| Traveling with your Companion Birds
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| We all love to travel and as bird owners a very common question is always on our minds. Can I still travel with my feathered friend?
Absolutely, and in fact some birds simply love to travel, then there are others who may suffer separation anxiety and simply not accept being left home alone. For many birds, travel is exciting; it's like a new adventure and an opportunity for entertainment. The nice part of all this…they can be with their favourite person all day.
Make the traveling experience fun, not difficult. Ask yourself a few questions:
Is my bird accustomed to a routine? Travel is best for birds who can become accustomed to a change in routine.
How long will your bird stay comfortably in his cage?
 Does your bird get motion sickness? Start with short trips, it will assist in determining if motion sickness will be a problem for your bird.
Is your bird healthy?
Will you have time for your bird at your destination? If your answer is "no," then your best option will be to obtain a bird sitter.
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| Traveling Tips
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One of the great things about traveling across the country is fast food. Yes, although most of us won't admit it, we love those tasty burgers and tacos; they're scrumptious, however, loaded with enough sodium to cause salt toxicosis in your bird. If you're bird gets ill from fast food, remember you're miles from a familiar veterinarian. Say NO to fast food for your pet birds…
Always carry a supply of bottled water. You know what happens when we travel; water for some reason always seems to taste different than water from your home town. While the water is certainly safe to drink it may upset the system of a bird not use to traveling. Of course once you get to your final destination, gradually introduce your bird to the local water.
Of course an alternative to water while in movement is juice. Since birds drink very little water, the juice from fruits and vegetables are a good temporary substitute.
You will need an adequate supply of seed and/or pellets in non-breakable containers. Make sure you don't store food in direct sunlight as it can spoil.
Place your fruits and vegetables in a cooler. So that you don't contaminate your food with cooler water, place in individual re-sealable plastic bags.
Some birds are finicky when it comes to eating in a carrying case or traveling cage. Plan a few extra hours with your traveling time to allow your bird to adjust. Check into motels early so you can allow your bird time out of their traveling cages to eat and interact. They will feel much more comfortable.
Before starting your journey, feed your bird fresh food. However, feed in moderation so your bird is satisfied, but not full. Stay away from the heavy foods as birds do get motion sickness and may throw up the contents of the full crop. To help reduce the risk of carsickness, cover carriers or cages with a white or light-coloured material. Birds won't see the sights of the road, however, will be able to perceive daylight. Do not use dark coloured materials as birds that are in the dark can stumble off the perch when the carrier is jostled. A good idea would be to take your bird on some short drives prior to departing on a long trip to get your bird use to traveling.
You should remove all hanging toys, treats, and other accessories from cages and carriers while traveling. Dishes should be installed securely. Avoid a water dish in the carrier if possible. Water bottles are a great alternative, if your parrot is familiar with one. If not, don't expect your parrot to drink from one. Make sure the carrier is big enough for your bird, which should at least be able to turn around and enjoy some movement. If possible, try and obtain a travel cage that resembles your bird's regular cage in some way. An extremely different appearance can be displeasing at first. Let your bird get familiar, by allowing them to explore the travel carrier well before your departure date. A good idea is to offer a favorite treat so your bird will associate the temporary home with something pleasant.
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| Traveling
Supplies |
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- Bird carrier or
travel cage
- Seed, pellets and treats
- Fresh fruit and vegetables
- Zip lock bags or plastic containers for fresh foods
and ice
- Cooler
- Cutting knife for fruits and vegetables
- Small cutting board
- Bottled water (Drinking / Washing fruits and vegetables)
- Electrolyte replacement (For birds that suffer from
stress while traveling (Pedialyte or similar product)
- Extra dishes for stands or travel cages
- Cleaning Supplies
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| Leaving My Bird with a Sitter
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Okay so you exercise the option of getting a bird sitter. It's not all that bad and I'm confident your birds will do absolutely fine. The only question is Bird Sitter vs Bird Boarding?
The answer depends on the personal situation, such as how long will you be away, the number of birds and the physical and emotional health of your birds?
If boarding is your only option, it will be very important to evaluate the location. How many birds are boarding at the same time? Do the birds get enough attention? Is the individual reputable? Is the facility clean? Does the facility have strict health protocol? Are health checks mandatory before boarding?
If you decide to leave your bird at home, then the next question will be whether the sitter stays in the home or spends a few hours per day to feed and play.
BOARDING YOUR BIRD
If possible, have the individual from the boarding facility visit your bird in your home a few times. Also let your bird stay at the boarding facility for a night or so to make sure they can adjust.
Make sure you bring your birds favourite perches, toys and any other comforting items, such as his usual cage cover.
STAYING AT HOME
Always ensure your bird is comfortable with the sitter. Allow for short introductions before leaving on vacation.
Ensure the bird sitter is fully aware of the routine.
Provide emergency contact information of friends and the local vet in the event of an emergency.
Vacations and Business trips are simply a fact of life. Statistics indicate vacations (weekends or weeks) are necessary for your emotional health. Allowing your parrots to hold you back from personal desire could end up in resentment. This certainly does not have to be the case. It is not logical to believe your life must revolve around your parrot for you to be a "good owner." Parrots are adaptable and live very long lives, we want and need to enjoy them over the long haul. It is inevitable; you will have other interests that from time to time require you to travel without your feathered friend, don't feel guilty; s/he will be okay and will appreciate you more upon your return.
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| Pet-Friendly
Timeshares |
You
know the importance of socializing
with your bird. Spending time interacting
with him or her is the best way
for you to get to know each other.
The more you understand your bird,
and vice versa, the more it will
feel like a part of your family.
That is why many vacationers are
reluctant to leave their bird behind
when they travel. Your feathered
friend has come to trust you, and
as a member of the family, why
shouldn't he or she be included
on your holiday? Luckily, many
resorts now offer pet-friendly timeshare accommodations
so that you and your avian ally
can make annual or biennial vacations
a regular part of your lifestyle.
Timeshares are a form of vacation
property ownership wherein the
cost of the unit, vacation home
or condo is divided among several
(sometimes as many as 52) owners.
This shared ownership makes timeshares
a convenient and cost-effective
alternative to renting a hotel
room every time you travel; and
takes the hassle out of finding
lodgings that will comfortably
accommodate you and your bird every
year. With a timeshare, your pet-friendly
lodgings will be guaranteed to
be available and well appointed
when you are ready to visit.
And, as the desire to include pets
on family vacations increases,
so too does the abundance of timeshare
resorts that will accommodate animals.
There are now pet-friendly
timeshares for sale all over
the world, offering everything
from pampering to babysitting services.
However, you will want to conduct
a certain level of research before
deciding on a vacation property.
Ask specific questions about each
resort's policies regarding pets,
and if they expect those policies
to change in the future. And take
your bird's personality into account
as well. If he is skittish or fearful
of other animals (like large dogs
or cats), you might want to inquire
as to whether bird owners are given
their own floor, etc. To supplement
your research, you may want to
visit a timeshare blog or forum to find
out what other owners have to say
about a particular resort.
When you are ready to
buy timeshare, you can save
thousands by purchasing on the
online timeshare resale market.
Some 95% of vacation property resales
occur online, meaning that the
competitive marketplace will drive
the cost of your resale timeshare
even lower. With a pet-friendly
timeshare, the whole family can
fly the coop.
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