Aviator Harness

I just got them in. I can see why your birds lose their minds. That buckle is IMPOSSIBLE. I can see where it's just fine for something larger like a too, tolerant zon, or macaw; but on the smaller guys - fuggitaboutit. Very hard not to pinch and pull feathers while you're trying to adjust it.

I've made harnesses out of shoelaces that are easier to put on, take off, and adjust.

thats my problem with the feather tether (I think that's the kind of harness I have?) it has this teeny-tiny little plastic buckle that is impossible to unclip when on the harness is on the bird. Luckily the time I got it on I hadn't adjusted it yet so it was still too big, otherwise I might have had to cut the darn thing off bleck- seems like there aren't any good harnesses for the little guys

patdbunny wrote:

I just got them in. I can see why your birds lose their minds. That buckle is IMPOSSIBLE. I can see where it's just fine for something larger like a too, tolerant zon, or macaw; but on the smaller guys - fuggitaboutit. Very hard not to pinch and pull feathers while you're trying to adjust it.

I've made harnesses out of shoelaces that are easier to put on, take off, and adjust.

Do you remember my joke about harness budgies Now you know, why it was joke!

Margaret wrote:

patdbunny wrote:

I just got them in. I can see why your birds lose their minds. That buckle is IMPOSSIBLE. I can see where it's just fine for something larger like a too, tolerant zon, or macaw; but on the smaller guys - fuggitaboutit. Very hard not to pinch and pull feathers while you're trying to adjust it.

I've made harnesses out of shoelaces that are easier to put on, take off, and adjust.

Do you remember my joke about harness budgies Now you know, why it was joke!

Hey! I CAN harness a budgie! Just not with an aviator harness or feather tether.

Let me know how, so I can try on a less inpatient one, which will be Plum maybe...

I don't have any budgies, but I have bourkes!
KACHOW!

oh oh i just ordered an aviator harness for my sun conure...did i waste my money


dusty

hey roz was that just a bracelet? looks so much easier to use than my feather tether...

dusty wrote:

oh oh i just ordered an aviator harness for my sun conure...did i waste my money

dusty

I don't think so. What others have said, the Aviator Harness is "better" than the Feather Tether. I've used the Feather Tether previously, but that was on my CAG. It's "easy" to put on a large bird. Either harness, the buckle(s) hard to deal with on a smaller bird.

moa wrote:

hey roz was that just a bracelet? looks so much easier to use than my feather tether...

I made it this afternoon out of seed beads and fishing line. I usually use an "S" clasp:
But I couldn't find one today. The "S" clasp is a lot easier to use than the lobster clasp that I used today.

On a small conure I've used doubled fishing line, knotted frequently for security, and small plastic beads. It's not really clear in the pic, but the head loop also has a small jump ring which also gets clasped so the bird can't easily get the harness off.

how long is the wire? I'm guessing bourkes are about the same size as a gcc? I think I might make myself one. at least I have the leash from the old harness that I can use

moa wrote:

how long is the wire? I'm guessing bourkes are about the same size as a gcc? I think I might make myself one. at least I have the leash from the old harness that I can use

You mean the fishing line? Use a long piece, like 2 feet long and double it for strength. Bourkes are small - about the size of a budgie.

Here's one I made previously for my conures:

This harness is way too big for this little chick. I put it on the unfeathered chick so you could see how it goes on and buckles. Buy good clasps at Michael's or a jewelry making store. Cheapy clasps break easily.

thanks! huh, for some reason I thought bourkes were bigger...

How in the hell I missed that one?
Roz, thanks for answer and pictures. I'm trying to figure it out. I know it has to be so simple, but right now it's complicated

MOA!!!!
Check the type of metal of the clasp if you're going to do this. Make sure it's not zinc, pewter, lead, brass, copper.

what does that leave me with?? But I definetly will! haven't made it out to a craft store yet...

moa wrote:

what does that leave me with?? But I definetly will! haven't made it out to a craft store yet...

