Arranging a parrot or bird cremation in Cheyenne
Birds often die suddenly, so many Cheyenne keepers are making these decisions with no warning. This page walks you through the first hours, the options and the prices, one step at a time.
- Help deciding on a necropsy first
- Options for parrots, small birds and hens
- Local providers who collect from your vet
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Arranging a bird cremation in Cheyenne
Cheyenne is Wyoming's capital and largest city, sitting on the high plains near the Colorado line with F.E. Warren Air Force Base on its western side. Neighborhoods range from older streets near the Capitol to newer subdivisions and small acreages stretching east and south. Because military families move often, many here have a pet cremated so the ashes can travel to the next posting rather than staying in a yard they'll leave.
Lions Park, the greenway paths threading through town and the open prairie past the city limits are where many local households take their animals. Curt Gowdy State Park, between Cheyenne and Laramie, draws people looking for granite outcrops and pine for a memorial outing. State park rules apply there, so check before scattering anything; a home garden or your own acreage avoids the question entirely.
Home burial is common in towns like Cheyenne, and a bird needs only a small grave. Choose a spot away from wells, streams and vegetable beds, dig deeper than feels necessary so scavengers leave it alone, and mark it with a stone or a plant. If you rent or might move, think it through first: cremation lets you take your bird with you.
Cheyenne is home to about 66,507 people, the largest of the 10 Wyoming communities we cover.
If you want to compare providers, look at Fort Collins (41 miles, a larger centre), Laramie (43 miles) and Windsor (46 miles). Distance matters because pickup fees and the time until the ashes come back both grow with the drive.
78.5%[1]
The NFDA projected Wyoming's cremation rate at 78.5% for 2024.
6 million[2]
About 6 million US households keep pet birds.
1.4 million[3]
There are about 1.4 million indoor pet birds in the UK (2.7% of households).
3-5% of body weight[4]
Embrace notes cremated remains typically weigh about 3-5% of the pet's original body weight.
Sources for the statistics above: UK Pet Food (formerly PFMA) Pet Population 2026 and Embrace Pet Insurance.
The local attitude to cremation and burial
In Wyoming, about 78.5%[1] of people are cremated, one of the higher rates around. That figure is about people, not birds, but it shapes the local market: more crematories, more competition and more providers willing to talk through options. Use that to your advantage. Ask two of them how they cremate a small bird, and go with the one whose answer is clearest.
We take the Wyoming rate from NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024). It is a human statistic; there is no equivalent pet figure for Cheyenne, and we would rather show a real number than invent one.
How Cheyenne's weather changes the first hours
Winter in Cheyenne keeps many birds indoors with the windows shut, and air quality suffers. A bird who dies suddenly during January, February, March, April, November and December may have been affected by something in the air, from a gas leak to a new air freshener. Open windows, move surviving birds to fresh air and tell your vet what's been running in the house.
Backyard hens around Cheyenne get through 6 freezing months with a dry, draft-free coop. If one dies in winter, the ground may be too hard to dig. Many keepers wrap the bird and keep her in a freezer until the thaw, or choose cremation instead. Either is fine for a hen who died of old age; after sudden deaths, call a vet first.
Bird cremation prices for Cheyenne keepers
Standard US pet insurance typically doesn't cover cremation[5], and few bird owners carry a policy anyway, so plan to pay directly. If you'd like to be present, some crematories charge a viewing fee; posted surcharges run from $25 to $350[6]. For a bird, a short private goodbye at the clinic is usually free.
The Wyoming price table breaks costs down by size; our services page explains what sits behind each line.
Free tool
Cremation cost calculator
Estimate a realistic price range for your pet's size, location and the type of cremation.
What the law says about a pet bird in Wyoming
Bird flu has changed what's expected of backyard keepers in Wyoming. A single elderly hen is still your own business, but unexplained losses among several birds can trigger reporting duties, and officials may then choose how the carcasses are dealt with. Here's what to know before you bury or cremate.
To find your county or city office in Wyoming, start with the official Wyoming local government directory.
The Wyoming page sets out who oversees pet cremation and what the state says about burial and scattering. Cheyenne's own bylaws can sit on top of that, so ask before you dig.
Your next few days, in order
- Book a quiet appointment. When euthanasia is what your avian vet recommends, request the earliest or latest time they offer; the waiting room is quieter then.
- Settle aftercare beforehand. Decide on private or communal cremation and tell the clinic in advance, so there are no forms to fill in afterwards.
