Our flock is 10 budgies that stay home and an African Ringneck – Keto.

Keto is about 17. 

Why I drove 800 miles to rescue Keto

We know about traveling with a bird.

At home he has a 30 x 20 Prevue F40 aviary cage (1), an HQ on the office counter to greet customers (2), a travel carrier to bring him up and downstairs at home.

On the upper level, he has landing approval on 3 play stands and whatever furniture doesn’t scare him too much

He resides in a  Hoie aluminum cage at our permanently parked camper (4).

We spend many weekends at our campground.

When we get there he usually goes right into his Hoie.

When we’re outside the trailer, we have a large canopy where Keto spends time in his 3back in his travel carrier under the canvas.

He always has one side of his cage against a wall for his own privacy.

If you’ve been following my notes, you’ll see our little 3-ounce bird has 4 cages and 4 stands.

We’ve never had a problem getting him into a new cage because 1) we don’t make of an issue of it and 2) he’s happy just to be with us.

 

A travel cage can be metal, fabric or plastic-like – rigid or collapsible.

Because it’s a travel cage only makes it slightly different than his home cage.

If its metal, bar spacing should be appropriate.

If it’s fabric, the fabric should be durable enough and well designed to sustain chewing.

Clear plastic cages allow for great vision but may be confining for extended travel periods. It may only have one perch instead of three or four.

Make sure it’s comfortable on the feet.

Stopping and starting in traffic should not cause your bird discomfort.

A couple of small toys should be introduced to keep birdie boredom down.

If you’re traveling by auto, keep the bird in the back seat away from airbags in case of “god-forbids.” Keep it strapped with a seatbelt to avoid sudden movement.

If your driving at night, cover the cage, the intermittent glare of auto lights can be scary, especially if its after bedtime. If you’re taking a road tip stopping at motels, find a place to put the travel cage where you bird can sleep with as little disturbance as possible through the night.

We usually find the bathroom counter to be the best spot, it’s out of the way and once the cage is covered, affords privacy. In terms of temperature, it’s simple – if your comfortable, your bird is comfortable.

No hot cars with the window cracked or in front of air conditioners in hotel rooms.

If traveling for the first time, we suggest a few trial runs before the big trip.

Go to a friends, the vet or even just a ride, the bird gets accustomed to the procedure, travel process and change in general.

If you let the bird out of the travel cage while in the vehicle don’t forget to put him back before any passengers open the door.

Some birds don’t like to poop in their travel cage.

 

This is a judgment call. Choose carefully where you’ll let them out to poop.

You also may want to check out the nearest avian vet to your destination, before you get there – just so you have the info.

Remember, birds in the wild are natural travelers.

Larger birds will fly 50 or miles per day seeking food.

Many migrate thousands of miles twice annually.

It’s usually less of an issue for the bird than for you. Lastly, we know you love showing off your bird.

Unknown places would not be the time to do it. Unscrupulous people may have ulterior motives. While traveling with your bird it’s no one’s business but your own.

Have a great trip

Catherine & Mitch
WindyCityParrot.com
Simply Everything for Pet Birds

Your zygodactyl footnote

Every once in awhile I’ll see threads on Facebook about birds getting “car sick” ie regurgitating while the terrestrial vehicle is in motion.

The antidotes are endless all begging the question of how are you calculating dosing while forgetting whether or not a product has been tested for birds.

Our solution is simple.