I know its hard to get older birds to get used to wearing a harness, and I need help. Someone told me when I first got Jack that they thought that getting a bird to wear its harness is one of the hardest things to get them to do (for older birds), out of everything else, which does not make it any easier, althought they ended it with "but it can be done" which gives me a little relief. Jack half way allowed me to put it over his head once but once it was on, he acted like he was being murdered and flew up into the air and landed vertically on my shirt yelling and screaming, until I took it back off. I have been introducing it to him every day, but he is still deathly afraid of it. Any help what-so-ever would be ever so greatly appreciated. Thanx!

Shane -what type of harness is it?

Is he only afraid of it when you try to put it on him, or all the time?

I suggest getting it near him, putting it near the outside of his cage, playing with it while he's nearby, then eventually letting him play with it. Praise him and make it a game. When Ollie would pick it up to chew on it, I knew it was time to start getting it on her. I started by just putting it over her head, taking it right off, and giving her a treat. Eventually she got to be fine with that. The next step was getting the whole thing on her, very quickly, and without losing any fingers (MUCH HARDER THAN IT WOULD SEEM! ). When I got it on her, I immediately gave her a treat, then took her outside to keep her mind off of it. She still picked at it then, and she still does. I haven't had it on her in a long time...its just not worth the hassle! If I take her outside, she is just in her travel cage. I need to start working with it again now that its getting warmer out...

It is a Feather Tether.

And thanx Camille! Oh, and he is afraid of it all the time.

I like the Aviator Harness much better - very easy to put on.

When I was at a petstore yesterday, a lady was in there with her goffin2 and it had a leash clipped to it's leg band, that is really really unsafe isn't it?

Shawn, I would think it is very unsafe.

I have seen leg Jesses used in Falconry, but I am totally ignorant on that subject and to the Why and if it's safe for the bird.

Hi Shane,

I now use the Avaitor Harness with Ro - Ro is about 20 yo and she was only introduced to a harness 3 years ago. I started with the feather teather and then switched to the Aviator. I find it easeir to get it on and it has less attachments which seemed to bother her - it comes with an excellent video that shows you how to introduce the harness, put it on and use it.

That being said - Ro bascially does not like her harness but after a little struggle, I can get it on her and then like Ollie she picks at it. Even though it is a struggle it's worth the piece of mind and taking her with me (I would not take her on walks without her harness and she has learned if she wants to go for a walk she must wear the harness.) She loves to go for walks, just yesterday I took her to an arts festival and she had a great time - even though she picked at the harness continuously. A few tips that I use:

The part Ro hates the most is putting it on over her head. Once that is accomplished it's realitively easy to get the rest done but like Camille said the quicker you can do it and the faster you can get them outside the better. The last thing I do before I leave is put the harness on - I want to be able to immediately walk out the door so Ro knows "harness on" she gets to go outside for a walk. I also take the extra leash and drape it around my neck - somehow Ro thinks it's better if she believes I'm wearing the harness too.

For the over the head part, I hold her around the head and hold her beak closed and slip it on as quick as possible (she likes to try and grab it in her beak when I slip it over her head) Sometimes she she starts flapping so then I need to readjsut and get her under my arms so I can hold her wings in also-

Prior to putting the harness on I leave it out so she can see it and play with it- I also drape it around my neck and open it up and show her I'm putting it over my head - BTW she thinks it's very funny when I put the harness over my head - she throws her head back and laughs - and then I give her the leash to play with while it's around my neck.

I've tried giving her treats to reward her when she gets it on but she doesn't want any so her reward is going out for a walk and people watching.

Hope some of this helps -

BTW I believe a bird of prey (falcon) has a different anatomy than a parrot - their talons are used to kill and carry heavy prey - I've read that it is very dangerous to have a leash on a parrots leg band - I believe the leg could easily be dis-jointed if it was pulled on.