fire bird

The traps are out nothing caught yet, they are sneaky little (swearwords) we had a plague of them 2 years ago it was ***. The laundry is on the reno list to be tiled when I get time if that ever happens. Most of the birds are now looking like they are on the mend and all on the same meds so I have moved them all back to the veranda my marema sheepdog guards the birds with her life lol she actually is terrified of sheep she took to bird gaurding like a natural.

Some good news now, after all that horror evening my 24 budgies and 5 ringnecks up on our veranda seem to be getting better. Well I was out there for 2 hours earlier and they had their night covers on I was working on a new suspended cage, a big one for the veranda I did not hear a single sneeze, cough or funny wheeze out of any cage. They were all sleeping peacefully not a sound. This MoxyT must be good stuff The baby is also doing well, almost bouncing off the walls today he has become a little energizer battery on that quickgel stuff.

I wish I knew, if I catch whatever did this ..... it will not be around very long. We live in the bush, its too cold for reptiles, it had to have been an acrobatic rodent of some kind.

Well sad news, actually quite horrific I cant think of a word that describes it right now. I went to check on the 2 in quarantine downstairs... its a closed room, brick walls window open a crack for air, lights on, there is a desk I have the cock birds cage on, clean white desk, about 3-4 inches from the wall. I came in and saw him laying on the bottom of the cage. I hadn't been home long, so was the first I had been in there in many hours. He was so alive when I left him, he wasn't even sick, quite the opposite he was in peak condition, I only quarantined him because his mate was sick. Well he was covered in blood, the cage covered in blood, his mate in distress accross the room. I only set that cage up last night and went over it with a fine tooth comb, no sharp anything anywhere.used that cage for years. It looks like it came from his chest and his leg, like little puncture... like maybe a rat. There is a toilet in there and pipe in the ceiling with a crack next to it. Thats the only thing I can think of, how it got to him on the desk up there, its all slippery sides. He was my very best bird, he was show material I only ever got one chic from him, and its one thats sick. Im gutted I just don't believe it, Ive had him years.

Results were not ready yet today, they said to call again thursday.

No news from the vet yet, but it's early and it was a long weekend. All still alive and kicking noone is any worse, a few seem better. I have not heard any sneezing since yesterday in the morning, some still have wetness over cere but some could be residual staining from a few days ago, I will have a good look later with the led torch and a cotton bud or tissue and see if any moisture is comming away or if it is dry there. A lot of them are fairly tame and don't mind me handling them for a short time, I have not touched them however all weekend so as not to add any stress and avoid the extra risk of spreading germs. I was up until 3am last night cleaning, I might have OCD... if my OCD helps my birds so be it lol. I might be overly paranoid but I can't help it, I have never had any of my parrot birds sick before it is a new experience and I am terrified. I have seen far sicker birds in pet stores completely ignored but any level of ill health is worrying. I have a horrid guilty feeling I have done something wrong a long the way for them to get sick maybe I forgot to wash my hands one day, or mucked up quarantine on a new bird, or didnt change my clothes after going to a pet store. Was the seed contaminated... did they get in a draft one night... but all I can do now is what Im doing can't change the past. But can learn from it and I have Rob Marshalls book, you start reading that book and cannot put it down, which is maybe not good at night because it is over 400 pages.... lol Update later when I know more. Thanks guys, I feel better having a place to talk about it where people don't think I am nuts and actually care.

Thanks guys Unfortunately one of my best hens developed a wheeze last night and wet cere, she had only been on moxyT 12 - 24 hours at that stage so she was already 'getting' it have just spent 4 hours down stairs cleaning, disinfecting, scrubbing like a mad woman. I moved her down last night with her mate he seems fine, he is actually in great shape so he stands a good chance, his cere is a lovely deep blue and he is very active. I opted though to split them up and keep her on her own, risky because it will stress them more, but the risk of him getting it would have increased by the day with him feeding her. They can see and talk to each other but there are a few meters between the cages now so they are not sharing so many germs. I didn't really know what else to do with them, fingers crossed she recovers and he stays healthy. The baby is cracking more seed today, one thing with him though is administering his medicine is easy I just mix it straight into his formula and he takes the full dose. Some of the others, their feathers were a little dryers today and no sneezing. So that is promising... tomorrow test results come back. I think I might still send the vet some more dropping samples next pay day for more tests since he only had 2 birds to go on, I will ask him if it is needed. Um, his fees are not the highest I have ever paid, but he is going to cost more than your average vet... you are paying for his specialist knowledge and experience I knew that when I chose to go to him. His consult was $77 for 2 birds but he was not in a rush and I had plenty of time to discuss everything with him. The moxyT was $44 the tests are where the costs are. But having close to 100 birds at home at risk it really is worth it for me.

