without some form of protection!

Something else to keep in mind is that if/should your fid fly away unexpectedly he/she doesn't know "where" home is. Wild birds have migratory paths and areas they migrate to according to the season. A flighted companion creature doesn't have that info "built in"; you have to add that to your bird getting blown away, the weather, predators being afraid and behaving accordingly. I would not consider fishing line safe, ever, on a bird for the simple reason that it is invisible most times and could get tangled anywhere therefore trapping your bird ina place it could not be rescued from or a place where it could only too easily be attacked or eaten. And this is coming from someone who also never thought her birds "would fly away"; I was lucky. You do not want to go there, believe me.

I forgot to also mention the fact that fishing line could trap your bird in a position that it could not get out of (upside down for instance) which would kill it if it weren't found in time.

 

[Bokkapooh]

Please, don't use fishing line! Yikes, if he got caught up in a tree! Train your bird for recall and even more than that, you need a well developed bond with your bird, one that is tight. Not one you THINK you have...one you KNOW you have.

I can just imagine a fishing line wire wrapping around the body of any pet bird. I've seen pics of seagulls and ducks caught in fishing lines. Not pretty at all. I can just imagine if the poor baby got loose and flying around with it on its leg. Yikes

 

[Bokkapooh]

I known of a guy who tore off the leg of his cockatoo with the lease attached to the leg
I wrote that somewhere in my journal about 5 to 6 to 7 years ago but I could not locate that now.
That cockatoo took a long time to die, of septic poisoning in the end.

So go on, tie that fishing line to that band.
No injury to you anyway. Injury will be on that bird.

Dont you tie strings or lines to both of Tinks feet? I thought thats what your photos showed.

 

[shanlung]

Dont you tie strings or lines to both of Tinks feet? I thought thats what your photos showed.

These photos is to show others to let them see for themselves.

And as how the above Tinkerbell Lite Harness is made, go to the thread here
http://forums.avianavenue.com/airport/66340-tinkerbell-ultralite-harness.html

 

[Mare]

I had a very strong bond with Pogo and he flew out and would not fly back to me in all the hours I was out calling him and looking for him, even though I walked right by him at least 50 times. I would NEVER trust that a strong bond is more powerful than instinct.

I'm realizing that all birds are different. Different in how they communicate with there owners and different in their abilities. Although Amigo and I have a strong bond, he is a large bird that has learned to maneuver in winds and he also knows his territory, anything could happen. The first time he was allowed to examine a real live tree, there was nothing I could do to bring him down, except wait till he was ready, around a three hour wait.
I DO trust a strong bond, I trust it more than anything else while allowing my bird outside. If we didn't have this, he would have flown off, years ago.

 

[DQTimnehs]

I'm realizing that all birds are different. Different in how they communicate with there owners and different in their abilities. Although Amigo and I have a strong bond, he is a large bird that has learned to maneuver in winds and he also knows his territory, anything could happen. The first time he was allowed to examine a real live tree, there was nothing I could do to bring him down, except wait till he was ready, around a three hour wait.
I DO trust a strong bond, I trust it more than anything else while allowing my bird outside. If we didn't have this, he would have flown off, years ago.

So far.

 

[shanlung]

A lot more will be required in addition to that strong bond to take a bird outside to fly freely.

Is that bond truly strong or is that what you hoped?

Extract from
shanlung: To Shanlung - How to do Free Flight Outside

Nothing is completely safe.

I am mentally prepared for the worse. Can you do that ?

First Tinkerbell, and then Riamfada was trained in harness and line in small steps by small steps before free flight.
They learned to fly in strong winds, in cross winds, in tail winds, in side winds, gusty winds, from high up to me down below, from down below to me high up above.

I did not just do recalls. I did very complex recalls. They fly to different perches with names in the order I called, and then fly back to me at home.
I hide in rooms and call them to do hide & seek recalls. That they fly to me out of sight and search for me.

I watched them until I knew they do not spook easily, and knew they recover quickly from spooking.

And what about parroty jokes. Birdie loved to do macabre parroty jokes at the expense of your heart.

Even if not parroty jokes, can you cope with exuberance flight?
When your birdie flew high above you and then continued away to disappear at the distant horizon?

Riam did that to me not one, not twice, but three or four times. All in the course of 2-3 minutes in
Chile // Riamfada free flights at the edge of Rub Al Khali
shanlung: Chile // Riamfada free flights at the edge of Rub Al Khali

Can you remain calm all through that? Fear in your heart might well frightened your birdie so much your birdie might not come back.

 

[Mare]

My bird has flown across valleys, to the next ridge. I could see him as an itty bitty white speck, calling to me. I was scared but persistent with our call, he came back. He normally will not fly that far, this was in his early stages. He has never worn a harness. When starting him out, I had no idea that there was such a thing! He is not recall trained as you all know it but he does come when I call.
Jennifer, you really don't need to be so negative. We aren't hurting anyone, I don't advocate to do this with your bird, this is the way we are and hopefully Amigo will be around for many years to come. Nothing in life is guaranteed to last forever but he has a good life and I will never regret allowing him this kind of freedom.

 

[shanlung]

My bird has flown across valleys, to the next ridge. I could see him as an itty bitty white speck, calling to me. I was scared but .....

I bet your heart was up in your mouth then.

In those kind of escapades, many times I did not know whether to laugh from delight at the beauty or scream/moan in fear and agony.

But then, I speak for myself only.