Travel Carrier Fears

This holiday weekend, I am birdsitting my friends DYH Amazon. I picked it up today. This bird was terrified of my travel carrier. Now, this carrier is specific for medium to large birds, with a perch, plenty of ventilation, and see through top. Many birds have been in this comfortable, roomy carrier. But, this bird had very rarely travelled anywhere, and was scared to death. By the time we got to my house, (20 minutes), he was panting and hyperventilating. He's fine now, but the reason I am telling you this is because my friend almost never takes his bird out. Very few vet visits, but, that's another issue. You should get your bird accustomed to a carrier, and going places. I do this by putting my birds in a carrier while I am cleaning their cages every week. I also put them in the carrier, and take them out onto my screened-in patio for a few minutes. Do not only take your bird out to bring to the vet. They will associate getting in the carrier to having someone probe them, cut their nails &/or wings, and other not fun events. My birds are not afraid to be in their carriers because they do not know where they may wind up. It needn't be a long trip. Just 15 or 20 minutes, now and then, in the carrier, so it's not so strange to them. It will make travel of any type much easier.