Traveling for vacation and larger parrots

[ravvlet]

Sorry if this is a silly question! Is it always better to board rather than take your bird along? We are booking a holiday to visit family about 5 hrs plane ride away in a few months and I’m assuming it would be less stressful to board our amazon rather than bring her in a cabin safe carrier.

When I lived closer to the family I brought everyone along and they had a spare large dog kennel for the parrot we had many many years ago that was adequate for a few days and let her be with her people, but I assume plane rides are terribly stressful for fids and probably worse than having to board with a bunch of strange birds.

However, we have definitely taken the dogs with us every time and they actually didn’t mind (they are small enough to be in cabin also). We just got our Amazon and while I think our tiel will love being around a bunch of birds he can yell at I’m worried that as she is a little more shy it might be a lot.

I’m probably just being silly! But I’m booking everything today so I figured it never hurt to ask.

 

[charmedbyekkie]

I feel it really depends on the individual bird. We've tried to socialize Cairo and introduce him to new situations as much we can. We take him outside to new places a few times a month, and we go to familiar places with different people several times a week. He's learned how to be chill in those situations and generally doesn't get stressed if he can still see me.

Because our country is so small, any travel is out of country, so we haven't taken him on a plane, but if it was legal, we would. We had to board him when we went overseas for 2 weeks, and he was too happy to see us when we got back. I know he gets stressed if we're not around and he's in a new place with new people. Even when I have our friends hold him, he can peak his head around to see me, and when I let friends take him to the other side of the house it's only with people he is comfortable with. So boarding him wasn't the most ideal, but it was better than our alternative (in his cage 24/7 and alone most of the day). If we could fly internationally with him, he'd definitely join us and would be up for the adventure.

If your birds don't get stressed/anxious easily, I'd see if they're up for traveling with you.

I do hear that you have to call when you book your flight tickets and ask to reserve a space for your pet, since each flight allows a limited number of pets onboard. So make sure you call in advance and get confirmation you can bring them along!

 

[Inger]

My experience is not with a larger bird. BUT. The idea of boarding a bird terrifies me. Exposure to disease, bad habits, noise, stress, I assume a lack of out-of-cage time, and strangers caring for my sweet baby seem like a horrible thing to do.

As I write this, I’m in Virginia, which is a five hour flight from home. Bumble is hopping around me and being generally naughty. This is the second time she’s flown, it doesn’t seem to disturb her at all, and I know she’s happier with me than with strangers. I also don’t waste a single second of my vacation worrying about her.

All that said, she fits into an XS pak-o-bird which fits under the seat at takeoff and landing. I make sure she can see me when she’s under the seat and I put her POB in my lap or on the tray table for the bulk of the flight. IF you can fit the Amazon into a carrier that works on a flight, I would say take him.

If you can’t, I might still look into options other than boarding-trusted friend or family to house/pet sit? Or look into an online pet sitting service? I have a friend who uses one and really is pleased with it. The person comes into their home and cares for her birds. I think that would be preferable-a person who’s sole job at that moment is to take care of the baby rather than a vet or pet store that also boards pets, making them sort of an afterthought.






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[Inger]

I feel it really depends on the individual bird. We've tried to socialize Cairo and introduce him to new situations as much we can. We take him outside to new places a few times a month, and we go to familiar places with different people several times a week. He's learned how to be chill in those situations and generally doesn't get stressed if he can still see me.

Because our country is so small, any travel is out of country, so we haven't taken him on a plane, but if it was legal, we would. We had to board him when we went overseas for 2 weeks, and he was too happy to see us when we got back. I know he gets stressed if we're not around and he's in a new place with new people. Even when I have our friends hold him, he can peak his head around to see me, and when I let friends take him to the other side of the house it's only with people he is comfortable with. So boarding him wasn't the most ideal, but it was better than our alternative (in his cage 24/7 and alone most of the day). If we could fly internationally with him, he'd definitely join us and would be up for the adventure.

If your birds don't get stressed/anxious easily, I'd see if they're up for traveling with you.

I do hear that you have to call when you book your flight tickets and ask to reserve a space for your pet, since each flight allows a limited number of pets onboard. So make sure you call in advance and get confirmation you can bring them along!

Yes-you have to reserve space, pay extra, and give up one of your carry-on allowances. And only certain airlines let you take birds.

And absolutely everything I said above assumes you’ll have birdie in the cabin with you-I personally would not put any pet in the pet cargo.


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[ravvlet]

Fortunately I have a lot of experience booking flights with pets thanks to the dogs!

Hmmm. I have a friend who could check in on them but she has her own birds (and I don’t know when the last time they saw the vet was, to be honest) and she works full time so she wouldn’t be spending much time with them. Like I said, Cricket our cockatiel is an easygoing guy and I think I could even get our neighbor to check on him, but even my friend with birds doesn’t have larger bird experience and I worry that she’d have trouble with Kirby.

I’ll chat with my mom and partner and see what they think! The dog kennel did well last time and all we had to do was pack perches, and I have converted plane rated hard side carriers to have perches before...

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

I have never flown with a fid so I can't say,but my Amazon has traveled many times via car and Big Rig and loves it. I would never think twice taking him anywhere by land.
Many years ago,before Amy came home with me,and I just had Smokey (TAG) my family and I were going out-of-state for a week to visit my sisters family and I boarded Smokes at my local pet shop,one that I've been going to for years,and her CAV didn't have room for her at the time. I would NEVER board ANYTHING at the !@&^() place again! They didn't take care of her,put her house in the back room,removed all her toys,never cleaned/change her basement papers,even her water bowl had SLIME in it! That poor bird was so terrified she actually started to pluck herself Smokey was never a really touchy/feely type of fid,but when she saw my mom and myself when we picked her up,she screamed with joy in seeing us and actually hopped on moms arm and ran up it to snuggle against moms face..ok sorry for the rant lol and high jacking your thread


Jim

 

[ravvlet]

I have never flown with a fid so I can't say,but my Amazon has traveled many times via car and Big Rig and loves it. I would never think twice taking him anywhere by land.
Many years ago,before Amy came home with me,and I just had Smokey (TAG) my family and I were going out-of-state for a week to visit my sisters family and I boarded Smokes at my local pet shop,one that I've been going to for years,and her CAV didn't have room for her at the time. I would NEVER board ANYTHING at the !@&^() place again! They didn't take care of her,put her house in the back room,removed all her toys,never cleaned/change her basement papers,even her water bowl had SLIME in it! That poor bird was so terrified she actually started to pluck herself Smokey was never a really touchy/feely type of fid,but when she saw my mom and myself when we picked her up,she screamed with joy in seeing us and actually hopped on moms arm and ran up it to snuggle against moms face..ok sorry for the rant lol and high jacking your thread


Jim

That’s my fear!! We got Kirby out of a situation where her cage was really gross and she didn’t have enough toys and I don’t want to put her in that again- but we will also be pretty busy with the kids and visiting relatives. I could however just get another backpack carrier for her, but then I guess that would take up a carry on slot. Travel is complicated.

We are actually trying to decide if we will be bringing the dogs as well - they aren’t dog friendly and my mom has 7 rescue dogs so they always end up relegated to the back half of the house. Our neighbor dog sits for a living so if we left them with her they would be close to home and with someone they know.

 

[ravvlet]

Update: we decided to board Kirby. I REALLY wanted to bring her, but my mother with whom we were staying was worried because of the aforementioned 7 dogs, none of whom have ever been around birds.

Our meet in the middle was to bring her and Cricket to the boarding facility that’s a bit outside of town but whose bird room I’ve actually been through. I have also seen employees playing with the boarder birds and they have an indoor aviary. The owner is super nice and we chatted over Kirby’s health issues and she had a lot of helpful suggestions that were in line with our vets recommendations.

I hate to leave them both but I am confident they will be in good hands - the cages have always been clean and there has always been an employee hanging out in the back, watching TV or playing with the birds.