Harness or leash...?

[JadeC]

So, someone posted in PF about falconry and all these awesome pics and videos. My question is, why can't we use a leash method with our parrots? Why a harness?? Falconers also have like a tracking device on their birds in case it gets lost in free flight. What gives? Why can't we do that with our parrots so if they do happen to get out for whatever reason, we can find them? Is there a reason we can't or don't do these methods with pet birds? I mean, obviously we aren't gonna keep the parrots tethered outside like some of the falcons, but why can't we use a leash around their leg instead of a harness??

Just curious and wanna hear other people's suggestions/comments.

[ShellyBorg]

Even Falcons are not tethered outside unless some one is right there. I know of a couple folks that fly soft bills (crows and ravens) using this. The biggest thing is training. To be a falconer you fly and train under a master. Most people do not train the pets near as much as these guys. People use to leash on leg, a lot of birds where hurt and some lost there leg because of it. My Spirit was tethered and still wears his leg ring (way before me). I have trained him to use a harness. There is a lot of controversy on this.

[JadeC]

Hmmm, I was just thinking like leash while out and about. In case the bird gets startled and flys off. Ya know, kind of like the dog collars that tighten when they pull so it doesn't slip off the bird's leg? I understand it could possibly hurt the leg, but the leash could be used just as a precaution while you had your companion bird with you. I don't think it would hurt the leg if your bird flew off your shoulder or something and tried flying up. I don't know though, which is why I was wondering everybody's opinions. :P

[Mare]

I see where you're coming from Jade. IMO, the leg is such a delicate limb on a bird that I would be afraid of breakage or pulling it out of joint, ouch!

[ShellyBorg]

If you watch falconers the birds, when moving around are always on the hand and BOTh feet have jests on. Both jests are firmly in the hand. That way if and when the birds flips off the hand both legs take the strain and the fall is only a couple inches. If you have a med size bird or bigger, or even a smaller one after awhile their weight really pulls on your arm. Walk around with your hand out as they do with the birds weight on your hand. I know the master I am working under is making me carry a 5 lb weight hanging off my hand when ever we are out in the field. It gets heavy fast!

[JadeC]

So why can't I buy jests or jesses or whatever they're called and use them on a parrot? Haha The falcons are stronger, I'm sure, so maybe their feet/legs can take it??

[ShellyBorg]

I would strongly recommend not putting jests on your bird unless you have been trained the proper way of using them. Falconry is a learned practice. Both you and the bird need to be trained to wear them. If your bird does not like to wear harness it will freak out even more if you trap both feet. Parrots, unlike many bird of pray can and will chew through there jests and if need be, there legs. One of the ways you train a raptor to respect the jests is by putting them on and letting them panic and fight them. I would not want this for my beloved pet. They are a pray animal and will do anything to get away from a perceived threat. Crows and Ravens are another "top of the food chain" bird. I believe that is why it works with them. Predator /Pray drives are why different animals respond to different stimuli.

[JadeC]

Ah, that makes sense. But what about the tracking device? I mean, we have micro chips for our cats and dogs. Why not have something like that for our pet birds?

[Debra]

You can get your bird microchipped also.

[ShellyBorg]

Some free flies do. But starting at $700 to $1000 for a set, its out of many price ranges.

[JadeC]

Oh, I didn't know that!! Haha Wow

[plax]

And the standard RFID microchip implants (such as the ones AVID supplies) are not actively trackable. They're merely transponders that emit a unique digital number when scanned from very close range, but no GPS tracking signal. You can have an RFID chip implanted by a vet for around $25 to $50. The ones Shelly is talking about, though, must be GPS trackable devices based upon the price range she has given. Devices such as those would require that a battery be attached to your bird to serve as a power source for the transmitter - unlike the AVID chip implants which require no power because they cannot transmit a signal on their own.