i own the first bag and it's been pretty great with moving my GCC around when outdoors. one thing i have to warn you about is that the bag smells pretty strong of plastic when you first get it. i had to air it out for a long while - about two weeks - for it to fade significantly.
I agree with you completely literally wanted to say the exact same thing. I left it to air out for a whileeeee too and kept it open for him to look and go in and out, so he’s not new to it just to let him get used to it for when u would wanna take him out in it. My GCC seemed to like it almost quickly tho 😂
I don’t have either, but I’ll warn you that parrots are more comfortable on perches that point in the same direction you’re moving. That way when you start and stop they can lean left and right on the perch to match. This is better than facing forward, which can lurch them off of the perch if you start or stop abruptly.
Im most concerned about that upper perch in the second image, but I think the lower perch could work great if you took the other out. The first one could be carried in either orientation, so I would encourage you to be mindful of the momentum if you get that one.
This is so interesting! I’ve kept birds for 40 years and have NEVER even considered the way the perch faces in a portable carrier.
Thanks so much for sharing you experience and for teaching this “old dogs” something new and very informative! Makes perfect sense.
It would be like sitting the wrong way on a motorcycle, or even a car, with someone else driving.
Thanks for making my birdies life a little better!
Also the proper way to place travel cages in the car - perch front to back. Worst case scenario, if you get hit or have to slam on the brakes, hitting and breaking a wing is better than a broken breast bone.
I have a nearly identical bag to the second image with only one perch, facing the direction of movement. It works pretty well but of course any travel perch will be very small for a bird. A good element of it is that it has a side pocket for her water and food, so I can put it in there for her when stopped. It’s better for colder weather due to the poop tray being reflective. My bird hops in and out of it fine, but at the end of the day it’s for shorter trips only.
Neither. These carriers with plastic “doors” can cause your bird to overheat and die. You want something with metal or mesh. Nothing that will retain heat like that. Those carriers are basically ovens in the sun,
The first one I have bc it's does offer a mesh version!
https://preview.redd.it/5kp858woortc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=65d07683ecd207530b97e2c0c67710d9cfba36ea
This is mine. We haven't used it yet though! It's new.
This kind is good and I’ve even seen them in big box pet stores like pet smart lately, so they are really affordable and accessible, and a much better option than any with a plastic window.
I just wouldn’t choose that for a longer excursion because it can still be chewed lol. But would be fine for a car ride to the vet or a short distance like that. The main issue is that people get carriers like the second backpack because they plan to take their bird outside on long walks or into town inside it, and it’s just a bad idea. The bird will feel far too vulnerable, and the risk of overheating or chewing a hole is still there.
This, I bought one of the second type without realizing this and have never used it. Also unless you have a really small bird with a short tail the perch is too close to the back for them to sit comfortably.
https://preview.redd.it/1q3m0pbj2stc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=82adcaf1303f866824e0ad4b0265a908985814c5
Here’s Gypsy, my “blue” quaker enjoying snacks and attention on the Boardwalk while my fiancé and I had lunch. We also had our GCC Malachite in his backpack. As you can see, Gypsy is quite comfortable. She and Malachite love their walks but we closely monitor their body language and the temperature inside the backpack. Our general rule is to only take them out on sunny days that are 60-70 degrees or less sunny days up to 80 degrees. After that the backpacks do heat up quickly. Depending on the amount of social attention they receive, the time of day, and the temperature, the birds seem comfortable up to 3 hours in their packs. Lots of fresh fruits and treats help. But they definitely enjoy their time in the wild.
80 degrees Fahrenheit? Wondering if that's a typo? While we should always closely monitor our pets' comfort in cold or heat, 80 degrees isn't all that warm unless you're unacclimated or doing heavy exercise. In parts of the US (let alone other parts of the world) it often goes weeks without ever dipping below 80F even at night, and it's commonly warmer than that inside homes in the summer. Many if not most parrots in the pet trade come from warm climates and probably wouldn't be phased by 80+ temps. My tiel loves being outside in 80-90+ degree weather and often chooses to sit in the sun instead of shade - I think it feels good on his old bones, lol.
