Does Your Parrot Get Carsick Too?

[JoMo]

All three of my conures throw up while in the car, no matter how short the duration. I believe it's more of an anxiety issue, but not completely sure on that, as they are okay being outside and inside the car, it's only when I am actually driving. I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced this, and if so, what was your approach to tackling this? Right now, I'm just trying to slowly "wean" them to it, get small exposure to it and hope that they'll get better with time and can go travel further than the vet. Thanks in advance!

 

[Greenhouseparrots]

My conure gets really sick in the car. I travelled for about two hours once and the backseat was covered in her sick by the end of it. It seems to have just gotten worse the longer I have her and the more I take her out so I don't take her out much any more. None of my other birds get sick like she does.

I want to try giving her some ginger next time to see if that will help, and I'm also going to try and put her higher up in the car so she can see outside as I get travel sick sometimes and looking out of the car sometimes helps me. I'm not sure how I'll do that though as the cage doesn't reach the window but I'll figure it out.

 

[SailBoat]

Have never experienced that issue. Likely because, over the years, our Amazons had always been able to see out the windows of our SUV.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

My conure gets really sick in the car. I travelled for about two hours once and the backseat was covered in her sick by the end of it. It seems to have just gotten worse the longer I have her and the more I take her out so I don't take her out much any more. None of my other birds get sick like she does.

I want to try giving her some ginger next time to see if that will help, and I'm also going to try and put her higher up in the car so she can see outside as I get travel sick sometimes and looking out of the car sometimes helps me. I'm not sure how I'll do that though as the cage doesn't reach the window but I'll figure it out.

I travel with my Budgies a lot and they have never had a problem with carsickness but I make sure they can see out the windows. They seem to like, or at least tolerate, all the motion. They only get spooked and fall off their perches when it's dark out with incoming headlights. I would try putting the cage as high as possible in the back seat even if you have to bring a bunch of pillows and put the cage on top of them and propped around it so it doesn't fall over. If there's any way to set it up so it's hanging that would be ideal because the motion will be more like swaying than being jolted from below every time you hit a bump. It would be easier if you put him in a lightweight birdie backpack. Maybe you can try putting his carrier propped up high in the front passenger seat- people who get carsick usually feel much better in the front seat. I think it's because they can easily see out the front window and focus on the road directly ahead rather than just seeing everything whizzing by out the side windows which can make anyone dizzy.

 

[TeekoGreenCheek]

I put Teeko in his travel cage, and we traveled to West Virginia from North Carolina about 3 to 4 hours..he held on for dear life his first time, although he was obviously buckled in for safety! He did get sick! Then.. But Now he knows his smaller travel cage is something fun like riding.. And he happily gets in to go on adventures. Without the sickness.

 

[wrench13]

For my little Amazon, if his travel cage is elevated in the car so he can see the scenery passing by, he is fine, by day. At night, different story. The lights whizzing by scare him a lot! I have to either cover him or better yet, turn on a courtesy light in the car interior, that seems to work OK for him.

 

[TRBLMKR]

Our little conure loves the car. Pebbles goes everywhere with me. I thought I might earn some points taking my other buddy for a ride. Negative, poor guy got sick a mile down the road. It could have been nerves. He doesn't completely trust me yet. I'll try again one day when our relationship is stronger.

 

[JohnH]

Lolo what a mess TRBLMKR.
My bird barfed on me once during a night drive.

 

[Free as a bird]

Hi guys when travelling try to position the bird cage so the bird can see the outside. Put it up on a box or something that's what I do in the passenger seat.
It won't work for every bird but it's worth a try

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Our little conure loves the car. Pebbles goes everywhere with me. I thought I might earn some points taking my other buddy for a ride. Negative, poor guy got sick a mile down the road. It could have been nerves. He doesn't completely trust me yet. I'll try again one day when our relationship is stronger.

View attachment 53292

I can just hear him "take me home, Dad, I don't feel good!"

 

[TRBLMKR]

Lolo what a mess TRBLMKR.
My bird barfed on me once during a night drive.

IKR. But hey, I'll take a bird's poop and barf all day over a dog's or cat's.

I can just hear him "take me home, Dad, I don't feel good!"

Poor thing, I tried my best not to react. It was hard not to smile a bit. As I was leaving. I hear my wife ask, you're taking Sammy with you? With her concerning tone, lol.