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Hi Jesse, I'm trying to train my conure, and he reaches toward the seed putting his head through the harness, but the very moment he grabs the see he retracts his head from the harness - how do I get him to enjoy having the harness around his neck? :)
@@lerookie1 I didn't train any of my Kaki's yet, but I suppose you continue and make him/her having the head in for a longer time, by having something that they can't instantly grab and retreat like peanut butter on the finger that they have to lick off or a larger amount of sunflower seeds
You're one of a kind my friend. Thank you for your videos. So important to educate parrot 'owners'. The more we all know, the better lives our parrots will have. Thank you!
You are an excellent trainer! I'd give you 10 thumbs up if could. :) I love how good your relationship s with your bird. You are a good example to us all. :)
This is so so so helpful! My sun conure is 6 months old and he is fearful of a lot of things. I wasn't sure exactly how to approach these things. I have a harness and was planning on beginning the training. I am so glad that you have made this! Thank you!
I just want to thank you for the time and effort you set forth in your exquisite tutorials that benefit both bird and owner. I rescued two abused cockatoos and your methods have great improved my understanding of their psychology. I can offer these beautiful birds of mine a long over due chance to be happy. Thank you again.
I got my first African Grey a little over a year ago, since then, I have watched MANY videos online. Yours are by far my favorites because I love that you always act in the birds best interest. Seeing your bond with Smokey is truly inspiring! She is not your "pet" she is your Friend that happens to be a bird. Thanks again and please keep posting videos! Smokey is so fun to watch (my now two African grays love her lol)
Another great video ❤️ You are always the first channel I come to for any advice. I appreciate someone who is so detailed and just uses common bird psychology to form a bond, and build trust. Thank you! Hi SMOKES❤️
I came across your channel just recently and am really enjoying it. I don't own a bird right now but am thinking about it. I'm watching as many videos as possible to learn as much as I can before I get one. I like how calm and patient you are.
We are training conures to get into harnesses but still just a bit little succes. Never got past the moment they have the harness on the neck. All the youtube video bird seem so relaxed, but our conures are just too jumpy. We learn something one day (like getting head into the loose loop) but they just "forget" it the other days and It's all over again. So there's little to no progress. People from community around me just put on the harness on the bird, no training at all and all the birds are wearing it and are cool about it. I hope you will show more progress with Smokes, so I can learn more. There must be a way :/
Really nice training videos you have here with Smokey. These training methods can be used with other animals as well. Making each training session positive and not forcing your pet into doing anything they don't want to do and ending each session on a happy note.
Thank you for making this video! I plan to get my African Grey Congo a harness and I wanted to know the exact way to do that doesn't cause damage to me and my parrots' relationship.
@@aafursa oof. Not so good. 😹 Definitely follow the training guide completely before trying to put the harness on. I didn’t, so he doesn’t care for his. I can get it on him, but he usually is too busy trying to bite the harness to enjoy being outside. 🙃 I wish you better luck!
This is amazingly informational, and while I'm studying to train service dogs, a lot of the positive reinforcement used for birds is extremely similar. I'm receiving my first bird tonight, and I can't wait to study how it compares to dogs :) So excited to begin a journey with my bird companion!
I hope there will be more parts to this. I wanna see if Smokey fully gets into the harness. Also, what exactly are harnesses on birds used for? To take them outside maybe?
That was SO well done. This demonstration was exquisite. I have also witnessed harness training episodes on the Internet and in person that literally made me cringe and actually brought tears to my eyes putting myself in the poor bird's shoes. Forcing while thinking that the animal "will get used to it" is unfortunately a common method.
This works extremely well! I’ve been training my conure for a couple of days, the farthest we’ve gotten is being near the harness and touching it. However she was still really terrified. Now the harness is a breeze and we’ve made more progress than ever!
I really love your videos. Right now not a parrot owner. I'm starting to volenteer at a bird sanctuary. And maybe get one in the next few years. Unsure of what kind I want to get yet but leaning towards a pionus. But that could change depending on my ability and confident level and the more I learn. Would really just like one bird companion over the years if I can so really taking my time. Beautiful bird and love your training style. I hope I can have the bond one day with my bird as you have with lots of work.
Very useful video. I am waiting for my Aviator harnesses for my 15 year old Dusky Conure and 12 year old Sun Conures. I bring them out in their Celltei Pak-o-bird, but I thought of also being able to take them out safely of the back pack when we are out. Hopefully, I’ll be able to have success.
