I need to transport a budgerigar by car (around 2 hour journey). Can anyone suggest a way that will keep the bird's stress levels to the minimum and which will not overheat/chill him. I don't want to get to journey's end with a distressed/ dead budgie! Please help.
Comments
My birds travel by car all the time and they take vacations with us. They have a travel cage, about the size of a Budgie cage (I have a White Eyed Conure and a Green Cheek Conure, both bigger than a Budgie), that sits in the back seat buckled in. You may want to buy an actual travel cage that restricts his ability to fly but I've never had a problem.
Put him in the back seat so that the air conditioning isn't blowing directly on him.
Depending where you live, if it is hot, please don't cover the cage while in the car. The sun beating down on the cage cover could heat the inside of the cage beyond what would be healthy for your bird. My Green Cheek tends to get car sick so first thing in the morning of the day we travel, I put a little bit of fresh ginger in his water to settle his stomach.
The link below has some helpful tips about traveling with a bird. (go half-way down the page for car travel)
Good luck!
Silver2sea
Hi, I took my budgie on a 14 hour trip (then back a week later), I put a blanket on 3 sides of the cage to help keep it calmer, if it seems to be getting stressed out try covering all sides for a while and see if that works. On the advice of a pet store, I put shredded plain white paper on the bottom of the cage in case she feels more comfortable there. Make sure she isn't in direct sunlight, has fresh water and food, and that the temperature in the car is comfortable. Ours came through it with flying colors (Excuse the pun), Good luck, hope this helped.
I would suggest a small travel cage let him in it a few times a day so he is comfortable there give him a snack in it etc.. take him for small car rides before you embark on the longer trips.. then when the time comes to go he won't be nervous take a blanket to cover him with once you get going uncover a section so he can see you and chatter to you should be just fine if you do all the pre trip stuff.. Good luck
Cover the cage with a sheet, the budgie will think its night and go to sleep. My grandma used this technique the journey was only 30mins though.
Show budgie cages are transported with a small light cover that allows air in and out, Remember not to use your car radio as this can stress them out... chat to them instead as your voice should be reassuring.
Cover the cage with a blanket or dark sheet - talk to it all the time - especially when just starting your journey - familiar sounds will keep it calm.
first don't put the budgie in one of them little cardboard pet shop bird boxes ,OK for a 10 min trip but not 2hrs,maybe half cover the cage with its usual night cover,...and why not play a tape of bird calls this may make it think theres other birds there with it seeing as they are flock birds,........anyway
good luck mate
Your local pet/bird shop would have a little cardboard bird carrier. I use them with my birds. They're small enough to not allow flapping to damage wings, with vent holes to allow breathing & ventilation.
cover the cage and play classical music.
shoebox with holes in lid sides etc for air - and dont let him drive!!