Ask Lafeber

Traveling with pet birds

What is the safest way to travel with two diamond doves during a move to our new home 5 hours away?

Hi Lee,

Your doves will travel best in a small cage or pet carrier. Make sure there are no toys or swings hanging in the cage, because they can injure the birds. Cover most or all of the cage with a light towel. Since birds are prey animals, passing vehicles can scare a bird because it looks like something coming after them from overhead. You can have a small amount of water available, as well as food. If these birds are fairly calm with you, then you can make sure they eat before the trip, and then stop for a break a couple of times to see if they want to eat. When you reach the destination, put them in a small bathroom or closet with a light, and access to food and water. They should be in a quiet place away from any move-in activity. Since they are small birds with high metabolisms, you want to make sure they eat before and after the trip, even if they do not eat during the trip. You would not want them to go to bed after a 5 hour trip until they have eaten. In the new home, I would recommend a night light until they are used to the new surroundings. We did present a webinar last summer where Dr. Lamb covered how to travel by car with your birds. I’ll provide the link below. Have a safe trip & easy move!

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda