Carrier Training

[Snow2023]

So I bought this carrier for my birds. It appears to be very safe for my budgies. I have placed a bunch of millet in the carrier and they have went in once. I was about to close the door and they fly out. Is there a way to close the door without scaring them or do I have to close it quickly and let them calm (I hope that isn't the case)?

 

[Jcas]

I would suggest leaving the millet- baited carrier out for several days or even weeks, allowing them to come and go as they please. Once they realize that it’s not a trap, they will become more comfortable with it ❤

 

[Snow2023]

I see, thank you.

 

[EllieTheConure]

I have a traveling case that I like a lot, and what I did was leave some seed and treats in the carrier and left it open for a few days so that she could get used to it. She walked in and out of it at her will. After three to four days I closed the door with Ellie in the carrier and gave her a treat. Ellie adapted to the carrier really fast, and your budgies may adapt fast or slowly. Just remember to keep it on the bird's time to prevent stress

 

[Botsari]

This worked for me twice: put the carrier in the same room as the cage, same height, away from the cage but visible and accessible. Put food, water and possibly toys inside every day and just leave it. At some point they will go inside every day. Then when they are very used to it close door for a few hours while they are in there. Pretty soon they will view it as their second "cage" and will not make a fuss when it counts.

 

[Snow2023]

Thank you both! This is exactly what I needed. Have a good day.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Good for you, for planning ahead and being proactive. The Rickeybird is used to playing and screaming and attacking toys in his crate, and is not alarmed when going to the vet, for example. I leave the open crate by his cage sometimes...
Although he does get kinda quiet... "NO BIRD IN HERE. NOTHING TO SEE. MOVE ALONG."

 

[Snow2023]

Thanks for the video. Definitely got to see more of that. I haven't seen a silly parrot (other than my two budgies) in a while.

 

[Botsari]

Thank you both! This is exactly what I needed. Have a good day.

Just to add a little interesting context, I in fact DID once have to evacuate my house on a moments notice due to a huge fire in the mountains here several years back. I only had a cat carrier type setup with a perch and bowls for emergencies. My TAG went in fine as he has always liked enclosed spaces, but my CAG at the time had to eventualy be grabbed and uncerimoniously stuffed in, and he was not happy. I was out of my house for a month, and while I put my birds in boarding even the day or two living out of the cat carrier was highly stressful for them. After that experience I got a "real" bird travel cage with bars and all - somethig like this one:

Amazon.com

Some birds I have found get more stressed out if stuff is "happening" and they can't see out of the cage very well. Possibly the opposite of what you might expect. Just being able to see you during transportation can have a big calming effect. Trying the strategy above with the new cage, and being patient made the next trip to the vet completely painless.

 

[Snow2023]

Take a look at the update post.