If you purchased a bird abroad or if you are moving across the country and you want to bring your pet bird with you, you may have to ship your bird via airline cargo ship. Although most people think shipping a bird, or any pet, may be stressful task, it doesn’t have to be. The following guidelines will help you learn how to ship bird without stress.
- Make a reservation to the airline cargo ship. The first thing you need to do when shipping bird is to contact an airline that will ship the bird and make a reservation. In general, this only means that you need to book a flight for shipping your bird. Do this in advance. When you make a reservation, specify that you will be shipping a live bird. When you contact the cargo office, ask when do you need to drop off your bird and ask where is the drop off point. Some drop off point is located inside the airport while others are located nearby the airport.
- Make sure the bird is prepared for shipping. The next thing you need to do is to prepare your bird for the trip. This important step will ensure that your bird will not experience any physical fatigue during the trip. The best way to condition your bird for the shipping is to let the bird explore the container where he will be placed during the shipping. If you want, you can also try driving your bird around your place while the bird is in the container. Make sure you do this at least a week before the shipping. You should also make sure to clip the wings of your bird before shipping. This will help prevent loss when the bird escapes from the container.
- Prepare the carrier. The next step is to set up the carrier. You need to make sure that the carrier has a securely attached perch in it. The carrier will also need food dishes for your bird. Make sure you provide food dishes good for three days together with fresh fruit. This will prevent dehydration, as water cannot be shipped with your bird. Also, place a paper lining at the bottom of the carrier.
- Place a label in the container. Label the container with “live bird”. This is important so that the airline cargo will take good care of your bird. You must also indicate important instructions in your label. This will be used in case the flight is delayed. Also, add tags that will indicate contact information about you.
- Securely place the bird in the container. On the day of the shipping, securely place your bird in its container. Make sure that you use cable ties. Once the bird is securely placed in the carrier, bring it to the airport cargo office. Make sure you arrive there at least two hours before the flight. The cargo office will be giving you specific instructions about this.
These are the things you need to do when shipping birds via airline cargo ship. It is also advisable that you check if your carrier covers insurance for the birds. Ask how much they can cover. They might also ask you to purchase additional insurance to fully cover your bird. This will be helpful since most airlines only cover for injury, loss due to the carrier’s negligence or disappearance.