Car Rides

[HannahW]

My 10 month old Sun Conure, Fawkes, does not currently like to ride in the car. Can anyone offer some advice on the best way to acclimate him to riding? We don't curently travel with him, but the closest Avian vet is over an hour away, and we do not want to stress him out in order to take him for a check up or in an emergency.

Thanks in advance for the help!


Hannah and Fawkes

 

[roxynoodle]

Maybe put a towel over the carrier so she can't see as much through the windows. I would leave the door area uncovered though so she can see you. My birds also like me to talk and sing to them in the car. They like it enough that we usually at least arrive at the vet in a good, happy mood.

I'd also take her to some places other than the vet so she doesn't always think that's where she's going.

 

[erik7181]

My carrier has the big door in the front so i attached one of those sandy perchs so he can see whats going on.

 

[HannahW]

Thanks ya'll!

I will put one of his favorite perches in there for him, his current carrier has a wire top, so I should be able to attach one with no trouble.

I am looking forward to warmer weather so that he can go with me when I run errands.

 

[Nakiska]

I think that the only thing you can really do is keep taking him with you. Start with short trips, 10 mins or so and gradually increase from there. Talk to him in your chirpy voice and soon he'll settle in. Also, just spending time in the parked car letting him check it out seems to help them settle in to the "new environment"

The first time I took our conure anywhere...he was pretty scared, but I just talked to him a lot, my husband was driving and I didn't have a carrier, I just let him be on my shoulder. It wasn't long before he was up on the seat belt shoulder strap, craining to see out the window.

Few trips and he was like...COOL! We're going bye bye!

The funniest experience was when I was taking him to the store with me and it was raining. He was perched up on my shoulder and I turned on the windshield wiper...he freaked out and ran behind my shoulder and peeked up to make sure everything was safe...the windshield wipers were on intermittent...finally he decided, yep...everything is safe and he walked back up on my shoulder and swoosh, the wipers went and he again jumped and ran behind my shoulder and slowly peeeked up and over...this went on for about 8 windshield repetitions before he understood they weren't going to get him.

I have since bought him a carrier so I can take him bye bye without him being free in the car.

But, I have to admit...the couple of months I took him everywhere with me, before he learned to fly, were the funnest yet.

Good Luck!

Toni

 

[HannahW]

Windsheild wipers can be scary! The two trips he has been on with us, he wasn't in a carrier. The first he was to young to do more than sit in my hands and sleep. The second was a trip to the ER at UGA and he was already sick, so that memory isn't a good one, for either of us. When spring comes, he will get to go on short errands with me, and hopefully with his favorite perch, duck, and his blanket he will adjust soon.

 

[Helitorian]

When I go out with Con, I wear the same jacket and as soon as she sees me put it on and zip it up, she knows she's going somewhere and rushes to wait for me at the top of the cage. She knows she has to go under the jacket on my left side and snuggles up in my sleeve until we get to where we're going and I lift the jacket up. She loves going bye bye Except when we go to the vet

 

[HannahW]

Fawkes knows when I put my shoes on I am leaving and starts shouting. If I am just going to walk next door to the laundry room, I usually take him. He likes washing the clothes in the washing machine. I hadn't thought about tucking him in a jacket or shirt, he might actually like that. Though our vet requires they be in a carrier when they enter the office or waiting room.

 

[antoinette]

Try letting the bird spend time in the carrier, while at home.
Perhaps place the bird in the carrier, go sit outside in the garden.
Sit near him, offering him treats, talking to him.
Then start off with short trips at first.
If possible, strap the carrier, where the bird is able to see you.
Keep talking to the bird while in the car.

 

[roxynoodle]

I will put my birds in their carriers while I am outside scrubbing their cages as well. I can't supervise them while I am doing that, so it's a safe place to put them. Plus, they get used to being put in there fairly often. Now I have an extra cage that was Pete's when I got him. It was much too small for them, but I've been using it to put the birds in during cage cleaning. I probably should put them into the carriers at least sometimes though so they continue being used to going in them.

 

[Customcasket]

My two conures are perfectly fine in their carriers in the car. I talk to them and whistle and we have a good time.

 

[lexx510]

We give Guava lots of treats to keep her busy. Now when she rides with us, she's too busy pigging out to even notice that she's in a car. She's even happy to hop into her carrier now, knowing there's a treat waiting for her.

 

[HannahW]

Foxy won't yet go in for a treat. He even tries to 'rescue' his duck when we put it in the carrier. He will scream an race around the carrier until we get it out for him But he is getting better at not freaking out when we place the carrier on the bed. While it was warm this afternoon, I took him out with me while I emptied out the stuff that had accumulated in my car over the past couple of weeks. As long as I didn't close the door, he was okay sitting on my shoulder an looking around. Maybe it won't take long to get him use to riding. I would love to take him with me when I visit my grandfather.

 

[lexx510]

Foxy won't yet go in for a treat. He even tries to 'rescue' his duck when we put it in the carrier. He will scream an race around the carrier until we get it out for him But he is getting better at not freaking out when we place the carrier on the bed. While it was warm this afternoon, I took him out with me while I emptied out the stuff that had accumulated in my car over the past couple of weeks. As long as I didn't close the door, he was okay sitting on my shoulder an looking around. Maybe it won't take long to get him use to riding. I would love to take him with me when I visit my grandfather.

To get him used to the carrier, I'd use positive reinforcement. Without actually placing him INTO the carrier, reinforce him with a favorite treat every time he gets a step closer to it. You can even leave a trail of treats leading to the carrier, so that he associates being close to the carrier with receiving treats.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh8ArkzMC3I&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL0BC9227F1845E1D5"]How to Train a Parrot : How to Train Parrots to Go Inside Carriers - YouTube[/ame]

 

[HannahW]

Thanks for posting the video! I have raised him since he was 2 1/2 weeks old, and we are learning together as we go. We have been placing his carrier on the bed during play time, and as long as the door is closed, he seems to ignore it, although he won't get anywhere near it. I will make him a trail of almond shavings in a little while and see what he does.

 

[roxynoodle]

I had to take Merlin into the vet today and as soon as Pete saw the carrier he started yelling, "I good boy! I good boy!" in this very upset sounding way. I had to say, "Don't worry, it's not for you." I haven't before had any trouble getting him into it, but his last vet experience wasn't so great for him. On the way home the wind was hitting 60mph and making horrible sounds going over my truck, and we saw 2 trucks flip on the interstate and he was very upset. I need to take him someplace fun soon so he doesn't get carrier phobic on me.