Traveling With Your Parrot
If you have no one to take care of your parrot while you are away, maybe you can bring the bird along for the trip. But before you decide to go through with it, you need to find a place that is willing to accept your parrot as they are generally destructive to either dogs or cats.
You will also need to get the number of vet clinics and supplies stores in the area. This will make it easy for you to bring the bird should there be an emergency or you suddenly run out of food.
For those who will be staying in a hotel, you should check with the housekeeping manager what chemicals are used to clean the rooms and request that the room be aired out because these fumes could be harmful to your parrot.
Since the room is cleaned daily, you can request no housekeeping services at all except perhaps fixing the bed as vacuuming could startle the bird.
Once you have worked on the lodging, the tricky part is going from your home to your destination. If you will be flying by air, make sure you have a travel cage ready. Some carriers allow their owners to bring their pets onboard rather than checking them in provided they fit the size requirements of carryon luggage. If your parrot is too big, you will have to find out how much is the extra charge for bringing this along with you on the trip.
If you are traveling on a long haul flight, get the one that has the least number of stops possible to reduce the stress for your bird. You will also have to get documents like certification on the health of your bird and be subject to quarantine should you be traveling internationally.
Since baggage does get lost in airports, it is best to tag the cage with important details such as your name, contact number, flight number and destination so there will be no mix ups in transit.
But if you are traveling by car, you should go for a few tests drives with the parrot to see if they can handle the ride. The cage must be free of toys and other unnecessary items so the bird will not be injured in case you have to suddenly stop. It should be securely fastened using some pillows, a drop cloth and a seat.
When you stop for gas, spray the parrot with some water, check on the food and water so you know that the bird is seating comfortably.
If you have to leave for a few minutes, make sure the car is locked and the windows are opened a bit so there is air for the bird to breathe.
Once you get to your destination, follow the same rules that you do at home. Make sure the doors and windows are closed so it does not fly out and give it a lot of love and attention.