I'm thinking of getting a bird and even though I don't have a bird I notice people in videos making their birds to do things. I love birds and I really like your videos!
I am considering a bird. I have never had one, so it's very informative to watch your videos. I am hoping to get an idea of what bird care looks like before taking the plunge. It a lot different than training a dog.
hahaha man i sware my parrot is just on another level, i have been trying this technique for so long and he's just not falling for it 😅, i always say he is just too smart for his own good.
Do you have more videos on harness training? 😊 I have a young eclectus parrot and were going to start harness training, he isn't afraid of the harness and I can lift his wings already so now I earned enough trust to touch him I want to start to work with the harness 😊
started doing this with my cockatiel and dang... shes brave. Took like 10 minutes for her to be pushing her head through the smaller head strap to get at the treat.
Hey! I absolutely loved this teaching method and how to easily introduce harnesses to our bird(s), is there a part two? Where to actually get the bird wearing a harness? X
That's awesome! Remember, it may be tempting (and I know that aviator harness guide tells you to just put it on the bird) but it's important that you take your time and make sure your bird learns to enjoy it. It's a small sacrifice in time for huge rewards in the future.
...And then there's _my_ young female cockatiel. _Completely_ unafraid of the harness from the get-go, however she is busy thinking its a chew toy instead.
Thanks for your great vids! I’d like to get harnesses for my Birds. Can you recommend the best/most safe brands please? We’re getting two babies (a Green Cheek Conure and Indian Ringeck) and want to train them when young. Thanks in advance.
Should I use sunflower seeds for training been choping Almond up and using that but he loves sunflower seeds just wanted to use the less fat and get the same in result as he was on seed before when I picked him up from my breeder and I've converted him to pellets now, love your video's they have helped with my African grey so much and you definitely know what you are talking about I've also watched you're video with Smokie's forging toy with the pellets in it I've tried that too but he has not worked out how to use it yet so I have moved it up to his top perch were he sits most of the time when he's in any help would be appreciated from you thanks
Hello, Alway find your video interesting with good spirit and nice advices. Did you make video wich shows the harness education to the end ? Is Smokey comfortable with it now ? All the best !
In chicken language, fluffed up neck feathers usually indicate a threatened bird, as you would see between to fighting roosters, or a mother hen when you try to approach the chicks.
Hey there! I love your channel :) I was wondering if you have any tips to recondition my conure who I may have not trained in the smartest way on her harness when we first started a few years ago. I haven’t tried to put her on it in a long time maybe a year now but when we first did it sporadically for the first year or so I definitely may have been too forceful. Do you think there’s a way to regain trust and overcome her hate of the harness now? I want her to enjoy it and be able to take her outside without her chewing on it and being angry and sad :(
WingsNpaws, I hope you can help me out with this. I saw in your video that you were able to open your bird's wings and I was wondering how you got your bird comfortable with doing that.
Very good video.. My question is how can I get my bird so stay on a perch? She never sits still she always jumping around on and off my shoulder and what not, but I really want to harness train her 🤔
Hello! Thank you so much for this video! I'm trying to train my conure, and he very cautiously reaches through the harness for his seed, but the very moment he grabs the seed he retracts his head from the harness - how do I get him to enjoy having the harness around his neck? 0_0 Thank you!
My mother’s Eclectus would move towards me. She’d follow me up and down her perch every time I left and entered the room- so I figured she wanted some of my attention. I went to pick her up, and she bite through my jumper so hard, if I wasn’t wearing it, she’d have sliced a good inch hole into my arm. So, a little confused by that one.
