
How did I carrier - trained (travel carrier) my Cockatiel?
How did I carrier - trained (travel carrier) my Cockatiel?
You often have to take your bird outside to a vet or on a walk. Birds can get frightened by numerous things outside. Therefore, to protect your bird from any harm or flying away, you need to get a bird travel cage. You can find numerous quality and lightweight bird carriers in the market nowadays. Also, bird travel carriers are very convenient as they will protect your bird from any harm. However, it can be difficult to carrier train your pet. Here are some steps I followed to train my Cockatiel:
Getting used to the pet travel carrier
First, you need to make your bird clear with the bird travel cage. Most parrots are territorial animals. They find new places and things frightening, so it can become difficult to get used to a carrier. So first, make your bird used to the carrier. For this, place the birds travel near their cage so that they get familiar with it and do not perceive it as something foreign.
Luring with toys and treats
The next thing that you need to do is make your pet bird get inside or near the carrier. For this, you can use things that your bird likes. For instance, you can place their favorite toy or accessory inside the travel carrier. You can also use some treats that your bird loves to eat. For example, you can place their favorite fruit or vegetable inside the carrier. Luring them toward the carrier is the most difficult task.
Exploring the place
Birds explore things to get familiar with them. They view it and check it to see if it is safe for them. So, once you get your pet bird near the travel carrier cage, you have to wait for your bird. The bird will move inside and over it. The parrot will check it by exploring it from different directions. All these things are common in birds as they take time to accept things.
Letting it spend some time
Now, you have to keep your bird for some time inside the carrier. Firstly, prepare the carrier properly for your pet bird. Place a soft towel on the lower surface of the carrier so that your bird can lay comfortably. You can place water and food items inside the carrier since you are not moving. Also, you can place some bird accessories so that your bird can enjoy it. You can start this once your bird is familiar with the travel cage. Place your pet bird inside the cage for some time. However, keep checking to see if there are any signs of panic or anxiety. In case of any signs, remove your bird immediately.
Taking out on trials
Before taking them on the original travel, give them small trials inside the home. Place your bird inside the carrier and move through the home. This step will get your pet bird used to staying and moving inside the bird carrier. You can take them even outside to the garden so that they have a true experience of going outside. This step will ensure that your bird is fully trained before the actual travel.
How to purchase a travel carrier?
To make your bird properly trained, you have to first get an appropriate travel cage for them. There are a few things to consider when purchasing a travel cage, which is as follows:
- The size of the carrier must be according to the size of your bird. It must be large enough to accommodate them entirely.
- Always get a lightweight bird carrier so that you can carry it around conveniently.
- The carrier must be made up of safe material and free of anything toxic to birds.
- It must have enough openings to properly ventilate the carrier so that bird does not get congested inside it.
Conclusion
To summarise, you have to follow a few basic steps to carrier train your bird, whether cockatiel or any other parrot. The bird must be comfortable inside the carrier so that you can move them easily. For this, make your bird familiar with the cage. Also, urge them to move inside or near the carrier through treats and toys. Most importantly, give trails to pet birds before moving them outside in a travel cage.