How early should I start training my parrot for travel?

A week to a few weeks before travel is ideal for training your parrot. If your bird is naturally anxious, it’s best to get the actual travel cage as early as possible to allow for gradual adjustment.

What if my parrot is afraid of the travel cage?

Try making it more familiar by placing used hay or newspaper from its regular cage inside the new travel cage. Add familiar toys along with new items to encourage curiosity. Allow your bird to explore at its own pace without rushing the process. You can also interact with the cage casually to create a sense of normalcy and security.

What can I do if my parrot resists entering the cage?

First, determine whether it’s due to fear or disinterest. If fear is the cause, follow steps to make the travel cage familiar, such as placing used hay or toys inside. If it’s disinterest, try using treats or new toys as incentives. You can also use the “sneaky approach” by showing interest in the travel cage yourself— clean it, interact with it, or place your own items inside. Some parrots may become curious and claim the cage for themselves.

What should I do if I can’t get a bird travel cage well in advance?

Sometimes, the pet relocation service provides the IATA-approved travel cage and only gives it to pet owners on the day of travel. If this happens, ask for a picture and dimensions in advance. Then, find a similar-sized cage at a pet store for training. Use this temporary cage to follow the training steps in the article and help your bird adjust to traveling.

Pet Relocation & Care Library

A parrot being shipped in an IATA approved travel cage by a pet relocation service

Parrot Training: How to Teach Your Bird to Stay Calm in a Travel Cage

Last updated on: March 12, 2025

When preparing your parrot for travel, especially for international bird shipping, it is important to train your bird to stay calm in its travel cage, so the travel experience is less taxing on your bird’s well-being. With proper bird training, your parrot can learn to view the travel cage as a second home.

Stage 1: Introduce the Travel Cage as a Familiar Object

When preparing your parrot for travel, the first step of successful bird training involves introducing the travel cage as a regular part of its environment. Place the cage within your parrot's sight for several days, or ideally a couple of weeks, so it becomes a familiar object.

This simple step helps your parrot associate the travel cage with home rather than uncertainty, making it easier to adjust to the upcoming bird shipping journey.

A cockatiel playing with toys, illustrating positive reinforcement in parrot training for travel

Our Tip:

Add items with your parrot’s scent and your scent inside the cage, such as its favorite toys or a piece of your clothing.

Stage 2 Version 1: Encourage Exploration with Toys and Treats

To train your parrot to become comfortable with its travel cage, it's key to build an association of fun, positivity, and comfort with the cage. Start by filling the cage with a mix of old and new toys, along with some treats. The familiar toys will give your parrot a sense of security, while the new toys will act as rewards for exploring.

When you allow your bird to roam freely as part of its usual routine, encourage it to check out the new toys inside the cage. Let it decide to enter the cage voluntarily. Birds are naturally curious, and encouraging them to explore the cage at their own pace will help them build a positive connection.

This approach will transform the cage into an inviting and comfortable space, easing your bird into the idea of traveling.

Stage 2 Version 2: A Sneaky Approach For Skeptical Parrots

We also know some very smart birds that can be a bit skeptical… just like humans. Each bird has its own personality, and some might get even more cautious the more you encourage them— almost like they're thinking: "What's the catch?". If this sounds like your bird, try this approach.

A cockatoo symbolizing parrot training for stress-free pet relocation

Instead of encouraging them to explore and hovering over them, focus on giving the cage attention (yes, it’s silly— silly measures for silly birbs). Wipe the cage, pamper it, and "claim" it as yours by placing objects with your scent inside. Some parrots can get territorial and jealous, and they will want to claim the cage for themselves. That's exactly what we want— ha!

Stage 3: Gradual Door Closure and Comfort Testing

Once your parrot is comfortable with the travel cage, start training it to tolerate having the cage door closed. Don’t rush this step in the first few sessions. Allow your bird to enter and exit freely, and ensure it doesn’t feel trapped. After a few sessions, gently close the door for short periods. Stay in the room and casually go about your activities, without hovering over the cage.

Our Tip:

By not focusing on the countdown time, you're making the experience feel natural and not a "trick" where your bird is being rewarded for simply tolerating it. This creates a relaxed, positive association between your parrot and the travel cage, helping to ease any anxiety during the bird shipping process.

Stage 4: Separation Training and Building Trust

When your parrot is fine with staying in the travel cage, it's time to introduce brief separations. Close the door while your bird is inside and step out of the room. Gradually increase the time away, starting with a few minutes and working up to a few hours. Furnish the cage with a comfortable perch, snacks, and toys to keep your parrot entertained, just like its usual cage.

This trains your parrot to understand that you will always return. Over time, your bird will see the cage as its second home.

A playful macaw engaging in trust-building exercises for parrot travel training

Additional Training: Getting Used to Cage Movement

While working through stages 3 and 4, when your parrot is comfortable staying in the cage, practice lifting and moving the cage from room to room with your bird inside. This helps your parrot adjust to the physical experience of bird shipping. Start with short distances and gradually increase the duration and distance of the movement.

Also, birds naturally like to perch at high points, and their cages are usually placed off the floor. However, during bird shipping, the travel cage may be placed on the ground. If you know your parrot gets stressed by being close to the ground in a confined space, practice placing the cage at different heights. This can help your parrot get used to a variety of environments, reducing anxiety during travel.

Additional Training: Cue Training

Throughout the process, use positive reinforcement to encourage your parrot’s comfort with the travel cage. Verbal cues like “cage time” will help your bird associate the command with entering the cage. Offer treats and praise when your parrot willingly enters the cage. This consistent training ensures that your bird becomes adaptable to the idea of traveling.

Our Tip:

Patience is key. If it progresses not as fast as you wish or regresses, stay positive and reassure your parrot. Even if your bird takes a step back, it's still reinforcing all the positive behaviors learned in the previous step.

The Final Take

Every bird has its own unique personality— some are natural adventurers, while others may feel more anxious. If your parrot is on the nervous side, we recommend getting the actual travel cage as early as possible to start training. This will help alleviate the mental and physical stress of travel.

Don't forget to celebrate the progress! No matter how small— every step is a unique memory of the pet relocation journey!

FAQ

How early should I start training my parrot for travel?
A week to a few weeks before travel is ideal for training your parrot. If your bird is naturally anxious, it’s best to get the actual travel cage as early as possible to allow for gradual adjustment.
What if my parrot is afraid of the travel cage?
Try making it more familiar by placing used hay or newspaper from its regular cage inside the new travel cage. Add familiar toys along with new items to encourage curiosity. Allow your bird to explore at its own pace without rushing the process. You can also interact with the cage casually to create a sense of normalcy and security.
What can I do if my parrot resists entering the cage?
First, determine whether it’s due to fear or disinterest. If fear is the cause, follow steps to make the travel cage familiar, such as placing used hay or toys inside. If it’s disinterest, try using treats or new toys as incentives.

You can also use the “sneaky approach” by showing interest in the travel cage yourself— clean it, interact with it, or place your own items inside. Some parrots may become curious and claim the cage for themselves.
What should I do if I can’t get a bird travel cage well in advance?
Sometimes, the pet relocation service provides the IATA-approved travel cage and only gives it to pet owners on the day of travel. If this happens, ask for a picture and dimensions in advance. Then, find a similar-sized cage at a pet store for training. Use this temporary cage to follow the training steps in the article and help your bird adjust to traveling.