Flying with your Parrot!

[Beryl]

Hello everyone!

I've had my African Grey since I was 12 years old, I'm now 26 and I'm hoping to move abroad for a while at the start of next year.

I am really wanting to hear from other people who've taken parrots (preferably Greys) on aeroplanes before. I've heard that all Greys are nervous, and my bird is certainly that. This makes me really concerned about putting him through the ordeal of 'cargo'.

Has anyone here done this before? If so, I would really love to hear from you, I'd really appreciate hearing your story and how your bird coped with it, or whether anyone thinks it's a bad idea. I've only flown once before myself (and I was nervous!) so maybe I'm overthinking it? The flight I would be taking lasts up to 3 hours.

Thank you!

[Wolf]

I can't really answer your question as I have never done anything like that. But I did want to ask you if you have checked on the quarantine requirements that may be required as I think that they would quite possibly be the most difficult part of your move if you were to take your bird.

[JaydeParrot]

Although I have never taken my two sennies on a plane, I have taken them on quite a few 1 to 3ish hours long car drives to the vets/ camping. They generally fair well but can get a little fed up towards the end and start to scream and repeatively loop their carrier if situations arrise where they have to stay in side longer than previously thought.

One important question is whether you have a carrier for your bird? It needs to be strong enough to prevent him from breaking out and also needs to not be one of those glass/plastic containers where the bird can see out of every side, having such a view would freak anyone out, .

My bird's carrier is a plastic cat carrier (very similar to trumans) I attached a flexi perch to the metal barred roof of the carrier so the bird has something stable to sit on, and attach a clip on plastic food bowl to the side door of the cage so that the bird has something to eat. For journeys I always put in orange pieces (they're food and a drink in one) sunflower seeds dried banana pieces and any other treats the bird particularly likes (birds can lose their appitite due to stress, so treats are important).

The second important question is have you ever taken your grey outside either with or without a carrier. The worst thing you can do for your bird is just put it in a carrier and assume it will be ok.

Before my birds go into the carrier always make sure they're eaten in their cage first (the stress of a carrier can cause them to stop eating, so it's best to make sure they've eaten something first).

If your bird hasn't been in a carrier, try putting it in there with food for longer intervals each time (leave food in the carrier so it gets used to eating there). You should try to train your bird to wait 4 hours (a 3 hour flight could have some delays). Also, try walking or driving with your bird in the carrier to get it used to movement while it's in the carrier.

As Wolf said, it's very important to check about both quarantine regulation and cargo before even thinking about booking the flight.

Another thought is that you need to leave a label or something on your bird's carrier with your name, mobile number, e.t.c. Incase lost luggage occurs.

[Pajarita]

I have transported birds in airplanes and actually, the carrier needs to be made out of transparent plastic so the customs people can see inside because you can't put the bird through the XRay machine and they are not allowed to take the bird out. There are approved carriers for air transport so you just need to buy one of those (they are see-through and fit under the seat). Some companies allow you to carry pets in the passenger cabin but not all (and some of them only allow one single pet per trip so you need to make the reservation way in advance to make sure) so you need to find out which one that flies to your destination does (I would never even consider sending a parrot via cargo, it's one thing to arrive without your luggage and wait for it a day or two but a parrot left in the cargo area of an airport can die from hypothermia or dehydration). They usually require a 'pet ticket' (it's not a real ticket, just a paper that is attached to your own ticket but you need to pay for it -within USA is usually around $250) and a Health Certificate issued by a veterinarian that is certified to issue it (different states have different requirements). The bird needs to have an identification of some sort (usually a closed leg band). And you need to fulfill the importation requirements of the country where you are travelling to as well as that of any country where you are making a stop over or transfer planes (this could mean not only the Health Certificate but also quarantine, vaccines, consularization, etc).

It can be done but it's a HUGE hassle.

[pukeko]

Hi,

Our situations sound vaguely similar : ) I have had my conure since I was seven, and when I moved from NZ to the USA for Uni I brought her over during my second year. She stayed with family while we were apart and dealt with it very well - nearly as bonded with my sister, and knows my voice through Skype.