She seems super food motivated. It looked like she was doing begging behaviour for a treat by waving, and hoping to get one for that even when she was uncomfortable with the harness being so close to her. My bird is the opposite. I have yet to find a treat she likes. She's a starling, so her diet is pretty different from that of most parrots but she's incredibly clever. She has learned more words than my rainbow lorry, and she mostly uses them at the appropriate times. "Come here" when she wants me to go to her, that sort of thing. She does say "beautiful creature" or "who's a beautiful creature" a lot to herself, so I think she knows exactly what it means! Anyway, on to my question. How do you go about training a none food motivated bird? She will enjoy a treat one day, but not the next. And if she has to take even a step for a treat, she will pass on it and go and do something else. I do have this sort of odd treat toy that she usually loves. It's a cotton sock, filled with pellets for starlings and blackbirds. She loves to peck holes in the sock and pull treats out. It takes her a few seconds to get a treat out of it, but then I have to take it away from her, or she will just keep eating them and then not be particularly interested in it for a next few days. By taking it away after she gets one is she just thinking I'm mean for taking her treat away, instead of focusing on getting one to begin with? She loves being out with me, and will fly to me regularly, but she isn't an affectionate bird and does not enjoy being touched in any way, so I can't reward her with that. I hand raised her from what I'd guess was four or five days old (her siblings were dead and her nest was destroyed in a storm, there was no way to return her to her parents) and as long as I've known her, she's never enjoyed being touched. She's a pretty good bird, usually comes when she's called, only ever screams if something's wrong but I'd really love to be able to train her to do more than just the bird basics. I want to show any one who sees her how smart 'boring outdoor' birds are, that parrots aren't the only intelligent birds. Hopefully get people to reevaluate their opinion on all wild animals. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, as she's about three and I'm yet to find something she's willing to work for. Thanks for talking the time to read my book of a comment :). I really admire what you do, spending so much time trying to show people the compassionate way to take care of birds. I bet there are a good amount of birds out there who lead better lives because of you. I know mine do.
Hello, I was wondering if I could get advice from you. I have a male cockatiel which I got several years ago as an adult. I have trained him to do several tricks, the target, turn around and fetch. He loves training. I'm currently trying to train him to wear the aviator harness and it goes great up to a point. I have gone very slowly through the whole process: play fetch by the harness, touch the harness with his beak, put his head through the big loop of the harness... We've been over a month at it. I got him twice to the point where he puts his head through the tiny loop where the head is supposed to go. The problem is that sometimes when he has his head in it, he freaks out and starts fighting with the harness which makes it very difficult for me to take it off him. Then he becomes afraid of the harness once again and I need to go back to where he puts his head through a bigger loop. He is supposed to use the petite size and the small loop looks smaller for his head than the small loop in Smokey's for her head. We have been at it for quite a while now and I don't know how to get past that point. I would really appreciate your input. Thanks in advance and best wishes.
I'm using a no-force method with heavy positive reinforcement (treats) to train my baby blue-fronted Amazon to wear the Aviator Harness. She's further along than Smokey, but likes to be touched on her own terms, so I bet Smokey pulls ahead. I've been working on small approximations every day for five months. Even though she's been around the harness since before she was weaned, she does not like 1) the touch of the harness on her stiff feather structure and 2) the feeling of being trapped. Harness training can't be rushed. I pushed her too far once and it took two weeks to get us back to where we were. I almost wish I had filmed my failure so people could see what NOT to do when harness-training their parrot. BTW, maybe you or others watching this video could help me find a mobile camera (GoPro knockoff) for filming Kizzy in flight / during training sessions. It would be nice to mount it on my chest in an impact-resistant case. (There's a better chance she would learn to leave it alone if I mounted it there. She uses the top of my head as a landing site.) Good sound and video are a must. I'd also like something that records well in low light, records at high framerates (for slow motion) and has other cool features. If I could combine this with another camera on a tripod, I could make some interesting videos of my successes and failures with Kizzy. It's interesting how often I find out Smokey and Kizzy are on parallel paths. The Aviator Harness is just the latest coincidence.
What harness do you use for Smokey (brand). And what can I do to stop my parrot from laying eggs! She is not paired and been my owner for twenty years and has laid at lease 18 eggs in a year. I cannot bring myself to mess with her roudybush maintenance diet and starve her etc. I lost on africanby egg bound problems when I was in another state and was devastated.
It’s kind of hard to do this with my 5 month old umbrella cockatoo considering he’s not done hand feeding yet. So I️ think I’m just going to be cuddling with him around the harness. Do you think this is another good alternative that I️ can do?
Absolutely! In addition, you can use the hand feeding formula the same way I use these treats. Since he's so young, he will take to this so much faster!
Amazing video!! Mine is scared for the harness, how can i overcome her fear for foreign objects? Should i just get it more in her area but distant so she gets used to it?
