The AVIATOR Pet Bird Harness and Leash: Small Black

I waited a few weeks to write the review to really test it out.So I bought this for my 3 month old double yellow headed Amazon thinking I would try it out after trying out 2 other types of harnesses on my other birds. I thought If nothing else I would use it to get him used to wearing it while he was young and if he chewed it up while learning that would be okay, because I would buy another when he is full grown. The one I ordered had said it was right size for yellow naped Amazon, so I figured it would fit him for a few more months since double yellow heads are a bit bigger...Boy was I wrong. In just the 2 weeks from the time I received it his head has already grown too big to fit. This is by no means the sellers fault in this, but my own.In the past I had ordered different types of harness for my cockatiels and although I liked the other kind of harnesses the each lacked the durability that I wanted for a larger bird. As for the fact this one is all one piece when others I had were harder to put on. This one is durable at least the harness itself. It is a very thick material and I feel like it would take a long time for him to chew it up if he ever wanted to, although I plan to teach him not to and so far he hasn’t tried to chew. The leash part think could be a little thicker. It’s thick enough and I would trust it for one of my smaller birds but for one like him I wouldn’t trust it not to last through a good chewing session. At the same time I don’t plan to have him in it without constant supervision to let there be a chew session, and I always have back up such as a bird carrier backpack. I also know I wouldn’t leave him unattended long enough to chew.I also love that there’s not all these complicated parts that make it take even longer to get it on as others I have tried out. And for a bird who still isn’t full grown I felt like this was much safer then others in being against the crop. It doesn’t pull in the chest area which I appreciate.We did have a blast the first time I got him in it and was able to take him for a walk around the yard to check the mail and it was nice to finally get him out without being in a carrier. He had fun talking to neighbors passing by, charming them with yelling out “hello” to them and he had me laughing with babbling away excitedly whenever he saw something new. I can’t wait to take him out again.He wasn’t too happy when I first put it on him even if we had been getting him used to touching his wings and being wrapped up with a towel. He did enjoy being out and now he doesn’t mind us draping it onto him while formula feeding, since his head doesn’t fit that’s all we can do with it now.I will be buying a larger one soon. This is great to have if you have the time to spend to get your bird to wear it, and it is probably the best made easiest one to put on of those I have tried.

This is a second purchase of such a product; I still have the original that I bought 5+ years back, a bit frayed from much use but still effective with no safety issues - in other words, I don't need a replacement, I just got more birds and enjoy taking them out together. If you're new to the idea, your bird will be hesitant at first (let it play with the leash a few days to get used to it), and may grip your shoulder/finger more than usual as you are their only familiar comfort as they venture outdoors, but by the end of a few (if not the first) summers, there will be a gradual but major switch in their mood/psychology. THIS PARTICULAR leash is the best I have come across after much research (there are countless videos of birds figuring out how to escape from other, seemingly more secure varieties); it takes a bit of effort to sit your rear down, watch the included video (takes about as much time as it takes to drink a cup of tea) and "getting the hang of it" the first few times you do it (make sure you're in a secure area so the bird doesn't take off in in the middle of the process); the magic happens when: (1) your bird tries to take off the first time and it's no big deal because the bungee-tether gently pulls it back (I "yo-yo" my birds back up to my hand ... after they enjoy hanging upside down and swinging for a bit) ... (2) you watch your bird come out of his/her shy-shell and start interacting with other birds, cars, joggers, dogs, squirrels, kids, etc. and (3) your bird(s) actively look forward to "leash-time" because they associate it with outdoor fun; don't be surprised if after a point your bird actually helps you out eagerly by pushing his/her own head through the neck loop to hurry the process up so the two of you can go out sooner! When I first got this, I (ignorantly) thought it seemed a bit flimsy and somewhat high-priced; upon 5+ years of reflection, the product has resisted many chew-through attempts by quite a few birds and the memories I've made have literally become priceless to me and my birds. There is a bit of "mental resistance" at first but take the time to watch the dvd, practice a bit in the Winter/Spring, and from then on it's a bit like riding a bike - once you "get it" you get it and you never forget between seasons. One of my best buddies recently passed away and I can say without reservation that Aviator Harness and Leash contributed to many highlights in both of our lives; my only regret is I didn't find out about this sooner.