CITES documents, import and export documents for both countries, looking up both country's cargo requirements (we were required to have a 50 cm high plywood crate with a wire mesh window and feed and water chutes built. It is a truly ridiculous contraption that is nearly impossible to clean and which would never hold a vigorous chewer, and I doubt the mesh was stainless steel) are all dead necessary. The CITES documents, in particular, are valuable both because of the proof of ownership required to get one (pics from our life together, vet records - she was unbanded and we did not have shop receipts from 14 years ago) and because customs officials are sighing their rights to kill your bird if the documents do not arrive with the animal. Suk's were stolen en route, and we were very fortunate that our photocopies and six months of talking with the people involved with this process, along with Suk's obvious tameness and charm, convinced them that she was indeed a pet. I am disappointed with the security of the process for allowing our official documents to in all likelihood now be a part of the black market.

I recommend at least six months of active research and contact with authorities. No one department will have all of the information. No department will work well with all of the others. Your job as the facilitator is to ferret out the truth of what is needed to safely let your bird fly. I recommend a consultation with a pet transporter - they will also Not have all the info, try as they might to tell you they do, but they will have contacts in the industry (making a crate to US and NZ specs, and airline specs) and a different perspective or knowledge of pitfalls, such as seasons when flying is not allowed. If your bird is in CITES appendix I, I recommend a full year of research and paperwork. That appendix just sounds hellish, if not impossible.

If you know the length of time you are going for, or can estimate it, try to get a return pass in all papers - best option being an unspecified visit with full return rights. Some countries do not offer this. NZ, for example, has had no live bird imports since the early 90's which is reasonable considering how many highly endangered birds they have, some in very limited locations. I am on a mailing list to hear if they ever change that policy - a risk assessment for unhatched egg imports has been in the works for the past four years. Maybe five, now.

Be aware of other countries you may want to travel to, after you gather all of your documents - I know that it would be easier for me to take Suk to the EU and back than to Canada!

About the flying itself, don't worry excessively! Suk traveled the best out of any of our animals, and actually thrived in quarantine - we were warned that she might come home naked, but it actually fixed her minor plucking problem temporarily (we are looking into getting her a companion now). Watery fruit and veg, quiet prep and recovery should keep things good. Keep the crate wired shut so no fool can let your bird out, and quadruple check the people you need to have meet your bird before you do. Get a non-stop flight if at all possible, and speak on the phone and by email with everyone you can. Airlines sometimes lose animals.

ID packages are great. Make a folder of all the proof and documents, with pictures to back it all up, especially of identifying features. Suki was too small to be microchipped by our vet's estimation, so she had to be banded to travel. She has since managed to take it off, which is... conflicting.

Having a well-socialized bird helps. I think her love of travel and new people really helped make the process less stressful for all involved, and she made good friends at quarantine. We were told all about her best friend handlers, and she came back with some new cuddling behaviors and a different kiss.

If this is all too stressful, waiting like I did to take your bird over might be an option - Suk is well bonded to my sister, used to travel and people, and works Skype like a pro. If your bird would not handle being apart from you gracefully, it might not. Regardless, take the time to get your paperwork in order. It took the full six months, after a year or so of debate, and we were lucky that she wasn't destroyed after her papers were stolen.

Recommended questions:
Does a vet need to be at the airport when my bird arrives?
What is the rate that vet will charge if the plane is late?
Ehat happens if that vet is not there?
Is quarantine necessary?
Is quarantine in a facility or can I do it myself in my home, or with a local vet?
If at a facility, what are the charges for the courier? What happens if they are late? If the plane is late? If they don't show up? If they lose or harm my bird?
In the facility, what is the basic food? What is the price for fresh fruit and vegetables? Will my bird be handled? Are there separate air flows for each bird? Will my bird have toys?
Is there more than one govt dept that I need to contact in this one country?
Will my bird be able to return?

There is a ton more stuff floating around with me and my family, feel free to ask questions.

[pukeko]

USA to EU is the only international flight I have heard of that may allow in-cabin, but I believe the airline that allowed that has changed it's protocol. Crate depends on airline and country requirements. Some airlines refused Suk because she is so small, increasing the risk of stress-related death, but as I said - she handled it better than the cat or dog.

[pukeko]

Where are you going? If the flight is only 3 hours, you might be able to wrangle an in-cabin! Try that if at all possible. Organizing the vet, courier, and special officials to meet Suk was a particular nightmare. The courier disappeared on us and had to be quickly replaced, and they charge by the hour for time changes. If your bird gets left overnight at the airport waiting for official release or pick up, I got the impression that there wasn't much of a protocol - bird along in a box in an empty, hopefully locked room? Bird taken home by a random stranger? Who knows.