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Falconry Anklet :)

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MaraWentz

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So after many tries to get Erin used to the harness or flight suit we were defeated. She can easily eat through a harness in 10 minutes and a flight suit in a day and a half. She has never flown in either because she is way to busy stressing out and rolling on her back trying to escape from the suit and harness.

So after my vets recommendation (and after removing Erin's band) I looked into falconry anklets. Went to Mikesfalconry.com and called up and got plenty of advice. He says he has had many parrot owners come to him before and look into anklets and experiment with great results. So I finally ordered. He walked me through the process of ordering and sizes to order (and off business hours too) and within 3 business days my order for the strongest anklets available were at my front door (biothane is the strongest, and of course my hubby had to try them out first and thus his teeth suffered- they are unstretchable, untearable, unbreakable!). We then called up Mike and he walked us through the process of how to put them on her. It took 3 minutes total. I restrained her while my hubby measured the length and used the grommets to put them on. She immediately rolled on her back when released, pried at it for 3 seconds tops and then walked around then flew to her stand.

Best decision by far. I love how she isn't stressed by it the least. Had that been the harness or suit she'd had eaten through it or still be rolling around on her back trying to get it off. This has been stress free. I also love that it's permanent. I only put the anklets on once, and there they shall stay until I am ready to cut them off (with any old pair of scissors, btw). I don't have to fight her to take it on and off everytime we get ready for flight- just clip a leash through the grommet hole and ta-da!

We haven't flown her outside with it yet, but at Petco she took a 3 ft flight and and at home she took a 6 ft flight- took off an landed with ease (and that's with the leash on- she still flies all over our room with just the anklet on). it seems the only thing she is hesitant of is having a leash attached when stepping up- she does slow gradual step ups (maybe she is afraid she will trip on it?) However the anklet doesn't phase her the least :)
 

SandraK

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There was a thread that discussed something similar also in The Airport and you might want to take a look-see at it. For myself I don't know that I'd be that comfortable using an anklet for fear of causing injury in the event of a panicky situation but then I don't have anything larger than a sun conure.
 

Bokkapooh

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I personally have no problems with such gears for birds as I've also had success with them. But take care posting such posts on AA. Many people are absolutely against these types of gear for parrots let alone falcons and other birds of prey. They can pose a risk at injury, but ofcourse any harness has that capabilities.

I personally use right now, are the aviators as my guys are used to them. I did use a foot harness on my scarlet macaw, Gra, when she was alive. I was teaching her outdoor recall. The aviator didnt work as well as the foot harness ever did when teaching her outdoor free flight. Plus she got tangled in branches more with the aviator. So for her the harness wasnt a great option. But the foot harness was great.:)

Good luck:)

What kind of bird do you have? If she is a very small bird, do be careful. Foot harness or body style harnesses can be dangerous for a flying small guy. They seem to always have a greater chance at being tangled. My mom has a quaker she uses the harness on. Not an aviator but another kind with clamps and he seems to always get the leash around a flight feather or ontop of his tail when in flight which makes him clumsy.
 

MaraWentz

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Erin is a red front macaw. And for each size bird they have different thicknesses and widths (which is why I called up Mike and had him tell my what to buy as far as sizing went due to her weight and ankle thickness.) They have anklets for birds way smaller than my RFM. And o ensure saftey though, when we do fly her in spring we are attaching an anklet to her other leg, and using a jesse, so when she does take off or reach the end of the leash she isn't yanked,and especailly isn't yanked by one foot. However, when she had her 2 small flights (accidentally- her choice, we didn't give her the command) she did great and when she reached the end of the leash there wasn't even a yank or tug. You would've never guessed she had hit the end of the length.

But yes, I am worried about the leash getting tangled when she flies- I used to free flight her, but then a wind picked her up from about 3 ft above my head, as she was landing, and she was lost in the trees for 3 days, so I'm risking the leash for a while now, until she is 100% trained.
 

Bokkapooh

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I've never see Gra or Bokka yanked or tugged either when they were in a ankle harness(Bokka and Gra were first trained in foot leashes before body leashes. Gra was just the only one I used in recall free flight with it though).. Birds are smart and arent as dumb as people think. They are very aware of the leashes length. I've never heard of a bird being yanked until some members brought it up here. I dont think it happens as much as when in a full body

I used the aviators flight line for extending Gras ankle leash to 30ft longer. Made for an excellent training with such a long leash.
 