Hi, i'm a new Bird owner and i really like your videos, i have a meyers parrot who i got 3 months ago, hes now 1 year and 3 months old, very social and playfull. but i seems that i do something wrong when i try to "train" him, so he bites me alot
I would also suggest that you place the harness on a table with treats sprinkled around so your bird should eventually get used to it being a harmless to them, and even a paranoid bird loves treat's just got to be moderate with the fatty treats like sunflowers or mikeyd's fries and try to use a favorite fruit too. I appreciate your non forceful method of friending
We have a 1 yr old African Grey, and we have read that sunflower seeds are bad for Greys. So we don't give her food with those. But I can see how valuable it would be to use them for training, if she liked them. Is it incorrect, then, that sunflower and other seeds are bad for them?
I so much appreciate your way of bringing awareness for body language of birds to people via youtube. That's so important, I think I will do the same about alpacas on my chanel in german language. There is so much to misinterpretate in animal behavior. Thank you for this video, very interesting ^o^
I really do hope you do that on your channel! I totally agree with you that animal behavior can be so easily misinterpreted. I think it's great if you decide to do the same on your channel with your alpacas, you have my full support! In all honestly, it was very weird and awkward for me in the beginning to film myself talking to the camera, but with time, it becomes easier.
I am so happy to read your answer, you're right, it still feels weird talking to the camera but I am at the point of thinking of the people who are watching when I do that, I actually don't "see" the camera anymore. And I also blend in my alpacas when I talk very long, so the people don't have to look at me all the time. That makes your videos great to watch, you can skip your attention from a talking person to a cute friendly bird and so it makes it easier to follow. That's very good thought in an educational way. I really like that
Hi im really thinking about getting an African grey after being inspired by your videos. One thing is stopping me is everyone is mentioned in the dust they produce do you have trouble with keeping the dust down or is everyone being dramatic also I do have mild asthma
Hello, I have an African grey and she is really shy in front of people and we also got to get her a bench for training but she would never wanna stand on it even though I tried to give her, her favourite treats and toys. I don't know how to train to be friendly around other people and to stop bitting. Can you give me some tips
We just trained our conure and every time he sees his harness come out he loves it and knows it’s treats and walkies time
That is awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Jesse, I'm trying to train my conure, and he reaches toward the seed putting his head through the harness, but the very moment he grabs the see he retracts his head from the harness - how do I get him to enjoy having the harness around his neck? :)
@@lerookie1 I didn't train any of my Kaki's yet, but I suppose you continue and make him/her having the head in for a longer time, by having something that they can't instantly grab and retreat like peanut butter on the finger that they have to lick off or a larger amount of sunflower seeds
@@ProjectExteria Thank you :)
I know Im quite off topic but does anybody know of a good website to watch new tv shows online ?
You're one of a kind my friend. Thank you for your videos. So important to educate parrot 'owners'. The more we all know, the better lives our parrots will have. Thank you!
Definitely agree!
So well shown. I love it when I discover a new, fabulous teacher!
You are an excellent trainer! I'd give you 10 thumbs up if could. :) I love how good your relationship s with your bird. You are a good example to us all. :)
Raina Art only 10?
I whould stay here and presse the like button all day long if it was possible x)
Aww, thank you! That's sweet!
I honestly mean this, THANK YOU so much for your support! I really appreciate the encouragement!
She’s soooo cute.
I can't argue there!
I KNOW RIGHT
This is so so so helpful! My sun conure is 6 months old and he is fearful of a lot of things. I wasn't sure exactly how to approach these things. I have a harness and was planning on beginning the training. I am so glad that you have made this! Thank you!
No problem! This works for getting your bird to overcome their fear of anything, so I'm glad it's going to be useful for you.
THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU! Spread this message! 💓💓💓💓
When he went to show her wing feathers and smokey was like OOooo scritches??
I just want to thank you for the time and effort you set forth in your exquisite tutorials that benefit both bird and owner. I rescued two abused cockatoos and your methods have great improved my understanding of their psychology. I can offer these beautiful birds of mine a long over due chance to be happy. Thank you again.
I got my first African Grey a little over a year ago, since then, I have watched MANY videos online. Yours are by far my favorites because I love that you always act in the birds best interest. Seeing your bond with Smokey is truly inspiring! She is not your "pet" she is your Friend that happens to be a bird. Thanks again and please keep posting videos! Smokey is so fun to watch (my now two African grays love her lol)
Great technique, you are a natural teacher. Thank you for speaking with gentleness and wisdom on these topics! 💚
Another great video ❤️
You are always the first channel I come to for any advice.
