Traveling with Lovebirds

[MaraJade]

Hey! Don't know if anyone will remember me; I haven't posted on here in a good six months or so...

anyway, you people have always been a valuable resource to me whenever I have a question and here I am back with another question. :)

I moved to Washington State from Massachusetts back in October and left my lovebirds with my parents. Now my parents are coming for a visit in a month and they are flying Jet Blue, which will allow them to take my two buddies in the cabin area with them and put them under the seat.

Besides getting through security (I already checked; they will bring them into a separate room to take them out of the carrier), I have one more issue. My dad read online that even paired lovebirds should be separated on a flight due to stress and that one may attack the other.

Is this true? Button and Justarius have been a pair for well over a year now and have never had issues. I would think it would be far more traumatic to separate them. My dad was thinking he would rig up a divider in their plastic carrier. So that they can still see each other, but can't get to one another. It all sounds so complicated. When I take them to the vet or something they always ride together. Is flying different?

Any help is, as always, appreciated. :)

[Janie]

Hey Jessie,

I do remember you! :D Just talking to a friend a few days ago about that great lovie tattoo you have! I'm getting oh so close to getting my first and at almost 60, it's high time! :D

Someone was just talking about that very thing, two in the same carrier, a few weeks ago but I can't remember what the outcome of that thread was. I do know that people have shipped two and even more than two in the same carrier so my guess is that it would be fine but wait till someone who ships birds checks in. Linda, Eric and several others here can advise you about that. It is great to hear that Jet Blue will allow them in the cabin, under a seat. :)

[MaraJade]

Hi Janie! long time. :)

Yea, my tattoo. . . I can't wait to add the two quaker parakeets (one green, one blue) that I had in mind behind the lovies. Especially now that Gunther has passed away. It'll be a nice memorial tattoo.
When/if you do get one, you have to post pics of course! I remember you talking about that before.

[linda040899]

Hi Jessie,
If the 2 lovebirds get along with each other and they are not Abyssinian Lovebirds, you shouldn't have to separate them! Tell you parents to put them in the carrier, give them some millet and either apple or orange slices for moisture and enjoy the trip.

When shipping Abyssinian Lovebirds, even tightly bonded pairs must be separated or both of them might not make it to their destination. As an exception to that, whenever I take any of my Abbys to see my avian vet, I never separate them. Both go in the same carrier and they've always done just fine. However, I'm close at hand in case anything happens. That's not true on airplanes!

[MaraJade]

Thanks Linda. that is good to know. I would hate to separate them. Button loves her Justarius so much. I think he could take or leave her some days though. lol.

And if my parents hear any squabbling at least they will be on the plane with them and not in a cargo hold or something. Thanks.

[Janie]

Hi Jessie,
If the 2 lovebirds get along with each other and they are not Abyssinian Lovebirds, you shouldn't have to separate them!


Ahhhh, I knew I remember something about separation! Linda's Abbys!

[Eliza]

Jessie! It's wonderful to hear from you :)

Button and Justarius are coming home to you now? That is WONDERFUL news. I wish them (and your parents, of course!) a safe journey across country.

Here's a link to an article that might be helpful or to have as a reference: http://www.parrotchronicles.com/winter2001/travel.htm

Oh and you MUST share a link of your lovie tattoo with me ;)

-e-

ps -- Button and Beetle could be mirror image twins. Gotta love those orange faces, right?

[Janie]

Oh and you MUST share a link of your lovie tattoo with me ;)

-e-



I went back....way back and couldn't find a photo of that tat. I found photos from two years ago, Jessie, and it's not there....:cry: Hopefully you still have it and can share it again. :D

[Cathy]

I think that I read somewhere about giving a bird ginger or ginger root before traveling as it helps with stress. Has anyone else heard of that?

I want to see the tattoo, too. I want one and my husband keeps telling me that I'm craze but at 55 I prefer to call it eccentric!

[MaraJade]

LOL. I'm so flattered about the tattoo compliments. Here is a picture of it.

Tattoo (http://buzznet-51.vo.llnwd.net/assets/users8/marajade27/random/My_finished_tat--large-msg-1123285360-2.jpg)

I plan to put two quakers behind it still. With some flowers and vines as well. The first lovie is supposed to be Button. Her head is a bit crooked, but it's still a good likeness. :lol

Yes, those OFs are ADORABLE. I picked her for her personality, but she's so dang pretty too. It gets her out of a LOT of trouble. I think my parents are really going to miss them. My dad goes in and talks to them everyday. haha.

