Hi I hope someone can help me. A week ago I had 16 budgies, now Im down to 6. I have lost them over the last 3 days. I would have taken them to the vet but I simply dont have the money I have noticed that they have been picking at themselves a lot but wasnt sure whether this was normal behaviour or not ? I have had them for about 12 months. Well the originals plus their babies. What Im frightened of is that I have them up the back of my yard in a huge aviary. Its 3 huge avairies that are all joined together. It was a garage we converted into avairies and they have been happily in there for about 5 mon I have my red rumps and lorikeets up there too in the other 2 avairies. Im so scared that whatever is wrong with them is going to spread to the other birds. Any advice would be much appreciated. I originally thought when the first few died that it was from the cold, but now Im sure its not . My other birds ( lorries and redrumps) arent showing any signs of illness( YET ) Its just my budgies PLEASE HELP !

This is very sad and I am so sorry that you lost almost all your birds. The fact is if you are going to keep a 1 bird or a flock you need to find the money to vet your animals this is the ONLY chance they have.

 

We are not avian vets on this site we can not tell you what went they had or what you can do to fix it only an avian vet can do that for you.

 

You need to call the avian vet talk to them, tell them your situation with the birds including the your finanical situation and beg them to let you come for the sake of your birds.

 

I pray that your others birds will be okay but without avian care they will all be gone.

 

I am sorry if I come over harsh but trust me I care about the sake of these birds, I do understand the finanical burdens we all have at time but I also know the commitment we have. If this was a dog or cat would we treat them the same or would we rush them to the vet?

 

Please take the reminder to an avian vet ASAP.

 

I appreciate the fact that you came here for advice it shows that you do care and we are here to assist you anyway we can but we can't make your birds from not dying.

Hi Lisa, unfortunately it sounds as though they have a contageous condition. I could try to guess what is wrong, but the only way to get the right treatment and to save the other birds is to visit an avian vet.

 

Phone the vet, check to see that there is an avian vet there and then let them know how urgent it is and explain that you don't have all the money to pay right now. They may offer you a payment plan.

 

It is very important that they get to a vet as soon as possible.

 

 

Feathers.

If you don`t take at least one of them to a vet to look at.By this time next week you might nor have any birds left at all.The vet may be able to give you some medication for the birds that are left.You have abig problem go to the vet.

Do you have any part of the aviary open to the sky?

 

If so you may have the wild birds dropping their droppings into the aviary for the brds to pick at. Wild birds carry desease that can wipe out your flock.

 

The Model Aviculture Programme (MAP)

 

This is a good start. But as Macka said

If you don`t take at least one of them to a vet to look at. By this time next week you might nor have any birds left at all.

Edited May 5, 200718 yr by Daz

Hello and thankyou for responding. I was wondering about the contagious part of things ? Why havent my other birds got sick ? My redrumps are right next to the budgies and then my lorikeets are next to them. But all under the same roof. No none of it is open to the sky so its not from wild birds. The only thing that is close to my budgies is my chooks but they are still quite a distance from them. I live in rural South Australia and we only have 2 vets up here, but I will ring one of them tomorrow morning. Im so devastated I dont want to lose anymore of my birds !!!! Like I said I have noticed them picking and scratching a bit lately though. We also have a bit of a mouse problem and we think there may be a couple of rats hanging around . Like I said we are rural so unfortunately its really hard to control. Could the mice or rats have given my birds a disease ? But still it comes down to why havent my other birds got sick ? Is there some diseases that only certain birds get but others dont ? Anyway Im about to go up and check on them. I hope I dont find any more All the little babies have died as well now as they lost their parents. I had 8 newly hatced babies as well Im so upset by this. I havent slept ! I have a 2 yr old and a 3 yr old so its not easy trying to look after 2 toddlers with no sleep ! Anyway will keep you informed and thanks again for the replies!

It is hard to say at this point what it can be...keep us updated.

I do hope a vet can help you out quickly.

