Moving finches

[cjkrit]

I have to relocate about 200 finches a distance of 700km. This will be a pickup and go without stop - 8 hours by road.
What would be the safest and best way to go about?
Size of the transport cages?
Will canary double breeders work?

[MiaCarter]

cjkrit -- I think canary double breeders would work nicely.
Better to have lots of smaller cages vs. just a couple larger ones. Easier to maneuver and you want to avoid a situation where you have tons of birds in one cage to limit the chances of them harming each other, intentionally or accidentally while fluttering in panic.

There are pros and cons for using cages vs. animal transport boxes.

Animal transport boxes tend to keep the animals calmer since they're more enclosed, but the ventilation isn't quite as good. And they're cardboard, which is less durable.

Cages are a good option in that they hold up better and they have better ventilation. But they're more open and it causes more stress.

I'd be sure to put in plenty of millet.
You'll also want a water source in there.
If they're trained to use water bottles, that's obviously ideal. But if they don't use those, then they're useless on the ride.

I would provide them with lots of electrolytes before the trip in addition to after.
So if you have something like NV powder, it would be perfect.
If not, a homemade electrolyte solution will work nicely. I have one here: http://wp.me/p4JWrl-F

I traveled cross-country with my birds when I moved. It took about 48 hours. (We tried to go straight through, but I just couldn't do it so we napped in the car.)
I used large tupperwares with an inch of water. That way, it allowed for sloshing.
The tupperware I used was similar to the big green one in this photo:
http://tinyurl.com/lvaqbof

I put some stones in there so they'd have something to land on to drink (I hot glued the stones in place so they wouldn't move around. I feared two stones could slide together and pinch their feet or similar.)

I placed these large tupperwares in the bird cage for a few days before the trip so they were familiar with them.

[cjkrit]

Mia@MiaCarter,
Thank you for your detailed and comprehensive answer.
This will be of great help and assurance to me.
I am going to give them AVISTRESS in their water for the next 2-3 weeks until moving time.

Thanks again.

[Sally]

When you say this will be in a pickup, is the bed enclosed? Or are you planning on taking them in the cab of the truck? Full-size cab? If it is an open bed, with a full-size cab, then I'd be tempted to carry them in some sort of transport cages, like shipping boxes, so that you can put them all inside the cab. In an open bed, how will you protect them from the wind?

When traveling, splashing water is always a problem. A fairly inexpensive solution is to buy baby food that comes in the small rectangular containers (if those are available in South Africa). Clean out the containers, cut a large hole in the top (smooth the edges with a hot glue gun), place a piece of clean sponge in the container, fill with water, put the top back on, and you have a travel water container that won't splash out. I have used these in shipping containers, where I can hot-glue the water container in place. If you use cages for transport, you may want to zip-tie the container in place. Also, place some sliced cucumber in each cage, it supplies water--get the birds used to eating it before the trip.

[cjkrit]

Sally,
Misunderstanding - not an open vehicle- inside my car. NO wind or rain.
Thanks for the tip on the water.

[MariusStegmann]

Are you moving Chris, or are you only relocating the birds?

[cjkrit]

Marius,
I have taken over all the finches of a guy in J'burg that is relocating to the coast.
Also taking his aviary which he will dismantle for me.
Hold thumbs for 23rd Aug when I am going up to collect them.

[MariusStegmann]

Was it the advert on birdtrader, that the guy mentioned that it cost him over R50000 to build the aviaries? He had a lot of birds for sale. Something like 10 pairs of seagreens and 10 pairs of red faced parrots, 7 pairs of strawberries etc, etc

[MiaCarter]

Ooh, what a lovely deal!
That's wonderful that you're getting the aviary too!

A thought on the sponges in the water....
That trick does work really well; I know lots of shippers use that method.

Just be careful to use a natural sponge if you can find some (instead of synthetic).

The rescue I worked with up in Boston was part of a transport network to get birds to new homes or qualified fosters. (So one person transports the bird 50 miles, then hands it off to the next person who transports it 50 miles and so on until the bird gets to where it needs to go.)
They had banned sponges after a few incidents with birds eating the sponges.
The two cases I know of off the top of my head both involved hookbills.
One was okay and passed the sponge bits; the other needed some sort of surgical intervention.

I know hundreds (thousands?) of birds are transported using the sponge method each year and I'm sure it's a tiny minority that have problems. But I just thought I'd mention it so you were aware.

I'd use a natural sponge over a synthetic, for hopes it's free of harmful ingredients.

[cjkrit]

Yes Marius that's him.
About 200 finches, 100 doves and 50 quail.
This is the aviary that I am taking over. Modular design - everything bolts together.

[MiaCarter]

Oh my heck!
Incredible!
**That's** the aviary you're getting, pictured above?
That's incredible!

Are you taking the doves and quail too?

[Rox]

Ooh, congrats!! I also looked at that advert and had a bit of a drool. It's a great deal

Good luck moving them!

[cjkrit]

Yes that is the aviary I am getting. It is currently being dismantled.
I am taking the doves and quail but they will be up for sale.
Only interested in the finches.

[Sam007]

I have recently relocated from California to Texas and brought my 20 gouldian finches with me in a Finch Flight Cage 24" x 16" x 16" in SUV. I covered all side of the cage with a thin cloth and no cloth on the top for air circulation. I used 2 food plastic dishes which came with cage (one for water one for seeds). I also used one Water Silo and put a heavy ceramic dish in the bottom of cage with seeds in it. I did not used any foam in water dish. I just simply changed their water and seed mix whenever I stopped for lunch.
It took me 3 days (8 hours of driving each day) and 2 nights (for rest) to reach Austin. Me and my gouldians stayed in hotels for the nights. I brought a small tube light with me (purchased from walmart for $12 or something) and put it on the top of the cage from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm after checking in the hotel room (during the nights) and 7:00 am to 9:00 am before leaving the hotel to make sure all finches are well fed before travel. Nothing bad happened to any of my finch. They all are in excellent condition and doing good.

[Corkysgirl]

I've been following this post. Wow, those are amazing aviaries!!! Congratulations! If I lived near you, I know my husband would want the quail. I wish!