GCC flight suit issues

[kiwi203]

I have a green cheeked conure. I have had her for 9 months. We're very close, and she's bonded very fast. The problem is, she loves to be outside. We ordered a flight suit and a flight harness and spent 4 months trying to condition her to them. She's still super afraid. Any advice? She does have clipped wings, should I just take her outside? She cant fly away.... I really wish she did have the ability to wear the suit or the harness, just to be extra safe. It is late October, we could spend the winter getting her used to the suit or harness then try it out in the spring.

 

[HolliDaze]

If a breeze comes by and your bird takes off, they can fly very far, Far enough for you to never see her again. Put the flightsuit/harness by her cage until she gets used to it being around.

 

[kiwi203]

She never learned to fly, and she has clipped wings, they get clipped every 6-8 months. She's also the most timid bird I've met. Usually, the timidness turns into aggression, and she takes a good chunk out of me trying to get away from the flight suit. She'll run and hide.

 

[Donna turner]

Please , please consider the fact that there are predators outside that you may never see till they scoop up your bird and leave with it. Cats, dogs ,hawks would all like to eat your bird. My bird was clipped and she could just flutter around but a puff of wind can carry a bird airborne like it's a kite. Not long ago someone was on this forum who took her gcc out in a fenced yard and a cat they did not see got the bird. They threw something at it and the bird was dropped but cat scratches or Salava can kill a bird so they had vet bills, and I'm sure the bird was traumatized. You are your birds only protector and it trusts you not to put it in harms way.

 

[cassiesdad]

She never learned to fly, and she has clipped wings, they get clipped every 6-8 months.

Clipped birds can still fly...or be taken away by an unlucky gust of wind...or attacked by predators.

Our birds do use harnesses...but none of them like it much. It is NECESSARY because we take them out and make visits. Getting them accustomed to harnesses was a long and sometimes injurious (to me...BITES)) procedure.

Please continue harness training...start from the beginning...let your little one watch you interact with the harness...then let her interact, attack it, whatever she wants. Gently and slowly continue with putting it on her. Remember to keep your own stress level low...I know that's a hard thing to do while your bird flips out and bites at you...it was a hard thing for me to keep my cool doing it.

My birds and I did this...and so can you and your bird...

 

[Mizzely]

Some birds never take to the harness. It's unnatural for them. Use a carrier or wheel a cage outside to let her get some fresh air and sun.

My mother had a cockatiel she kept clipped for years. Like, would drop like a rock. Guess where he ended up? Swept out on the wind from the doorway to about 10 miles away, dead.

Try letting her wings grow out, she may lose some of that timidness