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I am facing a real dilemma. We are going to Ohio (from Georgia) for Christmas with my parents. Normally I would ask my son who lives a few miles from us to move in and look after my 3 dogs and 4 birds but all 3 of my sons are going, too.

I have made plans to board our dogs and have someone to feed my birds once a day but I am really worried about Yankee. He is just 5 months old and has only been with me for 2 months and has become so affectionate and needy. I am afraid to leave him home alone for a week with someone that will just change his food and water once a day. My lovebirds have each other and my parrotlet is a loner so they will be okay. But, Yankee...

So, I have 3 choices because I do not have any bird friends here in my very small home town.

1- I can board him with my vet. The groomer once had a cockatiel but they have never boarded a bird before although she says they have a room and I could load up his cage on my husband's truck and take it. They are less than a mile away. They are not avian vets, by the way. Cost is $9, and that is okay, but...

2-I can leave him home in the situation I described above.

3-I have a cage that I can pack that is 30" in lenth by 18 by 18. I also have a travel cage that he was sent to me in and I can take him with us on the 12 hour trip. I am prepared to hear the protest from my husband and 2 sons that will be in the car, too. Once in Ohio, I can spend time with him everyday.
He spent about 6 hours in the car with me when I picked him up at the airport 2 months ago and was an excellent traveler.

So, what do you think that I should do? I am really serious about asking for your opinions. I really don't know what to do.

Thanks, Cathy

Hi Cathy,

That is a tough decision to make. It might be too stressful on him to go with you because he will be in a completely new environment, surrounded by lots of people. Plus the temperature could be different, it might be difficult to provide 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep, people could burn scented candles etc. The car ride itself would probably be fine if you can make sure that the car stays warm for the whole time.

Boarding Yankee might be O.K. if he is in a room just with birds (with no other animals that he would be afraid of). But in most cases, the birds don’t usually get much time out (or no time out) of their cages while boarding at the vet’s. I would not board him till at least the age of 1 year because Yankee’s immune system is not fully developed yet (my vet did not let Jamie come to daycare before she turned one).

So I would personally probably choose to leave Yankee in his own environment. Could you pay the person who will change Yankees food/water to play with him? Could you get him to come over and see if the person would be comfortable to handle Yankee and Yankee would be comfortable with the person? At 5 months, caiques usually love everyone and they are so easy to handle and play with that all my non-bird friends were able to do it. Even if the person cannot handle Yankee, he could play with him through the cage bars, talk to him, watch TV with him or put Yankee’s favourite music on. You never know – Yankee could have a new friend I always love it when I see my birds wanting to interact other people.

Good luck and try not to worry too much…


Kate

Keeping a bird in their own environment is usually the best except with all the 'buts' that you have in this case. Will you have your own room while you're visiting and if any of the people smoke there, can they at least do that outside for one week? At 5 months old, I wouldn't want to leave him with a vet, although it's still a better situation than leaving him at home. While people can be careful, I wouldn't leave the playing, nuturing to anyone who hasn't at least had some experience with birds.
I would take him with you in his carrier and take his cage along of course. If the travel cage will sit upright in the back seat, I would definitely opt to put him in the cage and let him be able to look around and be a part of the trip. I would strongly suggest you have a sheet that will completely cover the cage. It's good to give them some 'covered' time to rest, and you never know if/when they can get a little car sick. The cover helps eliminate that.
When you're at the relatives, just keep him in the room you're sleeping in. Since the cage is portable, I'm sure there's a place you can bring him out into main areas while you're there. YOU will have to watch for Teflon use, cigarette, Dura-Flame log or candle smoke/flame. It doesn't hurt for them to begin getting some socialization skills and since you're right there with him, he will know he's safe even if there are a lot of people around. Watch his body language, you can tell by now if he's excited, nervous, scared. If that happens or if he's just been out for a long time and needs to rest, just put him back in your room, cover him and let him sleep or settle down.
This is just my personal opinion, but two years ago when Beaker was 3yo and I was only going to be gone for 3 days, I still took him with me. You make plans, prepare his food and have it ready to cook anywhere, take toys, blankets or covers, and anything else he would need as if he were at home. It's like taking a baby with you, you just pack up the 'birdy bag' and that way you KNOW he's safe
andrea

