Anyone Traveling with Birds?

[Shiny metal]

Wow, someone else with a cage free bird in their Airstream. Tweet, the yellow missile, was given to us about 5 years ago. He or she always sang a little. Now that Tweet owns the entire airspace in the Safari, he/she rules the trailer. We more or less full time (6 nights a week), he/she awakens about 5:30AM, lands on the pillow next to my head and starts screaming some canary alarm type sounds. I usually roll over and tell him to go away. It isn't until I get up and hit the shower that he returns to the kitchen faucet where he waits until I begin to shave. When I start shaving he flys to the retention bar inside the medicine cabinet where he carefully observes my technique. Should I close the cabinet door, he lands on top of my head for the duration. I never thought some little animal with a brain smaller than a pea could have such a wonderful personality. He/she really came into his own after all of my immediate family members passed away and we found ourselves alone in the aluminum tube. (Even Mandy our wonderful little dog, died this year.) This bird is great. He also mimics my cell phone ring. He has it down! I have found myself looking for the instrument to answer before I realize he got me again! The only time he is caged is when I cook my meals. As soon as I start for the stove, he flys to his cage and I put the lid on. I never knew little things are so much fun. He brings this old guy a lot of joy!

[Becky B.]

I don't own a bird, but I met a lady at the Indiana Dunes SP that had 8 dogs, 1 cat, and 30, yes 30 birds in her motorhome. Her plates on the MH were "The Ark". She was all the way from Montana, I think it was. It takes all kinds to make the world go round!

[janemaati]

I have had canaries, but none has been as friendly and social as yours! Very handsome lil' bird! guess free flighted in a trailer is do-able. I had a pair that laid eggs last year, never thought they would hatch, but I was wrong.... 4 babies. Kept one, she's a beauty, and dad is still hanging in there.

Jane

[purplebunny]

Good info. I am considering moving full time into a parked airstream with my critters. Mostly because I am losing my house and am going to have to rent, otherwise. That said, I have 2 dogs (Toy Fox Terrier & Rat Terrier), 3 cats & 3 birds. A lot of critters! Also, my main concern there is my mini macaw named Ralph. He is a rescue (all my animals are, except one bird) and he is a plucker. He isn't bad with noise, but he is still a parrot. All my family can talk about is me getting "rid of" some animals. I have been unemployed for a bit, dealing with some medical/depression/narcolepsy/ADHD/anxiety fun stuff... anyways, NO WAY. My pets are why I am even still HERE. My 17 year old cat and 12 year old dog and 18 year old parrot are not going anywhere I don't! I am almost 38 and a single female. I have a close friend with beautiful property (including all hookups except sewer) on the side of her house on 2.5 acres in Tucson. I am in Phoenix currently. I just got a contract to hire job and am still in my house for a while yet, so trying to rent rooms and save cash. My other two birds are an Alexandrine parakeet, Ruby and a Blue Crown Conure, Pookie.
Ideally I would go vintage and get a stripped travel trailer, I think about 25 feet minimum and ideally a 30-35 footer looks good to me. I am a little handy and very thrifty and between as-is cabinets from Ikea (which would be a cheap and easy way to do your built in bird cage idea) and some other ideas I know I could build out a trailer that would be awesome for me. Of course, this takes cash. I can get financing and buy new/late model as another option. Of course, I like the expensive stuff that's about $50-$60k from what I have seen. Just wondering if anyone has any input. I am younger and like the idea of simplifying and being about to easily relocate. I am happy to see people doing well with parrots/birds traveling. That is awesome.
I used to have a lovebird like Loki, my ex has her now. She did best being paired with a boyfriend and put in an aviary. I would definitely recommend telling her who is boss and stopping a lot of behavior now. I had to do this with Ralph at one point. In fact, I HAVE to have a separate room for him because he is TOO demanding otherwise and drives me crazy. I actually want to convert a bedroom into a bird room, with the cages and a daybed. He has free reign of that room, while the other two usually stay caged. I switch and let them out, too. He has a perch and a mirror in there and NPR (they are well informed jazz listening birds). I find limiting my time with him actually results in him being better behaved and happier (boundaries, I guess). Also, putting them to bed is important. I would suggest all that, regardless of mobile living. Lovebirds can be difficult to handle and catch like you describe, I would be VERY afraid of him getting out. I would limit his free flight to a room or install a second door area, maybe mesh screen that comes down like you see at a zoo when you go into an aviary. Something very discouraging. I would highly recommend a green cheek conure, blue crown, Alexandrine (not a snuggly bird though) or a Timeneh African Grey. Quakers also are super cool birds.