MaraWentz

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I was expecting a yank the first time she got to the end. She's never flown on a leash before ever, but I'm sure she wont get yanked by herself, since she's already discovered it limits her distance, but we want to do 2 anklets with a jesse in between in case she gets yanked by getting snagged.
 

Buckbeak

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I'm reading and wondering what an anklet is! Could you explain? I worked with an American Kestrel and Red-tail hawk for awhile and they were in falconry jesses, which are leather straps on both feet. Is an anklet just on the one foot?:huh:
 

macawpower58

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I'd love to see some photos! Could you please take some of your bird?
 

MaraWentz

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Anklet is a jesse,I elieve. I jnow that this is pemamently put on while most jesses are put through slits, but es essentialy its s leather that goes around the ankle, excpet biothane isnt really leather, so perhaps that s the difference? Hopefully I can get a picture up tonight. I have such a hard time uploading photos to this site
 

waterfaller1

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How did she allow you to put this on her legs?
They are never "100% trained". Even Chris Biro has had birds fly away.
 

MaraWentz

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Ugh couldn't get the pictures. She is too smart and too strong. I'm at a loss. When I find something that contains her, while excelling her intelligence (so it is virtually escape proof) like a harness or flight suit, something she can't slip out of or unbuckle, it's not strong enough and she simply chews through it. When I find something strong enough, like the falconry anklets made of biothane (strongest material they've come across) it's not smart enough for her. Ughh, she is strong willed. She had no problem being outside with the anklet, flying around the room with it on, and the leash. Until the leash yanked and she felt it slid down over her foot a bit. SHe didn't like it and went to open her foot up to slide it back up and literally stopped mid process. Then what did that smarty pants do? Continued to hold her foot up, close her foot tightly and pull down on the anklet. Took her 30 seconds to yank it over her foot. Ughhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! Why can't she be a dumb bird? And we can't do it tighter. It was snug, very snug going over her foot (which is why it took her 30 seconds rather than one tug off), but the biothane creates a tear drop shape, unlike real leather, which stays circular, so it gets snug on her ankle. But when she pulls it down over her foot it's forced into the wider circular shape. She's just too smart. I need something strong, made of biothane, but in the form of a harness or something. :huh:
 

MaraWentz

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Oh and I just restrained her while my hubby held up her leg, placed the strap around, snapped the grommet in place and ta-da, a 10 second procedure. ANd the grommet has an eyelet in the middle, so we just laty her on her back and clip a very light weight leash through the eyelet hole and take her out. The anklet stays on until I decide to cut it off. So there's no hassling with it every time I want to take her out.
 

MaraWentz

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And by 100% trained, i mean training her in all elements- wind, rain, steep flights, high fllights, etc. We already obviously have done normal low 20-30 ft flights, and she grew up flying around hawks. however, I have to train her around cranes, as she lost her lid when a huge one flew by when she wass lost for 3 days. She actually took off from her hiding spot when she saw it coming- but she's never seen a 4 ft tall bird before though lol.
 

sodakat

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Well, so much for that plan! At least it happened in the house and not outside where you were counting on it to keep her safe.
 

MaraWentz

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Yeah but now I'm at a loss. I have no idea how to let her fly and be happy because she is just too strong and too smart. I'm just afraid I will never se her gliding over the lakes high up in the sky, happily squawking again. It was peak happiness, and now I feel it's gone forever.
 

sodakat

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You may have to compromise your desires for her safety. Look at it this way. You are young and so is she. Likely you'll live in a house with a big yard someday where you can build a giant outdoor enclosure for her. There are a couple people who have enclosed most of their yard with netting in order to let their birds fly. Until then maybe you can find a large indoor area for her to fly. I know people fly their parrots in barns, gymnasiums, etc. Where there's a realistic will there's a realistic way!
 

Mare

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Yeah but now I'm at a loss. I have no idea how to let her fly and be happy because she is just too strong and too smart. I'm just afraid I will never se her gliding over the lakes high up in the sky, happily squawking again. It was peak happiness, and now I feel it's gone forever.

Mara, I went through your same feelings when I had to ground Amigo due to the hawk situation around here, at the time. Thankfully, most of the hawks were on a migratory path and moved on. He is VERY aware of his surroundings, has been spooked but turns back home. Maybe once Erin learns about these birds, she won't be so afraid and won't spook. Do you have an outdoor cage she can experience them from? Around here, the vultures use to scare Amigo, more than any other bird, I think because of their size. He's now use to seeing them and know they are not a threat, so, they are no longer an issue for him.
I truly hope you can work it out for what's best for both of you. :hug8:
 
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