I appreciate someone who is so detailed and just uses common bird psychology to form a bond, and build trust.
Thank you!
Hi SMOKES❤️
I came across your channel just recently and am really enjoying it. I don't own a bird right now but am thinking about it. I'm watching as many videos as possible to learn as much as I can before I get one. I like how calm and patient you are.
We are training conures to get into harnesses but still just a bit little succes. Never got past the moment they have the harness on the neck. All the youtube video bird seem so relaxed, but our conures are just too jumpy. We learn something one day (like getting head into the loose loop) but they just "forget" it the other days and It's all over again. So there's little to no progress.
People from community around me just put on the harness on the bird, no training at all and all the birds are wearing it and are cool about it.
I hope you will show more progress with Smokes, so I can learn more. There must be a way :/
I will try to post follow up videos. Don't give up!
Yeah my cockatiel has the same problem right now, but she is getting a bit better
How did you go? My Lorikeet is so jumpy I'm having the same problem
Matty Hutchins my cockatiel is getting better but process is pretty slow! It’s better then before tho
This happens to my bird too! Everyone we take it a step further she looses all trust.
You and Smokey are awesome. Keep up the great work.
you make your bird feel vey comfortable I love u so much
Really nice training videos you have here with Smokey. These training methods can be used with other animals as well. Making each training session positive and not forcing your pet into doing anything they don't want to do and ending each session on a happy note.
Smokey is adorable! U r a wonderful bird owner too! Thank u for sharing such good info!
Thank you for making this video! I plan to get my African Grey Congo a harness and I wanted to know the exact way to do that doesn't cause damage to me and my parrots' relationship.
This is excellent! I can’t wait to try this with my quaker! He was watching the video along with me. ☺️
How did it go with your Quaker? I have one that is 6 weeks old and want to introduce him to one.
@@aafursa oof. Not so good. 😹 Definitely follow the training guide completely before trying to put the harness on. I didn’t, so he doesn’t care for his. I can get it on him, but he usually is too busy trying to bite the harness to enjoy being outside. 🙃 I wish you better luck!
Thank you ! I was searching for a nice method to start harness training.
Thank you soooo much for sharing your tips! When I get a bird Ill make sure to not get too exited and fast forward when training it!
Great to see you building trust and having fun with Smoky.
This is amazingly informational, and while I'm studying to train service dogs, a lot of the positive reinforcement used for birds is extremely similar. I'm receiving my first bird tonight, and I can't wait to study how it compares to dogs :) So excited to begin a journey with my bird companion!
I hope there will be more parts to this. I wanna see if Smokey fully gets into the harness.
Also, what exactly are harnesses on birds used for? To take them outside maybe?
Perfectly Erks Yes that is the purpose of a harness.
Yes, it is to take them outside. I will try to make more parts as a follow up.
I bought my parrot a harness and Paco is terrified of the sight of it. He thinks it’s a parrot eating monster. LOL Thank you for this video!!!
I really respect your views and ideals and you really have taught me a lot of good things.
I got a harness for my sun conure for Christmas I’m so excited to train him
Great video and message. Thanks!
That was SO well done. This demonstration was exquisite. I have also witnessed harness training episodes on the Internet and in person that literally made me cringe and actually brought tears to my eyes putting myself in the poor bird's shoes. Forcing while thinking that the animal "will get used to it" is unfortunately a common method.
Awesome videos - your grey looks so happy and very well trained , I hope my grey gets there soon!
Sweet video and I love your beautiful Grey
This works extremely well! I’ve been training my conure for a couple of days, the farthest we’ve gotten is being near the harness and touching it. However she was still really terrified. Now the harness is a breeze and we’ve made more progress than ever!
So how’s the progress so far? Any success? How long did it take you overall?
Holy crap.... he is a bird wisperer! Keep up the awesome work.
One of the reliable source to learn about bird training where no force/violence involved.... Vegan training as per me
I really love your videos. Right now not a parrot owner. I'm starting to volenteer at a bird sanctuary. And maybe get one in the next few years. Unsure of what kind I want to get yet but leaning towards a pionus. But that could change depending on my ability and confident level and the more I learn. Would really just like one bird companion over the years if I can so really taking my time. Beautiful bird and love your training style. I hope I can have the bond one day with my bird as you have with lots of work.
