Packing and Shipping Tips

From our vast experience in shipping live birds, we have learned so much to keep our birds safe and secure during the travel. We thought we would share this with you also!!

Decide the service you are going to opt for shipping. We recommend the service US Postal Service Express Mail with the shortest delivery time to the destination so that the birds need not be in the box for a long time.

Check the weather status while you plan on shipping. Please make sure that the weather is favorable for shipping. Make sure that the temperature is cool/hot enough for the birds to survive the journey. For all waterfowl and pheasant shipment, we recommend the temperature between 32°F and 75°F at origin and destination. It is likely that the temperature and conditions inside the box would be at least 20 degrees hotter than the outside temperature.

Sedation or tranquilization is STRONGLY DISCOURAGED as the drug's effects while in transit are unpredictable and may cause serious illness.

Carrier must contain absorbent material or bedding. Please make sure that you are not using toxic materials as bedding. Avoid using colored newspaper, plastic etc. Shredded newspaper (black and white), hay, straw or wood shavings are good choices.

Food and water for transit. Preferably you can have two dishes (one for food and one for water) securely fastened to the inside carrier. On the day before departure, fill one of the dishes with water and freeze it overnight. During travel the ice will slowly melt ensuring a supply of water.

Feed your birds with a light meal and a small amount of water few hours before you ship. Traveling on a full stomach can be uncomfortable for most animals.

Don't forget to be ready with all required documents including health certificates, forms, etc. that may be required by the government authorities.

Make sure that you notify the recipient on the day of shipping that you have shipped and provide them with the tracking details, so that the recipient can be prepared for collecting as soon the birds arrive. It would always be better to discuss and decide the shipping date with the recipient.

It is always recommended to ship on Mondays or Tuesdays so that the birds don’t get stranded at the post office over the week end. Also please keep in mind to avoid Postal holidays and other Public holidays.

Make sure that the birds are fit for journey and also you can put them inside the carrier a couple of hours prior to shipping so that they would become accustomed to the carrier.

The US Postal Service limits the shipment of live birds by Express Mail to certain zip codes. Make sure the recipient’s zip code doesn’t fall into this category. If there are restrictions on shipping live birds to the recipient’s zip code, discuss arrangements to ship the bird(s) to an alternative zip code, ship by Delta Airlines, or schedule a local pick up.