Sauly
Sprinting down the street
ohh brother....no comment! i refuse to fail at this..... having a hard time!
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Just ordered three harnesses
- Thread starter JAM
- Start date
Great work Maureen, did you use any reward or treat process for him? Next session maybe positive reinforcement will ease the tension for him? He sure looks a sweetie. 
Last night was a break as well, after the events of the day, I don't think any of our FIDs wanted to be stressed out further by the evil harness so it was cuddle night for all of them.
Last night was a break as well, after the events of the day, I don't think any of our FIDs wanted to be stressed out further by the evil harness so it was cuddle night for all of them.
Sauly, don't be disheartened, I haven't got to the stage of getting the harness on any of them, the best has been getting the neck loop over three of them and that's it. At the moment, we're having a break from harness training, so maybe just take a step back, relax and then start again when head space is a bit clearer?
No I didn't until I had to adjust the buckle it went pretty smooth, good idea I will have some sun flower seed ready next time! Not sure how next time will go.Great work Maureen, did you use any reward or treat process for him? Next session maybe positive reinforcement will ease the tension for him? He sure looks a sweetie.
Last night was a break as well, after the events of the day, I don't think any of our FIDs wanted to be stressed out further by the evil harness so it was cuddle night for all of them.
With our lories they go nuts for the banksia and bottlebrush nectars from Attraction Loritreat range. I mix up some of that and have it handy, so every step forward, gets a couple of licks at the treat.
The trouble with lories is their attention span is ridiculously short and because they are sugar driven, once they have had a couple of tastes, they are just hell bent on getting that nectar and the sugar levels rising......combined together = hyperactive and non attention paying FID.
Our lessons are very short and full of praise. They are very sensitive to negative feedback which can be as little as doing nothing and are very jumpy when it comes to new experiences so I have to be on my toes looking out for signs that they are telling me they've had enough. Picking up on the little signs before they TELL you by nipping is better and I've started to be able to tell the different expressions in their eyes to see when it is time to just let their head sink into the nectar and finish up for the evening.
I have to say I am jealous of the ones who have managed to whip on the harness straight away, I wish it'd been like that with ours, but hey, can't have everything in life.
The trouble with lories is their attention span is ridiculously short and because they are sugar driven, once they have had a couple of tastes, they are just hell bent on getting that nectar and the sugar levels rising......combined together = hyperactive and non attention paying FID.
Our lessons are very short and full of praise. They are very sensitive to negative feedback which can be as little as doing nothing and are very jumpy when it comes to new experiences so I have to be on my toes looking out for signs that they are telling me they've had enough. Picking up on the little signs before they TELL you by nipping is better and I've started to be able to tell the different expressions in their eyes to see when it is time to just let their head sink into the nectar and finish up for the evening.
I have to say I am jealous of the ones who have managed to whip on the harness straight away, I wish it'd been like that with ours, but hey, can't have everything in life.
I just found this tread... I am very excited to see how everyone does! Since we got Luca I have been waiting very impatiently for the day that I can take him outside! We had a rushed attempt at the "bird diaper" (major failure). At the time I didn't realize that other harnesses existed, so I assumed my dreams were ruined... a las I dream again!
And congrats to Maureen!
And congrats to Maureen!
Sauly, don't worry, it may seem like ur fid is not interested but I bet in time something will click in his head and he will get better. I had my doubts when I first started with Taz, he was scared of it, totally un-interested in anything I tried. I actually had to put the harness on my head and slowly put it near him (I managed to touch his body slightly and I gave him a treat for it), it really did help thank god lol it took quite a while before he was confident enough to start training sessions, at least 3 weeks. Ive been working with him for 2ish months or more (cant remember) and im still at the head loop stage, now that ive got my bigger harness i can proceed to the next step and get it over his wings, mind u ive gotta try and do this in 10 seconds haha....hopefully it wont be that hard. But I hope things will get better, just remember slow and steady wins the race
Oh and Great job Reeny, I reckon next time will be just as easy...well hopefully. He may be a little hesitant next time but after a lesson or two he should get confident again. Good luck to u aswell and to everyone else in training.
CountryChick
Strolling the yard
Sorry. I only read the 1st page and last page. I don't know which works better, an aviator flight suit or the harness.
Anyone have a preference?? I really want to order one but I refuse to buy both!
Anyone have a preference?? I really want to order one but I refuse to buy both!
I personally prefer the look of the harness than the flight suit.
