So, Maybe Molly, whenyou take the Vinsters to the park, What do you do about the whole if he gets spooked and takes off thing? Is his flight training down? When I was younger and when I worked at a parrot store, the Orange wing Amazon I had at the time took off and flew away. I searched for hours, (get ready, this doesnt sound like a real story, but it is) and I heard him calling for me about 5 blocks away. He was 20 feet up in an ok tree. I sat out there for a day trying to get him down, in tears pretty much the whole time. (he wasn't flight trained, this was the first and last time he went outside) I called the fire dept., they said they dont really rescue animals out of trees, that was just in the movies. I called a bunch of places, and finally ended up paying like 250 dollars to have this electricion put me in a bucket truck, put me up in the tree 20 feet, get me close enough to little Bert so he could step up on my hand, and he did, and he never ever went outside again. He now lives with a friend, I had to give him up years ago because at the time, not knowing what I know now, he bonded with me to th point he would chase me around the house, laughing and biting me and i cried, which he loved that reaction, but I still see him, and wish I didnt let our realationship go so bad. Amazons are very different birds, lots of work, but amazing. anyways, thats my story...
So, sorry for all that, but I am way scared to let a bird outside ever again!!!
Hmmm, I always wonder about those harnesses. They fit Eve snug and secure. I know birds are not 4 foot Blue Rhino Iguanas, but I put him in one, and theres no way he would stay in, He would be gone forever, but thats like comparing bicycles to almonds. (ha, ha)
It took finding the right harness thou...Tried the flight suit, Eve ate it, Tried the feather teather, Eve played dead and went limp, wouldn't even perch. Than when he got used to it he almost broke his wings. Apparently a full flighted bird that likes to fly outdoor and feather teathers do not work. they slip forward when the bird flies. So now I have the aviator harness. There's absolutely no escaping, he can and does fly in it, and it's the first one that's so comfortable that he doesn't try to eat it.
I use the same Aviator Harness with Vinnie. He can't fly just yet, but he hops around in the clover and looks darn cute! And don't think he's in love with the thing; he is not! But it's the only way I will take him outside.
I don't even know where to start with this one. But Kimba has far more experience and has done a lot more research so can give you a bigger picture than can I.
Vinnie is : Goofy, mechanical, eager to please, and Smart!
Goofy in that he tends to trip himself up a lot; like instead of lifting his foot to his beak to clean it, he'll put his head down between his legs and practically roll himself over.
Mechanical in that, whenever I'm doing something, such as tying a knot in a strip of leather, or hanging a new toy in the cage, he eyes my every move so he can be sure to undo it later.
Eager to please. This past weekend I taught Vinnie "high five" and "shake hands" (in addition to "turn left"). Now when I have a treat, or a muffin, or anything that he wants, he goes through the whole routing: high five, spin around, shake! High five -- trying to figure out what he can do to get some of whatever I'm having.
Smart : He learned "high five" in two days, and "shake hands" in one! He also has a couple other mechanical habits, like when we play with foot toys on the bed, he wants to be sitting on my knee and not in the middle with all the toys. So he climbs up on my knee, then pulls the sheet with his beak so the toys come to him.
Here are a couple pics from this past weekend in Central Park:
He had a nice sunbath, but I couldn't get him to roll over this time. But the park was especially crowded this weekend with a lot going on in all directions.
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