Ask Lafeber

conure roadtrip

i don’t know what’s going on with my bird, the last times i’ve went on any short like 15-40 minute car rides with him in the day he starts panting, i’ve given him water and the panting continued, i’m not sure why he pants, as in he just sticks his tongue out but i’m pretty sure he’s panting, anyways i’m going on a pretty long road trip with him soon (about 15 hours on the road) and i wanna know what i can do to prepare myself for any issues, like panting, he might have, i also wanna know if the panting is even that big a deal or just nothing to worry about

Hi,

He may be panting from stress or being too hot. Overheating is not good for a bird. They are much more likely to die from being too hot than too cold. If you think he is scared, you can make some changes. If he is in a cage, try covering all but the front of the cage with a lightweight cloth or have him travel in a carrier where he might feel safer. Please check out our webinars on travel for more ideas on how to make a long trip with a pet bird.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda