Chamomile as a safe sedative?

[tlouiselle]

This Christmas we are heading up to my parent's for 9 days and are going to take 4 month old Stewie with us. We have a sitter for our other bird, but Stewie would be too much of a handful to leave. He is used to traveling in the car. We take him with us when we go away for weekends, but this trip involves a plane ride :-( The flight is 2 hrs and 45 minutes. He made this trip with me once before back in September. He did great on the flight there but was a little nervous when we flew home. Luckily when I put my hand in his carrier he snuggled against it and slept the rest of the flight.

I was doing a little reading on a way to help calm his nerves and make this as easy as possible for him. I read that chamomile tea is a great natural sedative to give birds when they are traveling. Has anyone heard of this or tried it? They say that you can't believe everything you read on the internet and I am hesitant to give it to him if it can be harmful to him.

Has anybody heard of any other ways to help him relax?

 

[Spiritbird]

Best to ask your avian vet for advice. I once put some c tea in a quakers water to calm him down as he was very afriad at the time. It had no effect at all.

 

[lene1949]

It never worked on me!

 

[suebee]

i think a days dose of avicalm, to and from might be better? the relaxant used in it comes from tea,

but nothing wrong with caffine free tea, might or might not work, especially the tiny amounts they'll drink
nut loves hot (warm) water/team she thinks nothing of sharing our cuppa's, so we never leave a hot drink un guarded

 

[tlouiselle]

Ohhh I have never heard of avicalm. I will check it out. Thank you so much for your input you guys He loves to travel and I don't want him to have any bad experiences to ruin his wonderful and easy going personality. I swear I never thought I would love a bird so much I am a huge animal lover and have always had pets. But Stewie has turned into my "feathered kid" LOL.