Traveling with birds

[Stream 1529]

For the last 3 - 4 years we've traveled with 3 birds: a Nanday Couyor, and a male and femal Eclectus. They enjoy our company and travel well. At night, dark, they are always quiet.

Last August we rescued a Blue & Gold Macaw. We've waited a year to travle with him so he could get used to us, and he has really joined our family. So much so that he joins in the chorus when one or the other birds gets loud. Now, when the Macaw gets loud - he is really loud.

Now my question for the group. Does anyone have any experience traveling with a Macaw? We are taking him out for the first time over the 4th to try him out. We will be traveling pretty often in the Fall, and will have to take him with us because our silly son wants to earn a living somewhere else, so we're loosing our sitter. We have a cage for him that he will be comfortable in, and will take a perch for him to be on when we are in the trailer. So his comfort is not in question. It's the possible noise element that concerns me.
If he lets loose everyone in the park will turn around. Like the others, he gets quiet as the son goes down.

Thanks in advance.

Tom

[scf31]

I have a Red Lored Amazon Parrot that runs our house, He likes to travel the floors to much for me,He/She stays home, Gotta love those Macaws !!!!!

[Mel]

Hi Tom,

We have a Nanday as well ("Fred") so I understand what you mean about the noise! Fred doesn't travel with us, as he is an excellent watch bird and I would think anyone breaking into our house would be terrified at his sonic screech.

It would seem that if your Macaw quiets down at night at home, then it would work the same when camping. Can you do a test with some driveway camping? Get him used to the trailer, bring the other birds out so he feels comfortable, and see what happens.

Good luck!

[Stefrobrts]

That's very cool. I no longer have a parrot, but for about ten years starting in college I had a DYH Amazon named Mildred. She went everywhere with me, and loved riding in the car, as long as she was allowed to sit on her cage, but went nuts when she was in it. Ah, if only she'd stayed with us until we could go camping, I think that would have been fun. But instead she developed some serious ill will towards my husband when he joined the family, and now she lives with a breeder in FL, where she has a mate and a HUGE indoor/outdoor aviary (like 30 x 20 ft) so I don't feel too bad about it.

I love hearing about other people's birds! Good luck camping with your Macaw!

[Stream 1529]

Originally Posted by Mel

Hi Tom,

We have a Nanday as well ("Fred") so I understand what you mean about the noise! Fred doesn't travel with us, as he is an excellent watch bird and I would think anyone breaking into our house would be terrified at his sonic screech.

Our guard bird loves the TT. He'll patrol his area, but watch out if he sees a shadow in the skylight or window. We cover him when we're away, at night, and when he's in the backseat. He just gets too worked up. In the evening, before bedtime, the drapes are closed and he visits with us. We're part of his flock, and he takes good care of us.

We live on the side of a hill, so we can't bring the trailer to the house. The 4th is our test for the Macaw. We picked him up in Indiana and brought him back to Texas in the Stream. He didn't make a fuss, but then again his life at the time was in chaos, and he didn't know what was happening to him.

He has adjusted to us really well, and we don't expect him to have any problems in the trailer. Our concern is with the reaction the campground will have should he decide to let one loose. Like you said, we are hoping that if it's before "quiet time" it won't matter.

We left him alone for one night, and he dismantled the door to his cage. When our son came over the next day he was sitting on the top of his cage. Since then we have securred the cage with hose clamps, and made sure he is not alone at night.

I'll let y'all know how it goes. Thanks for the post.

Tom

[janetbjt]

i've had my dyh amazon 10 yrs now. he is 30 yrs old and loves camping. his issue is children; has to be louder than them! so if he can hear them, everyone around can hear him! need to fit him with a head set!!!

[InsideOut]

We have an African Grey Parrot named Rudy. I hand fed him as a baby and he is now 10-1/2.

Unfortunately, he is pretty much a momma's boy, he get's nervous when out of his element (home, cage, backyard cage) or when unknown people get too close poking their fingers at him, especially unpredictable kids, although he would never hurt anybody, he gets shaky, nervous & uncomfortable. That coupled with the size our small trailer and his reluctance to "go with the flow" he stays home.

He is a great buddy and a wonderful talker, good with "known" people, but not a traveller. Wish he was...if we had a bigger trailer and more time to work with him in it, I might give it a try, just not now. Who knows what the future will hold ~

Shari

[Stefrobrts]

Gosh you better hurry, if he's 10 1/2 now, you only have another 70-80 years to get him used to the idea

[InsideOut]

Yeah I know!

Shari

[GlenCoombe]

Tom, as a former Blue & Gold owner I can agree with the loudness statement. Actually some new neighbors at the time thought I was a wife beater.
Max used to go just about everywhere with me. He was a competent flyer (in his crate in the back of the Cessna 172 or 206, loved to ride on the handlebar of a bike or cross bar arrangment of the golf cart. CLIP BOTH WINGS!!!! NOT JUST ONE SIDE!!!! They figure that out fast too.
As part of the family he's just got to go with you guys! Yes, he'll be loud at times but that's what Macaws are all about ....that and being the best pet man has ever tamed!
I miss Max, I made the mistake of leaving him in his big avery on the screened porch one summer night while I went in to Ocala to visit Julie. A weazle got through the screen and into the avery...all I found was beak and feet.
I cried like a baby and was inconsolable for weeks as I had bought him to outlive me. Men plan and God laughs!
Please take him with you as much as possible. He'll get better the more you socialize him. Just like your Airstream he'll just be a part of your rolling wonder show. Folks will love him and you.

