How-To place a Large Parrot in a Carrier

[Timothy]

I created this video in response to a specific post in another section so i decided to create a how-to post on the topic of travel carriers.

Some macaws (like mine) don't like getting into a travel carrier, (she knows shes going to the vet usually, and if she had her way my vet would have no more fingers left)

SO! How to Easily place a large parrot inside a carrier

in order for this to work your parrot must be comfortble with you holding him/her upside down.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN0RI-UiNgc&feature=youtu.be"]How to place a Macaw inside a Carrier - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Kiwibird]

Neat trick. Mine will step down anywhere you tell him to and goes in his carrier and travel cage of his own free will to play lol (potential trip in the car? even better!), but I know some peoples birds put up quite the fight! My moms birds have to be wrestled into their vet cages with winter gloves (to prevent bites). Have you ever tried creating positive associations with the carrier before? Such as hiding treats and toys, and allowing/encouraging him to go in there on his own terms (just to play) so he is not so resistant and fearful come time to go to the vet?

 

[Timothy]

Neat trick. Mine will step down anywhere you tell him to and goes in his carrier and travel cage of his own free will to play lol (potential trip in the car? even better!), but I know some peoples birds put up quite the fight! My moms birds have to be wrestled into their vet cages with winter gloves (to prevent bites). Have you ever tried creating positive associations with the carrier before? Such as hiding treats and toys, and allowing/encouraging him to go in there on his own terms (just to play) so he is not so resistant and fearful come time to go to the vet?

She used to LOVE the carrier cause it meant car rides and park visits, but then she had to go to the vet a lot because they thought she was sick (she wasn't the tests were mesed up) and ever since all those vet visits she hates the carrier/car rides. Even though she hasnt been to the vet in 2 years (I've been grooming her here and there as she allows. she lets me file her nails and buff her beak) She wont let me trim her wings and i dont want to force her to let me do it, macaw's hold grudges.

This is VERY good for her, she used to be terrified of it, this video (Taken today) is proof of how far a bird can come from being terrified of something to tolerating it. It's taken A LOT of work!

Ill post a video of me placing treats inside the carrier another day, dont want to traumatize her with more carrier today
(She rolls it and tips it to get the treat out so she doesn't have to go in LOL)