What You Must Know
Before Shipping Birds

Shipping birds unattended is not recommended. Almost anyone that has had a bird as a pet for any period of time wouldn't even consider shipping their bird unattended. So why does it happen? Usually it happens because one person wants to make money (the online seller) and the other person (the buyer) has never had a bird (so they don't know any better).

Notwithstanding this strong recommendation not to ship pet birds and parrots, there may be some circumstance where you have no other option. This will be a traumatic experience for the bird and there is no way to make it a pleasant experience. But it is possible to minimize the trauma by following the tips below. Hopefully this article will help you determine what you must know before shipping a bird and will help you do your best to help your bird get through this traumatic experience.

Preparing Your Bird

The key to preparing your bird is to plan for the worse case scenario which would be a 1 or 2 day delay. If you expect an overnight delivery, you should still plan for a 1 or 2 day delay. Here are some things to consider when preparing your bird.

• Feed and water the bird prior to shipping. The bird will most likely not eat during the journey and may not eat after arriving at its new destination for an extended period. Having your bird nourished and hydrated during this traumatic travel experience is essential.
• The bird should be healthy. An ill bird combined with the stress of the shipment will very likely die.
• Tranquilizers are used on some pets but are not recommended. Especially for birds and especially for animals being shipped in the air as tranquilizers and altitude can cause problems. In fact, some carriers will not ship an animal that has been tranquilized.

Preparing Your Shipping Container

The key to preparing your shipping container is to plan for a rough ride. Air turbulence can create a bumpy ride. Any food and water containers will be tipped over. You can count on it. So here are some things to consider when preparing your shipping container.

• Place absorbent bedding (towels, blankets, shredded paper) in bottom of container.
• Provide high moisture content food that will hold its moisture for a couple days like apple slices, orange slices, cucumber slices, etc.
• Tape feeding instructions on the outside of the carrier in case someone unfamiliar with birds has to feed the bird.
• Tape a small sealed bag of food to the outside of the container in case of an extended delay.
• Allow easy visible access into the container so shipping personnel can see your bird without opening the container.
• Allow easy access to food so personnel can feed your bird without opening the container. This is easily accomplished by attaching the feeding and/or watering cup to the inside of the door.
• Label the outside of the container with a "Live Animal" sticker.
• Label the outside of the container with arrow stickers pointing up.

Preparing For the Shipment

The key to preparing for the shipment is to carefully plan everything in the itinerary to ensure that the departure, travel and arrival runs smoothly

• Verify that someone will be on the other end to receive the shipment. They should be at the correct place and correct time.
• Plan the itinerary so the delivery service can deliver the shipment as soon as it arrives. For example, a Sunday or Holiday delivery usually isn't possible. Obviously, you don't want your shipment sitting in a warehouse over a holiday weekend.
• Check the weather conditions at the departure and arrival sites. Shipping into the frozen tundra of Minnesota or Denver in the winter may add a few days of delay while digging out of a snow storm. Or even worse, the weather may cause a diversion or cancellation. Most shippers require that the temperature be between 45 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit at the origin, destination and connecting cities.
• Complete all necessary paperwork. Most airlines have a list of documentation that is required before shipping a bird. These may include Confirmation of Feeding Certificate, Acclimation Certificate, Health Certificates, etc.

Preparing For the Arrival

Most birds will be traumatized from the shipping experience. Here are some tips to help the bird get used to its new surroundings after arrival.

• Make sure you know where to pick up the shipment. Most airlines have a specific pickup point that is different than their regular passenger pickup point.
• Have the bird's cage set up and ready for the bird upon arrival.
• Have food and water available in the cage.
• Be aware that the bird may not eat for a couple days while getting used to its new surroundings.
• Be prepared to leave the bird alone for a while until it adjusts to its new surroundings. The amount of time required depends on the bird.

Shipping Methods (Last Updated 9/27/2007)

Here's a survey of common shippers in the US. This list may be outdated so check for changes at the links below.

• UPS - UPS does not ship live birds.
• DHL - DHL does not ship live birds.
• FEDEX - FedEx does not ship live birds. Their shipping is mostly limited to zoo animals.
• USPS - USPS does provide shipping via their District Expedited Services Office (ESO). They actually use the FedEx network for shipping but don't try to take your shipment to FedEx. It must be handled by USPS and there are limited shipping and receiving locations. But for most people in the US, these limitations will not be a problem.
• AIRLINES - The top 10 airlines in the US and Canada have the following policies.
  • Delta Airlines - Pet birds may be shipped as cargo.
  • American Airlines - Pet birds may be shipped as cargo.
  • Southwest Airlines - Does not accept pet birds as cargo.
  • United Airlines - Pet birds may be shipped as cargo.
  • US Airways - Does not accept pet birds as cargo.
  • Northwest Airlines - Pet birds may be shipped as cargo.
  • Continental Airlines - Pet birds may be shipped as cargo.
  • Air Canada - Pet birds may not travel on Air Canada, either in the cabin or checked as live cargo.
  • Alaska Airlines - Pet birds may be shipped as cargo.
  • SkyWest Airlines - See Delta Airlines or United Airlines.

Shipping Costs

Shipping costs vary widely based on size, departure site, destination site, weight, size, etc. I could put a list of prices here but they would be outdated faster than you can say "Polly Wanna Cracker?" However, when this article was published, prices ranged from $50 to $300 based on all of the above mentioned variables. So it's best to check with your chosen carrier to get up to date rates when planning your shipment. Use the links above to get contact information.