Well, it is the eve before we leave for our trip to Ohio and I have decided to take Yankee with me. I had pretty much decided to take him with me but recent events have made it a must. Yankee is almost 6 months old and the last time my son was home from college he would go to him and be really friendly, now all of a sudden, he seems to be afraid of everyone. I think that it is probably because my in-laws have been very ill and my husband has practically had to live with his mother and I have been "home alone" most of the time so Yankee has not been around anyone else for about 3 weeks. Today, when my neighbor came over for instructions on caring for my birds, Yankee wouldn't have anything to do for her.

SO, he is going to Ohio for some major Christmas socializing with my family. No one smokes and Dad hates Mom's candles so I'll just make just that he is in the back bedroom, which we'll share, it she lights any. They have a large home and our room is rather isolated, so he'll have a good place to rest when he needs it. I'm not sure how he'll take to my husband's snoring. I hope that he doesn't learn to imitate it. WOW, that is a horrible thought!

I just can't leave him home alone and there was no safe place that I could leave him. The dog groomer at my vet's office said that they could take him but they have never done it before and I just don't trust them, plus I don't want him to pick-up any illnesses.

Keep us in your thoughts, we leave Friday morning at 7 AM. My sons are going to be doing most of the driving so Yank and I should be able to spend most of the time within sight of each other, even if he is not out of his travel cage. I am going to try him in the back window with his shower perch. The trip is pretty smooth since it is 12 hours of interstate highways. I am taking a cage that I bought for school that I haven't used yet and if this trip goes well, I am going to leave it there because I usually fly to Ohio in the Spring and Summer. I hope that I have room for my clothes because I sure have packed enough stuff for Yankee. This is like packing with a baby.

If I can get to my nephew's internet, I'll let you know how things go.

Merry Christmas, Cathy and Yankee

Good luck and God bless. Im sure Yankee will be fine. I will have to face the same dilemma in about a week. We are going away for 2 weeks in January, so I will have to leave Skittles with my friends. I wish I could take him with me, but we are going to fly from Atlantic City to LA. That is a long trip and I don’t think that the hotel would let me have him:( I would rather keep him with me cos Im always worried when I leave him with other people. Have a safe trip and let us know how it went. Marry Christmas!

We're back and Yankee was absolutely the best traveler in the car. No complaints from him, unlike my 19-year old son! Yankee preferred to sit on me but he also rode in his little travel cage with no problem. I covered him up when we went into a fast-food restaurant to eat and he was always overjoyed to see me especially if I brought him a couple of fries.

I left the small cage and playpen in Ohio because the next time I go to see my parents, I am definately taking Yankee and we are going to fly. He was a hit with all in my family except my dad. He prefers women but did make up with everyone except my youngest son. He slept in my bedroom which was away from the hustle and bustle of the holiday but he preferred being with everyone.

The trip was a huge success for him and I am so glad that I took him. It was especially good for the two of us. We are making progress with the "potty training."

Yankee had no motion sickness and he ate constantly. My car is a mess but it will clean.

So glad Yankee did so well. I SO wish Bella was a better traveler. I am just going to keep trying once spring hits and the weather is nicer to take her out. It just breaks my heart when she gets herself so upset that she gets sick.

Beth, it is nothing that I have done. Yankee just likes to go and be "out and about." He loves to look out the window and we had plenty of food for the 14-hour trip. I got tired of holding him, but nothing seemed to phase him. I am just really lucky that he likes to travel, because all of my family lives so far away and I don't like to leave him at home. He really hates to be alone!