Parrot cages for the RV

[CarNDen]

We have two parrots. A 21 year old African Grey and a 20 year old Yellow Nape Amazon. They have been traveling their whole lives and do very well. The thing is we have been using 18" wide x 18" deep x 25" high acrylic cages in the RV. They have the air holes in the top. These travel cages have been fine for weekend getaways but now that dh is retired we can go for longer times and I don't like the birds cooped up in these small cages. I also don't want to get larger acrylic cages. They can't climb around in them. The only good thing about the acrylic is they keep the mess in. The cages ride side by side on the dinette. I'm thinking of using two conure cages 20.5"L x 16.1"W x 34"H or something similar.

I'd like to know what kind of cages other Parrot owners use for travel and how do you keep the seed and food off the walls and furniture.:@
TIA, Carol, Gabby and Chili

[paulsang]

kblausman wrote:

paulsang wrote:


I am not familiar witht he Class C Tioga floorplan. What about above the cab? Is that space set up for sleeping? Or are the TV and cabinetry up there? If it is set up for sleeping, that might be ideal. You could strap the cages in securely, and the birds would be above the dogs.


As for cooking, just make sure your fans are on and venting out. Do whatever cooking you can outside. We grill everything, so we purchased a 'T' adaptor for our propane tank, and set up a 2-burner stove outside as well. Beware electric grills. Some don't mention it on the packaging, but they have teflon on them.


Wire bottom cages are good on many levels. Birds - especially cockatoos- love to forage. It is a healthy behavior that should not be discouraged. While the bird is standing on the wire, they have to work to get the morsels they find. Itis work for them, and mentally a win for them.


As my previous post noted...just be sure to socialize and interact with the birds, and you will be fine. You know your birds and what will freak them out.


Frankly, I would be more worried about 4 dogs! In a Class C! What if they all had gas and started farting?

Yes, there is a bed up above, hubby's domain. LOL I get the foldout couch with the dogs. LOL But maybe we could find away to strap them up there. The dogs do not actually bother them other than to look in on them. They are small dogs and respect the beak. LOL Yes we do plan to have them out some of the time every day, so that should help too. And I will favorite toys too.


I am seriously thinking about outside grill too. But I did buy a couple gas detectors and carbon monoxide detector. Figure that is good for us too.

How do you use a t-adapter to hook in? We are totally new to this and I am the tomboy, plus the camper of the two of us so I will need directions or a place to find them to do anything. LOL

I actually bought a full propane tank. At Walmart in the camping section, not RV section, Coleman sells a T that fits right on the tank. I can run 2 gas lines from the 1 tank. If you are only using the grill, they have a single hose you can connect directly to the tank. Beware: It is all male/female hookups, and reverse threads. It got very confusing trying to figure it out...lol Save you reciepts until you get it all figured. Kinda pricey....even at Walmart.

[kblausman]

paulsang wrote:


I am not familiar witht he Class C Tioga floorplan. What about above the cab? Is that space set up for sleeping? Or are the TV and cabinetry up there? If it is set up for sleeping, that might be ideal. You could strap the cages in securely, and the birds would be above the dogs.


As for cooking, just make sure your fans are on and venting out. Do whatever cooking you can outside. We grill everything, so we purchased a 'T' adaptor for our propane tank, and set up a 2-burner stove outside as well. Beware electric grills. Some don't mention it on the packaging, but they have teflon on them.


Wire bottom cages are good on many levels. Birds - especially cockatoos- love to forage. It is a healthy behavior that should not be discouraged. While the bird is standing on the wire, they have to work to get the morsels they find. Itis work for them, and mentally a win for them.


As my previous post noted...just be sure to socialize and interact with the birds, and you will be fine. You know your birds and what will freak them out.


Frankly, I would be more worried about 4 dogs! In a Class C! What if they all had gas and started farting?

Yes, there is a bed up above, hubby's domain. LOL I get the foldout couch with the dogs. LOL But maybe we could find away to strap them up there. The dogs do not actually bother them other than to look in on them. They are small dogs and respect the beak. LOL Yes we do plan to have them out some of the time every day, so that should help too. And I will favorite toys too.


I am seriously thinking about outside grill too. But I did buy a couple gas detectors and carbon monoxide detector. Figure that is good for us too.

