Hi All

 

Where do you quarantine.

 

I have bought 2 new budgies this morning i have them inside in the laundry?

 

is that okay.

that is probably not the best place due to chemicals from cleaners. I personally quarantined Merlin in my computer room. Some will do it in a bedroom or if you have a 2 story house 1 upstairs and 1 downstairs.

Quarantine is the primary defence in protecting the flock from the introduction of infectious disease. Its secondary purpose is to determine whether or not the new additions are diseased and then to treat the problem. The quarantine area is where all new arrivals are housed and ideally it should be as far away from the rest of the collection as possible. A separate building or a separate room is always preferred. The standard quarantine period is 45 days. Any imported bird or a bird that has been exposed to other avian species of unknown origin should be quarantined for a period of 90 days. A mistake made by many breeders, is that they believe that any bird, which has been through “Government Quarantine” is free from infectious disease. This is far from correct, as these quarantine programmes are usually designed only to protect poultry from specific economically impacting diseases and is not concerned whether a bird is otherwise healthy. Any bird, which is taken out of the collection and exposed to other birds must re-enter the facility through the quarantine area. The minimum recommended quarantine period for a bird re-entering the facility that has not had direct contact with another bird, is 30 days. In the Quarantine Area, the most important concept to disease control is the “all in - all out” concept. If during the quarantine period new birds are introduced, the quarantine period automatically begins afresh for all of the birds housed there.

Good hygiene is mandatory while working in the quarantine area. Discard disposable gloves and/or wash and disinfect your hands after contacting each quarantined bird. Wash your hands in a disinfectant when leaving quarantine. Separate food containers, utensils, etc. should be marked and utilised only in the quarantine area and then with the same bird or group of birds throughout their course of treatment. Ideally, birds should be housed separately. A hospital gown and shoe covers should be worn while in the quarantine area. The gown and shoe covers are then removed as exiting the area to reduce the risk of cross contamination. Feeding, care, and servicing of the quarantine area should be the last task undertaken after all other aviary chores are accomplished. Quarantine records should indicate:

1. The arrival date and source of the bird.

2. Bird identification number.

3. Cage number.

4. Comments, findings of the physical examination.

5. Daily observations of behaviour.

6. List of laboratory tests and results.

7. List of treatments and medications used.

8. Date of release from quarantine.

Quarantine protocols, or the type of laboratory tests given and the routine treatments performed, have generally varied depending on the veterinarian, the species, the origin and the value of the bird. Typically, the more expensive the bird, especially if imported, the greater the number of laboratory tests that are given. Dr. Joel Murphy, D.V.M., and Board Certified in Avian Medicine, believes that quarantine protocols should be based on what he refers to as “risk factors”. In terms of the financial loss and loss of time involved in developing your strain of birds, what do you have to lose if a bird entering your aviary carries a disease and 80% to 90% of the flock is affected. If you have a collection of very few inexpensive birds, then your risk is low. As your flock grows, however, and more expensive birds are added to the collection, then the quarantine protocol takes on greater significance.

Dr. Murphy feels that quarantine starts with a thorough veterinary examination of every bird entering the aviary. The specific tests and procedures needed beyond the entrance exam, will vary from one aviary to another and are based on an evaluation of the risk factors present in the physical facility that houses the aviary. If, for instance, the birds are housed in a small area, with little ventilation and the risk of a virus spreading quickly through the flock is high, then greater care is necessary when introducing new arrivals.

Dr. Murphy suggests, that with Budgerigars, the minimum protocol for all new birds in addition to the entrance exam should be:

 

1. Gram's stain or Bacterial Culture.

2. Intestinal parasite faecal exam.

3. Treat for psittacosis, regardless of testing.

4. Treat for tapeworms regardless of testing.

5. Treat for Giardia regardless of testing.

6. Treat for Trichomonads regardless of testing.

7. Treat for roundworms regardless of testing.

8. Treat for Knemidocoptes (scaly mite) regardless of testing.

9. Spray all new birds with pyrethrum spray to kill feather mites.

10. Evaluate risk factors with your veterinarian and determine additional testing procedures.

 

 

an extract from The Master Breeder.

60 days for budgies at least 4-6 metres away from other birds.

Laundry is fine as long as you don't use powders and they are out of the laundry when doing the washing.