how do you take your birds outside?

I saw some discussion on another thread so I thought I'd ask here about what method you use when taking your birds outside (harness, cage, ect.) and why? I'm curious. I take rainbow in her small cage or carrier depending if I'm staying in the yard or not. She's fun to have outside while I garden and I figure sun is good for her. The whole harness thing... got it on once with tons of patience and she haaated it It was badly designed and the buckle was too hard to undo when she was wearing it, so.... no. She's so small and light that I don't feel comfortable taking her out without any restraint (I've met too many heavily-clipped cockatiels who can fly).

So far mostly on harness, she is clipped, but I can't guarantee how we'll walk in the future

I use the carrier for Merlin right now, but I would like to use a harness in future.

I chose both "harness" and "clipped and no harness." Right now he has a light clip, but rarely tries flying. I have a harness that I'm getting him used to, and plan on letting him fly once his primaries come back in, so at that point it will be harness.

what harness do you use? I'm thinking of getting another one

I checked "carrier" and "clipped no harness".
Yes - I lost a clipped tiel to the wind over 20 years ago. Tiels do not go outside without a carrier if there is so much as too many people breathing in the same direction.

Carrier - I have one at all times and when in doubt, the bird's in it. If I didn't raise the bird/don't feel I know the bird well enough to know how the bird will react to new situations, the bird's in it.

Clipped no harness - It's a bit of hubris, I suppose, but I've not lost a tame, pet bird to the wind since that tiel over 20 years ago. After having birds for over 20 years and having raised a child, I "feel" I have extra spidey senses in terms of danger. Plus I think it helps how I raise my pets super socialized and, again, I have a spidey sense about how they'll react in various situations. If my birds were horses, it would be known as "spooking in place" instead of bolting.

Again, I do not condone others to do what I do. There is still the chance something will happen that I've not encountered yet and I do understand that's a very real possibility.

patdbunny wrote:

I checked "carrier" and "clipped no harness".
Yes - I lost a clipped tiel to the wind over 20 years ago. Tiels do not go outside without a carrier if there is so much as too many people breathing in the same direction.

Carrier - I have one at all times and when in doubt, the bird's in it. If I didn't raise the bird/don't feel I know the bird well enough to know how the bird will react to new situations, the bird's in it.

Clipped no harness - It's a bit of hubris, I suppose, but I've not lost a tame, pet bird to the wind since that tiel over 20 years ago. After having birds for over 20 years and having raised a child, I "feel" I have extra spidey senses in terms of danger. Plus I think it helps how I raise my pets super socialized and, again, I have a spidey sense about how they'll react in various situations. If my birds were horses, it would be known as "spooking in place" instead of bolting.

Again, I do not condone others to do what I do. There is still the chance something will happen that I've not encountered yet and I do understand that's a very real possibility.

I marked the same; carrier & clipped/no harness; for basically the same reasons. Being Pat's kid, I've always done this with our birds. I have less of a natural "spidey sense" about reactions to various situations than her, so I rely more on a learned "spidey sense" of staying alert for possible spooky objects and watching the bird's body language in new circumstances. If there's something dangerous or spooky around, or if I don't see anything out of the ordinary but the bird's uneasy, the bird goes in a carrier. If I'm not used to the bird and it's not used to me, I only take it out in a carrier until we're both comfortable with each other and with the environment.

I checked "clipped no harness" but i know my bird well and we've been doing it for a long time.Yes it'e very risky but she'd unhappy at home in a cage,but maybe i should try a harness(don't have much faith in it working out ,but i should give it a try) I do carry a cage almost every where i go,all ways in the truck( you never know when you might run across a bird).The best advice is do what i say and not as i do,start with a young bird and train it to a harness. PS I'll let you know what Jake thinks of it

where I work they keep the (clipped) amazon on a perch outside for a good part of the day where the public can admire her and learn about her. There is a person with her all the time when she's out partly to moniter her and partially to give parrot facts. By now the amazon is an old pro and is comfortable sitting there and doesn't even pay attention to the people walking by. she rarely flutters down, maybe once or twice a summer, and she never gets more than a few feet. That experience makes me far more comfortable with the idea of taking the big chunky birds out without a harness but since I got my first bird for free when she flew to me in a park I'm a bit over-paranoid about these things!
It's great the relationships you guys have with your birds.

moa wrote:

what harness do you use? I'm thinking of getting another one

I use Aviator Bird Harness
petite size for Chico('tiel). It came with Instructional DVD how to put them on. Before I putted them on Chico (don't laugh), I practiced on one of my bf dog's toys. I chosen toy with the big ears-so it was like a wings to practice It helped me to put it on Chico fast, considering that she's crappy at that time.

In a perfect world I would love to not use harness, not clipped her and take her on a walk on my shoulder. But facing the reality, it's too risky. We'll see after her wings will grow back...

oh wow- that design is so much better than the one I got off ebay! I'll have to see about getting one after I get some cash from a cat-sitting gig

moa wrote:

where I work they keep the (clipped) amazon on a perch outside for a good part of the day where the public can admire her and learn about her. There is a person with her all the time when she's out partly to moniter her and partially to give parrot facts. By now the amazon is an old pro and is comfortable sitting there and doesn't even pay attention to the people walking by. she rarely flutters down, maybe once or twice a summer, and she never gets more than a few feet. That experience makes me far more comfortable with the idea of taking the big chunky birds out without a harness but since I got my first bird for free when she flew to me in a park I'm a bit over-paranoid about these things!
It's great the relationships you guys have with your birds.