How do you use a t-adapter to hook in? We are totally new to this and I am the tomboy, plus the camper of the two of us so I will need directions or a place to find them to do anything. LOL

[paulsang]

kblausman wrote:
We have a 22ft Class C Fleetwood Tioga and there are no extra seats to remove for us to put in a bigger cage (believe me I have studied it all all to see if I could. We have 2 parrots (African Grey (Congo) and Rose-breasted Cockatoo)both mid-size parrots. They both have the parrot travel cages (Midwest Poquito Avian Hotel)they are 14 x 18 x 14in, with rope perches inside, as well as wire bottom and food and water bowls. And a wooden/handle perch on top to allow them to be on top cage as well. These are the cages we use to evacuate tornado weather here and to travel to the vets. And have worked fine for that and they are used to them. But we are planning a 40 day trip with them and I worry that they need more room than this. They both have full sized parrot cages with play stands on top plus additional play stands at home, so they are used to lots of room. We did buy 2 of the collapsible T perches that go from 18" to 52" for them to play on when we are stopped. I planned to strap their cages to the table or take the table out and strap them them between the seats? Any ideas. We will also be traveling with 3 chihuahuas and a pug as well, so on the floor will not make them feel as secure but I worried that the table would rock too much? I bought flat bungee straps to strap them down. I could sure use some ideas?

Also, I am a little worried about being able to use the gas range in the RV to cook with the parrots there? I did buy a 12V crock pot and 12V grill just encase and I have thought about an electric grill for outside too but for now I have a charcoal grill for outside when we stop. I also, since the space is so small changed all my cookware to enamel coated cast-iron to avoid any pan fumes as well.

Since the furnace (should not really need it much) and the hot water heater are gas as well should I worry about fumes from that? And if so is there another kind of detector I could install or own to help us in the RV to avoid trouble? I know parrots are very susceptible to gas fumes. Any ideas from parrot RV campers?

I am not familiar witht he Class C Tioga floorplan. What about above the cab? Is that space set up for sleeping? Or are the TV and cabinetry up there? If it is set up for sleeping, that might be ideal. You could strap the cages in securely, and the birds would be above the dogs.

As for cooking, just make sure your fans are on and venting out. Do whatever cooking you can outside. We grill everything, so we purchased a 'T' adaptor for our propane tank, and set up a 2-burner stove outside as well. Beware electric grills. Some don't mention it on the packaging, but they have teflon on them.

Wire bottom cages are good on many levels. Birds - especially cockatoos- love to forage. It is a healthy behavior that should not be discouraged. While the bird is standing on the wire, they have to work to get the morsels they find. Itis work for them, and mentally a win for them.
As my previous post noted...just be sure to socialize and interact with the birds, and you will be fine. You know your birds and what will freak them out.

Frankly, I would be more worried about 4 dogs! In a Class C! What if they all had gas and started farting?

[paulsang]

Quote: We have two parrots. A 21 year old African Grey and a 20 year old Yellow Nape Amazon. They have been traveling their whole lives and do very well. The thing is we have been using 18" wide x 18" deep x 25" high acrylic cages in the RV.

These cage sizes are fine. Might be a little snug for the Amazon. But, it looks like it has been working for you. Personally, I do not like acrylic...never have. Seems unnatural to me. That said, I understand why people choose to use it.

The important thing to remember about our birds is not the cage size, but how the cage is going to be used. Will the bird be alone all day while mama goes sightseeing? Then a little larger a cage will be needed. But, if you are only gone a few hours a day, the smaller dimensions will be fine- especially if it is just a few weeks on the road.

The socialization and ability to play independently are the factors you need to keep your focus on. Here is what we do:

I have already described my cage set-up. Roscoe - 24yo Goffins 'too has 2 toys in the cage that are the same 2 toys he has at home. The heavier one is removed in transit. He has paper towel rolls gallore to shred, and loves them to death.

Every day, we take him out at the same time, roughly. He is usually out while we are cooking, and he plays with his rolls. While we eat, he is back in cage. He waits by his dish for the treat he knows is coming. Later - during TV time, he spends the evening on daddy's shoulder soaking all the love he can.

We keepit simple, and we don't over analyze everything. We would end up neurotic...and the bird would too!

Roscoe has taken so well to travels, there are times I look over to him, and he on on one foot and out like a light. Other times, he is hanging from the toy swinging away bobbing his head to the music. Other times he is foraging on the bottom of the cage for a morsel- behaviors I encourage.

The mess is going to happen. I have butcher paper on the floor in front of the cage for poop bombs that is changed daily. I vaccuum daily.

Amazingly, he is sorta potty-trained! Years ago, I figured his metabolism drops every 15 minutes or so. So we started putting him on the cage, or his perch, he drops his bomb, and comes back over. Commercial on TV...bird's gotta poop. LOL He occasionally goes to the cage on his own. TV commercial?...bird poop time!!

My point in all this is to keep it simple, don't over analyze it all. If the bird or cage is in your way, it is taking your enjoyment away from you, and ultimately, you may stop liking the traveling in the RV, and may even resent it.

