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Traveling with a little bird?

Gribouille

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We have a parrotlet, Pichu, who really struggled when we left for 3 weeks last Summer. We will be gone 3.5 weeks this year... Last year he went crazy after a couple of weeks of being prisoner in his cage (he is used to be out every day and hang out with us). He started being agitated and attacked the bird-keepers when they came to feed him. When we came back he was angry at us, biting and refusing to be pet for a veeeery looooong time.

So I don't know what to do with him this year, and start considering taking him with us, although that's not ideal, I don't even know if we would be allowed to take him over the borders but that's for another thread. You would think a little bird was easier to travel with than a big dog. It's not. Lots of places won't accept birds, although they accept dogs. But then, just theoretically for now.. Has any of you taken their bird with them on vacation?
How did ou do it? What did you need to think about? How did you compensate for housing that were not bird-safe?
 

TikiMyn

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Where are you going, as in a holiday home or travelling around? I have taken lovebirds on holiday 2 times. One time because I didn’t have anyone I trusted to look after them, one time because one lovie got a little sick and needed meds twice daily. This was only 2 days though. First time was 3 weeks. Both times the birds did well. I took my own cookware like pans and such to make sure it was safe. Escape is my biggest fear on bringing them, we were just with 2 humans and the birds came out in the evening or morning to fly. They were there kind of illegally actually, dogs were okay but birds were not mentioned(understandably). We decided to just bring them. We didn’t have neighbours close by and we cleaned up after them, I didn’t see a problem. A but risky though, I knew the holiday park though so it was a calculated risk.
 

Tiel Feathers

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I have brought my birds on a few vacations. Two of them were camping, two of them we stayed at Airbnb’s. The camping was the most difficult even though we were in a tent trailer. The Airbnb’s were fine. The birds were used to driving in the car, the houses were fine and we had no issues. I talked with the owners beforehand about bringing birds so there were no surprises. The farthest we drove each time was three hours in a day, but I’m sure more would be fine with some more stops.
 

Gribouille

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Where are you going, as in a holiday home or travelling around? I have taken lovebirds on holiday 2 times. One time because I didn’t have anyone I trusted to look after them, one time because one lovie got a little sick and needed meds twice daily. This was only 2 days though. First time was 3 weeks. Both times the birds did well. I took my own cookware like pans and such to make sure it was safe. Escape is my biggest fear on bringing them, we were just with 2 humans and the birds came out in the evening or morning to fly. They were there kind of illegally actually, dogs were okay but birds were not mentioned(understandably). We decided to just bring them. We didn’t have neighbours close by and we cleaned up after them, I didn’t see a problem. A but risky though, I knew the holiday park though so it was a calculated risk.
We would travel by car for 3 days + boat (only one night) and visit family so at least 2 houses, maybe 4.. If we do this, Pichu will not be kept in the kitchen but probably in a room, and also outside. I have a little travel cage for the car, and would build a cage with separate panels, just to screw them together when we are somewhere so it's big enough for him to stretch. He never accepted his harness, but that could also be a good thing to try again..
I had a look at international laws between European countries, doesn't seem impossible but definitely not easy to pull through!

I've travelled with all our pets for a week end at a friend's Summer house (only us) and it went just fine, but that was only 3 hours drive in the Automn and he could come out when we were in the house so we didn't need anything bigger, he just had his little travel cage to sleep in. Bit different here..
 

Gribouille

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I have brought my birds on a few vacations. Two of them were camping, two of them we stayed at Airbnb’s. The camping was the most difficult even though we were in a tent trailer. The Airbnb’s were fine. The birds were used to driving in the car, the houses were fine and we had no issues. I talked with the owners beforehand about bringing birds so there were no surprises. The farthest we drove each time was three hours in a day, but I’m sure more would be fine with some more stops.
how did it go in the tent? Wasn't warm? How big a cage did you bring?
 

TikiMyn

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We would travel by car for 3 days + boat (only one night) and visit family so at least 2 houses, maybe 4.. If we do this, Pichu will not be kept in the kitchen but probably in a room, and also outside. I have a little travel cage for the car, and would build a cage with separate panels, just to screw them together when we are somewhere so it's big enough for him to stretch. He never accepted his harness, but that could also be a good thing to try again..
I had a look at international laws between European countries, doesn't seem impossible but definitely not easy to pull through!

I've travelled with all our pets for a week end at a friend's Summer house (only us) and it went just fine, but that was only 3 hours drive in the Automn and he could come out when we were in the house so we didn't need anything bigger, he just had his little travel cage to sleep in. Bit different here..
It sounds doable. Staying at family’s houses is a pro because they won’t be ‘bothered’ by him. Hotels you could have issues because of noise, even though I know parrotlets are super quiet for birds, non bird people don’t always think so. May I ask which part of Europe you are visiting? Perhaps some members on here can tell you about the local laws.
 

MnGuy

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It sounds doable and I've traveled with my grey for long weekends (not across country lines), but you have to make sure everyone you visit is on board with changing their behavior so your bird doesn't get hurt. That can be a challenge, especially if you're going to let your bird out in common spaces with other people coming and going and opening doors to the outside.

Would he be kept outside some of the time to give him fresh air and sun, or because some family will not allow him inside? If the latter, I would not take him. Only take him if he is guaranteed a safe indoor space 24/7.

Good luck.
 

Gribouille

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It sounds doable. Staying at family’s houses is a pro because they won’t be ‘bothered’ by him. Hotels you could have issues because of noise, even though I know parrotlets are super quiet for birds, non bird people don’t always think so. May I ask which part of Europe you are visiting? Perhaps some members on here can tell you about the local laws.
We start from Norway, down through the Netherlands & Belgium to France
 

Gribouille

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It sounds doable and I've traveled with my grey for long weekends (not across country lines), but you have to make sure everyone you visit is on board with changing their behavior so your bird doesn't get hurt. That can be a challenge, especially if you're going to let your bird out in common spaces with other people coming and going and opening doors to the outside.

Would he be kept outside some of the time to give him fresh air and sun, or because some family will not allow him inside? If the latter, I would not take him. Only take him if he is guaranteed a safe indoor space 24/7.

Good luck.
He would be staying outside because we will be sleeping in a tent and it is too warm (and boring and too little space) for him to be in there all the time. If it became a problem with much rain or cold we could take him in the garage but the (small) house will be full of people and some of them might have allergies. In the worst case scenario we could put the cage in a children hut in the garden, even in the car, but the family-gathering is only for a couple of days so not such a big deal.
Rest of the time should not be a problem
 

Fergus Mom

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When I had Lucy Bird (budgie), I did not think about her wishing to travel until about the last year or so of her life. I was concerned she would be scared of everything and anything. She LOVED traveling, as it turned out, and I am so sorry I did not realize this earlier on in her life!
Good luck with whatever you decide!
 

MnGuy

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He would be staying outside because we will be sleeping in a tent and it is too warm (and boring and too little space) for him to be in there all the time. If it became a problem with much rain or cold we could take him in the garage but the (small) house will be full of people and some of them might have allergies. In the worst case scenario we could put the cage in a children hut in the garden, even in the car, but the family-gathering is only for a couple of days so not such a big deal.
Rest of the time should not be a problem
Honestly, I'd be concerned about keeping him outdoors overnight while everyone is sleeping. I'm sure you have plenty of camping/outdoors experience so forgive me if this is obvious, but there are so many risks with wild animals approaching campsites at night (even if this is in someone's backyard in the city). Cars also overheat too quickly.

When I was very young my dad and I went to my cousin's house to feed their budgie, whose cage was kept outside hanging from a rafter, and only found a pile of feathers on the bottom of the cage.

I live in the middle of a 4 million metro area, and I still get raccoons, possums, hawks and other animals in my backyard. And I also have two dogs that go outside several times a day.

If he got over your vacation the last time, chances are he will get over it again this year.
 

Tiel Feathers

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how did it go in the tent? Wasn't warm? How big a cage did you bring?
It was a tent trailer, and it had a safe heater in case it got too cold. I brought each bird a travel cage about 20” x 14” x 16”high. I also put netting up around the awning area of the tent trailer so I could let them outside safely.
 

Gribouille

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When I had Lucy Bird (budgie), I did not think about her wishing to travel until about the last year or so of her life. I was concerned she would be scared of everything and anything. She LOVED traveling, as it turned out, and I am so sorry I did not realize this earlier on in her life!
Good luck with whatever you decide!
I don't think Pichu would be scared, but I'm afraid it would be quite complicated to travel over borders and at several houses with a lot of people. He needs a larger cage, and he can't fly out of it unless the room is perfectly safe. It would need some planning and training but we still have half a year for that so.. maybe... How did you travel with Lucy? did you take her usual cage with you or did you have a travel + a bigger, collapsable one? Were you able to let her out safely?
 

Gribouille

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Honestly, I'd be concerned about keeping him outdoors overnight while everyone is sleeping. I'm sure you have plenty of camping/outdoors experience so forgive me if this is obvious, but there are so many risks with wild animals approaching campsites at night (even if this is in someone's backyard in the city). Cars also overheat too quickly.

