Travelling with a budgie

[Anneke]

Hi All,
I'm Anneke and I own an albino budgie. She is still a baby, and I have had her for approx. 3 weeks now.
I am hoping to go on holiday ( it is only about 1:15 hours drive away) for a week, and seeing that Lichee ( my budgie) is still young and requires attention, I'm hoping to take her along. I would just like to know what your opinion on the best way to transport her.
Thanks you!

[Michael]

Just a normal small bird carrier is fine. Be sure to bring a towel to keep the carrier covered in case it is cold. I don't think the travel itself is a problem but with the bird being so young, it is more likely to have a weak immune system and get sick if anything goes wrong.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

If you brought her home in a paper box, you may want to invest in a carrier, either one specifically for birds, or one designed for very small dogs or cats. If the latter, you'll probably want to put a perch in it.

I've heard for longish travel it is good to put some juicy fruit in a secure cup or other container. It lets them get some water without the mess of it sloshing around. But I haven't had a chance to try it out!

When she's at the destination, you'll want something to cage her in. Can you bring her regular cage? Is the carrier big enough to serve as a cage? If she's going to be out a lot, the travel carrier may be fine for sleep cage, but if she'll need to stay in a fair amount, you may need to make other arrangements. Don't forget toys and food and all that good stuff!

I should admit I haven't traveled with my bird yet, except to and from the vet, but I've been setting things up so that I can.