This is amazing! Thank you!
Your welcome!
Thanks it's going very well so far!
Very useful video. I am waiting for my Aviator harnesses for my 15 year old Dusky Conure and 12 year old Sun Conures. I bring them out in their Celltei Pak-o-bird, but I thought of also being able to take them out safely of the back pack when we are out. Hopefully, I’ll be able to have success.
I'm thinking of getting a bird and even though I don't have a bird I notice people in videos making their birds to do things. I love birds and I really like your videos!
I can't wait to try this with my green cheek conure !
I am considering a bird. I have never had one, so it's very informative to watch your videos. I am hoping to get an idea of what bird care looks like before taking the plunge. It a lot different than training a dog.
hahaha man i sware my parrot is just on another level, i have been trying this technique for so long and he's just not falling for it 😅, i always say he is just too smart for his own good.
Do you have more videos on harness training? 😊 I have a young eclectus parrot and were going to start harness training, he isn't afraid of the harness and I can lift his wings already so now I earned enough trust to touch him I want to start to work with the harness 😊
You are the parrot whisperer!:D
Great videov
Nice video! Very helpful, Thanks!
I'm glad it was!
great!! I will wait next trainings!!
Love that smokey..have to see her everyday
You are good.👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
This is so cool!
started doing this with my cockatiel and dang... shes brave. Took like 10 minutes for her to be pushing her head through the smaller head strap to get at the treat.
Hey! I absolutely loved this teaching method and how to easily introduce harnesses to our bird(s), is there a part two? Where to actually get the bird wearing a harness? X
Thank for the video. Very helpful:)
Awesome video! I had just gotten a harness and trying to train my conure
That's awesome! Remember, it may be tempting (and I know that aviator harness guide tells you to just put it on the bird) but it's important that you take your time and make sure your bird learns to enjoy it. It's a small sacrifice in time for huge rewards in the future.
...And then there's _my_ young female cockatiel. _Completely_ unafraid of the harness from the get-go, however she is busy thinking its a chew toy instead.
Man ur awsome keep doing vids pls man pls
Thanks for the feedback!
I do apologize if l overstepped….You’re always so polite. I hope you do have a happy holiday season!
6:05 she is all like yeah yeah yeah enough talkin now scratch my neck
Thanks for your great vids! I’d like to get harnesses for my Birds. Can you recommend the best/most safe brands please? We’re getting two babies (a Green Cheek Conure and Indian Ringeck) and want to train them when young. Thanks in advance.
Should I use sunflower seeds for training been choping Almond up and using that but he loves sunflower seeds just wanted to use the less fat and get the same in result as he was on seed before when I picked him up from my breeder and I've converted him to pellets now, love your video's they have helped with my African grey so much and you definitely know what you are talking about I've also watched you're video with Smokie's forging toy with the pellets in it I've tried that too but he has not worked out how to use it yet so I have moved it up to his top perch were he sits most of the time when he's in any help would be appreciated from you thanks
Hello,
Alway find your video interesting with good spirit and nice advices.
Did you make video wich shows the harness education to the end ? Is Smokey comfortable with it now ?
All the best !
In chicken language, fluffed up neck feathers usually indicate a threatened bird, as you would see between to fighting roosters, or a mother hen when you try to approach the chicks.
Hello, I bought one 3 weeks ago, it's 5 and a half months old, but it's very bravo, it's a lot like I can teach you not to chop
Hey there! I love your channel :) I was wondering if you have any tips to recondition my conure who I may have not trained in the smartest way on her harness when we first started a few years ago. I haven’t tried to put her on it in a long time maybe a year now but when we first did it sporadically for the first year or so I definitely may have been too forceful. Do you think there’s a way to regain trust and overcome her hate of the harness now? I want her to enjoy it and be able to take her outside without her chewing on it and being angry and sad :(
Thanks alot for the tip
Super vidéo merci beaucoup.
Great video! What about getting it off once you finally manage to get the bird to wear it? What if they resit and bite as you loosen it?
Thank you for this video :-) would you mind doing a video on how to trim your parrots wings?
WingsNpaws, I hope you can help me out with this. I saw in your video that you were able to open your bird's wings and I was wondering how you got your bird comfortable with doing that.
