Traveling with your Lori ???

[bgriffin70]

So I do travel on occasion overnight business and also have some planned vacation time (short length) where I'll obviously need to take my Green Bean.

There are no 'sitters' or avian specialists here in Medford, OR; so taking her is really the only option. But... I think I'd rather have her with us anyway.

With that said; does anyone on here have experience with occasional to frequent travel with their Lori and if so, what general precautions do you take other than the obvious?

I guess I worry about
1. Difference in weather / temperature / moisture, etc.
2. Time spent in smaller travel cage.
3. Less time spent with hands-on play, etc.

Any tips and experience with travel via car on long trips is really appreciated.

Thx in advance!

 

[Kiwibird]

I know Loris have some special requirements other parrots don't but just some general 'travel with parrots' tips:

1. Try to keep them in as climate-controlled of an environment as possible (i.e. from the car straight to the hotel room). If it is cold/rainy out, throw a heavy blanket over the cage, if it's hot, throw a light blanket over to protect from hotel lobby/hallway a/c chill. I also STRONGLY suggest calling ahead of time and requesting the hotel turn the temperature up in your room just ahead of your arrival time. You do not want a parrot in one of those overly air conditioned hotel rooms if you can help it.

2. Many birds enjoy watching the world go by from their travel cage as you drive. You can also look for toys that can be anchored from both ends so they don't knock your bird in the head (one clip or keyring at the top AND bottom secured to the cage sides). INVEST IN A HIGH QUALITY, LARGEST THAT WILL FIT IN YOUR CAR travel cage. This isn't for a once a year vet visit, this is a cage your bird will be spending a lot of time in, therefore, is worth investing in the nicest option possible. Given the size of a lori, you could get one of those small play gyms that will easily fit in the back of your car so when you are at the hotel and supervising, the bird can have some time out to play and stretch it's wings. I would also keep a diaper bag with toys, a cage cover, food, water from home or bottled water (and enough to cover making your species special dietary mix for the stay), pre-cut newspapers for cage-liners and a small first aid kit, plus whatever else you deem necessary for your bird.

3. Toys, toys, toys! Treats too! Make a *positive* association with travel by giving your birds special treats only while traveling and bringing a new and exciting toy along each trip. And have enough variety+foraging to keep the bird entertained during the day. Might help to leave the TV on too. That way the bird begins to associate travel with a positive experience.

Things for you to consider:

1. You have to stay in pet friendly hotels and they charge extra. I guess you *could* just not tell them, but what happens when the maid comes in to clean, and there's your bird? Perhaps avoidable with a once in a blue moon trip, but as a frequent traveler, you will have to consider this.

2. The fact you are traveling for business, will you be able to make a stop every 2 or so hours to be able to offer food and water to your bird, and give it enough time to eat/drink? Typically, you don't want them having food while driving, or it becomes a messy, dangerous distraction. That means frequent stops, as you also can't let them starve or dehydrate either.

3. Does your bird even travel well? Any bird CAN learn, but that doesn't mean they will start out ok with it. Have you driven with your bird before for more than 20/30 minutes? Does it become carsick? Anxious? Frightened? Or does it just hang out and enjoy the ride? If your bird has an inherently negative reaction to driving, you will have to acclimate it BEFORE going on trips. Same with being in new places around strangers. You are going to have to acclimate the bird, or it will have no idea whats happening, if it's being abandoned, if you've been injured or eaten.... You have to put yourself in your birds place and figure out solutions to potential 'hang ups' it may have.

Best of luck to you and your bird. Our BFA LOVES travel. He danced and preened and made happy noises the entire 1200+ drive when we moved, even though we weren't in such a joyous mood. Never doesn't 'want to go for a ride' either. Kiwi might've made a good trucker bird lol Hope yours takes to it just as well

 

[bgriffin70]

Green Bean did well a couple of months ago when we had no choice but to move from Phoenix, AZ to Medford, OR. We HAD to make the drive due to costs and traveling with two cats, the bird, two Betta fish in separate tanks, and a 25 gallon aquarium with my son's assortment of tropical freshwater fish !!!

And I'm happy to report; the bird, the bettas, the cats and the aquarium full of fish all made the three day drive in perfect health and are doing just great. Took some planning; but we did it.

We purchased a small cage for Green Bean since we thought this would be 'just a one time thing' and it was hilarious... on the third day of driving; I think the bird literally "cracked." She started bobbing here head up and down saying, "Ahhh.. Green Bean pretty bird, Green Bean pretty bird... Where we goin'? Where we goin'? Green Bean pretty bird." The kids were laughing, the bird was banging her beak on the bottom plastic part of the cage and saying that over and over until we would stop and let her have a stretch break.

I do agree that a bigger cage would be ideal for riding in the back but I also know that typically we will all be together on these trips; the two kids and the bird. I'm talking trips of maybe 4 hours max driving time then overnight stays and drives back home; with maybe the occasional two nights' stay.

I think the most comforting thing is that she would really never be left alone or unsupervised since the teenage kids or my wife would be with her while I was working. Perhaps we'd be out for dinner, etc. but never would leave her alone for an extended period of time for sure.

Based upon your recommendations; which are all excellent, I think the following is in order...

1. Larger travel cage, but medium size to accommodate other luggage, etc.
2. Duffle bag with accessories as you mentioned above, including a few first aid items and a couple of blankets for weather protection and warmth.
3. Obviously her food, water and nectar powder.
4. Maybe a couple of toys for playtime in the hotel room.
5. Treats - an excellent idea to associate with travel / car time !!!

Great recommendations and thanks for the reply. I really like the idea to make trip time fun with treats and toys she can associate this with.

On a side note... has anyone ever taken their bird tent camping ??? This one I worry about with the temperatures at night getting too cold. I would love to take her to the great outdoors and we're wanting to get into camping again but we just don't have the resources here in a small town for boarding of her while we were to go out of town a couple of days. Any thoughts on camping ideas......... lost on this one.