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Hi,

We are thinking about starting to offer shipping - to expand our customer base for our Macaws. Where are you all getting the custom crates for shipping babies (weaned). Is there a design specification, or are you all using some other off the shelf product like small dog crates or something like that. I would definitely appreciate any thoughts and insights from other who do this regularly.

Thank You,

George

Check with your preferred airline. They will have a list of requirements for approved shipping crates. The only airline is Aus that ships birds has very specific guidelines including what may be put in the shipping crate with the bird. IE....if it's going across state lines no fruit or veg can be in the crate. And just recently they have banned water in coop cups. We are now required to use cotton wool soaked in water instead.

I have shipped English budgies, Doves, Moustaches, Barrabands, Indian Ringnecks and Jardiens for years.

I have used the Single Nest by this company for shipping budgies with
Continental Airlines for years!
http://www.hm-e.net

I have used larger Nest crates when shipping my doves Express Mail.
http://www.hm-e.net/

All airlines accept Cabin Kennals with the wire tops often called "flat wire top carriers."
Here is an example.
http://www.futurepets.com/CABIN_KENNELS.HTM

I have also used more of a dog/cat carrier when shipping more than one Indian Ringneck. I just made a wire divider in the carrier with a door for one bird in back to be closed off.
http://www.futurepets.com/CABIN_KENNELS.HTM

Hi George Ive used cat or small dog carriers .Also I use to put half an orange in it for them to chew on. I used Delta air lines and they were easy to deal with but that was 10 years age . Good Luck Mark

marky wrote:Hi George Ive used cat or small dog carriers .Also I use to put half an orange in it for them to chew on. I used Delta air lines and they were easy to deal with but that was 10 years age . Good Luck Mark

Mark

Delta has gone donw hill in the last 10 years when it comes to shipping. Way back when I use to use them all the time. Now I only use them when a customer requests them or they are the only airlines to fly into a small airport.

Kerry

Thank You guys for your pointers, really appreciated.

George

Hi George,

I just shipped (last Friday- day after Thanksgiving) a baby MACAW from Detroit to Springfield Mo (Branson) with Delta Pets First. Used a PetCo crate (Classic 600 series- 32" size- the grey color one) so the tail would not be too cramped, just hate it when they spend so much time growing it just to have it broke off by improper shipping. The things I did to make it comfortable for the Baby Macaw was to install a perch near the front about 5" off the floor, and of course you need to cover the openings of the crate with a mesh (I used a plastic mesh but steel will also work) so the bird can not (or people put their fingers inside) reach out and bite something.

I installed two small Tupperware cups on the door for food and water, the airline can fill the water by spraying it through the mesh and as for the food, oh well, the baby ate it all before I even got to the airport... lol. So I refilled it and marked down (that he was fed and watered) on the shipping label the time I turned the crate over to the Delta Staff.

Ok, so here is how it went, Detroit to Atlanta flight, then a two hour layover at Atlanta, then a quick flight to Branson. Left Detroit at 4:05 (had to check him in two hours in advance so 2pm) and my customer called that she picked him up at 9:30 (so therefore 10:30 my time) For a total transport time of 8 hours. Cost was 123.00 (108.00 for the flight and 15.00 for 3,000.00 worth of insurance)

In addition to the pellets I put in the cup I also included three Michigan Grown organic Apples (there is no law against this), a few toys to keep him occupied, his baby rings (toys he has had since growing up) and I also I put an older bath towel and my old bath robe. This is the same bath robe I used while I was hand feeding him, but cleaned. I could tell he knew this robe and was comfortable with it being there on account of all the times he use to fall asleep on it. It just made a nice bed for him to snuggle into if he wanted to.

Ok, everything went just perfect, even though temps in Detroit was 25 degrees and snowing when he left. Delta Pets First was terrific keeping him inside the cab of the truck all the way up to the airplane and safely put him inside quickly. In fact he was the last item inside the plane before it took off. The cargo cabin is HEATED and pressurized unlike what many people here have said. They went overboard to accommodate this baby Macaw so I can firmly testify to the fantastic service of Delta and their crew.

So in summary, feel safe to ship your baby with Delta, I have.

Dutch

I only use Delta, and have had only good experiences with them. And I do a lot of shipping.

The only thing I would add is don't provide water in the carrier, it spills and doesn't last very long and when the temps get down the bird can be wet and chilled, provide an ample supply of fruit such as oranges, apples, grapes, anything with a high liquid content, this will suffice for water till they get to their destination, I've shipped all over the country for many years and this as worked well for us, I have received birds that were shipped with water in their carriers, the water is long gone, the carrier is soaked, as well as the bird, and its just a big mess, if your bird is waterbottle trained then this would be an option but the fruit has always worked for me and never have I had an issue while shipping.

We have shipped with both Delta and Continental for years. I prefer Continental. Delta lost a bird once and finally after a few hours found it. I asked if she would get to her destination that night and they couldn't give me a yes. She did make it that night, but it ticked me off. We've shipped with both so many times they know us by name. I will still use Delta, just prefer Continental.

Continental does not have weather restrictions like Delta, here the birds are brought to baggage in the main terminal and picked up there (they are usually there before peoples bags). Continental does not require a mesh on the kennel (Delta here, for us, does not either). Continental is NOT COD on shipping as Delta is. Continental is about 20.00 higher then Delta as far as cost.

When we ship all our birds I cut up an apple, orange, and grapes. I secure them in the back of the kennel in deep cups with zip ties. For added water I add frozen mixed veggies that are still partially frozen. A perch and sometimes cardboard on the front door. I also use zip ties to secure the door closed.

**Side note*** Zip ties are a wonderful invention, LOL