There's nothing like a trip to Petsmart with your Quaker to build yours and his self confidence. People will be amazed at how your "Circus bird" amazingly stays perched upon your shoulder. Little do they know, he wouldn't dream of going anywhere else! Since Quakers are quite territorial, and you are the only familiar territory in the new environment, you are where the Quaker will most likely choose to be.

This does not mean, regardless, that the Quaker should be transported on the shoulder or in the hand outdoors. If excited, he may choose an untimely exit that will result in his escape. Even though his wings are trimmed, you MUST TRANSPORT YOUR QUAKER IN A PET CARRIER! Until you have made several short ventures to truly safe environments, like your neighbors house, with your pet bird, I do not suggest you allow your Quaker to perch or otherwise be over exposed in a new environment. These expeditions out, are, at first, trust building, confidence building, exercises that must be slowly and safely maximized to truly enjoyable experiences for you and your Quaker.

Whenever traveling in the States, I suggest taking your Quaker, if at all possible. Your departure for days or weeks at a time will provide equal or greater stress on your bird than the traveling will, and your bird will have to be entrusted to someone elses less experienced care. For tips on travel cages, check out the Quaker-parakeet mailing list. It's an excellent idea to take bottled water along for the trip so that your bird will not have to endure frequent water changes or be exposed to contaminated water supplies. Several states have laws regarding Quaker ownership and transport, so check this out when arranging your trip. It is aslo a good idea to take along a copy of Bird Talk or Birds, USA , which contain listings of avian veterinarians and bird clubs in the back. This way you will be able to make immediate contact with a veterinarian in the event of an emergency.

The safest place for your Quaker in your vehicle is in the rear seat, away from the airbags. Several companion parrots have been lost to the powerful impact and burns from these human life saving devices. If traveling in the summer, you may need to purchase a baby window sunshade to protect your Quaker from glaring, baking sunlight. Be sure that your birds travel cage does provide a constant supply of water, perhaps a gravity fed water bottle that your bird is allowed to acclimate to in advance of the trip.

Many airlines will allow you to carry your parrot onboard in an approved size pet carrier if you have given notice at the time of making your own reservation. The airlines often have a limit on how many pets are aboard each flight and this can become a problem around the holidays. DO NOT allow your Quaker to be loaded into the planes cargo area. This is a dirty, often damp, noisy, fumey place. 'Nuff said.

As a final note on traveling, not all areas sell the same brands of pellets. Take yours with you. And, if staying with relatives or friends, take into consideration whether or not they have animals of their own. If so, it's probably safer to stay in a hotel. Make sure the hotel you are planning on staying in is willing to accomodate you before you arrive. Believe it or not, not everyone is in love with Little Green Chickens!!!

There are 11 of the United States that have restrictions on Quaker ownership, please research the specific laws before taking your Quaker to one of these states.