# Advice on how to transport budgie to vet



## Tlaseseyan (Apr 3, 2018)

Hello Everyone!

My budgie is still getting stains in his feathers above his cere, and the other day he sneezed 3 time and a very small amount of clean fluid came out of his right nostril, and his tail feathers look messy most of the time. But anyway, I was wondering if someone could give me advice on how to transport my bird to the vet. I found a small animal carrier online, so I will be taking him in that once I buy it, but how do I get my budgie in and out of the carrier? I've only had him for 3 weeks, and I've been bonding with him very well. He no longer goes away when I stick my hand in the cage, but yet he still will not perch on my finger, and when I tried to make him perch on my finger he put one foot on my finger and then jumped to a second perch. He needs to see a vet, but I just do not know how to put him in and out of the carrier without traumatizing him or making him scared of me. I love the little guy! But I just don't want him to associate me with fear when I transport him. :sad:


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## Blingy (Feb 26, 2018)

I'm so sorry to hear your little friend is unwell. Hopefully the vet will get him well again very soon. As for your question, you say your bird won't quite step up onto your finger yet, but will he step up onto a perch that you're holding? If so, you could use that to get him in and out of the carrier. While you're waiting for the carrier to arrive, you could practise getting him to step onto the perch, then when he's comfortable, slowly moving the perch inside his cage so that he gets used to it. When the cage arrives, I'd have it beside his cage so that when he does have to go in it, it's not completely foreign to him. I know you won't have much time to 'carrier train' him so to speak as you want to get him to the vet asap, but any training at all that you can do with him before his vet appointment, will make the whole thing less traumatic for him. I'm sure others will have much better advice, but I hope this helps. Good luck and please let us know what the vet says.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Alan,

How large is the budgie's cage?
Will it fit easily into your car?

If so, then simply remove any swings and hanging toys and transport your budgie to the vet in his regular cage. 
Cover the cage with a blanket, strap it in securely with the seat belt and ensure the budgie isn't in any drafts. Leave a section of the cage uncovered once in the car.

Have the vet get your budgie out of the cage when he's at the vet so that your bird doesn't associate the stress with being caught by you.

Best wishes for your little one to have a full and speedy recovery.*


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## Jesska (Apr 24, 2018)

I'm no expert, but I had to take Kowhai in to the vet shortly after I got him (though he was more hand tamed) but one thing I did beforehand was I let him get used to the pet carrier as one of his safe spaces before he needed to use it to travel.

First I just left if in his general area with his favourite snack sticking out. That was the only place he got to have his favourite treat (millet)! So he associated it with a nice safe space with yummy food.







Then when he did have to go to the vet I just put the millet in and he went in and happily chewed on it the whole trip with little distress.


(here he is in the vet waiting room)


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## RavensGryf (May 8, 2015)

Alan, as FaeryBee mentioned, It would be ideal if you can get the entire cage in your car (removing swings and moving parts), cover the cage for a sense of security, then uncover a part to see out of, then seatbelt the cage in.

In the event you need to catch you budgie, darkening the room helps. 

Wow Jesska, that is a great bird carrier! I absolutely love the design :thumbsup:.


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## Tlaseseyan (Apr 3, 2018)

Thank you all for the replies!! The cage is a bit big for my car, but I will try what you, Jesska, recommended. I love that transporter by the way haha. But now the weather is starting to get a bit warmer. What should I do if its too hot outside, apart from obviously turning on the car's AC. Should I put an ice pack inside the transporter? Or is there anything I need to know about transporting a budgie when the outside temp is high?


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## JRS (Sep 3, 2016)

Alan
I’m assuming that the ‘home to car’ and ‘parked car to vet’ distances are very short - so just let the car get to a comfortable temperature before you leave the house, and make sure that any vents will not be blowing directly at the cage. 
I’d still cover most of the cage with a light cloth to help him feel more secure.


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## Tlaseseyan (Apr 3, 2018)

Ok, I will do just that. Thank you very much!!


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*When using the AC in the car, make sure that not only are the vents pointed away from the cage, but also that the cage is covered to prevent the bird(s) from being in any drafts.
I've traveled with my birds for long distances in the car and they do just fine.*


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## Tlaseseyan (Apr 3, 2018)

I will bring a light cloth to cover my little guy's cage, thanks for the advice!!


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*When is the appointment scheduled with your Avian Vet?*


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## Tlaseseyan (Apr 3, 2018)

The appointment is on Thursday May 3rd


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Great. Please be sure to update us in this thread to let us know how everything goes.

Best wishes*


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## Tlaseseyan (Apr 3, 2018)

Hi everybody!

I took my budgie to the vet and everything went really well! The Vet said that my budgie has a broken feather but its no big deal or pain inducing. She could also hear something in the upper part of my budgies lungs and that he has a minor respiratory infection. She said it wasn't anything really serious and easily treatable, so she gave me an antibiotic. He took his first dose today (May 3rd), and I have to give him a dose every day for 9 more days via syringe (NO NEEDLE) orally in the evening. I told her that my budgie's tail is messy most of the time, but I don't think she commented on that. But it was a great visit and I feel much more at ease now. Thank you all very much for all your help, advice, and concern for my little guy!!


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## Blingy (Feb 26, 2018)

That's great news and you must feel like a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders. It's so scary when there is something wrong with our sweet budgies and we don't know what it is, or how serious it is. I'm glad you have a treatment plan in place and can look forward to a positive outcome. 


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