# Flightsuit nightmare....



## Guest (Dec 9, 2012)

I really wanted to get Rascal used to his flightsuit (I've only attempted to put it on him twice so far). I would love to take him for a walk outside or if I go somewhere (where I can take him) I'd like to bring him along, but can't without the flight suit.

I tried to put it on him today and he was screaming bloody murder... as if he was being killed! I managed to get it on him (was growl screaming the entire time) and it's on right now. It looks extremely uncomfortable. Here's a pic... he can't even close his wings correctly. Does this look right? It doesn't look right to me? It seems the suit is too wide.... I've seen videos online of other tiels getting the flightuit on and they make it look so easy 

Guess it takes time... but I don't think it looks like it's fitting right?


----------



## Guest (Dec 9, 2012)

The velcro on this flightsuit is way too wide, it's ridiculous and looks incredibly uncomfortable. They could have at least used thinner velcro. Terrible design. I wonder if all flightsuits are like this.


----------



## Guest (Dec 9, 2012)

I just left the flightsuit on Rascal for about an entire hour and he did not poop once. He held it in for an entire hour, nightmare!! Anyone else here experience that with flightsuits. I'm concerned to ever try this suit ever again... terrible design... and he refuses to go to the bathroom while wearing it... it's off now.


----------



## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

You know, I have never liked the idea of those suits, it just llooks very unnatural and uncomfortable. How about a harness when you want to take him out?


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Not many of us use flightsuits...usually just the harness. I know Dallytsuka does but she makes her own. It will take a while for him to get used to it, but I agree that does look uncomfortable. If they aren't used to the flightsuit, they wont poop in it.


----------



## Guest (Dec 9, 2012)

Does Dallytsuka have any pictures of her flightsuits? 

If only the velcro was thinner and the way the lease "attaches" underneath the velcro is beyond bad. The entire suit is poorly made/designed. If I had time, I would try to make my own.

So it seems it's the norm for a tiel to refuse to poop in the suit in the beginning. How long does it take for them to finally poop in it? I'm worried to leave the suit on for more than an hour because he refuses to poop in it... even though after a while he's running around playing in the suit seemingly fine... he still refuses to poop.


----------



## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Allie didn't mind her flightsuit much...she pooped in it fine, but some birds won't. If your bird can't get used to pooping in it then it is considered dangerous.

Here is Al in her suit:
http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=31756


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

what size is the suit? dally has a medium, when she first wore it, she didnt poop in it at all but got used to it and poops in it now.


i currently have computer access so i can copy and paste again lol

both these links show pictures of dally in the flightsuit

http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=34051&highlight=dally+flight+suit

http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=31198&highlight=dally+flight+suit


tsuka's harness is one of my own home made harnesses. 

i like the flightsuit because it is wide and covers the full chest. if they bolt outside the wide front supports the chest and is not likely to injure the bird. many harnesses are narrow and create pressure points. but people here use the aviator without problems. my tiels just wont like the aviator, they accept the flightsuit style without problems. 

the velcro is wide so that it has more grip. its not likely to be undone by a small bird, but if it was narrow it would not be as strong as a wider strip 

its a foreign thing to them, so expect them to fight with it for the first while. eventually he will poop in it, but for now, until he starts pooping in it, only keep it on for a half hour each time, this way he gets shorter times to wear it while getting used to it and he will have the chance to poop


----------



## Guest (Dec 10, 2012)

DallyTsuka,

Thanks for the pics  Is the main difference with your suits the chest area being wider? I'm trying to see what else is different but it's difficult to tell in the photo. I HATE the way to leash attaches under the velcro under my flightsuit... it's a huge pain to take the leash on/off because you have to lift the velcro each time (bird hates that!... the velcro is also very strong and I feel like I'm ripping the bird in half). I'm going to try to sew a different type of "hook" and also get a different secure leash hook whereas I can simply attach/remove the leash easily without disturbing the bird or having to lift the velcro at all.

From now on I will ensure to only have the suit on for 30min at a time until he gets used to it.


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

If the flight suit doesn't work out, you might want to consider a different method for taking him outside. There are several companies that make backpack carriers for birds. Personally I wonder how you keep the bird from chewing through the mesh, but I've seen people carrying large parrots this way so apparently it works. As an example, here's a picture of a carrier from http://www.celltei.com/paolsm.html


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

my harness is home made and goes on like a shirt. it also lacks the poop catcher lol

i take a strip of fleece and tie it around the velcro part and attach the leash to that.


----------



## Shayla Fortune (Nov 29, 2012)

I plan on getting my 'tiel this harness once I get him/her: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18929&pvid=73974&productnum=0034071 (Petite sized)

Also, here's a video about training them how to wear them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdJ8mLoep4k
^He has tons of other video's about parrot training as well that I suggest you look at.


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Harness training a cockatiel is more difficult than harness training some other species, since some of the large parrots like full-body handling and cockatiels don't. But it can be done, and there are people who have succeeded.


----------

