Conference 7.286::pet_birds

      
                      - MOVING HINTS -
    
     My main area of expertise is canaries,but I would think most basics
    
    apply.
    
    1. Cover the cage well.
    2. Bring from house immediately to heated car.
    3. Avoid loud yelling kids, radios etc. during drive and keep
       talking in a calm quiet "familiar" voice during the drive.
    4. Pick new location in new home as similar as present one.  Also
       helpful is bird comes into a settled house with familiar objects
       around him...be mindful of temp., light, direction etc.
    5. Try to change nothing else during this time...food, treats etc.
    
    I'm sure there are lots more pointers others can give.
    
    GOOD LUCK!
    
    

    Seems like it would be a good idea to have the bird moved out first,
    before all the commotion of the move, put in a quiet place away
    from distractions for the hours of the move, then put in place as
    per the suggestion in the previous reply.  This has worked well
    with my cats, which can be just as upset by a move as a bird might
    be.  Some vets board birds.  In a pinch, I have put the cats in
    the bathroom and put a sign on the door so they are not disturbed
    during the move, when I had no place else for them to be during
    the move. Covering the cage would depend on the bird, I think, since
    some seem more calm when they can see what's going on, others get
    more upset.  Have you taken your bird out of the house since you
    got it?  Having worked with two feather-pluckers now, it seems like
    a strong antidote is lots of attention in the new environment, plus
    special attention to the foods and treats they are used to, plus
    some extra treats for interest and variety.  Good luck! /Linda

    I've moved my guys twice now, doing pretty much what the previous reply
    outlined, with no real problems.  I shut them all into a bathroom while
    the actual move was taking place, then went back and got them.  It was
    winter, so they all went with covered cages into the heated car.  I
    played soft music and talked to them all the way.  When we got to the
    new house, everyone got treats and lots of attention.  We had no
    problems, although they all wanted mme to talk to them constantly for a
    couple of days.  

    When a major change to their routine occurs, birds tend to change
    their behavior.  Try to be consistent with the time you spend with
    your birds.  It is easy to not pay them much attention when you
    are trying to settle in to a new environment yourself.  If it takes
    you and extra week or two to get settled then so be it.  It is better
    than having to deal with a dramatic change in behavior in you grey.
    Try to make the move as calmly as possible.
    

    We did pretty much as previous replies said with our grey.  He stayed
    in a back bedroom which was already empty during the emptying out
    of old place. (Three sides of cage were covered.)  Then into warm
    car and straight to new place, where he was set up where he is now,
    although the rest of the room was still chaos.
    
    I did use a mild over the counter antibiotic in his water for a
    week before and week after after seeing the suggestion here and
    talking it over with my vet.
    
    Never had a bit of problem, he took it all like a trooper.  Even
    started whistling tentatively within a few minutes of arriving at
    the new place.
    
    Laura

    I diagree on the part where you put the bird in his cage and put the
    cage in an empty room or bathroom. This action would totaly upset
    my parrot and he probably would pluck his feathers. I just resently
    moved and what I did was gradually (over 4 weeks) take things down
    off the walls pack up a few things every day (things that are in the
    birds view) . Then when it came to move the furniture the bird just
    stayed right in the same room where he's usually kept. He seemed to
    enjoy us move all the stuff out and was very friendly and talked 
    quite a bit. When we got to the new place I tried to set up the 
    furniture and pictures similar to how they were set up in the old
    place.
     Sampson never plucked any feathers but I know he felt a little
    stressed because he would only sit on one of his perches for the
    first 2 weeks. I think it was because his cage is now closer to a
    window and he can see more wild birds outside which he does not like.
     Just remember each bird is different and you must make judjments for
    your bird.  
    
    
    
    Mike and Sampson

    Hi!  
    
    Does anyone have advice on moving across the country with a bird?
    Should the bird travel in the vehicle with the family for 4 to 5 days or
    would it be better to have the bird (a 6 year old cockateil) flown out
    to its new location?
    
    Thanks!
    

<    Does anyone have advice on moving across the country with a bird?
<    Should the bird travel in the vehicle with the family for 4 to 5 days or
<    would it be better to have the bird (a 6 year old cockateil) flown out
<    to its new location?
    
    Last summer we drove from Ft. Myers, FL to Worcester, MA and back with our
Umbrella Cockatoo riding up front with us and we had 7 African Grey babies
who had just finished weaning in the back (we were in a Jeep Grand Cherokee.) 
We had no problems.  When we stopped for gas all the birds got fresh water and
were exercized (we took them out and played with them.  The Cockatoo was in and
out of his cage a lot (mostly out.)  We had a small cage with a large door
which opens like a draw bridge. For most of the trip the bird sat on the open
door (a few papers under the door solved that problem.) 

    Aside from having to cater to the birds needs in addition to our own, we
had no problems at all unless you call having to sneak the birds into the
motel rooms a problem (after checking in we were asked to leave one place:-( )
When we stopped to eat, either we made sure the car was parked in the shade
with the windows open a little OR we did takeout. We had covers for the cages
to keep the noise down.

    Personally I wouldn't worry about it too much.  Your bird is mature. You
know how your bird handles new things.  Try taking the bird on a couple long
day trips; 1 to see how the bird reacts and 2 to get the bird accustomed to
travelling a little.


Al

I haven't traveled long distances with my birds, but based on things I've read
in Birdtalk,plus some common sense, I'd be careful of the following:

1. I'd keep my bird in its cage while driving.  They're likely to be  safer in
there if there is an accident. It may also make sense to bring along an extra,
small cage. (I read a funny article about a family traveling with bird. They got
in an accident and, although the bird was fine, his cage was broken. They found
themselves trying to catch a frighten budgie flying around inside the car. They
had to use a paper bag as a temporary cage, once they did catch him. Happily,
noone was hurt and all ended well.)

2.  I'd bring along his/her bird water, so they don't find themselves having to
adjust to new water (with different chemicals, minerals, and hardness/softness)
along the way.

3. Letting larger birds out for exercise/water/attention at gas breaks and rest
stops is fine, but be very careful not to let them fly out an open window!

4. I would *NEVER* leave my bird (or any other animal or child) alone in a car
in the summertime. Windows cracked or not, cars heat up very fast to
temperatures that kill. In comfortable weather, I will leave them for a few
minutes with windows cracked and parked in shade. Even them, I'm reluctant to
let them out of sight. If you have to do that, make sure the car is locked --
you don't want someone to attract a birdnapper.

<in Birdtalk,plus some common sense, I'd be careful of the following:
                  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

<4. I would *NEVER* leave my bird (or any other animal or child) alone in a car
<in the summertime. Windows cracked or not, cars heat up very fast to
<temperatures that kill. In comfortable weather, I will leave them for a few
<minutes with windows cracked and parked in shade. Even them, I'm reluctant to
<let them out of sight. If you have to do that, make sure the car is locked --
<you don't want someone to attract a birdnapper.


"common sense"  tells me there are very few situations where ALWAYS or NEVER
apply, the circumstances dictate what's approriate and what is not.

   Lest you think me a bad, uncaring person:

On those few occasions when the birds were left in the car, the car was parked
in the shade, the vehicle was in sight and checked frequently for rising
temperatures.  On that trip I had in excess of $6600 worth of birds in the
car. EVEN if I hadn't been concerned about the animals I surely would have been
interested in protecting my investment. 

Al

Al, I wasn't trying to imply you were bad or uncaring. Just adding  detail that
you hadn't included. Sometimes things that we take for granted might not occur
to someone else.

There are things that it makes sense to make hard and fast rules about just to
prevent mistakes or misjudgement.