Hi, I have a flock of 26 budgies, 10 ringnecks, alexandrines and a few pet birds and chinese silkies. I have been breeding birds for many years and we just had a nasty turn of weather. Well my luck ran out and a couple of my birds started showing some mild respiritory symptoms. In a panic I took my 2 lorrikeets to my local vet who has a special interest in birds and he prescribed doxy for 2 weeks. No tests at that stage. Then it started hitting the budgies. My wonderfull neighbours decided to start burning off before their holiday (we are on acerage on the nsw south coast its perfectly legal here) and of course that did not help matters. I have a young chic I have been handraising which is just on 10 weeks old now, the last one before winter (normally it does not get very cold where I am so breeding runs right up till almost June usually) sadly his parents refused to feed him and I took over and have been raising him from 3 days old. He was doing great however, he had also picked up the bug. So Saturday I made the 4 hours trip by bus, train and then car from Nowra to Carlingford in Sydney to see Dr Rob Marshall, who was highly recomended to me by some friends who use his heath programes for the poultry. I knew he was a budgie expert and lover and has written books about them. So I left home at 4am with my baby cuddled up inside a hand knitted beanie in a soft little bag/sling, spare cage, and another 10 month old cock with a little staining above his cere and occasional sneezing. It was a risk taking them on such a long trip and leaving so early in the cold, but I had them well padded and wrapped up in towls and blankets and it was a case of... take the risk and see the best I can and find out what the problem is now while it is mild, rather than wait and see. The doxy was not working, in fact after a week and a half more birds had wet foreheads. I arrived up there mid morning, and he was wonderfull. Best vet I have ever seen, obviously loves budgies, very gentle, and he diagnosed for now a strep or staph infection and showed me what he was seeing under the microscope on a screen, pointing out the nasties and explaining it all. He also gave me a gift, something really neat... and helpfull. I dont think I should say since he probably dosnt give this away often. It was expensive to see him, but he is running a number of tests and prescribed a different antibiotic. He is testing for chlamidiosis also, and I will get the full results tuesday. He also gave me one of his products quick gel, an energy vitamin supplement to give them a boost... and after 24 hours they are bouncing off the walls... and wont shut up... they have gone from quiet to hyper. All the birds are getting the same treatment sick or not since it seems to be spreading very easily. I have 4 in quarantine downstairs, 2 more were wet around the cere last night. Please think good thoughts for all my feathered friends that they will respond quickly and get well fast. We are going to work out a health care programe to keep them in top shape and get ready for next season. I will let you all know how my little bub goes. He is the most worrying right now, being a weanling. I used to be on here as crystal feather a few years ago, I lost my old log in details for that account and changed my email twice. I will put some pics of my birds up this week if anyone would like to see. Sarah.

Oh I am going to say it... even if it is the same room, a seperate cage is still better than straight in together. In a seperate cage at least they don't share food and water, don't directly touch and have contact with each others droppings. It isnt perfect but still better. A great many things are spread by drinking water, droppings and feeding each other. I have limited space at my place but I still use a seperate cage. Sorry to do the tell you off thing but its for a good reason, your not a bad person. I just hope they are both healthy. Ah he is cute though

Can you give me your original membership name so I can delete the second account or merge and up date the original with your new info please ? Hi it was crystal_feather but I am not sure about the password. Thanks for the welcome everyone!

I am going to say look for a budgie with a personality and look that apeals to you regardless of gender. If you can find a hand raised one from a breeder all the better, or a nice young one with plenty of personality healthy and outgoing. most of my pet parrots are and have been females, I have had pet males and to me they are all individuals and my females have been wonderfull. Ive handraised male and female budgies and my baby Jimmy who we thought was a boy is a hen and she is awsome. Talks, sings, plays soccer with balls, plays fetch etc and is very cuddly. She will lay on her back while I tickle her belly. So go with your gut on it.

15 is pretty warm for night temps the problem isnt the temp as much as drafts. If the aviary is sheltered from winds and draft and rain where they can be cosy then they should be okay, but if they are used to say 20c plus at night indoors I would aclimatise them over a week, as was suggested. Outdoor air at night even a few degrees difference is different to indoor air, it tends to be damper outside aswell with the dew falling so make sure it is dry and sheltered.

YES! and they make just as good pets as boys, especially hand raised. i hand raised some last year and the one I kept as a pet is a hen, started talking at 2 months old and has not shut up since. She has a clear chirpy voice easy to understand she is super friendly, not too nippy, she play bites but it dosnt hurt. She plays fetch, soccer with little balls is veru affectionate loves EVERYBODY and has one vice... she masterbates with her rope swing... often lol it is quite amusing and often when she talks the most.

I had an account some time ago and forgot my log in details so I made a new one. I am Sarah, I live at St Georges Basin near Nowra NSW on the south coast. I breed budgies and Indian Ringnecks, chickens like silkies and belgians and ducks. I have never shown a budgie but I will in future. I want to learn more about genetics of colours and how to improve what I have now. I will get some pics up soon