I've decided to drive to South Australia with Charley beside me. Plan is to put him in the travel cage that I'll be getting off DAZ (not leaving till around 16th April now DAZ, so no urgency.).. next to me on the front passenger seat while I drive.

 

I'll be driving for 4 days, stopping (motel) each day after around 5 or 6 hours driving. At the motel I will transfer him into a small, light cage that I've bought especially for the trip (I call this his "motel room"! )

 

Next morning back into the travel cage for the next leg of the trip. Then back into his "motel room" when we stop for the night.

 

I'm sending his big cage with the removalist (i've worked out how to "dismantle" it) and this should arrive a few days after we do. He can stay in his "motel room" till it arrives.

 

I'm happier driving with him than taking him on the plane (two planes).. I think he will be less stressed when he's "sitting" beside me and we can chat to each other. I have taught him to say "G'day Mate" so he will fit in with the outback budgies... (I'm going to Woomera, work transfer).

 

One of my good friends at work is adopting Maxie, she is a very nervous, unsociable girl (Maxie, not my friend! ) and I dont think she would cope with the stress.

 

Charley will be good company for me along the way and I'm sure he'll enjoy the trip!!!

Air travel boxes are designed to be small and dark and not much room, with no perches. They are that way for the bird to settle down into dozing mode for the plane trip. Taking him in that container over a longer trip is not quite what the boxes are meant for. A longer trip in that box would be more stressful I would think than the plane trip.

Oh well

Edited March 22, 200916 yr by KAZ

Oh okay Thanks Kaz... didnt know that!!

 

I thought the travel cages would be better for the drive as he cant fall off his perch (as I zip around corners.. or if have to pull up suddenly).. as the front is still "open" (wire) and he could still see out. The metal cages rattle like crazy I've found (even though I put the seat belt around it and sit it on a towel on the seat) which is another reason why I thought the wooden cage would be better for that.

 

mmmmm.. will have to think it out some more!! :doh: :sad:

THK I have the perfect cage for you already. I updated my pretage travel cage but the old one will be good for what you want.

:doh: Thats fabulous Daz... thank you so much. You're wonderful. I'll wait to hear from you. :sad:

When we picked up Ernie and Ozzie from Liv they both spent the entire 1 hour plus drive home glued to the front of their travel cage! It wouldn't have mattered much what the inside was like, we may just as well have brought them home on a tennis racquet! :doh:

Edited March 22, 200916 yr by Hills

When we picked up Ernie and Ozzie from Liv they both spent the entire 1 hour plus drive home glued to the front of their travel cage! It wouldn't have mattered much what the inside was like, we may just as well have brought them home on a tennis racquet! :bow:

:doh: :sad:

Merlin according to my husband enjoyed his 6 hour ride back to our house, take him for a ride thk an couple short ones and see how he does some birds fair well while others may be stressed .

Merlin according to my husband enjoyed his 6 hour ride back to our house, take him for a ride thk an couple short ones and see how he does some birds fair well while others may be stressed .

 

Good advice!

I did the 7-8 hour trip from Kal to Perth with my boy plenty of times, the hardest part was getting him to shutup for a minute. Had his cage on the front seat and like others described and he sat at the front eyes dilating using all his vocabulary over and over and over. Rattling cage will be the last of your worries

I have photos somewhere.

Are there any border checks you have to do with him?

I did the 7-8 hour trip from Kal to Perth with my boy plenty of times, the hardest part was getting him to shutup for a minute. Had his cage on the front seat and like others described and he sat at the front eyes dilating using all his vocabulary over and over and over. Rattling cage will be the last of your worries

I have photos somewhere.

Are there any border checks you have to do with him?

 

Thanks guys. Never even thought of border checks. I'll see what I can find out about that before the trip, as I will be crossing Qld/NSW border and then NSW/SA. I didnt think there were "border checks" anymore.. wonder who I could phone...

 

I have taken him to the vet a few times in his large cage, he didnt mind at all. He just seemed to forget he was in the car and ran through his vocabulary all the way, even still flirting crazily with his calcium bell (which he's in love with!

 

He's never really worried about the car, the day I brought him home in an old (temporary) cage, I was very surprised as he sat there happily looking out of the window.

 

The metal cage rattled over every single bump in the road though and that would drive me bonkers over a few hours, hence a "DAZ" cage will be well received. It wasnt anything IN the cage, it was the cage itself rattling. I remember thinking that I could NEVER go on a long trip with it.

The best thing about having a transport box is, its the very best thing to have on hand for future vet visits as well

The only thing you'll be asked about at the SA border is fruit. They have even searched our caravan fridge and cupboards as you're not allowed to bring any in at all. I have never been asked about lifestock before. That said you might want to check out about their seed??

The best thing about having a transport box is, its the very best thing to have on hand for future vet visits as well

 

 

.............. and auctions.

Perhaps give him some training in the cage. You could put him in it for a little while every few days, and have him sitting next to you while you do your normal duties, talk to him, watch telly etc. so he feels comfortable in the cage and knows he is secure.

 

This is what is done to train budgies to sit happily in a show cage, otherwise they spend the entire time at the show trying to escape and get poorly judged.

Perhaps give him some training in the cage. You could put him in it for a little while every few days, and have him sitting next to you while you do your normal duties, talk to him, watch telly etc. so he feels comfortable in the cage and knows he is secure.

 

This is what is done to train budgies to sit happily in a show cage, otherwise they spend the entire time at the show trying to escape and get poorly judged.

 

Wow I never knew that, always wondered how they were able to sit so "posed" in the show cages!! A brilliant idea. I'll do that when I get the cage. I'll start putting him in it, perhaps with a sprig of millet and his favourite toy (the ball). I also want to see how he reacts to his "motel room". In fact probably a good thing between now and when I leave to let him experience the different cages, then the move wont be such a strange event for him. As you say, travel cage will be so handy for vet trip, his cage is so big and awkward to get in and out of the car.

 

Thanks for the tips!!!

I think you are getting a bit carried away about border checks,I don't think he would have

cattle ticks, or fruit fly,so you should be okay there.You are not tgoing into WA.So the seed

is not a problem.I brought 4 budgies back from Scone to Geelong,they were in the cage,

for 3days.It was just a carry cage about 400x250 I put a couple of millet sprays in the for

them & a piece of apple the day I travellerd home siting on the floor behind the frount seat.

They arrived home in good condition.