Travel Cages & Vacation Home

rjruiz

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We have an African Grey and a Senegal and plan on visiting our vacation home often once renovations are completed. We are looking to invest in travel cages for when we go for the weekend or week. We have seen all different types of travel cages but don't know where to start or where to buy from a reputable company. I assume we would need not only travel cages but another stationary cage that will stay at the vacation house? Any suggestions welcomed!
 

saxguy64

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I think some of the decision depends on your birds, and their living situation at the vacation home. If they spend a fair amount of time in the cages, then it makes sense to provide good size cages at that location, ideally similar in size to what they're used to at home. I understand, not always feasible for everyone, so we do the best we can. If they're out of the cages all day, then you might get away with something smaller, more of a sleep cage type of thing, and then play stands, perches, and such for during the day.

I'll defer travel cages to others who use them more regularly. I use fairly basic wire travel cages, for trips to the vet, occasional visits, but have yet to go anywhere with my guys that required an overnight stay or longer. Many folks prefer the backpack style, like the Pack-o-Bird. It's absolutely wonderful, but overkill for my purposes.
 
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rjruiz

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Mar 7, 2021
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I think some of the decision depends on your birds, and their living situation at the vacation home. If they spend a fair amount of time in the cages, then it makes sense to provide good size cages at that location, ideally similar in size to what they're used to at home. I understand, not always feasible for everyone, so we do the best we can. If they're out of the cages all day, then you might get away with something smaller, more of a sleep cage type of thing, and then play stands, perches, and such for during the day.

I'll defer travel cages to others who use them more regularly. I use fairly basic wire travel cages, for trips to the vet, occasional visits, but have yet to go anywhere with my guys that required an overnight stay or longer. Many folks prefer the backpack style, like the Pack-o-Bird. It's absolutely wonderful, but overkill for my purposes.


Both birds are clipped and stay either inside or on their cages. So it seems as though we would have to purchase something similar in size as you stated + travel cages.


Much appreciate your input!
 

wrench13

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The "Cadilac" of travel cages is the Pac-O-Bird ones. I have one for my Amazon. Great construction, can be worn several ways, even has loops for putting a seat belt on. But they are pricey. It would depend to me on how long the drive is. A short drive would not merit a expensive travel cage like that. A drive of a couple of hours or more, I would want one that the parrot is going to be comfortable in, with food and water bowls and some toys in it.
 
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rjruiz

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The "Cadilac" of travel cages is the Pac-O-Bird ones. I have one for my Amazon. Great construction, can be worn several ways, even has loops for putting a seat belt on. But they are pricey. It would depend to me on how long the drive is. A short drive would not merit a expensive travel cage like that. A drive of a couple of hours or more, I would want one that the parrot is going to be comfortable in, with food and water bowls and some toys in it.


2 hour drive and thanks for the suggestion! Will definitely look into it.
 

SailBoat

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With the exception of last year, you are describing our lifestyle!

We are someplace around a 60/40 split between home and the cabin and that is year around. We do differ in that our DYH Amazon is free walkabout and free flight inside the home as both places are Red Tail Hawk territory.

What we elected to do was to duplicate what is at home, at the cabin! This allows us to also duplicate everything in the cage as well. At first, we did it for our Parrot, but it really works for us as well as there is never a question as to whether something can be use at one place or the other.

Our trip is a bit shorter at around 1-1/4 hour each way unless we travel at the same time as the rest of the World and that can add another 1/2 hour. We use a traditional 'cat' carrier with a perch added to ease entrance and exit. If you are going to be outside with your Parrot, consider the Pac-O-Bird. Assure you check your area as to what is hunting from above!
 
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noodles123

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If there are renovations, make sure you wait a few months and have someone air it out a lot due to VOCs that are inherent in any remodeling job.


If you are going to spend more than a few days there each year, it may be worth investing in a full-size cage that you just leave there. I have a duplicate cage and very similar set-up (including perches etc) that I leave at my parents' house (because we usually visit for a few weeks when we do).


