Getting a baby used to a harness

[Known Space]

So I've made my deposit and I'll be welcoming a young bronze-winged pionus into my home in August. Needless to say, I am super excited about this. It'll fledge in roughly 2 weeks and I'll be able to pick it up in 8 weeks.

But it'll be too young for formal training! Which is fine. And I won't be putting the little bird through too much stress to train all sorts of things. Most of all, I'll be modeling desired behaviors with my super well-behaved parrotlet. Though... my parrotlet still doesn't like her harnesses haha. And so far, I've trained it using a target stick and clicker. Not really the approach I can use on a pionus this young.

What are the first things I should do to prepare the pionus to the harness? I figured just being near it while it's getting scratches and holding it againts its body would be a good place to start?

 

[Lady Jane]

 

[JLcribber]

So I've made my deposit and I'll be welcoming a young bronze-winged pionus into my home in August. Needless to say, I am super excited about this. It'll fledge in roughly 2 weeks and I'll be able to pick it up in 8 weeks.

But it'll be too young for formal training! Which is fine. And I won't be putting the little bird through too much stress to train all sorts of things. Most of all, I'll be modeling desired behaviors with my super well-behaved parrotlet. Though... my parrotlet still doesn't like her harnesses haha. And so far, I've trained it using a target stick and clicker. Not really the approach I can use on a pionus this young.

What are the first things I should do to prepare the pionus to the harness? I figured just being near it while it's getting scratches and holding it againts its body would be a good place to start?

Wait until it grows up.

 

[Known Space]

Reward-based training isn't usually advised for baby birds from everything that I've read.

Wait until it grows up.

Not even getting it used to being around a harness and have positive associations around it?

 

[JLcribber]

Reward-based training isn't usually advised for baby birds from everything that I've read.



Not even getting it used to being around a harness and have positive associations around it?

There’s nothing wrong with “D-sensitizing” them too many things. Give your bird a chance to grow up a bit and understand these things before you start “training” him.

The beginning stages of life are very critical in the well-being of your bird. Don’t push the boundaries/screw it up.

 

[Known Space]

There’s nothing wrong with “D-sensitizing” them too many things. Give your bird a chance to grow up a bit and understand these things before you start “training” him.

The beginning stages of life are very critical in the well-being of your bird. Don’t push the boundaries/screw it up.

So basically what I said in my original post is accurate and what I should stick to?