[Stream 1529]

Originally Posted by GlenCoombe

Tom, as a former Blue & Gold owner I can agree with the loudness statement. Actually some new neighbors at the time thought I was a wife beater.
CLIP BOTH WINGS!!!! NOT JUST ONE SIDE!!!! They figure that out fast too.
As part of the family he's just got to go with you guys! Yes, he'll be loud at times but that's what Macaws are all about ....that and being the best pet man has ever tamed!
I miss Max, I made the mistake of leaving him in his big avery on the screened porch one summer night while I went in to Ocala to visit Julie. A weazle got through the screen and into the avery...all I found was beak and feet.
I cried like a baby and was inconsolable for weeks as I had bought him to outlive me. Men plan and God laughs!
Please take him with you as much as possible. He'll get better the more you socialize him. Just like your Airstream he'll just be a part of your rolling wonder show. Folks will love him and you.

_____________
Glen,

Thanks for sharing your story about Max, he must have been a really great friend. I'm sorry he isn't with y'all any longer; I've heard others tell stories about raccoons doing the same thing, and they are all heart breaking.

Our Angus really enjoys being with us, and isn't destructive or violent. Three good reasons why he should travel with us. He was isolated for over a year by his first owner, which is the reason we rescued him. Since he's concluded that he's part of our family he has really warmed up. He is almost always within our eyesight so he knows what we're doing. When he's out of the cage he enjoys being close to us, and has just begun to allow us to pet him. Something I'm sure is a major step for him. He watches the other birds sit on our shoulder and has tried it, but can't figure out what he's supposed to do yet. When I retire in a year, we plan to make extended trips of 3-4 months. Leaving Angus with someone for that long would be punishment for both of us. So, the recliner is going out of the trailer and his cage and perch are going in. He knows all of us, so I figure that after the second trip out he'll have everything figured out.

If you'd like to see our pet family, check out our web site: http://Airstream1529.com just click on the Stream and it will open up our photo gallery. We're all there, and we've even included our human children as well.

Thanks very much for the post.

Tom

[Stefrobrts]

Aww, great pictures. Thay're wonderful!

[InsideOut]

One of the things to be very careful about while camping with birds is cooking with Teflon pots & pans. We have no Teflon at home, but our "cheapie" pots & pans in the trailer do, I would think this would be really bad in a small enclosed trailer for our fine feathered friends.

Teflon & birds

Shari

[janetbjt]

yeah, i had to redo my "cheapo" trailor pans. just using my old camp sets that i really like and can also use on the campfire and lightweight !

[Stream 1529]

Hi Y'all,

Our trip was a success! Angus, our Macaw, traveled very well. He seemed to enjoy the trip, and he really enjoyed being with everyone in the trailer. He wasn't very vocal, and when he was he wasn't loud. I've posted a picture of Angus in the trailer, playing on his perch.

Needless to say, I'm quite relieved. Now we're ready for football season to start. Get to take everyone to go see the Aggie Band. The wife goes to see her team, and I really enjoy halftime since I went to Texas Tech.

_____Tom

[GlenCoombe]

Glad to see Angus has become a welcome traveler. He looks to be quite occupied with his toys.

[Mrs. Tin Hut]

We tried travelin with birds, but it was not a good experience cause we didn't keep them inside. Their feathers feathers blew off
http://www.airforums.com/forum...hlight=tin+hut

[janetbjt]

Now we're ready for football season to start. Get to take everyone to go see the Aggie Band. The wife goes to see her team, and I really enjoy halftime since I went to Texas Tech.

_howdy tom, someone at your house an Aggie! i grewup in c.s. and there is nothing in the world as incredible as the Fight'n Texas Aggie Band....i get goose bumps just thinking about them. my son, class of 05, would call me and put the phone out the window for me to hear them march by! gig'em, janet

oh, ps: sorry about you being a tt raider!!

[Stream 1529]

_howdy tom, someone at your house an Aggie! i grewup in c.s. and there is nothing in the world as incredible as the Fight'n Texas Aggie Band....i get goose bumps just thinking about them. my son, class of 05, would call me and put the phone out the window for me to hear them march by! gig'em, janet

oh, ps: sorry about you being a tt raider!![/quote]

Howdy Darlin'

Aggies are a breed unto themselves. My wife is third generation Aggie, and our daughter got her undergraduate degree there as well. My wife's family is pure maroon! Can't run an Aggie joke by them that they haven't heard. My wife's Grandfather was a Ross Volunteer back in the 20's or so. I just wish Tech had traditions like A&M, but it's a great school with a better football team. A bit short on sportsmanship though.

You take care now.

____________tom