Parrot harness
Encyclopedia
Companion parrot
Companion parrot is a general term used for any parrot kept as a pet that interacts abundantly with its human counterpart. Generally, most species of parrot can make good companions....
to be taken outdoors, but some parrot
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
s may dislike wearing a harness and bite at it. Parrots that are harness trained from a very young age may accept them willingly, but more often, parrots must be very carefully and gradually accustomed and trained to wear a harness. Care must be taken that the parrot does not feel threatened. Properly trained parrots often appear to enjoy wearing their harnesses if they associate them with going outdoors; some owners report their birds will bring their harnesses to them when they want to go outside.
With a properly designed harness
Harness
A harness is a looped restraint or support. It can also be referred to as an "hitcharness", especially by the Jordanian Armed Forces. Specifically, it may refer to one of the following harness types:* Bondage harness* Child harness* Climbing harness...
and leash
Leash
A leash is a rope or similar material attached to the neck or head of an animal for restraint or control...
, a tame parrot can be taken outside. It can even be given some limited flight outside. However, this can be potentially dangerous for the parrot, who may be initially frightened by unfamiliar events, noises, and objects. It is usually best to first take the parrot out in a cage or carrier to let it become accustomed to being outdoors. Parrot harnesses are available commercially in a range of brands and sizes, fitting small birds such as budgerigar
Budgerigar
The Budgerigar , also known as Common Pet Parakeet or Shell Parakeet informally nicknamed the budgie, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot, and the only species in the Australian genus Melopsittacus...
s and cockatiel
Cockatiel
The Cockatiel , also known as the Quarrion and the Weiro, is the smallest cockatoo endemic to Australia. They are prized as a household pet and companion parrot throughout the world and are relatively easy to breed...
s, all the way up to the largest macaw
Macaw
Macaws are small to large, often colourful New World parrots. Of the many different Psittacidae genera, six are classified as macaws: Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Primolius, Orthopsittaca, and Diopsittaca...
s and cockatoo
Cockatoo
A cockatoo is any of the 21 species belonging to the bird family Cacatuidae. Along with the Psittacidae and the Strigopidae , they make up the parrot order Psittaciformes . Placement of the cockatoos as a separate family is fairly undisputed, although many aspects of the other living lineages of...
s. Some parrot owners may choose to make their own harnesses.
Heavy harnesses that require assembly with metal buckles and clips can be uncomfortable. They may be broken or unlatched by some larger birds with strong beaks. A leash should always be fastened securely to the person holding the leash (such as by an elastic band around the wrist) to avoid the possibility of dropping the leash, as a dropped leash may become entangled in a tree or other object if a parrot flies off. A harness should only be used when the parrot is supervised and should never be used to tether a parrot to a perch or other object.
The best way to train a parrot to wear a harness is to use positive and negative reinforcement. Negative reinforcement is used to reward the parrot until it overcomes its fear of the harness. Food treats are used as positive reinforcement to reward the parrot for putting on the harness. A well trained parrot will put the harness on itself by slipping its head through the collar.
External links
- Putting Harness on Cape Parrot
- Fundamental principles on using harness on parrots
- Video demonstration of fitting a parrot harness
- Tinkerbell - account of a flighted African Grey parrot in Taiwan taken out in harness to fly in the mountains and forests
- Feathers, Flight and Parrot Keeping
- Article and video about taking parrots to a park wearing flight harnesses