|
|
Post by Adele on Oct 4, 2007 9:46:00 GMT -7
I made a video to show how I put on and take off Manzi's feather teather harness. It really isn't very hard, but Manzi still doesn't like to have it on.
Putting it on:
Taking it off:
|
|
|
|
Post by philly on Oct 4, 2007 10:53:25 GMT -7
Adele you have really got it made there with Manzi  . great video on how to put on and take off the harness buttttt I think Charlie would chew my hand off if I tried to do it to him ;D. |
|
|
|
Post by Jane on Oct 4, 2007 11:41:27 GMT -7
This is very useful, thanks for posting it Adele. I have made it a sticky.  Jane |
|
wawench
Just Hatched
Joined: September 2007
Posts: 4
|
Post by wawench on Oct 8, 2007 8:09:00 GMT -7
Thanks so much for posting the video. I go today for them to show me how to put on "flight suit". It will help me decide which one is easier to use. Thanks, Kathy |
|
|
|
Post by bickitrainer on Jan 16, 2008 21:33:01 GMT -7
Very useful, thanks ;D
I hope they sell these in lovebird sizes so I can take Bicki out flying.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jane on Jan 17, 2008 4:50:59 GMT -7
The Feather Tether harness comes in 4 sizes but it is not recommended for very small birds such as Budgies, Lovebirds or Parrotlets.
Petite is for Cockatiels and smaller Conures, birds under 100g
Small is for larger Conures, Quakers, Goffins, Timnehs, Senegals, Indian Ringnecks, birds 120 to 300g
Medium for Amazons, Congos, Umbrella Cockatoos, Eclectus parrots, 325 to 700g
Large is for large Macaws and Cockatoos, 750 to 1800g
Jane
|
|
|
|
Post by bickitrainer on Jan 17, 2008 4:56:45 GMT -7
Oh well...  He can still run. |
|
solitude
Just Hatched
Joined: January 2009
Posts: 1
|
Post by solitude on Jan 16, 2009 0:07:08 GMT -7
Hello all. I am new here. I live in Asia. Here in Asian countries many people remove their parrot some top long feathers. For this reason parrots can't fly. Is this procedure right or wrong ? From this procedure can any harmful side effects put on my parrot ?
|
|
|
|
Post by Jane on Jan 16, 2009 3:25:09 GMT -7
Hello and welcome to the forum. Some people clip the wings, some don't. It is a matter of personal preference and individual circumstances. It is important that the wings are clipped correctly otherwise there can be problems. For example, the cut feathers can irritate and that can lead to plucking, or if the bird cannot flutter down it can crash land and injure its beak or keel. See here for more info: vdnent.proboards41.com/index.cgi?board=faq&action=display&thread=4223Jane |
|
Jenn
Weaned Todd
Liberty (Libbie for short)
Joined: November 2008
Posts: 97
|
Post by Jenn on Jan 26, 2009 17:48:24 GMT -7
Adele,
Thanks for the video. But I don't think I would ever be able to put one on Libbie. She isn't big on being touched, so I think she'd take off my finger if I tried. I'm kind of disappointed because I would love to take her outside during the summer. Even though she is clipped, I'd be afraid to take her out without some sort of harness. I'm just too scared she'd get enough loft to put her self in danger.
|
|
|
|
Post by Adele on Jan 27, 2009 9:22:44 GMT -7
Manzi didn't used to like me filing/clipping his nails but it just took a few sessions to change that. It was the same thing for teaching him to play dead by laying on his back or hanging upside down on his perch.