But my parents are still keeping TK and Peachy Keen. I don't know if anyone remembers them as well.

Four lovies (http://buzznet-15.vo.llnwd.net/assets/users12/marajade27/default/button_readies_herself_to_fly_to_me--large-msg-116062495564.jpg)
(TK and Peachy are in the back, Button is getting ready to fly to me, with Justarius sitting calmly next to her.)

My mom fell in love with those two and since she totally loved Gunther and wanted to keep him, I thought she might like to keep those two. Button is really my "baby" so I couldn't let Mom keep her. Though I think she's plotting a way to say they got lost on the plane or something. Everyone loves Button. ;)

Thanks for the travel link!

[MaraJade]

Button and Justarius are coming home to you now? That is WONDERFUL news. I wish them (and your parents, of course!) a safe journey across country.


LOL. We're all such "bird people" here. I love it. "and your parents too". :lol

[Eliza]

I want to see the tattoo, too. I want one and my husband keeps telling me that I'm craze but at 55 I prefer to call it eccentric!

Oh, you are SO NOT CRAZY. Whether your 25 or 105, if a tattoo is what you want, GO FOR IT! I have 5 and am constantly trying to get my mother (just shy of 70) under the needle.

I LOVE the lovie tattoo! It's perfect and really captures the birds' expressions :)

-e-

[Janie]

Jessie, thanks for posting that one again. I just LOVE it! I seriously considered doing the same thing and then my older son (the younger one will not hear of anything to do with one) reminded me that at my age, my arms are going to start slacking (LOL, what an understatement) and the tat will droop. I'm leaning towards the ankle or back of my neck. Maybe both??? :D

[MaraJade]

I would suggest, between those two anyway, your ankle. Either one is going to hurt a bit because it's on your spine or ankle bone. But for your first tat I would avoid the neck/spine area. If you can take the ankle, then move on from there.

I'm not saying the pain is excruciating or something. I"m sure you can handle it just fine. It's just that the back of the neck is one of the more painful areas because of how sensitive it is.

[Janie]

I would suggest, between those two anyway, your ankle. Either one is going to hurt a bit because it's on your spine or ankle bone. But for your first tat I would avoid the neck/spine area. If you can take the ankle, then move on from there.

I'm not saying the pain is excruciating or something. I"m sure you can handle it just fine. It's just that the back of the neck is one of the more painful areas because of how sensitive it is.

Jessie, THANK YOU for the input! I stopped a young guy in the grocery store a few days ago cause he was covered in tat's and had one on the back of his heck. He did ask me how well I tolerated pain and I told him I'd given birth twice. He LOL and told me I could handle it! :lol I am thin and I am boney and lord, my ankle bone is sharp.....hmmm, I'll have to give this a little more thought as to "placement!" :D

[MaraJade]

Janie,
We should have a tattoo thread. ;)

I think it's true that women handle tats better than men. It's kind of funny that way.
If you think your ankle bone sticks out a bit too much then I would go for the neck. the general rule is that the less boney the better.
my first was on my spine so I hated that feeling. But the next one was on my shoulder blade - a bit more skin. then I got the lovie one on my arm - no problem.
Everyone handles it differently. You'll also notice, if you get more than one, that you have a "good side" and a "bad side" to tattoo. My less painful side is my right because I'm right-handed. But it doesn't always go that way. I know, I know. all these theories and no proof to them. lol.

[KathyMay]

Hey there! I moved to Hawaii from San Diego(Paradise to Paradise)... I put my lovies in a cat carrier & a couple of perches that screw into to cage & some apples & millet & they did fine!. The airlines will tell you to put a towel in the bottom of the cage to collect poop & pee. I told them it could get caught up in their toes & OK'd paper towels for me.
~hope that helps

[wilkiecoco]

i have no info about travelling, BUT................WOW on the tattoo!! i wish i had the guts to do something like that!!!! :omg: i've often thought about getting a little heart, something small to start with and then..........i chicken out.

good luck on the lovie move - i bet you can't wait to get your babies home :happy:

[MaraJade]

Kathy (that's my mom's name :) ) - When I talked to TSA they didn't mention anything about the towel so I'm sure as long as my parents explain it'll be fine too. My lovies are so picky that we're just going to give them a bit of their regular food and then some fruit for moisture. They hate millet and think it's going to attack them. all my birds have been that way. I have NO idea why. I introduce them to tons of food but they never seem all that interested.

Robyn - a small one to start would be a GREAT idea. ;) that way you can see what the needles feel like. It hurts, but never as bad as you think it's going to. So that's always a relief. lol.