My bird is bigger than yours, but she could never sleep in her travel cage-- it is just too small, and to date, I have yet to find a carrier that is large enough for sleep/life, but small enough to fit in the car.
In terms of transport alone, I use a prevue hendrix collapsible travel cage. It is small, but I couldn't find many larger ones (and I'd rather not have a ton of vertical height on a travel cage, in the event that there is a sudden stop etc, you don't want the bird falling 6" if it loses footing. Mind has a perch that she uses, but it's only like an inch off the grate and it does have a removable tray..I tried buying her a taller one once (stainless steel) and ended up having to throw it out when I moved because there was no room left in the truck, she hated it and I was afraid if I donated it, someone would think it was an appropriate cage (not just a travel cage).



If you do not want to buy a permanent cage and keep it there, then I'd look at flight cages that you could leave their or bring back and forth. They tend to be fairly inexpensive and relatively easy to assemble...Let me know if you find a huge travel cage that could work for travel, sleep and daily life though, because I'd love to find one.
 
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wrench13

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I have one of the collapsible cages too. We use it when we put Salty out on the back porch to get some sun, which its great for. But as a travel cage? Well, mine is a steel one, not an aluminum one, and honestly its too heavy for me to be lugging around, and in a car, the weight almost assures that if you come to a emergency stop, this thing is going to launch, with the parrot inside. Maybe the aluminum ones are significantly lighter? I can't recommend the steel ones for the above reason. They are sturdy, pretty well thought out, but that weight, ugh.
 

rainey

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The "Cadilac" of travel cages is the Pac-O-Bird ones. I have one for my Amazon. Great construction, can be worn several ways, even has loops for putting a seat belt on. But they are pricey. It would depend to me on how long the drive is. A short drive would not merit a expensive travel cage like that. A drive of a couple of hours or more, I would want one that the parrot is going to be comfortable in, with food and water bowls and some toys in it.

How about a flight? Sorry, I have just adopted a parrot a week ago and I don't know much about them so I was wondering if it is possible to take my parrot inside the cabin with one of them. I regularly visit my mother at her property in Germany but I don't like the idea of my parrot traveling in the cargo... So maybe I should leave her here with a nanny? But if it's somehow possible to take her to the cabin I'd love her to travel with me. My mother loves birds!
 
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Ira7

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You might want to look into dog crates.

They can be plenty roomy, they’re light, and properly equipped, are fine for birds. Collapsible too, but depending on your vehicle, the right size can serve for both travel and second home, especially if you let them out a lot.

Inexpensive too.

EDIT:

Is “Dog Crate” the correct description? I’m taking about the cage which you would put a small dog in, or a cat.

Its main function for dogs isn’t as a carrier. Just for them to go into when you require them to do so.
 
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noodles123

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The "Cadilac" of travel cages is the Pac-O-Bird ones. I have one for my Amazon. Great construction, can be worn several ways, even has loops for putting a seat belt on. But they are pricey. It would depend to me on how long the drive is. A short drive would not merit a expensive travel cage like that. A drive of a couple of hours or more, I would want one that the parrot is going to be comfortable in, with food and water bowls and some toys in it.

How about a flight? Sorry, I have just adopted a parrot a week ago and I don't know much about them so I was wondering if it is possible to take my parrot inside the cabin with one of them. I regularly visit my mother at her property in Germany but I don't like the idea of my parrot traveling in the cargo... So maybe I should leave her here with a nanny? But if it's somehow possible to take her to the cabin I'd love her to travel with me. My mother loves birds!


Are you able to drive where you or going? You can take them in some airline's cabins but it depends on the size of the bird, carrier and airline. There are also really stringent entry and exit requirements for transporting parrots in and out of certain countries.
 

noodles123

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You might want to look into dog crates.

They can be plenty roomy, they’re light, and properly equipped, are fine for birds. Collapsible too, but depending on your vehicle, the right size can serve for both travel and second home, especially if you let them out a lot.

Inexpensive too.

EDIT:

Is “Dog Crate” the correct description? I’m taking about the cage which you would put a small dog in, or a cat.

Its main function for dogs isn’t as a carrier. Just for them to go into when you require them to do so.


If you do go with a metal one, just be careful with the coatings. That is the reason I haven't gone the crate route (because I couldn't figure out whether they were parrot safe metals/paints).
 

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