To go outside or not?

[Ducky]

Hey all. With the weather getting nice Widgie has been spending a lot of time staring outside and telling me (loudly) that he wants to go outside. Unfortunately, moving his cage outside is not an option. And I tried getting him a harness, but that did NOT work at all.

So this is going to sound crazy, but what about making him tiny jesses? My friend volunteers at a raptor refuge, and the lady there suggested making them. You can make permanent jesses out of leather, with a tiny grommit, and clip on a line when needed. The only reason I'm even considering it is because she has some raptors there that are not much bigger than a lovebird!!

Since it's out of leather, with the obvious chewing implications, my idea was to not make it permanent so much as an extended temporary. Put one on the leg without a legband, then check every day for wear, and replace as is necessary. Or even if it's unecessary and I'm just paranoid it might break. :) And then they could be removed in the winter completely.

I'm sure you guys are going to come back and tell me I'm out of my mind :p , but I just thought I'd throw it out there and see what bounced back!

[Robin VZ]

I wouldn't suggest doing this for a couple of reasons. 1st, a lovebird can chew through leather and you could end up losing your bird out of doors. 2nd, a lovebird leg is more fragile than a small owl or kestrel whose legs are used for hunting prey. Just the power they hit a prey animal with requires a heavier built leg and your lovebird or any other type of parrot is more prone to leg injuries. 3rd, being outside uncaged (even on a tether), makes your lovebird more vulnerable to predation by the raptors we admire. Hawks aren't intimidated by humans and will attack a tethered bird even on your shoulder. Even if the hawk isn't able to carry the body away, the damage is done by the force of the attack.
I have only seen one parrot with this type of restraint system (a greater sulphur crested coc katoo) whose size would most likely not attract the attention of a winged hunter. His restraint was not left on permanently but was put on when the need arose. He also required lots of time to get used to the situation. Chances are that your lovebird wouldn't appreciate the restraint system any more than he liked the harnesses made for parrots.
Maybe you can take him out caged when you plan to spend some time outdoors to supervise? I wouldn't recommend doing anything else.
It's terrific that your friend volunteers with the raptor center. I had a good friend who also worked wildlife rehab and it was a very rewarding experience.

[Ducky]

My biggest reasoning for wanting to do this is that I can't take him outside in a cage. It's not feasable with my living situations right now. I either have to figure something else out or leave him indoors all the time.

Also, I hope I didn't make it sound like I was just going to tie him up and leave him. Besides the dangers of him getting himself tangled up and hurting himself that way, I am fully aware of the predators out here. I saw a marlin catch a sparrow midair the other day. :omg: While cool, it definitely isn't something I will forget if I take my birdie out!

How much weaker are their legs? While I definitely would NEVER do this, or recommend it, parrots used to be kept chained to perches rather than in cages. Bad for the parrots of the time, but it does lend to the idea that maybe their legs are a bit stronger than we give them credit for. Also, while raptors may need bone strength to catch things, I've never seen any bird other than parrots hang upside down and swing around with no apparent discomfort!! :)

[Robin VZ]

My advice would be to leave your bird indoors. Being on your hand our shoulder is not protection from predators.

Many pets tethered in this fashion in the past were injured and you no longer see them tethered this way in pet stores for humane reasons. There's a big difference between a controlled swing and being yanked sideways, no matter if it's unintentional.

Check with your avian vet.

[Emery]

My Vet says it's a great idea to take them out. Around here, I don't have hawks or birds of prey, so I worry more about what's on the ground than in the air. I bought a harness, which Amaretto doesn't like, but I hope he will become accustomed to once he realizes he gets to go outside in it.

Can you buy a small cage or travel cage to take him out in?

[Janie]

I would also suggest a small cage if you want to take him out and even then, I would not leave him unattended for a second. I do have hawks but never knew that they would actually come close to a human when chasing a bird.....I found out that they will. Someone on my wild bird forum told of standing on her back deck and there was a Carolina wren there, too. The hawk swooped down, the wren ran between the persons legs and that hawk went right through them after the wren! :omg:

Because my one lovie, Oliver, is so tame and was always clipped, I did used to take him outside. He sat on my shoulder when I worked in the flower beds. I took him with me when I walked my dog or went across the street to visit a neighbor. It was such a stupid thing to do and I realize now that I could have lost him in a heart-beat. I had already stopped taking him outside before I read the hawk/wren story but it just scared me to death, knowing the danger I put him in many, many, many times. He's been fully flighted for over a year and hasn't been outside, other than in his carry cage to go to the vets, in over two years.

Even in small cage or carrier, you need to be there, with your bird. Imagine the fear they'd experience if a hawk landed on that cage! :eek: :eek: :eek: I'd think that a scare like that could cause a bird to have a heart attack.

[michael]

I talked to a few local bird owners here and we all agreed if we told you you were out of your mind, we'd have to admit we were too! We also thought that leg restraints for any small bird could cause injury simply because they don't have the same acrobatic control with them as without them. Plus we kind of surmized that your bird may not be telling you it wants out but simply responding to activity it see's going on outside, at least we hope so. Yes, we feel sorry for him too, and like you we're always trying to find some new way to make them happy. Any doubts in our minds though, always puts the brakes on trying anything new whether its going outside, different food, or a new toy, etc, until we're 100% certain there's no risk. I know these are some real tough standards to bounce back at ya, but..............Michael and Goof