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Travel Tips

By Anne Watkins

Traveling with companion birds can be a challenge, a headache, a test of nerves, or a lot of fun! Many of the larger parrots make good traveling companions, and some of the smaller ones, like cockatiels, also enjoy road trips.

My truck-driver brother used to take his cinnamon-pied cockatiel along in the eighteen wheeler with him. The bird learned to say, "10-4, come on, big truck!" and "What's your 20?"

More than likely your trip isn't going to be in a big rig, but the same safety rules apply to all modes of over-the-road transportation. Some birds, like my brother's cockatiel, enjoy being on the road, but others are too nervous to successfully handle the stress of traveling. Small, flighty birds like canaries or finches may find a long trip too nerve-wracking but might not mind a short day trip at all. Keep your bird's personality and temperament in mind when planning your trip.

To help make your trip as pleasant and as safe as possible, I've put together some common-sense rules for taking your feathered family members along for the ride. (Note: If you are planning to fly, check with the airlines for any and all information they offer.)

Safety First!

Never allow the bird to ride outside of its cage! -- Many dangerous things could happen to an unrestrained bird inside a moving vehicle. Someone could sit on the bird, it might fall out an open window or be crushed when a seat is let back, or the bird could distract the driver and cause an accident. Always keep your companion bird in its cage while the vehicle is in motion.
Secure the cage in place -- Either use a seat belt to firmly position the cage, or fasten it in some other manner that keeps the cage from moving. An unsecured cage could be tossed around should the driver have to apply unexpectedly the brakes or have to swerve, and the bird could be injured. Never place the cage directly in front of an air bag. Some birds have died as the result of inflating air bags crushing both the cage and the birds inside.
Remove all toys and swings from the cage before the trip -- Items moving around inside the cage with the bird could cause injury.
Take along plenty of the bird's regular food and water -- You may want to pack a cooler with fruit, veggies, pellets or seeds, and bottles of the water your bird is used to drinking. Don't forget to toss in a few things for you and your family, too!
Use a travel cage, if possible -- But if you have to use your bird's regular cage, you can make it safer by placing the perch closer to the bottom of the cage and cushioning the cage floor with a thick towel or several layers of newspaper.
Take the cage cover or a dark sheet with you -- Some birds might be scared of passing vehicles, bridges, trees whipping by the windows, or any number of unfamiliar sights. Covering the cage will calm your bird.
Remove or empty food and water cups -- If you don't, you'll soon have food and water flung everywhere! To make sure your bird has a snack handy if it gets hungry, sprinkle some favorite seeds or pellets on the bottom of the cage. Don't forget to add a few slices of a juicy fruit to help prevent thirst. Make sure to stop often to allow the bird to eat and to get a drink of fresh water. Take along a bottle of water especially for the bird. Remember, it doesn't take long for a bird to become dehydrated.
NEVER, ever put a bird in the trunk! -- Exhaust fumes are toxic and will kill your bird. Temperatures can go from one extreme to the other, and the bird can either freeze or suffer heat stroke. This may seem like a no-brainer, but things like this have happened and the birds involved died.
Don't leave your bird unattended in a vehicle -- Temperatures inside a parked vehicle can be difficult to regulate, there is the very real danger of theft, and the bird may suffer an anxiety attack at being left alone in a strange place.
If you are traveling in warm or hot weather, be careful not to let the bird become overheated -- Position the cage so that air conditioning or the breeze from windows doesn't blow fully on the bird. If the sun is striking the cage, drape it with the cage cover or a sheet. If your bird begins to pant and hold its wings out from its body, it is getting too hot. Stop, give the bird a drink of water, and let it have a chance to cool off.
If you are traveling in cool or cold weather, warm the vehicle before bringing the bird inside -- You don't want to let your feathered friend get chilled. Cover the cage with a warm blanket before walking from the house to the car, and keep the cage covered until the temperatures inside the vehicle are comfortable for the bird.
Make sure you have the bird's current health certificate from your veterinarian, especially if you are going to be crossing any borders -- This is very important, and without it, you run the risk of having your bird taken from you.
Phone ahead to make sure the places you are planning to stay will accept your bird -- More and more places are allowing pets, but many still do not. Double check before you make reservations.

Conclusion

With the proper preparation, going on the road with our feathered friends can be so much fun. It gives us a chance to show off our little travelers and to educate people about companion birds. The tips above are only some of the common-sense rules for traveling with birds. Do you have any good tips to share? If so, we'd love to hear them. Until next time, have a Happy, Safe Trip!