No, they don't put animals through the Xray machines, that's why the carriers that go in the cabin have to be completely see-through (you bring it to the area where they do the 'manual' checking). This
http://www.amazon.com/Petco-Carrier-Por ... d+carriers is the kind I used when I went to California to pick up a bird (Senegal) and bring it back to NJ. I put a perch in there, some millet and orange (in case she got thirsty) and it worked great (I also got a flight where I would have to wait a couple of hours for the connection so I could take her out for a while - in the bathroom). Another thing, you are going to need a health certificate so check with the state you are travelling to (as well as any other state where you might have to make a connecting flight because if something happens and you get stuck there, you will have a problem if you don't have one) for their requirements because each state is different (in some, you need to go to a State Certified vet for it while, in others, any vet can issue it as long as they use the right form).