- Choose what to keep now. You can collect molted feathers from the cage before you go, or ask the vet afterwards to snip a few feathers and take off the leg band.
- Bring something familiar, such as a towel from the cage or a favorite perch, so your bird is calm in your hands.
- Decide whether a flockmate comes along. Some keepers bring a bonded partner in a carrier; others prefer to show them the body at home.
- Leave when you're ready. Staff will store your bird in their cooler until collection day.
Keeping your bird close
At about 6,000 feet, Cheyenne sees freezing temperatures in half the months of the year, November through April, and the wind rarely lets up. Soil that stays frozen for that long makes a backyard grave impractical outside summer. Settle your pet on a folded sheet in the coolest corner of the home, well away from heat vents, and call a provider promptly; mid-80s afternoons in July shorten the window further, and hail can roll in with little warning.
read our guides and latest articles, use the free tools before you ring anyone, or see what other families chose in the poll results, Compare every option on our services page. You can also browse every city in the United States. Nearby, we also cover Rock Springs, Laramie, Casper and Sheridan, and every city in Wyoming.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
If your bird had a companion, did you let them see the body?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Did you keep (or would you keep) any of your bird's feathers?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
If you had to decide today, which aftercare would you choose for your pet?
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Free tools to help you plan
Cremation cost calculator
Estimate a realistic price range for your pet's size, location and the type of cremation.
Ashes weight estimator
See roughly how much ash to expect back, by species and body weight.
Pet age & senior years calculator
Convert your pet's age and see when senior-care and planning conversations usually start.
Questions people ask
How do Wyoming attitudes to cremation compare?
NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024) puts the Wyoming human cremation rate at about 78.5%[1]. We show it on the Cheyenne page because pet aftercare choices tend to track it: where cremation is normal for people, communal and private pet cremation are both easy to find.
Which nearby towns can I compare with Cheyenne?
The closest communities we cover are Fort Collins (about 41 miles), Laramie (about 43 miles) and Windsor (about 46 miles). Providers based in those places often serve Cheyenne too. Ask each one for a written total that includes collection, so the distance is priced in.
When is the hardest time of year to arrange a burial in Cheyenne?
January, February, March, April, November and December: average lows are below freezing then, and frozen ground makes a home grave slow or impossible until it thaws. The other pressure point is July, when highs around 84°F mean a body needs cooling and collecting quickly.
How much does bird cremation cost in Cheyenne?
Most US providers put birds in their smallest weight band, which CareCredit lists at about $100 to $175 for private cremation and $45 to $75 for communal, for pets up to 30 lb. Collection, after-hours fees and an urn add to that. Ask any Cheyenne provider for a written total that names the species.
Can I bury my bird in my garden in Wyoming?
In most places, yes, if you own the property, dig deep enough to keep scavengers away and stay clear of wells and waterways. Renters usually need permission, and some towns have their own rules. Don't bury a bird suspected of an infectious disease until your vet agrees.
How do I explain my budgie's death to a young child?
Use simple, true words: your bird has died and won't wake up. Avoid "put to sleep" or "went away", which can frighten or confuse small children. Let them ask questions, look at the bird if they wish and help choose a keepsake. Children often grieve in short bursts, so expect questions to come back days or weeks later.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] The NFDA projected Wyoming's cremation rate at 78.5% for 2024. NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage), 2024.
- [2] About 6 million US households keep pet birds. American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 National Pet Owners Survey release, 2025.
- [3] There are about 1.4 million indoor pet birds in the UK (2.7% of households). UK Pet Food (formerly PFMA) Pet Population 2026, 2026.
- [4] Embrace notes cremated remains typically weigh about 3-5% of the pet's original body weight. Embrace Pet Insurance - Bury or Cremate Your Dog? Costs, Pros & Cons, 2025.
- [5] Embrace says standard pet insurance typically does not cover cremation, while euthanasia can be covered if medically necessary for a covered condition; cremation is an eligible expense under its optional Wellness Rewards. Embrace Pet Insurance - Bury or Cremate Your Dog? Costs, Pros & Cons, 2025.
- [6] Posted surcharges to witness or view a pet cremation range from $25 to $350, with a median of about $125 across four data points. Our estimate: median of [$25 guide low, $100 guide high, $150 NC provider, $350 VA provider]. How we calculate.
- [7] A 1 oz keepsake urn can cost about a third more than a full-size wooden urn at the same crematory. Our estimate: CA$106 heart keepsake / CA$79 solid wood urn. How we calculate.
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