Ya know! The San Diego Wild Animal Park has macaws out on stands amongst trees and such that the birds can EASILY (from my view) get to and bug off those stands. They don't (I've not seen) have human supervision. I've always wondered how in the world they prevent them from jumping off/climbing off and going exploring. I have my birds trained not to leave their stands/off their cages, but it still would not surprise me to find someone breaking that rule. Maybe Coldtrance knows?

I also wanted to add on the harness thing - I'm the bad "human element" that I say can't be controlled. I've used harnesses in the past. I'm not good about consistently using them so I prefer to have a carrier with me. Also, there are a lot of situations that I take my birds into that a harness just isn't going to be sufficient like places where there are strange dogs. I know of someone who religiously harnessed their bird so they thought they were safe. A large dog jumped on her and snatched the bird off her body. She was holding the bird's leash while the dog mauled the bird to death.

patdbunny wrote:

I also wanted to add on the harness thing - I'm the bad "human element" that I say can't be controlled. I've used harnesses in the past. I'm not good about consistently using them so I prefer to have a carrier with me. Also, there are a lot of situations that I take my birds into that a harness just isn't going to be sufficient like places where there are strange dogs. I know of someone who religiously harnessed their bird so they thought they were safe. A large dog jumped on her and snatched the bird off her body. She was holding the bird's leash while the dog mauled the bird to death.

Bad human element , (no offense, please) I don't mind taking Chico in carrier, but my point is what she is going to see on our walks? Maybe I should buy those acrylic one only for the walk? What do you suggest?

I use a harness for Cheney Bird. It's a basic feather tether that cost $6 and it works fine for us. The budgies don't go outside unless their in some kind of escape-proof fortress, and even then I'm nervous.

Margaret wrote:

Bad human element , (no offense, please) I don't mind taking Chico in carrier, but my point is what she is going to see on our walks? Maybe I should buy those acrylic one only for the walk? What do you suggest?

).
Hey, I'm with Henpecked. "Do as I say, not as I do!" Laugh all you want, I'm not offended. I admit I'm lazy.
I don't like dark carriers either. I don't like "critter keepers" - not enough ventilation and the lid's not sturdily attached enough. I have homemade carriers made out of snap top plastic storage boxes from WalMart (I can't pay what's wanted for those nice acrylic things ). I drill holes just small enough so they can't stick their heads through but they're large enough so they get a really good view out their "portholes" and there's really good ventilation. The bedding I use is shredded newspaper out of my crosscut shredder.

KayLayUh wrote:

The budgies don't go outside unless their in some kind of escape-proof fortress, and even then I'm nervous.

My budgies "go outside" only on vet-trip. Can't imagine one(even clipped) staying still

patdbunny wrote:

I have homemade carriers made out of snap top plastic storage boxes from WalMart (I can't pay what's wanted for those nice acrylic things ). I drill holes just small enough so they can't stick their heads through but they're large enough so they get a really good view out their "portholes" and there's really good ventilation. The bedding I use is shredded newspaper out of my crosscut shredder.

Acrylic I agree too expensive to take only for walks. That's some idea you have, specially if I can make it as a backpack!

On light, sunny, breezy days perfect for being outside I have a cage on my back deck (my deck is covered and toddler proof!) that the birds take turns hanging out in. I stay out on the back deck while they are out there but truly they aren't in harm in any way.

When I am in the car/running errands Juniper and Sparrow stay on my shoulder. I always have my travel cage in the care just in case.

For sunlight every other day they are clipped and I just hang out in the yard with them. Neither of them can do more then gently flutter to the floor if need be.

Kokomo despite being clipped can get some air, not much, but enough to make me a little nervous. Plus, she is a little meanie and I don't trust her to stay put. She only is outside in a cage. She gets lots of outside time at home though!

Margaret wrote:

Acrylic I agree too expensive to take only for walks. That's some idea you have, specially if I can make it as a backpack!

I recall I've seen some clear plastic (acrylic?) makeup cases in the makeup department of WalMart that might be converted into a carrier - better view through those.
Think outside the box. I look at everything and assess its potential for a birdie useful item.

Have to check it, thanks good woman for info

Clipped no harness, but only for the large macaws. We've never had the little guys outside. I do want to see if I can get my Jardines into a harness so I can get him outside. The hahn's I wouldn't trust if you padlocked their little feet to a car. LOL

I didn't vote.

I've been putting off harness training Einstein.

Eventually, we'll be able to go outside

henpecked wrote:

I checked "clipped no harness" but i know my bird well and we've been doing it for a long time.Yes it'e very risky but she'd unhappy at home in a cage,but maybe i should try a harness(don't have much faith in it working out ,but i should give it a try) I do carry a cage almost every where i go,all ways in the truck( you never know when you might run across a bird).The best advice is do what i say and not as i do,start with a young bird and train it to a harness. PS I'll let you know what Jake thinks of it

ROFL Jake says..._____not good LOL She can surely beat the "big man" down and I think it is just love pure and simple if he REALLY needs her to do a thing...anything, she will, but happiness does not factor into the result.

When I was new to parrots and didn't know any better I would simply take them outside unrestrained because they were clipped. Now that I'm aware of the (possible) dangers I just don't feel it's worth risking my family uneccessarily! Now my birds are usually taken outside in their cages with the doors sealed with those little 'climber's' clips so there's no accidental escapes. My one bird is harness trained and the other is not. Neither bird likes the harness so they're usually just out in their travel cages or carriers.

Hey Parrots4life are your birds flight5ed? i havn't seen many birds that look foward to the harness,but i'm going to give it a try with an old YNamazon.

They're flighted now. I have to bring the travel cages indoors to put them in and then take the cages outside. It's a bit more of an inconvenience but they love being able to fly! Haven't had the harness on for a while, neither bird really cared for it.