Harness training

When harness training Sarabi I have used these "steps" as guidelines:

1. Introduction
2. Patience
3. Reward - positive reinforcement
4. Non-forcing

First I let her see the harness then I brought it closer to her (after making sure that she was not scared or intimidated by it) so that she could "beak it", i.e. touch and inspect it with her beak. This is the step that I call "introduction." This step can take anything from a few minutes to days depending on the individual, the age of the parrot etc. The first step is closely followed by the second - patience. This step applies to the entire harness training! Parrots are flight animals and are often very suspicious of new things. Patience from the trainer is required if the parrot is to fully accept the harness and feel comfortable and safe with it. The third step is reward. I always reward Sarabi when she accepts the harness. Sometimes she can start to "feel" the harness with her beak while she is wearing it. If this happens I just wait until she stops and then reward her (when she has left the harness alone for a while). The reward is a type of positive reinforcement and can be vocal - a sentence such as: "good bird!" in a enthusiastic tone. It can also be a form of "candy", such as a sun flower seed (Sarabi absolutely loves them). The fourth step, just like the second, applies to the entire training more like a "guideline" than a step. Non-forcing. Absolutely do not use any sort of force in the training! If the parrot shows fear, uncomfortability or unwillingness to wear the harness stop the training immidiately and go back to the first step with the second step always in mind. Introduction with patience!