moving cross country

[PanZon]

Hello all, I have a question regarding moving. I am moving from Tucson AZ to Mobile AL, in the SUV will be 3 small dogs, a cat carrier and finally a large dog crate with our Military Macaw. My question is, whats the best way to travel a long distance with a large bird? He is also a screamer, are there sedatives? He does quiet down with his cage covered, would covering him for an extended period be harmful?

 

[Kiwibird]

We moved last year from AZ to OR with our BFA, newt and gecko in a uhaul Not quite as large as your pets, but we had no issues for the trip. I would probably crate all the animals, as 3 loose small dogs could cause more stress to an already PO'd and stressed bird and possibly get to the cat as well, even if they all typically get along. I also find most animals do better in the car when they can see out the window. It may sounds counterintuitive, but imagine how much more frightening it must be when they can't see whats going on yet still feel the motion of the car and hear all the loud, unfamiliar noises going on around them! I know macaws have those big, long tails and a cage probably wouldn't work, but consider an see-through acrylic carrier and some pre-move (short) trips to get him used to being in the car. I really think you'll find after the first few hours on the road, he'll quiet down and won't need a cover as he gets used to whats happening and realizes it's not threatening Especially if you provide a toy and/or favorite snuggle hut in the carrier. And if it really comes down to needing to cover him, I doubt a few days will do lasting harm. He may be generally PO'd after the move though!

Last but not least, don't worry to much. I was so worried when we were moving with Kiwi on how he'd react to 3 days in a unfamiliar vehicle crammed in with long hours on the road. He just fluffed and preened the whole time and was very very happy/content. He fared far better than we did with stress lol:20: and took to our new home just fine! good luck with your move!

 

[PanZon]

Thanks Kb, Poco will be crated in a large metal dog crate with a foraging bag (his favorite toy), a perch and a water bottle, but he is a very VERY loud squaker and i am worried about it while driving and in the hotel for the one stop we are making

 

[weco]

Thanks Kb, Poco will be crated in a large metal dog crate with a foraging bag (his favorite toy), a perch and a water bottle, but he is a very VERY loud squaker and i am worried about it while driving and in the hotel for the one stop we are making

You might want to substitute fruit...apple slices & orange slices instead of the water bottle, because the metal ball can leak out water when vibrating down the road & you might want to schedule your trip to arrive at your hotel/motel after dark & bring a blanket to cover the cage in the room.....all of my guys are experienced travelers & like KB mentioned, are pretty docile when traveling.....

Good luck with your move.....that's going to be a change from hot dry climate to sometimes hot, humid climate.....

 

[dragonlady2]

We moved from one province to another in Canada. Three days and two nights. I had the same fears for my birds...2 canaries, 1 plum head, 2 conures, Australian King, Eclectus, senegal, alexandrine, 2 Barrabands and 2 parrotlettes. As well as two dogs, 3 tame cats and 2 feral cats that we had been feeding that we trapped before we left. Cats and birds were crated...birds were on top of the cat crates. I had a lot of fresh veggies and fruits in cages, brought nutriberries and made sure they had plenty of water at night when we stopped at motels. They did so much better than I ever could have expected. I did make sure they all had rope perches shaped like an L in their crates so they wouldn't slip.birds are really more resilient than we think. The only negative is that a few of them molted a little more heavily than what was their norm. Good luck on your trip.

 

[PanZon]

yea, juice heavy fruit sounds like a great idea, and some heavy nuts to keep his beak busy