Is it safe for a Caique to go camping?

[ShaunaR]

Hi everyone,
I am trying hard not to overwhelm the boards with questions before our baby comes home but I do have so many! We recently bought a tent and would like to go camping for a couple of nights at a time maybe twice a year. We thought it would be nice to be without electronics every year for our own mental health.
We have 3 dogs who do quite well camping as we have a large tent and even in the rain it's quite comfy. My question is whether our Caique will ever be able to come with us. Finding a bird sitter isn't an issue for us but we thought the experience might be a nice break for her as well.
I am wondering if the summer nights in Canada might be too cold for parrots to sleep in a tent? It can get as low as around 5 degrees celcius when raining. Would a heated perch help? What about aggression from Crows and Blue Jays and other birds? Some Crows can be very brave! What about a harness? Is it safe to try these things with our Caique or should we wait until she is a couple of years old?
We'd love to hear if anyone out there has experience in camping with birds. I have a feeling an RV would be a safer route to go but looking forward to hearing all opinions, good and bad.
Thanks ahead,
Shauna and Rick

 

[getwozzy]

IMHO the earlier you start harness training, going out and about, socializing, etc the better.

Camping sounds fun! I think as long as you have a travel cage where your fid can be secured when need be, and harness training would make it so he can get out of the travel cage, get some fun and exercise. I would also keep him sheltered from other birds (like under a portable canopy) and just keep an eye on him...we got one at Walmart for like $50 I think.

I don't think that temp would be too cold- a heated perch and maybe a fleece blanket covering his cage would work. You have to be more careful of them getting too hot rather than being too cold. So a source of shade would be ideal if your campsite is in a sunny location.

I think tent-camping is doable, but with an Rv it would be a bit more secure and you have a heat source.... Me personally would probably opt for the RV- we have 3 large dogs as well, a toddler, and then we'd probably bring our galah and get a family member to watch the budgies and cats. We haven't been camping for a few years, but it's in the near future lol

 

[GW.Joe]

Hi everyone, I am trying hard not to overwhelm the boards with questions

Hello Shauna,

We Don't Mind Your extended Parrot Family is by your side!!

We already made a deal that we don't go anywhere overnight without our baby
Camping Sounds GREAT and Shirre's got you covered there !!
Harness training is a way for you to share a very special feeling or FLIGHT with your bird

Joe

 

[Terry57]

Shauna, I got to see your baby Kiki today and wow, she is precious!!! It is no wonder you are so excited Great suggestions above about your question, but I just had to tell you that I also fell in love with her today. Carol is sending you some pics!

 

[ShaunaR]

*over the moon!!!

 

[DanR]

Wow where do you do your camping? I'm in the Montreal area and go camping maybe an hour or two north throughout the summer and it never gets anywhere near 5c. Anyhow, I would definitely being Tango with me if I had an RV, but tent camping is just too much to manage for me along with keeping an eye on mister nosy. I would also be worried about that morning chill and humidity affecting his lungs even though millions of wild birds seem to be fine with it lol.

Hi everyone,
I am trying hard not to overwhelm the boards with questions before our baby comes home but I do have so many! We recently bought a tent and would like to go camping for a couple of nights at a time maybe twice a year. We thought it would be nice to be without electronics every year for our own mental health.
We have 3 dogs who do quite well camping as we have a large tent and even in the rain it's quite comfy. My question is whether our Caique will ever be able to come with us. Finding a bird sitter isn't an issue for us but we thought the experience might be a nice break for her as well.
I am wondering if the summer nights in Canada might be too cold for parrots to sleep in a tent? It can get as low as around 5 degrees celcius when raining. Would a heated perch help? What about aggression from Crows and Blue Jays and other birds? Some Crows can be very brave! What about a harness? Is it safe to try these things with our Caique or should we wait until she is a couple of years old?
We'd love to hear if anyone out there has experience in camping with birds. I have a feeling an RV would be a safer route to go but looking forward to hearing all opinions, good and bad.
Thanks ahead,
Shauna and Rick

 

[ShaunaR]

Wow where do you do your camping?

