Tips for Moving With Birds to a New Home

It’s such a great joy to have a pet bird in your home!

But when the time comes for you to move to another place, then it’s imperative that you come up with a good plan about how to move birds to a new home. You have a pet bird and you’re taking them with you – that part is perfectly clear.

What may not be too clear, though, is how you’re supposed to prepare your feathered friend for the relocation so that they experience as little stress as possible and arrive at the new home 100% healthy and safe.

By nature, birds are territorial so most bird species will have a hard time adjusting to a completely new environment and can get rather anxious and stressed out during the relocation trip, especially after the move when they find themselves in a strange and unfamiliar place.

Too much move-related stress for your birds could lead to behavioral issues, so you must do whatever is necessary to reduce your pets’ anxiety.

These tips for moving with birds to a new home will help you keep your feathered companions safe, healthy, and stress-free during the entire process of moving from one place to another.   

1. Keep your bird as stress-free as possible

Most birds are too sensitive to even minor changes within their established environment and therefore, are likely to get anxious as soon as they see the sudden appearance of cardboard boxes throughout the house.

But even way before that moment, they should be able to pick up the worrisome notes and palpable tension in their master’s voice when the upcoming house move is being discussed.

Your pet bird – whether it’s a parrot, a canary, a dove, a finch, or another type of pet bird species – should also sense that something big is about to happen soon, so their natural reaction will be to begin to worry.

And since you won’t be able to talk to them and reassure them that everything’s going to be alright – though you can still try that calming tactic, it’s a great idea to keep their immediate environment as unchanged as possible.

• Keep your bird away from the noise and commotion of packing, and later from the (almost) inevitable chaos on the day of the move. Take your pet to a quiet room far from the house moving action.
• Maintain your bird’s feeding and playing routines during the entire pre-move preparation period.

Moving With Cats to a New Home

2. Take your bird to see the vet

When moving with birds, there’s something that you must do no matter how busy you are or how little time there is left in your packing and moving calendar – to take your pet bird for a checkup at the vet’s office.

Even if your pet friend looks fine and acts normally, that check-up by a veterinarian is important, especially when you’re about to undertake a long-distance move across the country.

• Schedule an appointment with a licensed avian vet a few weeks before the actual move. The idea is to have enough time until Moving day in case the vet prescribes any supplements for your dear pet.
• Make sure that your pet bird is healthy enough to make the relocation trip.
• Speak with the vet about whether there’s something that can help your bird have a smoother transition between the two homes. The doctor may recommend some changes in the diet or prescribe specific immune boosters or digestive supplements that will alleviate possible stress symptoms.
• Ask the vet if they can recommend a good colleague of theirs in the destination town or city – a routine question that can save you plenty of time after the move.

Moving With Dogs to a New Home

3. Prepare the necessary documentation

When moving with birds to another state or when moving abroad, you have to first check the local laws in that destination state or country and look for potential restrictions for the specific bird you own. Whether you know it or not, your pet bird may be a species of protected wildlife – usually in the case of exotic birds such as parrots, cockatoos, and macaws.

If you’re moving to another country, then be sure to check the website of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services to obtain more information, including the required permits you must have with you.

While at the vet’s office, have the doctor issue a health certificate proving that your bird is in excellent health at the time of the interstate or international move.

Also, you may need some extra paperwork such as proof of vaccinations or documents that will help you register your pet with a new vet in the destination town or city, if applicable.

4. Prepare the bird’s carrier

You should know well enough that moving a bird to a new home is only possible when your pet stays inside a bird cage. You may decide to use your feathered companion’s regular cage to transport them (they should feel more comfortable in it) or use a different carrier – one that will provide extra room and better security in transit.

As a rule of thumb, when transporting your bird in a car, you can use their familiar cage and they should feel fine inside it. When traveling by air, you should get a specially-approved bird carrier that has been OK-ed for air travel.

The next step is to prepare your bird’s carrier so that when the time comes, you’ll be entirely ready for the relocation trip.

• Get an appropriate bird carrier – one that won’t be too large to allow your pet bird to fly inside it for fear of getting hurt, but still spacious enough for your animal friend to feel comfortable in it.
• Remove all non-essential items (swings, toys, etc.) from the cage a few days before the move-out date so that you give your pet time to adjust to the change.
• Let your bird explore the alternate transportation carrier little by little and give them some tasty treats while inside to get accustomed to it faster.
• Have twist ties ready to secure all openings, thus making sure all doors stay closed and secured during transport.
• Pack the bird carrier essentials in a small box and have them easily accessible in the car during the trip.