Update with ours..... Some mixed up bottlebrush treat encouraged M-Star and Red respectively to have the harness over their heads. M-Star panicked mid photo shoot so calmed her and slowly and gently got the harness off her head and treat given. Red didn't panic as such but he got irritated at the feeling as he kept trying to bite it.
Really crappy photos as I was holding FID in one hand and phone in the other!!!
Note, the harnesses are NOT on properly and the main aim was to get the head through and the feeling of the rest of the harness on the bird's body rather than a full fit. They had them like that for probably no more than ten seconds before they decided enough was enough.
Also we seem to have an issue with the petite being too hard to work with on M-Star due to tight fit, but the X-small looks too large but is easy to get over her. *sigh* awkward sized bird.
Update with ours..... Some mixed up bottlebrush treat encouraged M-Star and Red respectively to have the harness over their heads. M-Star panicked mid photo shoot so calmed her and slowly and gently got the harness off her head and treat given. Red didn't panic as such but he got irritated at the feeling as he kept trying to bite it.
Really crappy photos as I was holding FID in one hand and phone in the other!!!
Note, the harnesses are NOT on properly and the main aim was to get the head through and the feeling of the rest of the harness on the bird's body rather than a full fit. They had them like that for probably no more than ten seconds before they decided enough was enough.
Also we seem to have an issue with the petite being too hard to work with on M-Star due to tight fit, but the X-small looks too large but is easy to get over her. *sigh* awkward sized bird.
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How long as a guess do they tolerate the harness being over their necks? just curious
Probably about ten seconds before they start fighting the feeling, this is the first real go at having it over their necks so I thought ten seconds was a pretty good achievement for the two of them.
Although I don't think it's the sensation on their necks, I think it's because of the rest of it dangling down and around parts of them that they feel probably shouldn't be interfered with like around the wing.
Although I don't think it's the sensation on their necks, I think it's because of the rest of it dangling down and around parts of them that they feel probably shouldn't be interfered with like around the wing.
The other amusing but interesting development is I could get the black one over Red but he refused to let me do the same with the red one. Same with M-Star. So black it is!
Yay!!!! M star and Red!!! Progress!!!I personally prefer the look of the harness than the flight suit.
Update with ours..... Some mixed up bottlebrush treat encouraged M-Star and Red respectively to have the harness over their heads. M-Star panicked mid photo shoot so calmed her and slowly and gently got the harness off her head and treat given. Red didn't panic as such but he got irritated at the feeling as he kept trying to bite it.
Really crappy photos as I was holding FID in one hand and phone in the other!!!
Note, the harnesses are NOT on properly and the main aim was to get the head through and the feeling of the rest of the harness on the bird's body rather than a full fit. They had them like that for probably no more than ten seconds before they decided enough was enough.
Also we seem to have an issue with the petite being too hard to work with on M-Star due to tight fit, but the X-small looks too large but is easy to get over her. *sigh* awkward sized bird.
No further update here as we've been concerned about the lovebirds so concentrating on them.
Actually, I do have some non-harness news, Red is flying to me though.....which is great news that he is coming to me of his own accord......however M-Star can't believe the audacity of him and displays ferocious anger towards him and tries to attack him. She really is silly, we are lucky that Red isn't as vicious as he is capable of being otherwise I'd have maimed/dead scalies on my hands. Keeping them apart is fairly easy as M-Star won't jump off my finger to attack him when it is away from Red but if she is already on my shoulder and Red visits....that's when I need to act quickly!!!
Actually, I do have some non-harness news, Red is flying to me though.....which is great news that he is coming to me of his own accord......however M-Star can't believe the audacity of him and displays ferocious anger towards him and tries to attack him. She really is silly, we are lucky that Red isn't as vicious as he is capable of being otherwise I'd have maimed/dead scalies on my hands. Keeping them apart is fairly easy as M-Star won't jump off my finger to attack him when it is away from Red but if she is already on my shoulder and Red visits....that's when I need to act quickly!!!
komodeno
Jogging around the block
I also have restarted the harness training of myparrots. I have one concern. My Goffin's harness looks so small. It is ok toput it on but taking it off is quiet difficult. I'm considering ordering onesize bigger for him. What do you think - can I use the same size for bothAfrican Gray and Goffin ( there is really small difference between both ofthem, but the loop in the smaller size is just so small that taking it off isreally stressful for the bird.) ? My African gray's harness is one size biggerand it is so much easier to put it on and off. Goofy was scared to death fromthe harness, but after 10 days we are in a stage to put the harness on and keepit sometime on him then take it off. I'm reinforcing him with sunflowers seedsand as long as I 'm having seeds to feed he is ok with the harness on.Yesterday I have tried to put one of the wings in and he was fine for just aquick moment but then he panicked and I took the harness of.
