Many bird lovers like to take their feathered friends away with them on holiday, as they are part of the family after all. Traveling with your pet bird is a whole lot easier if you have a suitable cage for transporting him around with you. A bird carrier or a compact travel cage for birds is also useful for emergency situations where you may have to evacuate your pets. Knowing what to look for when choosing from the wide selection of bird carriers and travel cages for birds available, will help your narrow your choice down so that you can choose the most appropriate option for your needs.
Transporting your Bird: Bird Travel Cage or Bird Carriers?
There are two types of bird transporters:
- Travel cages for birds are fully equipped, but scaled down versions of a standard bird cage. These usually come fitted standard with perches and food/water bowls. A bird travel cage of this nature is not only suitable for transporting your bird, but also doubles up as housing while he is traveling with you.
- Bird carriers for travel are designed to transport birds securely, and are suitable for safely transporting pet birds – some bird carriers are not suitable for housing.
A few of the top brands of travel cages for birds, and bird carriers are reviewed below.
Backpack Travel Bird Carriers
If you want to hit the road with your pet bird, the Pak-o-Bird Range of Backpack Bird Carriers offer a wonderful solution for toting your feathered companion along. These lightweight, yet durable backpacks feature strong waterproof nylon outer, with a choice of nylon or stainless steel mesh — stainless steel mesh is stronger, and is recommended for all types of parrots or parakeets. Exterior flaps can be closed to protect your bird from wind chill, cold drafts or rain, or they can be rolled up so that your bird can enjoy the view. Pak-o-Bird bird carriers are extremely versatile – they can be used as a backpack, front pouch, or shoulder bag, and can also be strapped to a car seat to ensure safety when traveling by car — the straps are well padded and comfortable, but these bird carriers can also be fitted to an optional stroller if you would prefer to push rather than carry! Whether you are hiking, biking, or traveling by bus, rail, or car, these backpack bird carriers will allow you to easily take you bird with you wherever you go.
- Fitted with 1 wooden perch and two 5 oz stainless steel bowls
- Perch position at 4″, 6″ and 8″ from floor
- Includes attachment for bird toys and a water bottle
- Lightweight – Weighs under 5 lbs!
- Compact and easy to store away
- Easy to clean: with removable floor panel and can be unzipped to open flat
- Pak-o-Bird backpack bird carriers are available in a range of sizes and color choices
Aluminum Bird Carriers/Pet Travel Cages
If you are looking for a high quality travel cage that is lightweight, yet strong and robust, look no further than an aluminum travel cage for your birds. These bird travel cages are ideal for transporting parrots, as you will not have to worry about chipping paint, they are non-toxic, won’t rust, and are easy to clean and disinfect.
These sturdy pet travel cages are equipped with a large swing out door, fitted with a magnetic lock feature to prevent the door from rattling during transportation. It has another two swing out doors to easily access food and water dishes, which it comes with as standard, along with a wooden perch, and is fitted with a carry handle for conveniently toting about.
To facilitate easy cleaning, it has a slide out grill and bottom tray, which also features a handy locking mechanism. It is simple to assemble, with no nuts and bolts, hence no tools required, and knocks down for convenient storage when not in use. The aluminum travel cage is suitable for parrots and comes in various sizes and colors depending on your requirements and choice. They can also be used to transport other pets, such as dogs and cats, making them an extremely versatile option.
Small Aluminum Pet Carrier/Travel Cage for Birds
- Cage Dimensions: 15″H x 12″W x 14.45″L
- Bar Space: 5/8 “
- 4.5mm thick bars
- Weight: 10 lbs.
- Suitable for cockatiels, conures, and small parrots
Medium Aluminum Pet Carrier/Travel Cage for Birds
- Cage Dimensions: 14″H x 14″W x 18″L
- Bar Space: 5/8 “
- 5mm thick bars
- Weight: 18 lbs.
- Suitable for medium sized parrots such as small cockatoos, African greys and Amazons
Large Aluminum Pet Carrier/Travel Cage for Birds
- Cage Dimensions: 20″H x 28 7/8″L x 20″W
- Bar Space: 5/8 “
- 5mm thick bars
- Weight: 29 lbs.
- Suitable for large parrots such as cockatoos
Paradise Perch n Go Clear View Bird Carriers
If you are looking for a compact bird carrier to take your small to medium size bird with you on short trips, then the Perch and Go Clear View Bird Carrier may be the solution for you. Paradise bird carriers are well suited for transporting your bird to the vet, or as a carry cage to transport him safely with you in your car. They are ideal to use for smaller birds and parrots that spend most of their time out of their cage, or on your shoulder. Paradise Perch n Go bird carriers are transparent to allow your bird to look out and observe his surroundings as he travels, and also allows you to easily keep an eye on your bird to check that he is okay.
Paradise Perch n Go acrylic bird carriers are manufactured from durable polycarbonate, that can withstand a high impact, and are fitted with a stainless steel grill door and rear panel to allow even airflow, thus providing adequate ventilation. These bird carriers are fitted with a textured perch providing better grip, which can be adjusted to the most suitable height. They have a carry handle that doubles as an external perch – very handy for when the bird is allowed out of the carrier. These nifty little bird carriers are light weight and convenient, and are simple to assemble and easy to clean.
- Dimensions: 10” x 12” x 15”
- Bar spacing: 5/8”
- Suitable for small to medium sized parrots from cockatiels and conures to small cockatoos and African grey size parrots.
Bird Transport Cage
This fold-up bird transport cage is a great option if you are looking for a versatile, compact cage on a tight budget. This bird transport cage can double up as a temporary bird travel cage while you are on vacation on with your bird, and as it is collapsible, is easily stowed away. It comes with a wooden perch, two stainless feed bowls, has a pull out tray for easy and safe cleaning of the bird cage, a handle for carrying around, and folds down for convenient storage. It comes in two sizes, small and large. Great value!
Small Bird Transport Cage
- Cage Dimensions: 19” x 12” x 16”H
- Bar Spacing: 5/8”
- Main Door Opening: 9.5” x 10”
- Suitable for cockatiels, conures and smaller parrots
Large Bird Transport Cage
- Cage Dimensions: 24” x 16.5” x 20.5”H
- Bar Spacing: 1 1/8”
- Main Door Opening: 11.5” x 12.5”
- Suitable for medium and large size parrots
Folding Travel Bird Cage
Another convenient travel cage is the fully collapsible, Folding Travel Bird Cage. This travel cage has a large front door to easily get your bird in and out of the cage, it is fitted with a slide out tray for easy cleaning, and comes with a wooden perch and two hard plastic feeding bowls, which are accessible from the outside. It is made from iron-wrought steel with a non-toxic baked on powder-coating finish, and is available in black or sandstone.
- Cage Dimensions: 19″H, by 19″L, by 18″W
- Bar Spacing: 5/8″
- Bar Thickness: 4mm
- Weighs: 18 lbs
- Suitable for conures, Amazons & African grey sized birds
Choosing Between Bird Carriers & Bird Travel Cages
If you are looking for a bird travel cage to transport your feathered friend with you on your next vacation, there are plenty of options both in terms of bird carriers and travel cages for birds on the market. Your choice will depend on how much time the bird will be spending in the travel cage or carrier, the size of the bird, what you are expecting in terms of durability and affordability, and ultimately how much you are willing to spend on a bird travel cage to meet your needs.