pets and parrots

[orions_knight]

i have a turtle that i need to foster while im thru hiking as well. unless!!!! ahah! i put a leash on him and bring him along. i know he could do it cuz turtles naturally live in the wild so technically he has more trail time than me....atleast, his ancestors do hehehe
on a serious note though, after my hike im opening a dog daycare, pet boarding and rescue, and while it doesnt pertain to this situation, just know that there is someone(me) who is aware of the trouble of getting their beloved pets good care while theyre gone without getting funny looks cuz you're "taking 6 months off to hike a trail". haha
so soon enough people will have a place to get their pets of all types some long term care. 2013'ers i got you!!!!!

[Wise Old Owl]

Orion - Knight, Verne here is a little tired of you poking fun with a big hiking stick....Yea Verne

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[orions_knight]

WOO - not sure i get the reference( i dont watch cartoons), but since you threw a cool turtle pic in there im gonna give you a :thumbs up: haha

[Mike2012]

I adopted my cat a year ago and wouldn't be able to thru hike if I didn't have friends or family to watch her. Thankfully my mother has graciously agreed to welcome my cat into her home for the duration of the hike and forever if they bond - which I expect. I think after the 9 hour car ride everyone is going to be a winner in my situation.

[WalksInDark]

I have had my African Gray for over 35 years. The bird is very well trained, including sitting on the toilet to go poop. Sassy loved to camp in my pop up trailer....and really enjoys sitting on my knee at night while we enjoy a camp fire.

Having said all that, I would never take him on a backpacking trip with me; so Sassy stayed at my parrot sitter while I went out on the A.T.for many weeks this summer.

In addition to all of the other potential problems with a parrot on the trail (hawks, sickness, eating bad stuff) I will give you one more: while backpacking this summer, I had my first "no time to even get my hands in front of me" before foot trip and front of my skull crash into the rocky trail bed. Yep, it put me unconscious. When I came to shortly thereafter, I was face down on the trail with blood running down my face. My eyeglasses, hands, trekking poles, and arms were all bent up under my body. In order to get up, I had to roll over on my back to get my pack off.

If Sassy had been riding on my shoulder (which is his most favorite place to travel in the world), he most likely would have been killed as a result of my fall on the rocks...or worse yet when I rolled over to get my pack off. I don't know about you, but I can tell you that I had no recall of falling, and when I found myself lying on my face in great pain with blood running everywhere, I never gave any thought about what might be in or on top of my pack.

Parrots are great, but back pack animals they a'int!

[Theosus]

Try a zoo or a pet store? Smaller places may really appreciate an animal on loan for display, or they might just be "bird people" I have been in a number of stores that have birds not for sale. Not sure why... Owned by the owners, being sat, etc.

[Echraide]

If Sassy had been riding on my shoulder (which is his most favorite place to travel in the world), he most likely would have been killed as a result of my fall on the rocks...or worse yet when I rolled over to get my pack off. I don't know about you, but I can tell you that I had no recall of falling, and when I found myself lying on my face in great pain with blood running everywhere, I never gave any thought about what might be in or on top of my pack.

Good post. Got me thinking... what happens when someone hiking with a cat takes a bad fall? A cat will jump off a shoulder perch but if they're being carried in front or back... hm.