How Far Would You Go to Adopt a Bird? Thoughts on Long-Distance Travel and Practical Tools

[FeofilHoebaer]

I’ve been thinking a lot about how far I'd be willing to travel to adopt the right bird, and I wonder what others feel about it. For me, the idea of going long distances just to find that perfect match has always been something I’ve been willing to consider, but it brings its own set of challenges. It's not just about the cost and time, but also the emotional toll it can take, especially when you're not sure if the bird you want is truly going to be the one that fits with your home and lifestyle. I know some people have driven hours, even crossing state lines, to find the right parrot. But is it really worth it, and how do you manage the logistics of such trips?

I guess for me, it depends on the bird. If it's a species that’s hard to find locally, or if I feel a strong connection through pictures or videos, I might be more inclined to make that long trip. But then again, what happens if you get there, and things don't go as expected? Maybe the bird isn’t as healthy as described or the bond isn’t instant. How do you handle that kind of disappointment, after putting in so much effort?

One solution I’ve thought about is using a tool to track my travel time and driving habits, especially when making those longer trips. Recently, I was inspired by this driving tracker I came across. Essentially, a driving tracker works by monitoring various aspects of your journey and providing real-time data. There are also tools like a driving distance tracker and viewer online, which allow you to visualize and calculate the exact distances traveled, offering detailed insights into your route and efficiency. I found it really helpful in staying alert during long drives, and it gave me some peace of mind that I wasn’t overextending myself on the road. With something like this, at least I’d feel more in control of the journey, which is one less thing to worry about when the primary focus should be on getting the bird safely home. Has anyone else used something like this while traveling for bird adoptions, or any long-distance trips?


In addition to the driving logistics, I often think about how to ensure the bird's comfort during the trip back. Most of the time, you'll need to prepare a travel cage, and depending on how far you're going, you might have to consider overnight stops. Has anyone here dealt with overnight stays while transporting a bird? How did you manage their feeding, and how did they handle the stress of a long trip?

And what about after the trip? I imagine that after hours on the road, the bird might be disoriented or stressed when you finally get home. How do you ensure that their transition goes smoothly? I’ve read that some people give the bird a quiet room to rest in for a few days, but does that work for all species?

Another thing I’m curious about is how much planning goes into these long-distance trips. Do you usually have a backup plan in case something goes wrong on the road? For example, if the weather turns bad, or if the car breaks down? These are things I’ve been considering because I’d hate to be stuck hours from home with a bird and no way to get back.

Lastly, I’d like to hear about your experiences in determining whether the bird is truly the right one before making the journey. Are there red flags you look for in the seller or breeder? I’d hate to waste hours of travel on a bird that wasn’t accurately described or is not in good health.

I really value any advice or thoughts on this topic. It’s one thing to find your dream bird, but the journey to get them home can add a whole new level of complexity. How far are you willing to go, and what tools or strategies do you rely on to make the process smoother?

 

[bingewatchingmediacontent]

Hi! I know it’s been many months since you asked this question, but I thought I’d give you my experience, since I flew across the country to adopt a bird, and brought him back with me on a plane.

I had had experience with parrotlets, since I already had a parrotlet. I was looking for another parrotlet, as I believed my bird would be happier with another bird friend that was more similar to his calm demeanor than the two very high energy budgies that we had, and who had become a bonded pair, leaving the parrotlet as a 3rd wheel. And when I saw someone post on another parrot website that he had to rehome his 10 year old male parrotlet. My guy was 10/about to turn 11, and I knew that was a perfect fit since they were both mature birds. Everything was perfect except for the fact that he was in New York and I was in California. But I talked to my husband and we decided that since he had bazillions of airline miles on Alaska Airlines, which is super pet friendly, I could easily fly to NYC from San Francisco and back in the same day. I ended up going the night before, but it was just truly a courier trip. It worked out well and although he did not seem to enjoy the flight, he adapted to our home very quickly and didn’t seem too traumatized by the experience.

I’m aware that not everyone has that many extra frequent flyer miles just sitting around, and most people wouldn’t even consider going to that extreme, but I guess I figured it was a perfect match in age and species and sex (both males, I didn’t want a female because it might trigger hormones in my male, plus not trying to mate them.) Also I highly recommend a good birdy backpack that’s airlines approved for such adventures. We got the Celltei one, which worked great. Just put enough food for 3 meals, lots of water, and lots of millet. Although the bird did peep the entire flight, and some of the people on the flight did ask me what I had in the carrier, most people couldn’t hear him since he wasn’t loud. I can imagine a larger bird being very loud in such a situation.

So the answer is, pretty far. Road trips are a whole other thing. I’ve taken my birds on short trips, and have also taken them a few hours away to Lake Tahoe, which is about 3-4 hours away each way. They did fine. The only concern was that they’d fly into the window when out of the carriers, which has happened. Also make sure nobody opens a door while they’re out, of course. I have watched plenty of Bird Tricks videos where she transports birds in her car, and they’re sometimes scared. So that would be a concern. Just make sure to take breaks, have plenty of extra food and snacks on hand, and be ok with a few ear piercing screams until everyone settles down.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I take budgies on road trips as long as 10 hours but I'm not too keen on taking them out of their travel cages while driving unless I'm positive the bird will not decide to explore the inside of the car. All you need is to get a loose bird on the floor where the pedals are or stuck between the seats, etc.