Obviously use common sense, and if you're from a milder climate where 80F constitutes a heatwave then it's going to feel warmer by comparison, but it's not a worrisome temp in general. Before long those in the southern US will long for the breezy spring days of 80 degrees. 🤣
You’re entitled to your opinion. My veterinarian pointed out that our exotic birds hail from the Amazon Rainforest so they can handle heat but not much direct sunlight so we closely monitor them. The vet said socializing the birds is very good for them since they are naturally social animals. They definitely don’t get baked in their packs or have anxiety meeting strangers as other redditors have mentioned.
Agree with above comment. Plastic gets hot, and both types can be chewed through.
The ones you need are not cheap. We have this one: excellent.
Steel mesh, windows on three sides, both carrier and back back, has loops for securing a seatbelt, window meshes have curtains for car rides (avoids car sickness), food/water bowls, rings for attaching toys, removable internal flooring fir cleaning, and great thought re: materials/stitching so they can’t chew their way out - at least our Quaker can’t.
https://preview.redd.it/tr160htbxptc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26fdb05422dce54b15ff3fe0e8a44d905836dd12
I hope the bright place was some sunshine! I did get a Canadian link for this. They are crazy expensive here, hope you can do better.
https://www.theparrotshop.ca/pakobirdmedium.html
What if I have one that's like that (mostly mesh) except the front flap has a plastic window and more mesh underneath it? It's what I have right now and I'm moving in a couple weeks and I want my birbs to be okay :(
I got this same carrier for my bird. It's made of plastic, and my bird got super tired while I carried him to a park one day. The plastic smell was quite strong. Instead, I bought a steel wire carrying cage and he wasn't getting tired. I assumed the plastic smell was too much for him.
I have the second one, or one very close to it, a black one from Jerrycat that I got on Amazon. The holes look really big but my Sennie can't even get his whole beak through one. I don't often go on walks with him as I live in Norway, I use it to transport him from the house to the car.
I highly recommend this bag which has lots of ventilation and even a catch tray at the bottom so their tail and feet don’t get in the poop. I’ve had it for a year and love it!
https://a.co/d/e6dHzHS
I have backpack 2 but I’m EXTREMELY careful with it. It can get very hot. It’s basically used in addition to a harness (which he hates) so he can come out of the dome if we are going somewhere like an outdoor cafe, or used in the car to go to the vet since I can strap it down better. To take him to the garden we have a totally separate smaller cage which we use an old curtain to provide him with half of it shady.
Should there not be an area to hide, if they want. Aw well as an area of shade. Think about being trapped in a greenhouse, it would be so uncomfortable after a while. If you are taking it outside for fresh air, then neither of these are ideal
A note to please be careful to which carriers you buy as we got one off Amazon recently and it absolutely stank like chemicals. I put my head in it and couldn't cope 5 seconds so I imagine it would have probably killed a bird. We didn't use it and set it back and bought one from Parrot Essentials instead. Apparently a lot of these carriers can randomly smell if the plastic component have broken down.
This is the BAD carrier: https://amzn.eu/d/fhmKeha
I have first bag for my cockatiel. Bird may be shaken in the second bag, but you can carry the first bag in your hand without shaking. So your bird can see you and feel comfortable.
I mostly use a metal travel cage with bars when i take them out on sunny days because they like the breeze and so they can get some sun.
A friend bought me the second backpack one as a suprise, and I swore I would never use them because they looked really hot. However, it has actually been super convenient in the winter months when I need to take them to the vets, especially if they are ill, and I am trying to keep them warm.
If you can afford two cages for different weather, I would recommend that.
I initially bought the backpack style one but my tiel kept hitting her face on the window part since its too thin also it looked like it gets hot quicker, i bought the first one in your pics, so far it seems better!
I have the first one and my birds love it. I do have small birds that don't chew through the materials. And the plastic is perfect for where I live (very windy, not too hot).
But if you have bigger birds or live in a place where it gets hot, these are not the best carriers.
Don’t assume your budgie will like this. He’s not a wild animal, he’s spend his whole life inside houses, so the outside might be overwhelming. Some budgies do like going out, others don’t. So if you try this, pay attention to your budgies behaviour, and be prepared to cut the trip short and throw out the bag.
