Bird carrier that is affordable ?

[LoveBug12]

I do travel with Junior and since I'm getting another lovie very soon..i need carriers.


I need affordable carriers because I don't have much money. I've looked on Dr. Fosters and smith but is there anything cheaper? Any other sites that I can look on?:confused:

[Sekhmet]

I use the cheap, 15 dollar cages they sell at petco/petsmart for budgies:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754310&lmdn=Bird

They are great, but you have to make sure to clip/twist-tie the doors shut, as they are all guillotine.

[Anneka]

I like the one I have. Bought it in Petco a year ago. Mine is large , great size for small birds. It comes in different pastel colors.

http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:6seRSF-UNAgJ:www.petco.com/product/11496/PETCO-Small-Animal-and-Bird-Carriers.aspx+Petco+small+animal+carrier&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

[LoveBug12]

I like the one I have. Bought it in Petco a year ago. Mine is large , great size for small birds. It comes in different pastel colors.

http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:6seRSF-UNAgJ:www.petco.com/product/11496/PETCO-Small-Animal-and-Bird-Carriers.aspx+Petco+small+animal+carrier&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

I like the colors and it's really cute too! Hmmmmm, maybe I'll get that kind :). Thanks for showing me!

[Janie]

I also found a great carrier at PetCo, very similar to the one Anneka posted. I paid $32 (in store) and see that it's cheaper on-line but then you have to add shipping so you don't really save that way. Here is that link:

http://www.petco.com/product/9601/PETCO-Bird-Carrier.aspx?CoreCat=certona-_-productdetail_1-_-PETCO%20Bird%20Carrier-9601

[linda040899]

Janie,
The carrier you use is, by far, the safest one. When driving, I realize that I only have so much control over situations. In case of an accident, I need to make sure my feathered passengers are also protected. A cage or poor quality carrier will not do the job.

[Sekhmet]

I hate to point this out, but there is not really much you can do with any carrier to protect a bird during a car accident. Because the bird itself is not restrained, it is going to hit the side of any carrier at the velocity the car was traveling. One possible option is lining the inside of a carrier with towels and hoping that your bird doesn't hit them in such a way that they break bones or necks.

I always just buckle my travel cages in with a seatbelt. I really like the inexpensive budgie cages for that, because they are tall enough that the shoulder-strap and lap-belt can secure the cage. Although it probably won't save my bird in the event of a serious accident, the chances are better in a fender-bender that his cage won't go flying in the car, doing him more damage than the actual crash!

[FuzzyAga]

The plastic Petco case that Janie uses (I do, too) can be put into the three-point seat belt in the back seat. I buckle Petey and Juanita in and I'm happy with the good restraint.

[linda040899]

I use Petmate airline approved carriers and I also buckle them snuggly in the back seat of my car. The plastic of the airline approved carriers is strong and does offer protection as long as the carrier is secured in place.

[Sekhmet]

Hard plastic offers protection from being hit by things, but it doesn't protect that animal from being thrown around inside, unfortunately. And that is where a lot of bodily harm is done, during car accidents. The sad thing is, even with the best carriers, our little pals are riding around without their seatbelts on.

Buckling up carriers is the best we can do for our fids, until they make little birdie car-seats. :)

[michael]

I hate to point this out, but there is not really much you can do with any carrier to protect a bird during a car accident. Because the bird itself is not restrained, it is going to hit the side of any carrier at the velocity the car was traveling.......

The problem with both Petco cages (item no. 2754310) and (sku 740616), is they offer little protection in the way of overall integrity. ... Not only do these type carriers tend to easily collapse (they are afterall, collapsable), they also come apart in more ways than one. .. If your vehicle is lacking "lap belts", or fails to offer some sort of suitable restraint, the best option is to place the carrier on the rear floor of the vehicle. ... While even the best carriers won't offer full protection, the additional cost for one that won't fly apart on minimal impact may be well worth it...............:)

[Sekhmet]

I just wire mine all together...they definitely don't come apart (ask me about the time I dropped one in the vets parking lot (blessedly without a bird in it). But I am paranoid. Once, back when I was breeding canaries I had the whole bottom of a cage drop off at a bird show. Luckily I realized before any of the canaries did, but I learned my lesson there and I now wire any cheap travel cages together.

[linda040899]

Hard plastic offers protection from being hit by things, but it doesn't protect that animal from being thrown around inside, unfortunately. And that is where a lot of bodily harm is done, during car accidents.

I also remove food/water dishes from my carriers when I'm traveling. If I'm going a distance, I stop, put the dishes back in so my bird/birds can eat while I take a break from driving. Once the car is in motion again, I remove the dishes. I've experienced a couple of near misses that were not my fault and no one got hurt, thank goodness!

If I have to take a cage outside, I learned a long time ago that you secure the bottom to the top with twist or zip ties. I lost the bottom of a cage inside my house (thankfully!) and it's a precaution I've taken ever since.