The other two were previously ok with the harness but we have not use it forabout a year and now they need to be desensitized and slowly go true thetraining again. I remember that for them the only issue was to put the headtrue the loop. Wings where easy to put in and the strap to e fasten. So far theMacaw is the most difficult one. He shows signs that he is really afraid of itbut I will be patient with him.
The other two were previously ok with the harness but we have not use it forabout a year and now they need to be desensitized and slowly go true thetraining again. I remember that for them the only issue was to put the headtrue the loop. Wings where easy to put in and the strap to e fasten. So far theMacaw is the most difficult one. He shows signs that he is really afraid of itbut I will be patient with him.
Yeah I had the same issue, I bought the small for Taz cause that was the recommended size but imo the neck loop was too small so ive recently bought the next size up (medium) and its sooo much easier to get on and off his neck during training. I would buy the next size up, it saves a lot of trouble and is less stressful to the bird. Sounds like good progress, keep it up and in no time you'll have a harness trained birdy.
As for my progress, its a little bit up and down. Im still at the neck loop stage and he wont keep it on unless im giving him treats, ive gotta somehow get him to keep the loop over his neck for a certain amount of time before he gets the treat. Talk about frustrating haha
Thinking about getting Luca a harness, and I have a few questions.
1. Which color seems most acceptable to your fids?
Luca is not crazy about red, but I can't even try to imagine how the other colors might go. Of course I would love for him to wear a little green one...
2. What size to get?
Luca is a GCC and is pretty average at ~70 grams. From what most of you are saying it seems that you order one size, then have to go up a size to get it to fit right. I am also wondering if I should try going one size up just for training purposes? Then get him a smaller size that fits better once he is accepting of it.
1. Which color seems most acceptable to your fids?
Luca is not crazy about red, but I can't even try to imagine how the other colors might go. Of course I would love for him to wear a little green one...
2. What size to get?
Luca is a GCC and is pretty average at ~70 grams. From what most of you are saying it seems that you order one size, then have to go up a size to get it to fit right. I am also wondering if I should try going one size up just for training purposes? Then get him a smaller size that fits better once he is accepting of it.
Maybe try treats other than edible? Like a drama treat, or giving head scritches? That way its still a constant form of praise, but the actual edible treat comes after a few seconds of head scritches?
1. Red seems to be an unacceptable colour as the black one I have had the most success with.
2. Given that he is about 70g you will be looking at the petite one which in the Aviator range only comes in red and black.
3. I am having more success with the larger one on M-Star as when she struggles I can get it off her a lot quicker than the one that technically should fit her.
4. I find that praise PLUS food treats is more successful than the treats alone, you do need to find something they are crazy about food treat wise otherwise they will find as many excuses as possible to escape the harness. LOL
I give it the "well done my little girl, who's a good birdy" in my praising voice then offer the treat for a few licks (we have wet lory treat for ours, yes, they are awkward, bloody lorikeets!) and then need to hide it out of sight otherwise they're too busy trying to look and get to it to concentrate on training!
komodeno
Jogging around the block
Yeah I had the same issue, I bought the small for Taz cause that was the recommended size but imo the neck loop was too small so ive recently bought the next size up (medium) and its sooo much easier to get on and off his neck during training. I would buy the next size up, it saves a lot of trouble and is less stressful to the bird. Sounds like good progress, keep it up and in no time you'll have a harness trained birdy.
As for my progress, its a little bit up and down. Im still at the neck loop stage and he wont keep it on unless im giving him treats, ive gotta somehow get him to keep the loop over his neck for a certain amount of time before he gets the treat. Talk about frustrating haha
A bit of a progress with us. The 3 parrots are doing fine. The CAG - Casco andB&G - Jack are getting use to the harness and soon will start with the actualtraining. The Goffin - Goofy is doing very well and we manage to stay with theharness on the neck for some time and I was touching him around the neck andwings. I need to get the wings no in the loops and the last step will be tofasten it. I'm positive about it.
Just one question what do you think can I use the size up or eventually need touse the smaller size. It looks like the smaller size will be a big hassle totake it out, especially if he panic and the crest is up...