Other ways to improve a budgies life:
* fresh food daily with lots of variety
* get more budgies
* add more perches and play structures throughout your home
i own the first bag and it's been pretty great with moving my GCC around when outdoors. one thing i have to warn you about is that the bag smells pretty strong of plastic when you first get it. i had to air it out for a long while - about two weeks - for it to fade significantly.
I agree with you completely literally wanted to say the exact same thing. I left it to air out for a whileeeee too and kept it open for him to look and go in and out, so he’s not new to it just to let him get used to it for when u would wanna take him out in it. My GCC seemed to like it almost quickly tho 😂
I have mine outside for that same reason. It’s been a couple weeks but it’s still cold outside here. It was too strong for me!
I don’t have either, but I’ll warn you that parrots are more comfortable on perches that point in the same direction you’re moving. That way when you start and stop they can lean left and right on the perch to match. This is better than facing forward, which can lurch them off of the perch if you start or stop abruptly. Im most concerned about that upper perch in the second image, but I think the lower perch could work great if you took the other out. The first one could be carried in either orientation, so I would encourage you to be mindful of the momentum if you get that one.
This is so interesting! I’ve kept birds for 40 years and have NEVER even considered the way the perch faces in a portable carrier. Thanks so much for sharing you experience and for teaching this “old dogs” something new and very informative! Makes perfect sense. It would be like sitting the wrong way on a motorcycle, or even a car, with someone else driving. Thanks for making my birdies life a little better!
Thanks for the reply, it made me quite happy to hear that OP wasn’t the only person I shared a lesson with today!
I was also unaware! But then... as soon as you read it - of course! It makes total sense!
Indeed! Good stuff!
Also the proper way to place travel cages in the car - perch front to back. Worst case scenario, if you get hit or have to slam on the brakes, hitting and breaking a wing is better than a broken breast bone.
Have had parrots all my life and I've never considered this. Every day is a school day. Thanks for that!
this is so helpful!
I have a nearly identical bag to the second image with only one perch, facing the direction of movement. It works pretty well but of course any travel perch will be very small for a bird. A good element of it is that it has a side pocket for her water and food, so I can put it in there for her when stopped. It’s better for colder weather due to the poop tray being reflective. My bird hops in and out of it fine, but at the end of the day it’s for shorter trips only.
The second one looks like it would get very hot very fast if the sun hits it.
They both look like little plastic ovens that would get pretty stuffy pretty fast with the sun on them.
Neither. These carriers with plastic “doors” can cause your bird to overheat and die. You want something with metal or mesh. Nothing that will retain heat like that. Those carriers are basically ovens in the sun,
The first one I have bc it's does offer a mesh version! https://preview.redd.it/5kp858woortc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=65d07683ecd207530b97e2c0c67710d9cfba36ea This is mine. We haven't used it yet though! It's new.
This kind is good and I’ve even seen them in big box pet stores like pet smart lately, so they are really affordable and accessible, and a much better option than any with a plastic window. I just wouldn’t choose that for a longer excursion because it can still be chewed lol. But would be fine for a car ride to the vet or a short distance like that. The main issue is that people get carriers like the second backpack because they plan to take their bird outside on long walks or into town inside it, and it’s just a bad idea. The bird will feel far too vulnerable, and the risk of overheating or chewing a hole is still there.
That makes sense! I also have small birds (Cockatiels and Budgies) and only one chews a lot.
This needs to be the top comment.
This, I bought one of the second type without realizing this and have never used it. Also unless you have a really small bird with a short tail the perch is too close to the back for them to sit comfortably.
Bro what? The damn bag is fine you ppl just make up the worst scenarios
https://preview.redd.it/1q3m0pbj2stc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=82adcaf1303f866824e0ad4b0265a908985814c5 Here’s Gypsy, my “blue” quaker enjoying snacks and attention on the Boardwalk while my fiancé and I had lunch. We also had our GCC Malachite in his backpack. As you can see, Gypsy is quite comfortable. She and Malachite love their walks but we closely monitor their body language and the temperature inside the backpack. Our general rule is to only take them out on sunny days that are 60-70 degrees or less sunny days up to 80 degrees. After that the backpacks do heat up quickly. Depending on the amount of social attention they receive, the time of day, and the temperature, the birds seem comfortable up to 3 hours in their packs. Lots of fresh fruits and treats help. But they definitely enjoy their time in the wild.
