Aussie Finch Forum

I have heard of keepers buying birds interstate and ahveing them 'mailed' to them in the post or something. Has anyone experienced this, how successfully and what are the risks?

Never heard of that,But would be interested in hearing more about it.

Living in remote WA has meant that I have regularly bought and sent birds via air freight - success rate has probably been close to 99.99%.

If the birds are healthy to start with, boxed properly, and sent in favourable weather conditions (not too cold or too hot) then all should go well. Upon receipt the birds should be ideally housed in a canary cabinet or the like for a couple of days and once over the journey released early morning in favourable weather conditions.

Interestingly, though not at the time, late last month I sent a pair of red-backed wrens and two crimson chat cock birds from Kalgoorlie to Pt Lincoln. They left my end at 5pm and were due to arrive at Pt Lincoln at 12:30pm the next day - about sixteen hours all up. The planned flight was Kalgoorlie to Perth to Melbourne to Adelaide then to Pt Lincoln. Unfortunately something didn't quite work out right (it doesn't happen very often) and instead of going from Adelaide to Pt Lincoln the went to Darwin. Only Jetsar flights out of Darwin (Jestar don't take birds) after lunchtime so the birds stayed overnight in Darwin then travelled at first light to Sydney then on to Adelaide and finally arrived in Pt Lincoln on at 12:30pm but a day late. The birds arrived fine though the sender and receiver were a bit stressed.

As for posting birds in the mail I have never heard of it!


Probably the other think worth mentioning is that it is very much a trust process - so do your homework.

Thanks for the info. I asked the question because there is a pet shop in Melbourne that airfreights (not post, that was just me using a loose terminology) all over Australia but I was not comfortable as I could just picture what the poor birds would go through. Good to know it works apart from the odd time when they get to see the country by mistake.

Welcome Gary
I have sent and received birds airfreight for many years with little problem with regard losses.
Gary has brought up a good point. Always put an ample supply of seed,water and Cucumber incase the box goes the wrong way or is delayed.
It is dangerous to presume it will only be a short flight.Use decent size low height boxes.
The airlines generally are good with regard their welfare but that is also why you pay a premium of around $60
Sorry to say it but I have doubts about mail getting through the post, even if they would handle birds(and they don't) NO WAY

Air freight seems to work well.....

A couple of years ago my luggage and I did something like that. Had been in Perth for a training upgrade and collect work for a major job. I went North 500kms and my luggage went South 500kms, including most of the paperwork. Though naturally not the most confidential papers, they did not leave my side. By the time it was re directed I had lost a weekend of working time.
I would have been even more stressed if my luggage had been birds though.
LML

post dont deliver live stock ,, thank god for that as if you only seen how some contractors work the poor things could be stuck in your local post office waiting days for collection, plus if u have a closer look australian air express(which deliver livestock) is owned by aussie post ....or is a sister company of sorts...pete