hiking with a bird?

[birdstheword]

does anyone hike regularly with their bird? i live in colorado so hiking opportunities abound. do you end up shouldering your bird? i'm talking like day hikes not 14ers. just curious!

 

[Puck]

I think the Pak O Bird backpack would be good for that. I bought one and since I DON'T do any major athletic things like getting my behind off the sofa, it wasn't the best buy for me, but I bet it would be perfect for hiking with your buddy!

 

[birdstheword]

oh my wow, how cool is that?!?! thank you!

 

[Scott]

That is awesome!!

 

[Birdman666]

does anyone hike regularly with their bird? i live in colorado so hiking opportunities abound. do you end up shouldering your bird? i'm talking like day hikes not 14ers. just curious!

Yes I did it all the time, sometimes with multiple birds. One on each shoulder, one on each hand. When I lived in NorCal I had a hiking trail through the woods behind my house... so it was a nightly thing after work, in nice weather.

IF YOUR BIRDS ARE TRAINED TO STAY WITH YOU!!!

IF NOT, THEY COULD GET SPOOKED AND FLY OFF...

AND ALWAYS KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR HAWKS. THEY USUALLY WON'T BOTHER YOU, BUT IF ONE APPEARS TO BE TAKING AN INTEREST AND CIRCLING BACK, OR FOLLOWING YOU, GET THE BIRD OFF YOUR SHOULDER AND CLOSE TO YOUR BODY TO DISCOURAGE THE THOUGHT THAT THIS MAY BE DINNER...

 

[gracebowen]

I plan to try later. I now have a very tiny Travel cage. I will zip tie it together and attach it to a regular backpack.

 

[Kiwibird]

I also use the pak o bird. Keeps Kiwi safe and is easy to carry (plus no bird poo down the back!). Expensive, but worth EVERY PENNY.

Birds who are free outdoors MUST be recall trained, harnessed or clipped (though clipping is no guarantee they can't fly off when spooked).

 

[Birdman666]

I also use the pak o bird. Keeps Kiwi safe and is easy to carry (plus no bird poo down the back!). Expensive, but worth EVERY PENNY.

Birds who are free outdoors MUST be recall trained, harnessed or clipped (though clipping is no guarantee they can't fly off when spooked).

Absolutely. That is a given. "Stay put" trained helps tremendously too, as does "startle trained."

Out and about training is a process.

 

[Kiwibird]

I also use the pak o bird. Keeps Kiwi safe and is easy to carry (plus no bird poo down the back!). Expensive, but worth EVERY PENNY.

Birds who are free outdoors MUST be recall trained, harnessed or clipped (though clipping is no guarantee they can't fly off when spooked).

Absolutely. That is a given. "Stay put" trained helps tremendously too, as does "startle trained."

Out and about training is a process.

Another thing I personally do is "scope out" any area Kiwi is "free" outdoors in. Things like tall trees, lots of people, dogs, children, busy road, open sources of water, hawks in the area ext... are all factors I consider in whether or not it is safe for him to come out or if it's best he stay in the backpack. When in doubt over the safety of an area or situation, keep them in a backpack or harnessed.

Having a bird who can go outdoors unrestrained is a years long process and there is ALWAYS a risk of loss.

 

[Robin]

My husband kept saying Robin could walk the plank without being in his cage. That Sunday walking back up, he flew into low tide and was swimming toward a rock, I was freaking out and literally pushed my husband in after him! He was two steps away, his flip flop got stuck in the muck and broke and he was mad over that! I was ready to kill him! Robin was in shock, never take chances. My husband did a lot of dumb things with his beloved Robin.

 

[Agapornis]

Robin, do you live on a boat? OMG, that sounded very stressful! I would have pushed hubby off a pier if one of my birdies fell in the water, lol. :54:

I have a pak-o-bird too, and I LOVE IT. i have the Medium size, and my 2 GCCs fit perfectly in there. I also added a manzanita branch wrapped with twine and hung a toy. They are expensive, but worth every penny. :53:

 

[birdstheword]

from the picture it looks like you can't see out of the pak o bird well; is it just like a normal screen and you can, in fact, see fine?

also, probably should have mentioned so as not to worry people, i would use a harness. do these get uncomfortable for birds after a few hours? i imagine it's just a matter of how used to wearing one a bird is?

 

[Puck]

If you put your eyes as close to the mesh as the bird would be, it is easy to see through. It is not as easy to see the bird from the outside because you are farther away from the mesh and it looks more solid. But I've heard people say they like this because it keeps people from bothering them! I personally didn't love how difficult it was to see in, except when we were starving and wanted to go inside the Panda Express--I think the people were wondering why my bag was making chirping sounds! I haven't actually sent the bag back yet and may keep it because it is very light and handy!

 

[Kalidasa]

I hike and bike ride (bike ride mostly) with my conure in the pak-o-bird. He absolutely loves it, as do I. He can see out just fine...I have the medium which is steel mesh. He thoroughly enjoys threatening the wild birds (especially blue-jays) from the safety of his carrier.