Sorry. I can't remember what I got as I threw the packaging away. There's SS.

I don't have any issue taking off the feather tether harness off my Rory, I lay him on his back in one hand, slip a finger behind the buckle and press the button, then I let him up and he takes it off himself (he's much less stressed taking it off himself than if I do).

patdbunny wrote:

I just got them in. I can see why your birds lose their minds. That buckle is IMPOSSIBLE. I can see where it's just fine for something larger like a too, tolerant zon, or macaw; but on the smaller guys - fuggitaboutit. Very hard not to pinch and pull feathers while you're trying to adjust it.

I've made harnesses out of shoelaces that are easier to put on, take off, and adjust.

How did you make a harnessess using a shoelace? I want a harness for my parakeet but i think Pete would lose his mind. Would it be better to just buy an aviator? If I did buy an aviator what size would fit a parakeet, he isn't full grown though.

moa wrote:

what does that leave me with??

Stainless steel is the safest bet.

The aviator is a great design IMO for flying on harness for a bird that is EXTREMELY well trained and tolerant of being man-handled. I got a feather tether cheap on Amazon (the store, not the bird) and I think that's going to be a much easier solution for Scooter for just having an anchor when he's outside, which is all I want out of it. Yes, the buckle is small, but it is considerably easier to manipulate than the slide on the Avaitor in his size, and I don't need to squish his head through a tiny fixed opening. The plusses with the Aviator, though, are there are less parts a bird is likely to pick at and play with and it appears very secure, more secure than the Feather tether will be. Plus it has the elastic shock cord for flying built in. We may yet use the one we got for Scotty if we decide to leave him fully flighted.

If not... maybe we need a swap section here. I am accumulating a closet full of stuff my birds don't like, that don't work in their cages, etc.

Fallen Parakeet - I don't think there are any commercially available harnesses small enough for budgies.

About the aviator (most commercial harnesses, really), I don't like how much the birds chew on them while getting used to them. I'm thinking about blinging out an aviator with tassles in the front so my bird(s) can chew on that. I'm offering harness training with my babies, so I think that's what I'll do to preserve the harness.

patdbunny wrote:

Fallen Parakeet - I don't think there are any commercially available harnesses small enough for budgies.

About the aviator (most commercial harnesses, really), I don't like how much the birds chew on them while getting used to them. I'm thinking about blinging out an aviator with tassles in the front so my bird(s) can chew on that. I'm offering harness training with my babies, so I think that's what I'll do to preserve the harness.

Oh okay.

patdbunny wrote:

Fallen Parakeet - I don't think there are any commercially available harnesses small enough for budgies.

About the aviator (most commercial harnesses, really), I don't like how much the birds chew on them while getting used to them. I'm thinking about blinging out an aviator with tassles in the front so my bird(s) can chew on that. I'm offering harness training with my babies, so I think that's what I'll do to preserve the harness.

I sewed a bell and some big beads onto the very end of the lead that goes with his harness, apparently the plastic buckle is more fun ... He does sometimes play with the bells or beads, and when he does, he goes nuts, rolling around on my shoulder, falling off and hanging at the end of his lead ... odd bird

o'TikaandAurora wrote:

patdbunny wrote:

Fallen Parakeet - I don't think there are any commercially available harnesses small enough for budgies.

About the aviator (most commercial harnesses, really), I don't like how much the birds chew on them while getting used to them. I'm thinking about blinging out an aviator with tassles in the front so my bird(s) can chew on that. I'm offering harness training with my babies, so I think that's what I'll do to preserve the harness.

I sewed a bell and some big beads onto the very end of the lead that goes with his harness, apparently the plastic buckle is more fun ... He does sometimes play with the bells or beads, and when he does, he goes nuts, rolling around on my shoulder, falling off and hanging at the end of his lead ... odd bird

thats cute!