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| BIRD PREP | CONTAINERS | CONTAINER PREP | GUIDELINES | TIPS | WEATHER | COSTS | LINKS |
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Visitors Online Now: |
| BIRD PREP | CONTAINERS | CONTAINER PREP | GUIDELINES | TIPS | WEATHER | COSTS | LINKS |
Shipping birds can be made to be less stressful by following some sensible advice from experienced shippers and adhering to the rules and regulations of the shippers. What follows is an outline of how to avoid undue stress, accidents, loss, and/or injury to the birds that you want to ship. This is also a useful guide when buying a bird that needs to be shipped. BIRD PREP - It's important that you condition your birds for at least a week before shipping. Babies on formula don't need any extra vitamin supplements, but an older bird may. Fortify them all with a stress reduction preparation such as Ornabac™. This is a granular powder to be administered to their soft foods for at least a week before shipping and a week afterward shipping. The lactobacillus and low ph level will help avert bacterial infections resulting from stress. The B-Complex vitamins will help with the stress level itself. You can administer this freely to babies as well as adults.  CONTAINER PREP - Remove the water receptacles included with the kennel cab. Most airlines now require that a perch be installed (screwed in from the outside of the container) for birds. It's best to have the perch no higher than an inch from the bottom. This way, a bird won't fall hard or get caught under the perch during turbulence. Line the bottom of the carrier with newspaper or crumpled then tamped down paper toweling so that the bird has a better foothold if it stays on the bottom. You might want to tape a thick piece of cardboard halfway up the front door if the weather is inclement or if you are shipping babies. For birds that are large and can chew through most material, be sure to line the carrier with hardware cloth. Covering most of or the entire cab with a lightweight cloth will also reduce stress upon the bird(s). Container must be able to be inspected by airline, though. Even bonded pairs should be shipped separately or in a separate compartment within the cab to avoid stress wounds. Fill the bottom of the carrier with seed (and/or pellets if that is their diet). It works as a good bedding liner and gives them nourishment if they want to eat during the flight. Place cubes of juicy fruit in the container on the floor - grapes, apples, oranges, etc. This will provide the bird(s) with liquids during the flight and any layovers. Just be sure that there is enough food for the bird(s) in case of a 1 or 2 day delay! Finally, it would be wise to secure an extra piece of hardware cloth over the entire door of the container so that no one is tempted to open the door to take a closer look or to take the bird. Be sure to advise the recipient to have wire cutters handy to remove the wire quickly after getting the birds home or to be able to examine the bird(s) at the airport. Some carriers now have specific requirements for covering sides and front of the container. Larger parrots with more destructive beaks should be shipped in Vari-Kennels rather than the plastic sided carriers that they can chew out of. Containers must have the "LIVE ANIMAL" label on it. GUIDELINES- Each carrier has special requirements for accepting shipments of birds. They do change from time to time, so you should be sure that you are aware of them before making the trip to the airport. Some states require that the airlines obtain a veterinary health certificate (usually paid for by the recipient with costs ranging from $20 and up) and that the bird(s) be banded. Hawaii has special regulations regarding air travel for pets. Health certificates dated no more than ten days prior to origin of travel are required for all live animal shipments into Hawaii. Some airlines require proof of your business and breeder status. Please note that it is ILLEGAL to ship parrots through the USPS. There are fines and confiscation of birds for doing so. If you are unable to prove that the birds are domestic, you may not be able to retrieve them at all. Be sure to call your shipper to ask how soon before the flight departs that you need to bring in the carrier. Delta's official policy is 2 hours. Continental's is 1½ hours. However, each local office may have different guidelines. TIPS - Try to avoid shipping birds around major holidays and on Fridays and weekends. It's best to ship in the morning and arrange for arrival times before the regular Air Cargo staff goes home. If there is a flight delay, you may have the bird(s) sitting at an airport for days. Avoid shipping during any national security crisis too. A direct flight is the safest if you have access to a major airport and the recipient does too. There are stopover locations that should be avoided if possible. I believe that one of them is Atlanta GA. Check with your carrier to see how much insurance they will cover your shipment for. They may give you the option of purchasing extra insurance to fully cover the bird(s). Birds are only covered for disappearance, injury or loss resulting from the carrier's negligence. You will not be able to collect anything if it is discovered that the bird(s) health was compromised before shipment. Air Cargo vs. Counter-to-Counter: All birds are shipped air cargo. The counter-to-counter feature pays off when there are layover stops. Rather than sitting on a hot or cold tarmac, the birds are taken inside. On final arrival, the birds are immediately taken to the counter rather than the air cargo office. In most cases, air cargo is sufficient. Sometimes in some locations, it's better because the birds are handled by experienced animal cargo staffers. Counter-to-counter may also not be as secure as air cargo in some larger airports since the carriers are more accessible to the general public. WEATHER - It's wise to check with your airline before shipping to be sure that there will be no weather restrictions. This includes the weather at departure point and the weather at arrival point. The USDA has clear guidelines on temperature limits (45° to 85° limits). *Bear in mind that if you are the BUYER, you may be asked to pay for the SELLER'S transportation costs (mileage, etc.) to the airport in addition to the shipping and crating fees. Rates also do not include any fuel, security, or tax surcharges that may apply. Generally, the rates are listed for up to 9 lbs.
LINKS Foreign travel with birds - Fish & Wildlife Service
U.S.D.A. - (1-800-545-8732)
Horizon Micro Container (viral shield containers) - (1-800-443-2498) http://www.negia.net/~horizon
Shipping birds to the UK - http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/int-trde/animl-im/Captive%20Birds%201.pdf |