Very good video.. My question is how can I get my bird so stay on a perch? She never sits still she always jumping around on and off my shoulder and what not, but I really want to harness train her 🤔
So lookin forward to tryin this with my bitd Rascal
When ur African grey is also named Smokey
Hello! Thank you so much for this video!
I'm trying to train my conure, and he very cautiously reaches through the harness for his seed, but the very moment he grabs the seed he retracts his head from the harness - how do I get him to enjoy having the harness around his neck? 0_0 Thank you!
My mother’s Eclectus would move towards me. She’d follow me up and down her perch every time I left and entered the room- so I figured she wanted some of my attention. I went to pick her up, and she bite through my jumper so hard, if I wasn’t wearing it, she’d have sliced a good inch hole into my arm. So, a little confused by that one.
Very helpful
She seems super food motivated. It looked like she was doing begging behaviour for a treat by waving, and hoping to get one for that even when she was uncomfortable with the harness being so close to her. My bird is the opposite. I have yet to find a treat she likes. She's a starling, so her diet is pretty different from that of most parrots but she's incredibly clever. She has learned more words than my rainbow lorry, and she mostly uses them at the appropriate times. "Come here" when she wants me to go to her, that sort of thing. She does say "beautiful creature" or "who's a beautiful creature" a lot to herself, so I think she knows exactly what it means!
Anyway, on to my question. How do you go about training a none food motivated bird? She will enjoy a treat one day, but not the next. And if she has to take even a step for a treat, she will pass on it and go and do something else. I do have this sort of odd treat toy that she usually loves. It's a cotton sock, filled with pellets for starlings and blackbirds. She loves to peck holes in the sock and pull treats out. It takes her a few seconds to get a treat out of it, but then I have to take it away from her, or she will just keep eating them and then not be particularly interested in it for a next few days. By taking it away after she gets one is she just thinking I'm mean for taking her treat away, instead of focusing on getting one to begin with? She loves being out with me, and will fly to me regularly, but she isn't an affectionate bird and does not enjoy being touched in any way, so I can't reward her with that. I hand raised her from what I'd guess was four or five days old (her siblings were dead and her nest was destroyed in a storm, there was no way to return her to her parents) and as long as I've known her, she's never enjoyed being touched. She's a pretty good bird, usually comes when she's called, only ever screams if something's wrong but I'd really love to be able to train her to do more than just the bird basics. I want to show any one who sees her how smart 'boring outdoor' birds are, that parrots aren't the only intelligent birds. Hopefully get people to reevaluate their opinion on all wild animals. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, as she's about three and I'm yet to find something she's willing to work for.
Thanks for talking the time to read my book of a comment :). I really admire what you do, spending so much time trying to show people the compassionate way to take care of birds. I bet there are a good amount of birds out there who lead better lives because of you. I know mine do.
Hello, I was wondering if I could get advice from you. I have a male cockatiel which I got several years ago as an adult. I have trained him to do several tricks, the target, turn around and fetch. He loves training. I'm currently trying to train him to wear the aviator harness and it goes great up to a point. I have gone very slowly through the whole process: play fetch by the harness, touch the harness with his beak, put his head through the big loop of the harness... We've been over a month at it. I got him twice to the point where he puts his head through the tiny loop where the head is supposed to go. The problem is that sometimes when he has his head in it, he freaks out and starts fighting with the harness which makes it very difficult for me to take it off him. Then he becomes afraid of the harness once again and I need to go back to where he puts his head through a bigger loop. He is supposed to use the petite size and the small loop looks smaller for his head than the small loop in Smokey's for her head. We have been at it for quite a while now and I don't know how to get past that point. I would really appreciate your input. Thanks in advance and best wishes.
Good job.
My sun conure is a total diva we have her harness and we are starting training
I'm using a no-force method with heavy positive reinforcement (treats) to train my baby blue-fronted Amazon to wear the Aviator Harness. She's further along than Smokey, but likes to be touched on her own terms, so I bet Smokey pulls ahead. I've been working on small approximations every day for five months. Even though she's been around the harness since before she was weaned, she does not like 1) the touch of the harness on her stiff feather structure and 2) the feeling of being trapped.
Harness training can't be rushed. I pushed her too far once and it took two weeks to get us back to where we were. I almost wish I had filmed my failure so people could see what NOT to do when harness-training their parrot.
