Long Airplane Flights and U.S. Quarantine

Hi, guys! I am not yet an owner of a parrot - just planning ahead, and I realised this is a serious concern for me and any future parrot of mine.

I live in a tropical country; however, it is in our rough future plans to move to the U.S. That flight is, at best, a 15 1/2 hour airplane ride. Now, on top of that, I am reading that current U.S. protocol for bringing birds in is quarantine for 30 days, likely in a federal facility, unless I purchase the parrot in the U.S.

Considering birds are delicate, intelligent, and emotional creatures both facets (the long flight and the long quarantine) worry me.

Should I wait a few years until after we move (still deliberating if/when) before adopting? Or can a parrot handle both the air pressure in a tiny cage and the stress of separation in a strange place? Has anybody been in this predicament? Any advice?

Honestly it would be much better to wait until you are settled in your new house to avoid all the stress of a long airplane flight and the process of Quarantine. It will be hard to wait but well worth it!

I'm facing the same issue here but in reverse. I want to move to France but I don't want to quarantine my birds for 30 days so we're trying to figure a way around this but luckily this is not terribly far in the future. I do fly with my sun Conure for 8+ hours from time to time and he's a very good boy!

Sunnyclover said:

I'm facing the same issue here but in reverse. I want to move to France but I don't want to quarantine my birds for 30 days so we're trying to figure a way around this but luckily this is not terribly far in the future. I do fly with my sun Conure for 8+ hours from time to time and he's a very good boy!

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Sunnyclover, I am currently preparing to take my amazons to the UK. The process for Europe is very detailed, not as simple as the US, reason being, they are having issues with H1N1 influenza. I am also worried if my birds would be able to handle the journey, being secured in a carrier rather than a cage and the general stress of the move. Here in the tropics we hardly ring our birds, this is also a requirement, open rings are not easy to come by in Trinidad. Quarantine is something we will have to face, I'm afraid

charmedbyekkie said:

Hi, guys! I am not yet an owner of a parrot - just planning ahead, and I realised this is a serious concern for me and any future parrot of mine.

I live in a tropical country; however, it is in our rough future plans to move to the U.S. That flight is, at best, a 15 1/2 hour airplane ride. Now, on top of that, I am reading that current U.S. protocol for bringing birds in is quarantine for 30 days, likely in a federal facility, unless I purchase the parrot in the U.S.

Considering birds are delicate, intelligent, and emotional creatures both facets (the long flight and the long quarantine) worry me.

Should I wait a few years until after we move (still deliberating if/when) before adopting? Or can a parrot handle both the air pressure in a tiny cage and the stress of separation in a strange place? Has anybody been in this predicament? Any advice?

Click to expand...

From my experience, I suggest you wait until you get to the US to adopt any bird. I am in the process of moving to the UK from Trinidad with two parrots and it's really heartbreaking to think they will be in a carrier in the hold and then quarantine! The paperwork is another hassle, but they are like my babies, so there's no way I would leave them with anyone. I am hoping and praying that they'll be ok once we get there. Good luck!

I’ve been researching this on the state side, only moving to Hawaii. They are very particular and there’s major paperwork involved, at least $1000s in fees and flights not to mention the supplies and specified carriers allowed. It could get costly. I am planning 3 years in advance however and it’s more feasible but anything less may be difficult accounting for unforeseen circumstances and emergencies. The flight and quarantine are the same as OP. 15 hours on plane and transfer flights then 30 days quarantine and inspections. I am bringing my Budgies and lovebirds as well as my angora rabbits. Sooo... I’d start doing the research on your end to see what is best for you. Can you wait until you move or is it worth the thousands in fees and stress? I think only you can answer that for yourself. For me, I’m too attached and there’s not a lot of options on the islands for what I want. There’s PLENTY of birds in the mainland of the US.

The decision to wait or adopt in the U.S. is a personal decision, likely motivated by whether you find (or are chosen) a bird with a deeply emotional connection.

There are potentially three choices for air transportation: In the cabin with you, below the deck in a cargo hold, or shipped as "freight" aboard a large cargo aircraft. My first choice would be in the cabin, though some airlines prohibit this internationally. Many airlines besides FedEx and UPS have dedicated all-cargo aircraft; a bird travelling in the "cabin" enjoys the same climate-controlled environment as the pilots. I am not a fan of shipping birds in below-deck cargo compartments. While the cargo pit is pressurized to the same level as the cabin, it receives recirculated air from above and temperature control is less even. Most airliners are pressurized to the equivalent of 6000' to 8000' at cruise altitude. IOW, similar environment to Denver or Mexico City, but much drier. That is why alcohol seems to have a greater influence or "strength" in flight, as it is metabolized slower. A healthy bird will not likely have issues with the less thin air supply.

I cannot address quarantine, but assume the facilities are safe and secure?

Sorry, I think once you have a parrot, moving to a foreign country is going to sever the bond with a parrot. Not the flight so much but a 30 day quartantine? My Amazon Salty gets all upset when I am gone for a weekend or 2 weeks in CHina. But he has his family around him for that time so its not like going into a US government facility, and being held for 30 days in a strange environment, likely you cant visit them, and who knows what goes on there. That might ruin the bird forever. If you can wait til you emigrate to buy a parrot.

Hey, thanks for all the advice and things to consider. It sort of rephrases the question for me, which I find quite helpful

The tricky thing is I'm from the US originally. And if a parrot originates from the US, the quarantine would happen at home, instead of a federal facility, when returning to the US. And my current country does not have any quarantine unless you are missing official paperwork. So considering that both sides don't have quarantine unless the bird is not American in origin...

Then it turns a bit into a moral quandary of should I wait until we move to the US, especially since us moving to the US is still undecided if/when and would only happen (if it does) after 2020? I also worry because I know ekkies can live up to 50 years and that they do grieve intensely - I would rather get started sooner rather than later, so I could hopefully outlive my bird.

Luckily, it'll be at least six months before I can make a decision either way, so I'll sit on everything y'all said. Thanks!!