How to Move a Fish Tank to Another House

5. Figure out how to transport your bird

It’s a bit funny how even though all pet birds are able to fly, you still have to figure out the best way to transport birds when moving house simply because you can’t just let them out of their cages and tell them,

Fly away, dear birdie, see you in the new home in 2 days.

Basically, there are two ways to transport a bird when moving to a new home:

Method 1: Transport your bird in your car

This transportation method is ideal when you’ve made up your mind to drive to the new destination in your own car. You can keep your pet bird in their regular bird cage and the feathered friend should feel generally at ease when you and possibly your family members are with them.

The best thing about moving your bird in a car is that you get almost complete control over the whole relocation process – you get to choose whether to play some relaxing music in the vehicle to calm your pet and you also get to control the temperature inside the car so that everyone, including your bird, feels comfortable.

Method 2: Travel with your bird by air

When you’re moving to another far-away part of the country (cross-country move) or when moving to another country altogether, traveling by air becomes the only reasonable choice to transport your bird pet.

Of course, the best thing about air travel is that it’s much faster than road travel, so even though you’ll have less control over the entire relocation trip, you’ll be in the new home before you know it.

How to Move Cross Country With Exotic Pets

6. Transport your bird in your car

Without a doubt, transporting your pet bird in a car is the best way to complete the house move and keep everyone safe and happy.

• Transport your bird in their familiar home cage as they will feel most comfortable inside it.
• Remove any toys, swings, feeders, and water receptacles because those accessories can easily shift on the road and potentially hurt your pet.
• Use cable ties to secure the cage doors and prevent them from accidental opening.
• Consider covering the cage with a lightweight cloth to give them a sense of security and protect their eyes from strong direct sunlight.
• Make sure there’s enough air circulating within the vehicle.
• Position the bird cage on the back seat and secure it with a seatbelt or have a family member hold it safely during the trip.
• Have fresh water and appropriate bird food – small pieces of juicy fruits are ideal for the occasion.
• Maintain a constant comfortable temperature as most birds are rather sensitive to sudden temperature changes.
• Consider playing some soothing music on the car stereo if you know your birdie enjoys listening to music in general.
• Take your pet bird inside a pet-friendly hotel or motel if your trip is scheduled to last more than a single day and you’re stopping overnight. NEVER leave your poor pet alone in the vehicle.

How to Pack a Car When Moving

7. Transport your bird by air

It’s important to note that different airline companies have different policies when it comes to pet transportation.

Keep in mind that air travel can be very stressful for pet birds when they travel in the live animal cargo section of the airplane.

So, do a bit of research to find an airline that will let you keep your pet bird with you in the cabin, usually with the bird carrier fitted under your seat.

• Contact the airline that you think will take the best care of your poor bird and request more information about their specific requirements when flying with a bird to a new home. Remember that some airlines do not accept birds while others refuse to take specific species of birds.
• Look for an airliner with a direct non-stop flight, whenever possible, in order to shorten the trip and reduce the stress for your beautiful pet.
• Make sure you purchase a bird carrier that’s approved for air travel. And when you do, give some time for your lovely pet to get accustomed to it, placing them inside for a short period of time and rewarding their efforts to stay inside.
• Have an avian harness with you in case the airport authorities (usually the Transportation Security Administration) request to inspect the bird carrier, meaning you’ll need to get your pet out of it. Use the avian harness to keep them safe.

Driving vs Shipping Your Car

8. Monitor your bird’s behavior after the move

Moving with your bird doesn’t have to be a stressful experience – as long as you follow some basic safety measures, everything should be fine. When you arrive at the new place, your priority is to get your pet bird out of the car and take it straight into the house.

• Pick a good spot for the bird cage – a place with good air circulation, not too dark and not too bright either. Ensure that their new location within the house is free of drafts. Birds are very sensitive to temperature changes so be careful NOT to pick a spot that’s exposed to direct sunlight.
• Get the cage set up and return the essential items to it so that your feathered friend can start playing with them, and hopefully feel comfortable once again. It’s usually a good idea to arrange their cage in the same way it was before the move.
• Provide your birdie with plenty of fresh water and delicious treats.
• Give them plenty of attention and company whenever you can during your busy post-move schedule.
• Find a reputable avian vet in the new town or city as soon as you can.
• Let your lovely bird adjust to the new surroundings on their own terms.
• Monitor your bird’s behavior for any troublesome signs of stress such as loss of appetite or excessive feather plucking. If you do notice anything, get in touch with the new vet and schedule an appointment.

21 Things to Do After Moving Into a New House

It can be next to impossible to care properly for your charming pet bird and take care of all the moving tasks, especially when it comes to packing. Do consider hiring professional packers and movers so that you get more free time to look after Blue.