BTW, maybe you or others watching this video could help me find a mobile camera (GoPro knockoff) for filming Kizzy in flight / during training sessions. It would be nice to mount it on my chest in an impact-resistant case. (There's a better chance she would learn to leave it alone if I mounted it there. She uses the top of my head as a landing site.) Good sound and video are a must. I'd also like something that records well in low light, records at high framerates (for slow motion) and has other cool features. If I could combine this with another camera on a tripod, I could make some interesting videos of my successes and failures with Kizzy.
It's interesting how often I find out Smokey and Kizzy are on parallel paths. The Aviator Harness is just the latest coincidence.
We trained our 2 cockatiels to the harness so they could go on walks in summer time and one of them loves it the other one isnt a big fan
What harness do you use for Smokey (brand). And what can I do to stop my parrot from laying eggs! She is not paired and been my owner for twenty years and has laid at lease 18 eggs in a year. I cannot bring myself to mess with her roudybush maintenance diet and starve her etc. I lost on africanby egg bound problems when I was in another state and was devastated.
Great video.
Thanks Theresa!
It’s kind of hard to do this with my 5 month old umbrella cockatoo considering he’s not done hand feeding yet. So I️ think I’m just going to be cuddling with him around the harness. Do you think this is another good alternative that I️ can do?
Absolutely! In addition, you can use the hand feeding formula the same way I use these treats. Since he's so young, he will take to this so much faster!
Hows harness training going for you so far? It has been 3 years. I spent 1 year to get harness onto my grey, so I am just wondering about yours
PLEASE MAKE A PART 2 WITH THE BODY/ WINGS AND PLEASE MAKE A VID ON HOW TO LET UR BIRD LIFT THEIR WINGS!! PLEEASSSEEE
Amazing video!! Mine is scared for the harness, how can i overcome her fear for foreign objects? Should i just get it more in her area but distant so she gets used to it?
Hi, i'm a new Bird owner and i really like your videos, i have a meyers parrot who i got 3 months ago, hes now 1 year and 3 months old, very social and playfull. but i seems that i do something wrong when i try to "train" him, so he bites me alot
Is there a time of day that is best for training?
Great video!
btw do y know smoky is missing now wingsnpaws posted a vid 2 months ago it said all about smoky missing if u wanna know more pls watch the vid
Can you make a video on what feed your smokey on a daily routine?
I would also suggest that you place the harness on a table with treats sprinkled around so your bird should eventually get used to it being a harmless to them, and even a paranoid bird loves treat's just got to be moderate with the fatty treats like sunflowers or mikeyd's fries and try to use a favorite fruit too. I appreciate your non forceful method of friending
We have a 1 yr old African Grey, and we have read that sunflower seeds are bad for Greys. So we don't give her food with those. But I can see how valuable it would be to use them for training, if she liked them. Is it incorrect, then, that sunflower and other seeds are bad for them?
I so much appreciate your way of bringing awareness for body language of birds to people via youtube. That's so important, I think I will do the same about alpacas on my chanel in german language. There is so much to misinterpretate in animal behavior. Thank you for this video, very interesting ^o^
I really do hope you do that on your channel! I totally agree with you that animal behavior can be so easily misinterpreted. I think it's great if you decide to do the same on your channel with your alpacas, you have my full support! In all honestly, it was very weird and awkward for me in the beginning to film myself talking to the camera, but with time, it becomes easier.
I am so happy to read your answer, you're right, it still feels weird talking to the camera but I am at the point of thinking of the people who are watching when I do that, I actually don't "see" the camera anymore. And I also blend in my alpacas when I talk very long, so the people don't have to look at me all the time. That makes your videos great to watch, you can skip your attention from a talking person to a cute friendly bird and so it makes it easier to follow. That's very good thought in an educational way. I really like that
That's really good, and what's the next step?
Hi im really thinking about getting an African grey after being inspired by your videos. One thing is stopping me is everyone is mentioned in the dust they produce do you have trouble with keeping the dust down or is everyone being dramatic also I do have mild asthma
RIKSTAR She does produce a lot of dust. Actually, LOTS! I have to vacuum daily. If the dust bothers you, you really need to reconsider.
Where can i buy a perch like that and how much does it cost?
Harness training starts at 3:14.
Hello,
I have an African grey and she is really shy in front of people and we also got to get her a bench for training but she would never wanna stand on it even though I tried to give her, her favourite treats and toys.
I don't know how to train to be friendly around other people and to stop bitting.
Can you give me some tips