emergencies

[caligogreywings]

This is inspired by the recent bad weather in my area. There were multiple tornado warnings, and it happens fairly often enough. Right now I have the budgie's flight cage on top of the ferret cage, and the finch girls are on their own rolling work table. We were able to push the cages into the hallway, but I got to thinking about a better

Comments

[txscyn]

I have seen a lot of people with smaller birds make a carrier from the plastic totes with snap on lids made by Sterlite....the size they use for file boxes. poke a few holes mount a perch or two....just cover the bottom with seeds for litter in an emergency. And maybe add a space to install a water bottle.

[flyingfluff]

maybe this?

http://www.petco.com/product/5914/PETCO-Pet-Keeper-for-Small-Animals.aspx?CoreCat=MM_SmallAnimalSupplies_Carriers

or

http://www.windycityparrot.com/Penn-Plax-800-Small-Animal-Bird-Parrot-Carrier--Small-8-x-6-x-5_p_614.html

[zandperl]

I have a version of the latter and I strongly recommend against it as an emergency carrier. The big flaw is that the two semi-circular plastic sides (they're square on mine) are only held in place by the ends of the wire handle. This means that when you drop it, the handle pops off, the sides pop open, and your panicked bird pops out and off. It is tolerable for trips to the vet and the boarder's, but I would not use it in an emergency where the likelihood of your dropping the cage is significantly increased.

[flyingfluff]

ooh... good point! Thank you for pointing that out.

[variance]

For my smaller birds, (Conure and Quaker) I use a small kitten carrier. I found one that didn't have holes in the sides and a metal frame door. I used stainless steel screening on the door so the birds couldn't slip though the bars. Whole thing cost me $25. I put a hole through the side and put a perch inside so they have something to hold on to.

Previously to the carrier, I picked up cardboard travel boxes for small birds from the local petstore. While they wouldn't stand up to something falling on them, they worked for moving the little birds quickly.

When I had a budgie, I used a cage small critter carrier that was originally intended for my hedgehog. I modified it with the screening, as well.

[zandperl]

For emergencies I recommend an airline approved carrier like this one. It's quite sturdy and it's easy to cover the top so that the bird can't see out as well and hopefully will remain more calm as a result. You could probably use one for the ferret, and if the budgies and finches get along they could share a second, or else have one for the budgie and the third for the finches. You could use a large canvas beach tote to carry all of them together, and you can definitely stack two or three of them high in a car seat.

FWIW if it's a situation where you have to get out NOW (house on fire, gas leak, you can see the tornado out the window), just shove the birds into pillowcases and tie a knot in the top. It's better alive in a pillowcase than left behind. I keep an emergency kit next to Kappa's cage and it includes a pillowcase in the bottom.

[caligogreywings]

Thank you for those very very good resources. This is exactly what I was looking for, and I like that the airline approved cage is very affordable. I don't think I'll ever be flying with my birds, but having a cage for them just in case makes a lot of sense, because you just never know.

[bloolark]

I keep airline approved dog/cat carriers (dependent on parrot size) directly beneath (or next to, in the case of the macaws) each parrot cage so that they're handy. :)