[Ladylongwing]

Hello,

What methods do any of you long-distance or full-timers use when faced with hot and cold temps outside while traveling? What about ventilation? I use an extra CO monitor (Kidde) that has a digital readout, but it doesn't adjust the alarm threshold (that I'm aware of, anyway). And what about the "bounce" effect inside the Airstream while pulling? Anyone use a wireless camera to monitor the inside of the Airstream while traveling?

Thanks!

Anne

[NJtoNC]

this is a bit late to follow up on this thread but we just got back from 7500 miles / 1 month on the road with our 4 parrots.

they have their wings trimmed so they are not fully flighted. they are also not caged.

we have travel cages for emergencies. they ride in the car with us while traveling. when it's hot and we are out and about and the birds are in the trailer we leave the a/c on. we haven't had really *cold* temps, but at night in yellowstone and further north it got into the high 30's and low 40's, so we ran the electric space heater at nite.

i turn off the propane when we leave the birds in the trailer alone.

At home our birds are not caged. they are used to traveling and they each have their own spot in the car, and will not get out of the car when we stop for gas, etc.

when we are at campsites, they site nicely where we put them - travel perches or table or back of the chair.

they are for the most part, potty trained (they tell us when they have to poop and/or wait til we ask if they have to go ) - except one - who sits on her travel perch on top of the console between the front seats and has newspaper below her...

i had concerns about the one oldest who we had recently adopted. but the vet said it would be more stressful to be away from her 'flock' (us and other 3 birds) then to travel. so we took her. the first week she was stressed. after that, she was fine - and now shes less uptight and easier to get along with and less fussy than before we left on the trip.

on a separate note, trimming wings vs fully flighted is an issue within itself. We trim the first 4 flight feathers only - this way they don't 'crash and burn', they can fly about 10 ft down or horizontally , just not UP.

2 of our birds get bossy when fully flighted, and the risk of a wind taking them when outside is just not worth it. i would say very few people should have fully flighted birds - if they know and answer 100% of the time to a 'recall' command, then perhaps - but i have heard too many horror stories of lost birds and devastated owners.

we have had a few close calls when just one flight feather grew out and we didn't trim right away, and my birds are my babies. they wouldn't survive on their own.

[Tom Nugler]

We’ve returned from our annual Spring Gathering and apart from the usual Rally activities we had more than the usual "flock" of participants.
When the campground host saw Sammy, our Green Cheek Conure, he said there was a grey parrot in the MOHO 2 sites over.
They are Flea Market venders and travel with their African Grey. He stayed inside the rig the whole time despite the perfect weather.
The second day I saw a splash of yellow atop a woman’s shoulder as they were pulling in with a big old 5th wheel. I wasn’t long before we heard the shriek of a bird.
This couple had brought along their Sun Conure and 6 grandkids.
The next day the two birds were in our trailer eating blueberries and showing off their tricks.
Of the 13 rigs in the park that weekend the pet count was; dogs 4, birds 3. A respectable showing from the Avian team.
Sam traveled 1300 miles and 6 outings last year. We’re doing Alumapalooza next weekend, and taking at least another 4 trips this year. Sam is at home in the Airstream as he is at the house.
Now, if I can only get him to say "Camping".

Tom and Sue