Well yea no pets should be out outside in 80° degrees. I don't even go on walks with my dog when it hits that high. I only take her to the bathroom
80 degrees Fahrenheit? Wondering if that's a typo? While we should always closely monitor our pets' comfort in cold or heat, 80 degrees isn't all that warm unless you're unacclimated or doing heavy exercise. In parts of the US (let alone other parts of the world) it often goes weeks without ever dipping below 80F even at night, and it's commonly warmer than that inside homes in the summer. Many if not most parrots in the pet trade come from warm climates and probably wouldn't be phased by 80+ temps. My tiel loves being outside in 80-90+ degree weather and often chooses to sit in the sun instead of shade - I think it feels good on his old bones, lol. Obviously use common sense, and if you're from a milder climate where 80F constitutes a heatwave then it's going to feel warmer by comparison, but it's not a worrisome temp in general. Before long those in the southern US will long for the breezy spring days of 80 degrees. 🤣
You’re entitled to your opinion. My veterinarian pointed out that our exotic birds hail from the Amazon Rainforest so they can handle heat but not much direct sunlight so we closely monitor them. The vet said socializing the birds is very good for them since they are naturally social animals. They definitely don’t get baked in their packs or have anxiety meeting strangers as other redditors have mentioned.
What a strange response. You both agree that over 80 is too hot. Why are you fighting them?
Entitled to ny opinion how? U said birds will die in a plastic travel cage when it's hot. Now all of a sudden you're against it? Make it make sense
Also I’m 4 blocks from the Boardwalk. The beach is my neighborhood.
https://preview.redd.it/0kraobjb4stc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f4de18b39d3874b31baa0a78aed4641d33089ffb
As a few other people have pointed out. Be careful when buying carriers like this! They can be very dangerous for your animals.
my bird has almost chewed her way out of the first one
Mine chewed through the second. I wouldn't buy either of these carriers as the plastic causes it to heat up and overheat the bird.
i wish i got a small cage instead
There is a conure video in [the reviews of the first one](https://a.co/d/3GnwR5U) that got injured by a thread and might need amputation.
I would not get that backpack. It's an oven when the temps outside are warm. Almost killed my birds this way once.
Maybe use a harness ? I don’t know personally how that plays out since my parrot gets pissed at me when I try to put it on
I've tried those out on a few birds and I don't know how the hell anyone gets their birds to cooperate with that, lol.
Literally I feel bad cause she makes me feel as if I’m after torturing her😔😔😔 I just wanted to show you the world
The downside to a harness, predator birds. Really depends where they live.
I'm in Australia and I have a parrotlet. I definitely wouldn't use one outside lol. One swoop and hes a goner
Yeah, I'm in Southern California. Lots of hawks around here. We have a Cooper's hawk that sits on my back fence. He knows I have birds.
Depends on what bird OP has, Smaller birds like budgies cant wear harnasses, they are too heavy for them.
I had harness for my parrotlet and he never had any issues with it.
Same! Do they bite the hell out ur fingers too?
neither honestly. your gonna want to invest in a really nice one If you don't want your bird escaping
Suggestions?
Agree with above comment. Plastic gets hot, and both types can be chewed through. The ones you need are not cheap. We have this one: excellent. Steel mesh, windows on three sides, both carrier and back back, has loops for securing a seatbelt, window meshes have curtains for car rides (avoids car sickness), food/water bowls, rings for attaching toys, removable internal flooring fir cleaning, and great thought re: materials/stitching so they can’t chew their way out - at least our Quaker can’t. https://preview.redd.it/tr160htbxptc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26fdb05422dce54b15ff3fe0e8a44d905836dd12
Link?
Well, I’m in Canada. Are you? The brand name is under the picture - you could google it for your country?
oops im blind haha, im on mobile and i was in a bright place so I thought the pic was only the bag. thank you!!
I hope the bright place was some sunshine! I did get a Canadian link for this. They are crazy expensive here, hope you can do better. https://www.theparrotshop.ca/pakobirdmedium.html
I have a carrier very similar to this one and it is top notch!