[kblausman]

We have a 22ft Class C Fleetwood Tioga and there are no extra seats to remove for us to put in a bigger cage (believe me I have studied it all all to see if I could. We have 2 parrots (African Grey (Congo) and Rose-breasted Cockatoo)both mid-size parrots. They both have the parrot travel cages (Midwest Poquito Avian Hotel)they are 14 x 18 x 14in, with rope perches inside, as well as wire bottom and food and water bowls. And a wooden/handle perch on top to allow them to be on top cage as well. These are the cages we use to evacuate tornado weather here and to travel to the vets. And have worked fine for that and they are used to them. But we are planning a 40 day trip with them and I worry that they need more room than this. They both have full sized parrot cages with play stands on top plus additional play stands at home, so they are used to lots of room. We did buy 2 of the collapsible T perches that go from 18" to 52" for them to play on when we are stopped. I planned to strap their cages to the table or take the table out and strap them them between the seats? Any ideas. We will also be traveling with 3 chihuahuas and a pug as well, so on the floor will not make them feel as secure but I worried that the table would rock too much? I bought flat bungee straps to strap them down. I could sure use some ideas?

Also, I am a little worried about being able to use the gas range in the RV to cook with the parrots there? I did buy a 12V crock pot and 12V grill just encase and I have thought about an electric grill for outside too but for now I have a charcoal grill for outside when we stop. I also, since the space is so small changed all my cookware to enamel coated cast-iron to avoid any pan fumes as well.

Since the furnace (should not really need it much) and the hot water heater are gas as well should I worry about fumes from that? And if so is there another kind of detector I could install or own to help us in the RV to avoid trouble? I know parrots are very susceptible to gas fumes. Any ideas from parrot RV campers?

[lasparrot]

Grace (CAG) rides in a little varikennel/plastic carrier that has been fitted with a perch, a bottom grill to keep from getting poop feet, and a few toys. It is small, but she doesn't seem to mind getting into it. We strap it onto the console of the truck (the back seat area is for the 3 dogs). Grace takes everything in stride while we are travelling, but she is the most well-adjusted, non-phobic congo that I've ever known.

[pkunk]

Our Macaw has it figured out. He perches on his rope perch and leans on the forward side of his cage when in motion. I've been unable to shake him loose even in city driving.

[egurewitz]

Thanks. That's what I was thinking, but wanted to get feedback from the "pros"!!

[CarNDen]

We have two small Vari kennels, like for dogs that we put a perch in each and our fids (kids) are in those when we are in motion. When my Gabby was a youngster and I was using a regular small wire cage she did fall and hurt her beak when I stopped short. From then on they ride in their carriers.

[egurewitz]

When you are in motion, does your parrot travel in the big cage or in a smaller travel cage? Especially interested in hearing from owners of African Greys. I would worry about stopping short or going over a bump or any number of things that could cause him to fall off his perch and get hurt.

[pkunk]

CarNDen wrote:
lol, You did a great job on the remodel. I'm sure you will have to make another at some point.

Thanks...He loves the mirror but only nibbled on the side of the cabinet. Mostly he stays on his perch and plays with his toys, but Macaws can be mischievous.

[WandaLust2]

CarNDen wrote:
We have two parrots. A 21 year old African Grey and a 20 year old Yellow Nape Amazon. They have been traveling their whole lives and do very well. The thing is we have been using 18" wide x 18" deep x 25" high acrylic cages in the RV.

These are pretty small cages.

They have the air holes in the top. These travel cages have been fine for weekend getaways but now that dh is retired we can go for longer times and I don't like the birds cooped up in these small cages. I also don't want to get larger acrylic cages. They can't climb around in them. The only good thing about the acrylic is they keep the mess in. The cages ride side by side on the dinette. I'm thinking of using two conure cages 20.5"L x 16.1"W x 34"H or something similar.

These are still small. But if you let them out for a few hours every day they should do OK. Have you looked at those nice large parrot cages at Petco and PetsMart? They're attractive and very well made. 🙂

I'd like to know what kind of cages other Parrot owners use for travel and how do you keep the seed and food off the walls and furniture.:@
TIA, Carol, Gabby and Chili

Plexiglass enclosures set a few inches from the bars of the cage. This is one of the reasons I gave up my African Gray. She made such a mess with her food and when she molted it was a never ending clean-up several times a day. I could no longer let her out of her roomy cage as she was destroying everything she could reach in our house. Picture frames, the sofa and other furniture... even the collars of my blouses when she sat on my shoulder. She was sold to a breeder with huge room size cages. She can live a more normal life there then she ever could in a cage in someone's home.

[CarNDen]

lol, You did a great job on the remodel. I'm sure you will have to make another at some point.

[pkunk]

CarNDen wrote:


Pkunk, Your macaw has a wonderful home on the road. I'm surprised to see the cabinet still in one piece.

Well, he has remodeled the lower right corner some. I don't care too much. :R I remodeled that cabinet myself to only 4" deep (it houses electric wires & TV stuff)to accommodate the cage. I build a new one if I sell the rig.