Birdie Outings

[jaimmorr]

Where do you take your bird(s)?

In the future, my goal is to be able to take my bird pretty much wherever I can. Park, friend's houses, pet stores, hiking, boating, swimming, on drives, etc. Which brings me to my other question... Is it safe to boat/swim with a parrot? Obviously I wouldn't purposefully put the bird in the water, but would it be okay to have the bird on my shoulder or possibly a floating perch of some sort?

Anyway, where do your birds go with you?

 

[PortaPerch]

Took this pic just the other day:

 

[henpecked]

Take my YNA everywhere except the places that tell me i can't bring her in. Riding in the truck is one of her favorite things to do .Carried zons on fishing boats for weeks at a time.Never had a issue with seasickness or anything like that but i've had to turn around and pick them up out of the water,don't swim well.I've carried Jake the YN wading and such at the beach,and she has spooked and flown into the water but everyone survived and she doesn't fear water. My biggest issue with taking birds out and about is dogs and traffic.Birds will spook at things like opening doors or passing trucks so i hold my hand over their back to keep them safe when i see something that might cause them to spook.Like entering a store or crossing a crosswalk.My best advice is to harness train your bird at a very early age, we start before they fledge or wean,it's much more difficult to do with an older bird. Most breeders don't because it takes so much time and effort,that and no one wants to pay extra to have a harness trained bird, they'll go with the cheapest bird . It's only after the fact that people learn. If your looking a young bird ,ask if they harness train.

 

[brianlinkles]

I know this is probably a stupid question but here it goes. Do you have your birds potty trained or do they just "poop" on you? I am working with Dorothy and she is very good at hanging out on the couch at night and then every 15-20 minutes I bring her to the java tree and put her down and say "poop" she is about 85% trained to this however when I take her outside with me it's a different story. I would love to take her with me places however I really would like to try and potty train her so I am not covered in poop.

 

[GiosMom]

Took this pic just the other day:

Love the perch! So cool where did you get it?

 

[KatherineI]

For us, it really depends on where we are going, how we're getting there and the weather. I have a Celtei Pak-O-Bird that I can use as a backpack or front pack. They're full enclosed, so no worries of them flying off, a dog or such snapping at them, someone sticking their fingers in their face and getting bit, etc. I even have a fleece cover to use when it's cold and I have to take them to the vet or such. The PNW is a chilly, rainy place 9 months out if the year and for me, even the summers aren't warm enough, so they currently don't get to go out as often as I wish.

In regards to boats and such... I'd advise against that. Accidents happen and I'd hate to see you lose your bird because of a hosting accident and they got hurt, or lost. There's just some places it's safer to not take them with.

I know this is probably a stupid question but here it goes. Do you have your birds potty trained or do they just "poop" on you? I am working with Dorothy and she is very good at hanging out on the couch at night and then every 15-20 minutes I bring her to the java tree and put her down and say "poop" she is about 85% trained to this however when I take her outside with me it's a different story. I would love to take her with me places however I really would like to try and potty train her so I am not covered in poop.

I have only seen Too's potty train, but I'm hearing more and more about how potty training them is causing internal damage to pet birds. I have a Too and I won't be "potty training" her for this reason. Birds don't have sphincters, it's not natural for them to "hold it" like a dog or cat.

 

[Nakiska]

For us, it really depends on where we are going, how we're getting there and the weather. I have a Celtei Pak-O-Bird QUOTE]

OH MY GOSH! I've never seen one of these! I had to google it...I love it!

I'm already the talk of the town because I take Franklin with me when I can and he has his flightsuit birdie diaper complete with leash...but if I started pushing him around in a stroller or carrying him in a backpack...hahahahaha...I can only imagine the talk...hahahaha...

I seriously might invest in the backpack though...we like to do a lot of hiking in the summer months and I'd love to take him with.

My spouse has been doing alot of traveling and in a few weeks, school is out and I can join him on some trips...I was wondering about hotels...and if they allow birds at all? I don't know these things yet.

As to Jaimmorr's original question...I've taken Franklin, our conure with me to the grocery store, the bank, post office, friends and families houses, Ross, Kohls, Walmart, a couple thrift stores and several pet stores. He loves to go bye bye. Oh...I've taken him to work too...to show him off and the gift/liquer store in town as well and the pawn shop in town too.

Franklin and our pigeon Belle are well exposed because they both will wear flight suits enableing me to take them out and about.

I've found the general public really enjoy seeing/meeting pet birds and are totally fascinated with the information and stories I can tell.

As for the potty question....my birds are NOT potty trained, but Franklin and Belle have their fightsuits/birdie diapers...I think you can google them...I got mine from ummm...avianfashions I think it was. I love 'em and wouldn't hesitate to buy another if I needed it.

Have fun!

Toni

 

[KatherineI]

Toni - some hotels do. You need to look at their pet policy. And I absolutely LOVE my carrier!!! I need to get a second one or a double one, so I can take both birds at once.

 

[PortaPerch]

GiosMom, it's my handle: PortaPerch.com is my site. Necessity was the mother of invention. I carry both birds that way - in front of me, and the coated paper plates catch the refuse.

Henpecked, I think of this pic every time I see your avatar pic, or whatever you call it:

This was at a swapmeet put on by the Long Beach Model T Club.

 

[lizardsmells]

Kazi comes with me when the weather's decent enough for it. I won't take him out with me when it's too cold unless we're only going from the car to an indoor space. Otherwise he goes everywhere with me he can. He has a small travel cage (it's an x-small dog crate) he rides in and he pretty much stays in there unless I'm somewhere it's safe to take him out, then he can come out and hang out on my shoulder.

At first, you could tell he wasn't ever socialized because he was terrified every time we went anywhere. He loved the riding part, hated the new people/places parts. But now he relaxes in new situations much more quickly. He's still nippy/lunge-y with people he doesn't know, but he'll speak sometimes to strangers which is HUGE and he's relaxed enough to preen in a brand new environment before, so I think we're making progress.

I'm currently trying to teach him 'wings' so we can move on to harness training, but he really despises that trick so far. He does not like to have his wings touched especially when he doesn't understand what's going on. So we're taking that one really slowly.

 

[solobaby]

my parents won't let me take my birds out , they don't like the idea of having to much attention at the local shop