Tips on harness training?

[Parakeet88]

I have a GCC and I would love to harness train him so we can go for walks together. Getting him harness trained now seems like a good idea so that if for some reason I ever need to harness him he'll already be trained. I also want to do it while he's young, he's about 9 months now.

He doesn't like things over his head. I've been trying to play peekaboo with him and he hates it. I made him a little fall scarf just for fun but he won't let me put it on. He's not afraid of the scarf itself, he's afraid of me putting it over his head. So I realized I have a pretty big problem to solve if I ever hope to get him harness trained.

He loves getting scratches all around his face and neck so he's not uncomfortable with being touched there he just doesn't like things over his head.

I've been trying to traditionaly train him, put the scarf over his head and hold a treat so he has to go under the scarf to get it. He does well with this for a while but he will usually start biting either my hand holding the scarf or my hand offering the treat so I end the session because I don't want him associating the treats with biting.

Obviously I don't need him to wear this scarf but I thought if I continue to train him with it it might help with his future harness training.

I'm not sure where to go from here. Should I forget the scarf and just get the harness to work with? (I haven't ordered it yet). Should I train him with something like peekaboo first to help get him comfortable with things over his head?

Any tips are appreciated!

 

[Lodah]

Does he like a bath or shower? Do you use a towel to dry him? Once used to the towel, get him to hide under your shirt and make his way to your collar! Pilo was easy to train that way.

Towel, Shirt, scarf, harness!

Pilo is now the Peekaboo 007 agent! Loves to hide!

 

[Parakeet88]

Does he like a bath or shower? Do you use a towel to dry him? Once used to the towel, get him to hide under your shirt and make his way to your collar! Pilo was easy to train that way.

He loves to splash around in a bowl of water. I tried bringing him in the shower a couple of times but he didn't seem into it. I've never tried drying him so I'll see how he does with a towel. Sometimes he seems interested in climbing into my shirt but he hasn't yet.

 

[Lodah]

He loves to splash around in a bowl of water. I tried bringing him in the shower a couple of times but he didn't seem into it. I've never tried drying him so I'll see how he does with a towel. Sometimes he seems interested in climbing into my shirt but he hasn't yet.

Do you have a perch mounted near the shower? That is how I started Pilo with showers, he then jumps on my shoulder and loves it! Just take your time and make sure your GCC is keen... Don't force the water on him. The towel you hold in your hand and initially let him stand on it only, then slowly wrap it around him. Make sure it is a small hand towel and that it hangs next to your towel... he will associate the towel as his and eventually wait to be dried by just wrapping the towel around him, don't touch his back or under the wings, just the tummy, head and neck area.

As with any training, lots of praise will speed up the process, but it won't happen overnight either! Pilo now rushes to the shower and laughs if he gets there first!

 

[Parakeet88]

Yeah I bought a shower perch and he seems to be ok with it. He doesn't really like it, he just sits there and watches. I'll try bringing him with me more often.

That's a good idea letting him stand on the towel first, will definitely try that.

 

[Lodah]

Yeah I bought a shower perch and he seems to be ok with it. He doesn't really like it, he just sits there and watches. I'll try bringing him with me more often.

That's a good idea letting him stand on the towel first, will definitely try that.

Once on the perch... see if you can get him to step up and slowly bring him near the shower. Once he is comfortable with the shower, place him on your shoulder. Once he is comfortable with that, slowly allow the shower stream to come close to him but never fully underneath the stream unless he is like Pilo and demands more!

Let us know how you fare... once again fids are individual and you should pick up on the best way for your fid.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

You can look into a flight suit, or one of these:

Jungle Wear Bird Diaper Parrot Suit
The Jungle Vest doesn't have a diaper part.

They don't go over his head. The leashes are kind of short, but you can figure out a way to make something longer. You can even attach the aviator harness leash to it probably.

 

[finchly]

I took my hand (no harness) and rubbed it slowly down his head...eventually even over his eyes, like you would with a harness. He finally got used to my clumsy ways --that's what I figure he thought! lol If you do beak rubs, you can work from there up over his head.

Also you have to be able to lift their wing, mine still squawks when I do it but I am able to put the harness on him completely now and tighten it up.

 

[Animallover03]

I would suggest a harness that doesn't go over the head.

As for actually training, I will type out how I trained my gcc later when I can use a computer.

 

[NK_717]

My Kylo would be fine with the headloop
He hates having his wings moved though

I'll watch this thread

 

[finchly]

@Faolan the Aviator harness has an hour-long video with it that shows (complete with a young bird) how to get them used to a harness. It made things a lot easier.
Still working with Ernie though. It's going to be a long time before he trusts it!

 

[Parakeet88]

@Faolan the Aviator harness has an hour-long video with it that shows (complete with a young bird) how to get them used to a harness. It made things a lot easier.

This is the harness I'm planning to get and people seem to find the video helpful