Post by Minca on May 26, 2005 10:49:37 GMT -5
OOoohh! I MUST comment on this... Be very very very careful!! What makes raptors what they are is that they use their feet to catch and kill their prey. For that reason a raptors legs are designed for strength and impact resistance. Putting jesses on anything else other than raptors is actually very contoversial because of this. When I volunteered in the raptor center at the zoo in Seattle I once asked one of the keepers about jesses for my conure and she said that they get alot of flack for the jesses on their Turkey Vulture which is not a raptor but a member of the stork and flamingo family. Any bird other than a raptor is believed to not have the leg structure that can hold up to bates against jesses. There's alot of concern out there that any other bird could and would sustain injuries from sprains to breaks and even permanant leg damage.
I've taken my conure outside alot and been told that even with his wings fully clipped a strong enough breeze could carry him away despite his own best efforts to stay with me. I just stayed away from high traffic areas where he could flap his way into moving vehicles and even did some bonding excercizes when he was flighted by having him fly across the living room to my hand for treats. I once saw an episode of Pet Star on Animal planet where a lady had one of those black 'Too's fly over the audience through some hoops and I don't think she had anything attatched to her bird.
Unless you're worried about predators like dogs or wild hawks I would think if you just avoided windy days and kept it's wings clipped things would be fine without attatching anything to your "tiel.
IMHO, I would advise against jesses on anything other than a raptor.
Michelle
I've taken my conure outside alot and been told that even with his wings fully clipped a strong enough breeze could carry him away despite his own best efforts to stay with me. I just stayed away from high traffic areas where he could flap his way into moving vehicles and even did some bonding excercizes when he was flighted by having him fly across the living room to my hand for treats. I once saw an episode of Pet Star on Animal planet where a lady had one of those black 'Too's fly over the audience through some hoops and I don't think she had anything attatched to her bird.
Unless you're worried about predators like dogs or wild hawks I would think if you just avoided windy days and kept it's wings clipped things would be fine without attatching anything to your "tiel.
IMHO, I would advise against jesses on anything other than a raptor.
Michelle