pets and parrots

[Mühly]

1) What do people do with their pets when they are LD hiking? Do most just depend upon friends and family to take care of pets?

2) Anyone hike with a parrot? I'm going to try a short hike on Pinchoti (Alabama) with my cockatoo.

Don't worry, I really don't think it is possible on the AT on a LD hike. Reality says it isn't possible because of 1) food supply, 2) the cold, 3) the rain, 4) the occasional roving hungry hawk. But it sure would be fun since she is fully flighted and follows me when we hike at home.

[GreasePot]

1) What do people do with their pets when they are LD hiking? Do most just depend upon friends and family to take care of pets?

2) Anyone hike with a parrot? I'm going to try a short hike on Pinchoti (Alabama) with my cockatoo.

Don't worry, I really don't think it is possible on the AT on a LD hike. Reality says it isn't possible because of 1) food supply, 2) the cold, 3) the rain, 4) the occasional roving hungry hawk. But it sure would be fun since she is fully flighted and follows me when we hike at home.

I sold my parrot when I went on my first long distance hike. He was bonded to me, and it's a lot to ask for someone to sit for an animal like that for 6 months. I didn't have any family that I could impose on for that length of time. The parrot really held a grudge when I went on short week-long vacations.

You're REALLY going to take your parrot on a hike? That sounds like a recipe for disaster... maybe you'll be lucky, but what if she flew away. To me, it wouldn't be worth the risk. One little gust of wind, and she could be way up in a tree.

Whatever you decide, best of luck!

GreasePot

[sbhikes]

I was fortunate to hike alone while my partner took care of the birds. I was all set to let him hike the trail solo while I took care of the birds. Birds are a huge responsibility.

My partner used to hike with our cockatoo, but she didn't really like it. She's fully-flighted, too. Recently he took her to the park and she flew into a tree. They do not like to get down when they are in trees. If you take your bird, you may want to cut her wings at least so she can't fly up, only down.

They do hold grudges. And cockatoos tend to go endlessly from home-to-home because they are difficult birds to live with and very long-lived. Eventually they tend to end up under a blanket somewhere, in a dark garage or in a shelter, usually feather plucked and crazy. I think they have the worst lives.

If you love your bird and have a happy coexistence, it would be very sad to shuffle the poor bird off to some home that might not treat it as well. I have not been able to figure out a reasonable solution to the bird problem. I wish I knew someone who also had big birds so we could swap bird care with each other. I love my birds and don't want to get rid of them. They are my children. I had one bird for 22 years. Half my life. My conure is 19 years old. My cockatoo is 17.

[Sierra Echo]

Why would you want to get pooped on for hundreds of miles? Sounds like a crappy situation! *gigglesnortgiggle*

[sbhikes]

Cockatoos are big birds. Their butts clear your body when they poo. You can train them not to poo on you, too. Worse than poo, a cockatoo would probably destroy your pack and bite your ears, especially if it doesn't like it when you wear a hat like mine. My cockatoo goes insane if I wear a hat.

[Sierra Echo]

My friend has a big bird like that that always tries to attack my nose ring and my earrings. I hate that bird!

[WisconsinHiker2011]

Soon we will have a 'therapy horse' demand with doctors papers from a long distance hiker who just 'can't function' without their horse.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Just wondering, but do parrots taste like chicken? 'cause I think I might have a solution . . .

[Awol1970]

Just wondering, but do parrots taste like chicken? 'cause I think I might have a solution . . .

Wowwwww. That's funny.

[wrongway_08]

Just wondering, but do parrots taste like chicken? 'cause I think I might have a solution . . .

I little greasier but nothing a little dab from a napkin won't fix.

[Mühly]

I've very fortunate my cockatoo is fully socialized and well trained. She is very bonded to me, but also really, really likes kids and is gentle with them.

I trained her to recall - but I had to teach her to fly down - very difficult for her at first. And to dangle from little branches, then catch the air to fly down. She is fully flighted. I cut her flight feathers once - never, never, ever again.

She does like to destroy hats and shoes, can take buttons off clothes (or remotes) in less than a second, etc., but she doesn't do this, fortunately, while we are hiking.

While I worry about hawks/osprey/eagles - if she sees them first, she can avoid them. While we hike she is in front of my chest, not on my shoulder or pack. She also sleeps with me in my hammock while we are camping.

After living with her and meeting other cockatoos, and hearing some pretty horrible stories of cockatoos abuse and neglect, I think cockatoos shouldn't be bred for the pet trade.

Cockatoos, in general, are LOUD, messy, more demanding of attention than a 2 year old, but mine has changed my life for the better. I couldn't imagine not having her in my life.

[Trailweaver]

I have a friend who is a breeder/seller of birds. It occurs to me that you may be able to find a breeder who would petsit your bird while you're gone for a fee. They would be more likely to know how to treat your bird and be able to give it attention, wouldn't they? It sounds like you two are really bonded, and I'd hate for you to have to get rid of your pet.

[sbhikes]

Wow Muhly, sounds like you have a really cool bird.

Our cockatoo is bonded to my boyfriend. He used to take her hiking but she'd get bored and try to climb down his trekking poles to the ground. We took her car camping once and she wanted to sleep with me sitting on my arm. This is not easy in a sleeping bag.

She is not clipped but she's also not trained to fly down. My boyfriend is trying to train her to come to him but she lived her first 9 years as a clipped bird so didn't really get it that she can fly. I agree it's better not to clip them. I know they might fly away and become a hawk meal or starve to death or something but it's better than watching them fall all the time.

[Echraide]

Why would you want to get pooped on for hundreds of miles? Sounds like a crappy situation! *gigglesnortgiggle*

Flight suit.

p-10925-44628-flightsuit.jpg

[Echraide]

Oops - also meant to ask Mühly - did you take your cockatoo on the Pinhoti? How did it go?

[Wise Old Owl]

always amazes me how fast WB members threads eventually thread swerve to projectile poo.... wow a new record !!!
4 posts...

SE You da Girl!

[Wise Old Owl]

Muhly I will be honest - Hawks don't give a damn when a bird is sitting on your shoulder - Here is what happens...



Bang!

That's what you will hear - an explosion of feathers - you will hit the ground, wonder what the hell happened - and no more bird. Now I am not being mean or funny - I had huge bird feeders around my house year round up to five years ago - and lots of morning doves. Less than 5 feet away I walked out the front door and I spooked one off the feeder. He lifted up three feet and there was the explosion I just described. I hit the ground because I thought it was a gunshot. I looked up and there was a perfect sphere of feathers expanding in mid air above me. No bird in the middle. Want to see the culprit? His photo is in my gallery.... the security camera caught him later. These raptors actively hunt the trail I see them hanging in trees above the Pinnacle and Pulpit trying to score a chipmunk... My hope is that I got you attention....

Leave the bird at home...


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[MissMagnolia]

If you love your bird and have a happy coexistence, it would be very sad to shuffle the poor bird off to some home that might not treat it as well. I have not been able to figure out a reasonable solution to the bird problem. I wish I knew someone who also had big birds so we could swap bird care with each other. I love my birds and don't want to get rid of them. They are my children. I had one bird for 22 years. Half my life. My conure is 19 years old. My cockatoo is 17.

I agree completely! I might be able to help you find a bird-sitter. I know lots of animal people in California, but don't know if any of them are bird people. What area/city are you in? You can PM me if you're interested, but I can't promise anything. I just figure I might know somebody who might know somebody near you. I personally know almost nothing about birds.

[birdygal]

I have raised parrots for the last 17 yrs. I currently own many Cockatoos and Macaws , I have one macaw that is 50 yrs old now , I have bred almost all of the parrot species from Cockatoos were my specialty, Personally I do not think hiking with a parrot overnight is a very good idea, Free flight should only be allowed near your home, Parrots especially cockatoos get stressed very easy, They will not be happy being placed with someone they do not know , Boarding for extended periods of time is also stressful on birds especially cockatoos, I have lost many cockatiels to Hawks I actually saw them pull the cockatiels head right off because its body would not fit through the wire. A flight suit is your best option if you wish to take one hiking

[Silverfeather]

I usually take my dog withe me. She's been trained as a service dog (therapy/autism) and responds to verbal and non-verbal commands so unlike some of these roudy mutts I keep hearing about she's a peach to meet on the trail. My boyfriend hikes with his cat (and so far he's the only to do so, that we know about.) Her name is parrot? xD because she hikes on his shoulders (or her own bag, depending on weather.) As for the other cat we usually see if friends can watch. We're actually planning a thru-hike right now with bob our pets. If we do we think we're going to pay someone to watch our non-hiking cat until we can return. It's just hard to arrange that. We'd put him in a kennel but a lot of people don't long term board for that long and it can really add up!! The cheapest places we've found would total around 2000 by the end of it all. Which is foolish, it's a CAT it's not THAT much work! Feed it, change its litter. Done. (This cat is not a very social cat, it is fat and lazy and would rather hide and sleep all day!)