When I was very young my dad and I went to my cousin's house to feed their budgie, whose cage was kept outside hanging from a rafter, and only found a pile of feathers on the bottom of the cage.

I live in the middle of a 4 million metro area, and I still get raccoons, possums, hawks and other animals in my backyard. And I also have two dogs that go outside several times a day.

If he got over your vacation the last time, chances are he will get over it again this year.
thanks for your concern, but we don't have those wild animals in Europe. I still wouldn't leave him outside at night, he would be with us in the tent in his travel cage, and the bigger cage would stay outside but he would be there during day time with lots of people coming and going around, so no animal would be able to come close. It would probably have to hang from a roof so that would prevent cats from reaching it (haven't seen cats around either, its a Summer house in a vacation village, only a few locals live there the whole year). If he had to be kept in the car, the car would be under a large tree, and it would only be in case of bad weather, but the garage seems a better alternative.
He did come over our vacations last year, but it took months, and it was defintely not a good experience for him, I'm not sure I want to impose this on him once more. We also have a budgie but she didn't have any problem with her leaving so the situation is completely different. I've heard of parrotlets becoming wild in 3 weeks, never heard of budgies doing the same.
 

Gribouille

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It was a tent trailer, and it had a safe heater in case it got too cold. I brought each bird a travel cage about 20” x 14” x 16”high. I also put netting up around the awning area of the tent trailer so I could let them outside safely.
OK, that's not possible for us, we only have two very small and basic tents. How long did you keep them in the cages before they could get some outside time?
 

Tiel Feathers

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OK, that's not possible for us, we only have two very small and basic tents. How long did you keep them in the cages before they could get some outside time?
I think on average I brought them out about three hours a day, split up into four or so sessions.
 

Fergus Mom

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I don't think Pichu would be scared, but I'm afraid it would be quite complicated to travel over borders and at several houses with a lot of people. He needs a larger cage, and he can't fly out of it unless the room is perfectly safe. It would need some planning and training but we still have half a year for that so.. maybe... How did you travel with Lucy? did you take her usual cage with you or did you have a travel + a bigger, collapsable one? Were you able to let her out safely?
Yes, I understand your concerns here. I never allowed Lucy out when we were traveling, I'm not sure now what I was afraid of, since she was SO much more sociable than the little Fergus and Fiona rascals I have now. I guess I was afraid she might escape out a door if someone unexpectedly entered or exited. Lucy had a fairly portable cage that I now realize could have been a lot larger for an everyday cage, but it was perfect for traveling. If I had to cross borders, I'd be terrified that they might not let me in, or out with my bird, and that would never do!
 

Gribouille

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Yes, I understand your concerns here. I never allowed Lucy out when we were traveling, I'm not sure now what I was afraid of, since she was SO much more sociable than the little Fergus and Fiona rascals I have now. I guess I was afraid she might escape out a door if someone unexpectedly entered or exited. Lucy had a fairly portable cage that I now realize could have been a lot larger for an everyday cage, but it was perfect for traveling. If I had to cross borders, I'd be terrified that they might not let me in, or out with my bird, and that would never do!
yes... my point exactly. I do not trust people to remember the bird when it is not their bird and they are not used to have one around, plus in summertime people are used to leave both doors and windows open. About the borders I'd have to check beforehand of course, we'd cross two countries to stay in a third one. Not sure how afe this would be also when we have to stop, the car become hot in a matter of minutes, but we can't expect to be allowed to take him out of the car to restaurants and such. A dog would have been so much simpler!! :D
 

Fergus Mom

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yes... my point exactly. I do not trust people to remember the bird when it is not their bird and they are not used to have one around, plus in summertime people are used to leave both doors and windows open. About the borders I'd have to check beforehand of course, we'd cross two countries to stay in a third one. Not sure how afe this would be also when we have to stop, the car become hot in a matter of minutes, but we can't expect to be allowed to take him out of the car to restaurants and such. A dog would have been so much simpler!! :D
I have an idea - (drumroll LOL) Just make a cage cover for the travel cage that looks like a big piece of luggage, satchel, or huge purse! Voila - you have to have your purse to pay for those meals in the restaurant! (Hmmm... a squawking purse?) I'd hide that by pretending I had a 'condition' which makes me squawk now and then! :roflmao:
 

Gribouille

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I have an idea - (drumroll LOL) Just make a cage cover for the travel cage that looks like a big piece of luggage, satchel, or huge purse! Voila - you have to have your purse to pay for those meals in the restaurant! (Hmmm... a squawking purse?) I'd hide that by pretending I had a 'condition' which makes me squawk now and then! :roflmao:
I could do that :roflmao::roflmao:
 
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