We are in Alberta and in the last few years, as with anywhere our weather has become less and less predictable. It's not unusual to see some very cool night time temps and rain that is very cold even in August. Some places even had snow just last week here! We are also in a very strong hail area so the storms can be pretty bad at times. With our small dogs we just put sweaters on all of them and keep them close at night. (2 of the 3 sleep right in my sleeping bag because they are both under 7 lbs.) I may have to design a Caique sweater to knit I suppose! Thanks for the replies everyone. ...very much appreciated!

 

[GW.Joe]

With our small dogs we just put sweaters on all of them and keep them close at night. (2 of the 3 sleep right in my sleeping bag because they are both under 7 lbs.) I may have to design a Caique sweater to knit I suppose! Thanks for the replies everyone. ...very much appreciated!

LOL Are you helping to keep the dogs warm OR.... Are they helping to keep YOU warm

If you do really make a knitted Caique sweater PLEASE get a picture for us to see LOL

 

[Terry57]

Joe, that hoodie is the cutest thing ever!

 

[DanR]

Haha those hoodies are awesome!

 

[GW.Joe]

Joe, that hoodie is the cutest thing ever!

I know right? The bird looks like "ET" LOL

 

[ShaunaR]

Love those sweaters and hoodies! Very cute!

 

[TessieB]

Salee and I went camping, but for his protection I'd put him in the car for the night in his travel cage. Raccoons would find her plump green body the ultimate midnight snack. And believe you me a bird cage will not stop a raccoon or oppossum. I didn't take the dogs with me either as controlling them and the bird completely ruined the relaxing atmosphere. The only problem I had was Salee would sing her morning song-and her voice could be heard a mile away. She was a Lilac Crown Amazon and loved to travel in the car, never met a stranger, and was simply a perfect traveling companion-if one did not mind a 5 am wake-up call. Even though I camped any season, I left Salee at home when the weather was cold.

Yes, you can camp with your bird IF your bird likes to camp and you use common sense.

 

[ShaunaR]

Yes, you can camp with your bird IF your bird likes to camp and you use common sense.

Hi Tessie and thanks! I am mostly concerned with aggression from other birds like crows as they will come right up and try to take the food right off your plate if you aren't paying attention! We are looking at getting a "pac o bird" napsack for camping with the stainless steel mesh. We have also been looking at a second daytime screened tent for over a picnic table so Kiki can have some supervised time jumping around inside there without being spotted by any predatory birds. We can get a heated perch to run on a battery pack in the tent and may well have to look at an RV down the road for the added security....all for one little caique! Next year we should be ready enough with clicker and harness training well done so she is as safe as possible and older. We get to visit again on the 20th so we will be sure to take some video this time! We are hearing she is very tiny and light in color with no black whatsoever on her head....now that her feathers are coming in better. We are counting the days!

 

[Terry57]

I can't wait to see the videos! I completely fell in love with her last Sunday, she is just the daintiest little girl ever Bet you are counting the days until the 20th!

 

[TessieB]

You'll have to be very careful with crows as they would consider her a snack. Since the hubby and I now own an RV and have camped with it, I've seen several other campers with birds. I've seen parakeets and Macaws in RVs. It's so funny to be zooming along on the interstate at 70 MPH, have a motorhome pass you, and you look over to see a Scarlet Macaw watching you through the window.

And always make sure you have plenty of food and water for your bird. Bring your water supply from home for your bird even if you have an RV as several people mentioned their birds were sensitive to the 'taste' of strange water.

Camping with birds can be fun! You can alway practice in your back yard!

 

[ShaunaR]

Great advice thank you! I have seen those car perches that sit on the headrest and they are very cool! I think we will look at a small trailer for next year when we introduce camping to Kiki. It just seems like there is more protection for her from other birds and the weather in general. I also like the idea of having a solid wall between any squalking and the other campers. I can imagine sound will carry in a campground as it sure does with a barking dog! Sounds awesome...wonder what else I can get Rick to buy for me...I mean Kiki.
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