Here's what you can try:
I don't know what you can touch on Libbie (head, wing, back). Anyways, start with what you know she will accept (I will use the head for example). Touch her head and then immediately praise her with a verbal praise and with a treat. For the first session just do this and don't go any further. She will learn that by letting you touch her head she will get a treat (even though she already let you do that). The first session should just last a couple of minutes. A few hours later you can do it again. Touch her head a few times, then touch her back by moving your fingers down the back of her head. Give her immediate verbal praise. Don't push her to the point where she bites you. You should go as far as you can right before she gets to the point of being angry. You should do this for a few minutes each time and can repeat it 3-4 times/day. Eventually move to touching her wings and then putting your finger just under the bottom of her wings. Once you can put you fingers under her wings, then you can began to introduce the harness. Go through the same steps by rewarding her for letting you slowly put the harness on. I wouldn't advise to put it on all at once. Maybe just start with putting a strap under her wing or on her back, then removing it until later.
In order for this training to be successful you have to have a couple prerequisites:
- Your Grey has a fairly high desire for the treat you are offering her (this can be obtained by not giving her that specific treat any other time throughout the day).
- Your Grey is not overtly afraid of you. By this I mean she does not flinch at every movement and try to fly away or run away due to your presence.
With Manzi's nails, he would get so fussy to the point where he would try to run every time he saw me with the nail file. It wasn't improving with time so I decided I had to make it a fun/positive thing for him to get his nails clipped/filed. I began by showing him the nail file and then giving him a treat. Then slowly moved on to picking up his feet and touching the nail file and giving him a treat. Now, he will let me file each nail and after each nail or every two nails I give him a treat for his patience. The same thing happened to get him to lay on his back. I saw other members putting their birds on their backs and wanted Manzi to do it. He did not like it nearly as much as I did and was very angry with me. So I realized I had to move slowly. First I put my hand around his back and rewarded him. Then I would slowly tip him backwards just a few degrees at a time and rewarding him. Now, he doesn't really like to be on his back for much time, but he will go on his back all by himself or let me put him on his back without complaints. Both of these just took a few days to teach.
Plus, if you taught your Grey that it is alright if you touch her body it will make any vet visits or injuries much easier to deal with.
|
|
Jenn
Weaned Todd
Liberty (Libbie for short)
Joined: November 2008
Posts: 97
|
Post by Jenn on Jan 27, 2009 16:06:34 GMT -7
Adele, Thanks for the advice! I will start the training immediately! I don't need her to be cuddley, since many greys aren't, but I want to be able to touch her for the very reasons that you listed. I just didn't really know how to start that process, since she has made it known that she doesn't like to be touched, and I don't want to push her into it. She would allow Ann (the lady who raised her) to touch her, but she wasn't even thrilled about that. I think we are ok with the fear part. She will normally step up when asked. The only time we really have issues with step up are when I am trying to get her off of her boing or play perch, and she wants to stay. But that is easily handled with a banana chip bribe. She will also sit on my knee, lap, or shoulder while we watch TV at night, and she gives "kisses". So, I don't think it's an issue with fear. She's been settling into our routine, so we have been starting slow by touching her feet, but I will begin adding the banana chips as extra incentive. Hopefully, she will eventually let me give her a scratch and maybe one day... a flight suit. Thanks again for the great advice. I will be sure to let you know how it goes. |
|
|
|
Post by Sue A on Jan 28, 2009 5:59:58 GMT -7
I was talking to a clerk in a pet store and he said a harness can be dangerous. He said if the bird gets scared and tries to get away he/she could break the breast bone. Have you heard of that? Is there one harness safer than another?
|
|
|
|
Post by Jane on Jan 28, 2009 6:31:36 GMT -7
|
|
|
|
Post by Adele on Feb 12, 2009 13:46:29 GMT -7
I use a fishing line as the leash. Fishing lines have quite a bit of stretch so Manzi never flies to the end and is just jerked very hard. You can also add a piece of elastic to the leash to make it even more stretchable. I don't think there is any worry of breaking Manzi's breast bone with the fishing line. He did used to get a bit tangled and scared of the fishing line so I have about 5 feet of yarn attached to the harness and then the fishing line is tied to the yarn.
Jenn, let me know how the training goes.
|
|
.
He can still run.
