Hi,
I was wondering if its better to take your parrots out with you when you visit friends for the day or leave them at home. I would love to take them with me, but I would have to towel them into their travel cages and I don't know if this is good to earn their trust to have them with you all the time or not. What is all your opinions?

Julie
Thanks

I personally would leave them home. Most of my birds do not enjoy meeting new people and would be highly stressed traveling someplace new.

Leave them at home, there are so many things you don't know about your friends homes when it comes to something they might spray in the air of the room before you arrive or something they might have cooking in a pan that isn't safe for your birds.

A draft of cool/cold air or a home that's too hot or dusty or noisy can cause a lot of stress to your birds. Its just best to leave them home with the radio on and treats to keep them happy in their cages that they know and feel safe in while you are gone for the day.

Hi! Julie.
There are many things to consider.
I am going with "I would leave them at home."
How many birds were you talking about?
If just one then it is certainly doable if you so desired. The problems increase with each other bird.
Then as said above you need to consider the risks.
Will they be stuck in a smaller cage or carrier for the whole time?
This is coming from someone who takes a bird most places uncaged that is.
Not everybody condones what I do.

So how do you get your birds to wear a harness? And if you want to bond with them shouldn't you take them with you if you go out to visit people and have a lake house on weekends. I can't leave them home. Im only talking about two birds now one lovebird who is very sweet, and a Sun conure. My question is is it okay to towel them into their travel cages to take them with you to safe places only? And another note if I may how in heaven can you handle those bird bites, you must have tough skin....LOL

I could say "What bird bites".
It is not often I take any bites from any birds. And I do handle a good number.
With the birds you have a good relationship with.
I will say the hardness of a bite can depend on what the situation is. I find most times I am just being told off for doing something they do not like. This is mostly just nibbles. Getting nailed, and believe me Cockatiels can do this big time. With them if it is a life or death situation then the death lock goes on. And you have to force the beak open to get it off you. This I have seen a few times, but only been a recipient once or twice.
Had a SC2 give me two black eyes where it tried to rip my nose off. That still rates as No1 bite. Indy (Cockatiel) gave me a black eye where he flew at me and nailed my face. Sophie got me once on the arm, but I gave her that opportunity. My mistake.

Where using a towel will work, does depend on how your relationship is with each bird. Only you can watch and decide where this is stressing them out too much or not. I can use the net on Indy and Bubbles and with in mins they will show no impact of doing so. Show Sophie a towel and she is gone. Yet i can take her with the net without too much impact if I need to.

The difference is are you talking a few hours or a couple days. If just a few hours I would leave them home. If a couple days and you don't have anyone to check on them and change food and water I would take them with me: ASLONG AS THE PEOPLE YOU ARE GOING TO SEE ARE OK WITH BRINGING THE BIRDS.

Happy Monday tongue in cheek.

Sorry I guess I didn't explain my issue exactly. What I meant to express is. From all the clicker training I've read about you are not suppose to make your bird do anything. You have to use treats to persuade them to do what you want. So, I don't know which is more important: One leave my bird at home alone or take him with to be with me. I read the more time you spend with your bird the better pet he will be. And if toweling him into his travel cage will make him meaner I don't want to make him mean he is a sweet bird right now, and I want him with me, I don't like leaving him alone, especially since a week ago he lost his buddy. His buddy I had for fifteen years for a lovebird he lived a full life. But now he's alone looking for love. I want him with me but Im afraid if I keep toweling him he will turn mean. What are all your thoughts.

thanks in advance
Julie

As you're only travelling for the day and you don't know the dangers within your friends house I would leave him. It's only the day. Stick a radio on or the TV, make sure he's got fun food to eat and stuff to do. He's not an only bird so he will still have somewhat company. I wouldn't worry too much

Again your missing my point. The places I go are safe for the birds don't worry about that. I'm asking about toweling the bird into travel cages to take along. Will this make them tame by being with me, or meaner because I'm toweling them all the time?
This is my question.

I think the stress of being toweled and manhandled into the cage will offset any socialization you gain by having them with you... It will break trust over and over... Just my opinion.

Oh sorry, I thought you were asking if you should take them about with you. No, I wouldn't do if it it means towelling. Do they step up? If they do just as them to step up and place them in the carrier. A lot of birds don't mind, believe it or not. Just give them a treat and they'll soon associate it as a fun place to go. Towelling makes birds lose trust fast if they aren't used to being towelled

I have traveled frequently with birds. (Travel to work with me daily) Our cockatiel HATED the travel cage at the beginning. It was effort on my part to get him into the cage. But once he got into the routine and realized instead of spending the day at home in his cage he got to spend the day at school with as much attention as he wanted it became easier. He started getting into the travel cage on his own when I took him close and held the door open. Our conure is much easier but he is all about the car ride. When I have to take our Quaker, I usually have to physically pick her up and place her in the travel cage. She's not traumatized by it but won't get in on her own.

Im only talking about two birds now one lovebird who is very sweet, and a Sun conure.
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