How to get bird into carrier bag?

[yoelleoy]

So I am leaving tomorrow at 5pm for a 3 day trip, and I need to bring my bird to a friend who will take care of him. Only problem is that for the entire day I have been trying and failing to get him into the bag. He is very shy so even though he gets on my hand to eat millet, he doesn't do it on command. I managed to get him inside the bag while eating millet on my hand, but either he wouldn't get off my hand or he managed to escape before I could close it. At this rate if I can't put him in today i will have to trolley the entire cage with him inside it. Right now he is wary and knows my tricks to get him down and onto my hand, so he is ignoring me right now. Also nobody had the heart to forcibly grab him against his will. So current plan is to remove the bottom of the cage and put the carrier bag inside (its small enough to fit), and have him go inside hopefully.

 

[noodles123]

is a transparent carrier or like a little backpack with one big window?


On my travel cage (metal bars_, sometimes covering everything but the entry has helped so that she is going into a dark little space...But sounds like that is what you are doing already (if it's one of those backpacks).


Worst case scenario, could you get a cat carrier or dog carrier and drill a perch hole ( + insert a dowel) and see if you have more luck with that? Obviously just for short-term transport...?

 

[yoelleoy]

The carrier I have is mostly dark inside, I thought that would calm him down, but it just made him more afraid of it. There also is a perch built in, he just doesnt wanna go on it. I have a very stubborn bird....

 

[noodles123]

mine hates getting in the carrier as well (although she has improved some)
You may need a second set of hands depending on whether she is trying to climb up it when you put her in---they could block her while you guide.

If it is just short term, you might see if you can get a cage with wire bars that would work or look into the pet carrier. I wouldn't give up though (mine flew off the first few times and she made a stink, but I eventually won that battle). It is stressful, but in the future, you might work on building familiarity with the cage ahead of time (Assuming you didn't)..positive experiences and short trips etc.
Good luck!

 

[noodles123]

How big is the actual bird cage? If small enough, could you just move the bird in that?

 

[yoelleoy]

Thats why my second plan is using a trolley to move him inside the cage itself as an option, its what I did before I bought the carrier bag. I have to use a trolley since the cage is quite big and even though it has a handle, i dont trust it to hold itself. Last thing I would want is for the cage to literally fall apart mid travel. Problem is that using a trolley is a huge pain, the distance is quite large and I cant move too quickly.

 

[itzjbean]

If you can transport the entire cage, that would work. I don't blame your bird for not wanting to go in a dark, scary bag. An actual dog/cat carrier would maybe work better, like this:

I'm assuming also there is a cage at your friend's house? You can also just use a washcloth/small towel to gently grab him and put him in the carrier.

 

[yoelleoy]

I actually got him used to the carrier, and being inside. He has no problem sitting on my hand inside the bag and eat millet. Problem is he wont stay/stand in the bag/perch. But yeah I am most likely going to have to use the trolley again...

 

[noodles123]

I have a collapsible white Prevue Hendryx carrier for my cockatoo that she just BARELY tolerates...and by that, the way that I tolerate the flu or a fender-bender. I tried getting a taller travel cage (steel dome-top) and she won't even get near it without freaking out and literally running back to her big cage lol. She can fly, and she is normally pretty calm as cockatoos go) but despite her hatred for both cages, the steel one just really freaks her out. You may have better luck with a different cage....
Here are the ones I have...and they both are problematic (in my opinion) but that is mainly due to the fact that I would like them to be bigger:


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VVP0KU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (my bird dislikes strongly)


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MR7XA1E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (my bird HATES this one)

 

[yoelleoy]

So update on what happened, I managed to get him into the carrier bag by grabbing him (around the neck lightly and supporting his back), he was jumping around for a while in his cage, but then suddenly stopped and just held onto the bars tightly, i then took the opportunity to give him a neck scratch and calm him before grabbing him. Getting him out was surprisingly easy, he wouldn't go out himself but he easily let me grab him again and put him in his cage. He seemed happy and wasn't angry at me, and not once did he try and bite me.

 

[Flboy]

For your main cage, you should secure the joints with tyewraps regardless!