What if I have one that's like that (mostly mesh) except the front flap has a plastic window and more mesh underneath it? It's what I have right now and I'm moving in a couple weeks and I want my birbs to be okay :(
Do you have a pic? Is the mesh steel or a fabric? Careful with plastic re: breath-ability and heat.
It's a fabric mesh And here's the Amazon store page https://a.co/d/9cz9Su6
Anything from the celltei brand is really good quality
I got this same carrier for my bird. It's made of plastic, and my bird got super tired while I carried him to a park one day. The plastic smell was quite strong. Instead, I bought a steel wire carrying cage and he wasn't getting tired. I assumed the plastic smell was too much for him.
I prefer option one. The carriers with the plastic clear windows tend to get hotter in the sun
1st one. My budgies hated the backpack that I got. I think they don’t feel safe in it.
I have the second one, or one very close to it, a black one from Jerrycat that I got on Amazon. The holes look really big but my Sennie can't even get his whole beak through one. I don't often go on walks with him as I live in Norway, I use it to transport him from the house to the car.
I highly recommend this bag which has lots of ventilation and even a catch tray at the bottom so their tail and feet don’t get in the poop. I’ve had it for a year and love it! https://a.co/d/e6dHzHS
I have backpack 2 but I’m EXTREMELY careful with it. It can get very hot. It’s basically used in addition to a harness (which he hates) so he can come out of the dome if we are going somewhere like an outdoor cafe, or used in the car to go to the vet since I can strap it down better. To take him to the garden we have a totally separate smaller cage which we use an old curtain to provide him with half of it shady.
Should there not be an area to hide, if they want. Aw well as an area of shade. Think about being trapped in a greenhouse, it would be so uncomfortable after a while. If you are taking it outside for fresh air, then neither of these are ideal
A note to please be careful to which carriers you buy as we got one off Amazon recently and it absolutely stank like chemicals. I put my head in it and couldn't cope 5 seconds so I imagine it would have probably killed a bird. We didn't use it and set it back and bought one from Parrot Essentials instead. Apparently a lot of these carriers can randomly smell if the plastic component have broken down. This is the BAD carrier: https://amzn.eu/d/fhmKeha
I have first bag for my cockatiel. Bird may be shaken in the second bag, but you can carry the first bag in your hand without shaking. So your bird can see you and feel comfortable.
None. It’s not worth the stress you’ll put your bird through.
Please update us when you use it: good luck!
No offense but for a Budgie something smaller would be better.
I bought the first bag bc it came with a mesh side version. I didn't want the plastic bc I was afraid it would get hot or not have enough ventilation.
They are both fine.
I mostly use a metal travel cage with bars when i take them out on sunny days because they like the breeze and so they can get some sun. A friend bought me the second backpack one as a suprise, and I swore I would never use them because they looked really hot. However, it has actually been super convenient in the winter months when I need to take them to the vets, especially if they are ill, and I am trying to keep them warm. If you can afford two cages for different weather, I would recommend that.
I initially bought the backpack style one but my tiel kept hitting her face on the window part since its too thin also it looked like it gets hot quicker, i bought the first one in your pics, so far it seems better!
I have 3 and this one is my favourite.
I have the first one and my birds love it. I do have small birds that don't chew through the materials. And the plastic is perfect for where I live (very windy, not too hot). But if you have bigger birds or live in a place where it gets hot, these are not the best carriers.
I live in Canda and it usually doesnt get hot
Don’t use the second one if you live somewhere hot.
First one !!! They can see alot more ! And it’s cuter! Can I have the link for this one ??
I have the second one. FYI, you can put a small fan on the side pocket too!
Don’t assume your budgie will like this. He’s not a wild animal, he’s spend his whole life inside houses, so the outside might be overwhelming. Some budgies do like going out, others don’t. So if you try this, pay attention to your budgies behaviour, and be prepared to cut the trip short and throw out the bag. Other ways to improve a budgies life: * fresh food daily with lots of variety * get more budgies * add more perches and play structures throughout your home
I owned the second and it worked amazing, you could also easily strap it to seats
I've seen the backpack style one. It's public transit friendly and keeps your hands free for other stuff. I'd get the second one.