Boris' Slave

First sign is sitting fluffed up and not moving or flying around much. Upon catching bird, look to see if face and beak is clean or dirty: - in the early stages the bird regurgitates seed that looks slimy and it often sticks to their beak & face and hardens or they fling it around the cage - looks like they spit up thick saliva which sticks and hardens They look like they have trouble swallowing/reguritating or otherwise just in need of good neck stretches. There is often faecal matter stuck to their vent feathers that they are unwilling or unable to kick off. Poop can change colour to green or black and loses the white mass. A dead givaway is the bird has lost alot of weight. Feel it's chest, healthy bird you can feel meat, sick bird you can feel the bones easily - sometimes see them protruding. A sick bird will quite often pig out on seed (vet told me they don't usually eat it but grind it up into a powder). Quite often the bird will be unable or unwilling to bite you even if s/he usually does. Literature I have read on the disease says that there are 2 "versions" i you will. One is the ast acting killer that will kill the bird in a matter of day and the second is the one that does it slowly over a period of time. This probably explains why my birds died over a period of time instead of within days of each other. Although when I noticed the symptoms, my birds died within 48 hours.

It was a very traumatic time and scary thinking, will someone else go down today? At one stage I thought I might have to have the entire population euthanised and if that was the case I was going to give up breeding birds forever. I had to force myself to tell this as I wanted everyone, beginners & experienced people alike not to let their guard down for a minute. Even now, when a bird is sitting fluffed up and stays that way when I go to the wire I catch and examine them. I am probably overprotective now but I'd rather be that way than make such a monumental mistake again. :mellow:

I bought 7 azalea plants today (cheap only $1.50 each) and I was thinking when they're bigger I'd like to put a couple in the aviary to brighten it up. Do budgies eat them?

okay, I will tell of the worst nightmare I have ever been through with my babies. It has taken me so long to get the intestinal fortitude to tell you guys as I was so stupid. First of all, I take responsibility as I broke the first rule after buying a new bird: I did not quarantine him! I do not know why I didn't, I always have in the past. I have since learnt I cannot afford to forget!! Anyway, I bought this cock Lutino in about Oct/Nov 03 (not sure exact timeline now) and as I said I did not quarantine him but put him straight into the aviary. Back then I had about 15 breeding cabinets as well as my 2 aviaries. My birds are given a rest after each clutch and in summer I remove the nest boxes and put most of the birds in the main aviary. I think it was around Nov/Dec 03 I noticed my first casualty, she was sitting on the floor all fluffed up with 3 cocks running around her trying to feed her. I went in and put her in the 'sick cage'. The next morning she had died. 2 days later I found another hen dead. Over the next 6 months 17 birds died, 15 budgies & 2 Bourkes - no quail. Of the 17, 12 were female (I often wondered if this was significant). I tried all manner of treatments, I changed their bedding, one time I put hay in and a stupid hen tried to swallow some and a piece got stuck in her throat and she died. Needless to say the hay was removed that day. I took the birds to the vet and he said they were heat stressed. I asked friends on the PSOA website, and got some great advice. The worst day was the day that I lost Grabfoot's identical sister (they were the only offspring of a super duper magnificient male I had). It was mothers day 04 and I had her out of the sick cage and she was crawling around my shoulders and snuggling into my neck. She squeaked at me, crawled down my chest into my lap and settled into my hands, nibbled my finger and died. I cried for half an hour (I am getting misty eyed typing this). I placed her body in an airtight container in the fridge and my mum took her to the vet for an autopsy the next day. The result came in the next day: Megabacteriosis. I had never heard of this disease before and asked treatment, Megabac S & the only place that sold it charges $210 for a 40g bottle! I said hang the expense get it in! It came express by courier the next day & I immediately made some up. I lost another couple of birds before the medicine took effect. I went back to the store where I bought the cock bird from and told them what had happened. Their response? Ah well, we can't be responsible for what breeders sell us! Needless to say no more birds are bought from them! I always have a supply of Megabac-S on hand now and regularly check my birds for symptoms. I buy it direct from the supplier and it only costs around $110 (vet marked up alot). I'm sure there is heaps I haven't mentioned but my memory is not as good as it used to be and I've relayed it as I remember it. I apologise if I've rambled and/or some of it doesn't make sense. Overall, I'd say the moral is: ALWAYS QUARANTINE

More babies Goodie *claps*

I hope everything works out okay. Fingers crossed.

I get shat on by Budgies, I will not be a rat's toilet too Maybe if I get some pet rats my parents will let me have the carpet snake I've always wanted hmmm

I give my birds a charcoal block when I can find them which is not often! But it's fine to give it to them. :sad:

Pet rats are cute to look at but I refuse to hold them anymore as the 2 times I have held them I got wee'd on both times :mellow:

Welcome :sad:

After various attempts at lips to beak teaching I have given up. Everytime I attempt it Boris thinks it's feed Karen time :sad: I guess we'll just have to wait and see if he picks anything up from all the baby talk yammering I've been doing at him for the past weeks. He responds very well when I say Boris a Pretty Boy or Good Boy. He loves praise. He responds best when I say Scratch? He knows that word & his head immediately cocks on the side.

mrethanrubies & gillian are right, it is Scaly Face and easily treated with Scale & Mite Remedy usually available from any pet store or vet. Just make sure you separate her from the others during treatment.

Try this link too: http://www3.sympatico.ca/davehansen/blkface.html

I'm glad you got them back, there's nothing worse than when they get out.

We'll keep our fingers crossed.

I'd say there is a good chance they will be abandoned. Don't worry though, they will lay more when you get them settled again.

Remove the eggs and as soon as the chicks fledge remove the box.

My birds absolutely refuse to eat fruit. The only times fruit was eaten in the aviary was when I got 3 Ringnecks for xmas last year & when I had Bo my rainbow lorikeet. Have they tried the melon yet?

I wouldn't as there may be fertile eggs, but other people might have different ideas. But definately do not let them breed again as the raising of chicks takes alot of their fat & energy reserves, breed them too much and you risk killing the hen or getting weak & sickly chicks.

That's a big price difference!

I wouldn't try moving mum & chicks until they are at least 3 weeks old, that way if she refuses to feed them you can finish raising them yourself. They will still need to be in some kind of nest so if you don't have a nest box fashion one out of a tissue box (and hope she doesn't eat it). Maybe even put it where she is now & put the chicks inside including any feathers she has pulled to line the current 'nest'. You will soon know if she doesn't like it as she won't go in. That's my thoughts, maybe someone else will come up with something better.

They will if you put a nesting box in. Leave it out and they should get along fine.

Playing hard to get? :(Laughing out loud): :(Laughing out loud):

That was a great article. My birds never did that to the quail in my aviary, they just terrorised them is all. :glare:

Buy a couple of ceramic/toy budgies & put them in the cage when the birds are not in it. :glare: