NESTING VIRAL DISEASE

 

Young birds who have developed a poor immune system – They are prone to infections and viruses. This may be passed from parents to babies – The 2 most common viral infections in young budgies are Polyomavirus and Circovius ( PBFD) Aka Beak and Feather Disease …

 

Polyomavirus formally known as papovavirus more known as BFD ( budgie Fledging Disease) Usually affects young babies, first sign is a dead chick. Any bird that survives this from the nest is prone to developing secondary bacterial infection and develop deformed feathers – This can also look like PBFD extreme cases they may develop deformed beak and legs …

 

PBFD

This is a slow disease!, They will loose weight even thought they are eating well. Loose primary flight feathers and or tail feathers any surviving feathers may grow twisted and deformed – As they have these feather problems they are classed as RUNNERS – Seen in young chicks that are weaning or at their first molt There is NO DAMAGE TO THE BECK. As their immune system is depressed they may get a secondary infection like diarrhea or a respetory disease – They can not fight these diseases this disease is SPREAD IN ALL BODY FLUIDS SKIN DUST AND FEATHERS There is no treatment so CLEANING NEEDS SPECAIL ATTENTION – secondary infections will require antibiotics .

Polyomavirus does not usually result in death in budgies.

Here is some stuff from Australian Birdkeeper magazine on Polyomavirus by Dr Bob Doneley BVSc FACVSc:

 

Polyomavirus can survive in the environment (i.e. outside the bird) for a considerable length of time.

It is transmitted from bird to bird, the mode of transmission is uncertain but it is unlikely that it is through eggs.

Adult birds rarely show signs of the illness but can be short term carriers of the virus, but continue to shed it through their droppings, urine and respiratory secretions. Budgies can continiue to shed it for 6 months, with South American species up to 3-4months.

Chicks with poor immune systems become infected after hatching as they are exposed to contaminated droppings

Clinical signs start to show in budgies at 10-25days old (3-4mths for macaw and eclectus), but concurrent infection with PBFD can affect the onset of clincal signs tis results in much older birds becoming sick. Many chicks will die within a few hours-days of appearance of sickness.

All chicks in the nurseries will be infected before any of them show any signsa nd the result is usually death, however many budgies will survive.

 

CSx (clinical signs) :

Decreased hatching rate i.e. dead in shell

Swollen abdomen

Weakness

Pale and bruised skin

Crop stops emptying

Yellow urates

Death

 

PM:

Enlarged liver

Multifocal haemorrhages

 

Sequelae:

Loss of flight feathers and ability to fly. Many of these birds regain their feather's over time and become normal in appearance.

 

(Finches are affected differently All ages are affected. Their CSx are: Sudden death with survivors having overgrown beaks and abnormal feathering.)

 

Diagnosis (Dx):

Using CSx, histology, biopsy and DNA tests.

 

Carriers rarely remain lifelong carriers.

 

Prevention:

Avoid keeping South American parrots and Eclectus with Budgies, lovebirds and cockatiels as the latter are more commonly reservoirs of the disease.

New birds can be (should be) DNA tested for the disease, and quarantined for 4 weeks.

Birds that test positive should be quarantined and then retested, and if clear, re quarantined for another 4 weeks.

Avoid handrearing other people's birds

 

If you have an outbreak in your budgies:

Nestlings and young birds are the reservoir of the virus therefore breeding should be stopped for 4 months so that all babies are at least 6 months of age and have cleared the virus from their bodies. All young birds should be placed into isolation/quarantine and if possible adults should be removed to a clean environment.

All nestboxes and wooden items should be burned or disposed of.

Disinfect the aviary with phenol, bleach or stabilised chlorine dioxide - however this will not work on organic materials such as dirt floors or droppings.

Vaccination is available in USA and is only really effective in Adult birds

 

Treatment (Tx):

There is no specific treatment for infected birds. Supportive care may help them survive but most birds clinically ill will dies (budgies tend to survive so I would say to stick them in the hospital cage and shower them with TLC).

 

I hope that helps No mention of deformed beak or legs in budgies though. You seem to almost have your diseases mixed up Neat.

Budgies with Polyomavirus aka French moult (or to the French as "English moult" lol) aka Budgerigar Fledgling Disease are also called "runners" or "creepers".

 

Dehydration in fledglings can often result in loss of primary flights and tail feathers and is often mistaken for Polyomavirus.

Sw, Death as in Dead chick Baby in the nest I had 2 birds ( shyanne and Comanche) die from PBFD and a secondary bateria infetion a year ago

Yep, I did mean death in younger budgies/chicks.