Have you looked at the possibility of some form of poison? Similar to Kaz’s birds with branches from toxic trees. Have you done anything different previous to the started deaths? Once I lost half of a loft of pigeons after I put some damp sawdust on the floor, something like 20 birds died in a few days, another loft next to it full of pigeons without the sawdust, separated only by a wire wall, didn’t loose one bird, so it wasn’t something contagious. Vets were unable to help me, except that they said maybe there was some fungus in the sawdust. The only compensation was that I looked on the survivors as being amazingly strong vigorous birds…you have to salvage some positive from such disasters.

Yes your birds could have picked up something from rats or mice, I too live in a rural area & are surrounded by bushland, for 24 years I have been trying to control these pest, without much success only keeping their numbers down. My aviaries are completely covered from outside birds; they are in a bird room. It is also supposed to be mice & rat proof, but that was just a dream, mice will always get in & once you have a couple, its paradise for them. They can get Chlamydia from mice etc, called psittacosis in parrots. To cure that takes 45 days of feeding antibiotics, which I have tried with little results & hundreds of dollars, then the next day a mouse can enter again & your back to square one. I always think that the best way with birds is natures way of survival of the fittest…it’s the only sure way, with my 60 year experience with birds, things as small as birds, even though budgies are extremely strong & I have had some recover, don’t respond well to treatments, mostly I have found once a bird is badly sick all treatments are to little avail. I know that many on this site recommend avian vets, but I found that most vets have little knowledge of small birds. Avian vets are more common these days, but can be very expensive. It’s different if your budgie is your household pet or companion & its loss will be very upsetting, you try in these situations everything & cost is not an option. When I first started with birds I used to cry & preform burials [i was 7] but I soon decided if I was going to keep things like bird’s deaths were inevitable, so I had to become more practical. Deaths are always upsetting & we wished they never happened, but especially with small birds that only live a few years you need to expect it sometime. I don’t foster young from birds that won’t feed their young, these birds are soon culled. I have lost a couple of birds of late always from two families, these two families don’t have much of a future with me. I know it sound hard, but you have to live with reality.

Like I said check for anything new that may have caused this problem, I hope it’s not contagious & your other birds are safe. As others have said at least contact with a vet in your situation & such losses seems wise, whether it will help or not I’m not sure. Are the remaining birds looking sick, can you explain some of the symptoms?

You say…”I have noticed them picking and scratching a bit lately though.” At themselves…explain a bit more what you mean by this?…good luck…Norm.

I too have just been going through a similar situation.. you HAVE to get a bird to the avian vets to work out what is wrong and to get treatment, i found it interesting about the other birds being close but not getting sick.

In my situation i had over 40 birds in the outside flock and am now only left with 10.. My Demon was and is Coccidiosis.. you NEED to work out what is going on ASAP.. What are the birds symptoms etc etc?

Maybe you should take this as a learning lesson and re consider ever getting so many birds again if you cant afford proper treatments for them (just a thought).. I DO have the finances to look after my birds and get any treatment they may need but i don't think after what i've been through that i will be building the flock back up again.. its too heartbreaking and it honestly made me feel like whats the point..

GO TO AN AVIAN VET ASAP or you WILL loose all the birds..

GOOD LUCK

Hi again, well I spoke to a vet on the phone this morning and he offered to see me today for a minimum of $120 just for the consultation so I will be calling back in the morning. That is the fees on a Sunday of course. Well another 3 are gone now I have kept one to take in to the vet. He said it will have to be sent off for an autopsy Im now down to 5 and 2 of them are really sick. The other 3 look okay so far. Thankyou for the detailed response Norm. Its really hard to describe the symptoms. Like I said they were just constantly picking at themselves. I had a really good look at them today and some seem to be bald around their backside and a couple have poo caked around them so the poor things have the trots. The one that died in my arms today had its feet almost like claws. Really hard to describe, but its feet looked terrible. One thing the vet asked me was if I treat my birds for parasites ? I didnt know I had to nor would I know what to treat them with. Of course he didnt offer me any advice on what to treat them with. I think he is more concerned in getting a consulatation fee out of me. He said to bring in a sick bird and a dead one. Im paranoid now and Im sure a couple of my rainbow lorikeets are starting to pick at themselves now as well. However they are at the other end of the avairy. Completely separated by one in the middle. My redrumps which are in the middle all look fine with no signs of picking at themselves. No I havent introduced anything new into the avairy. Its just a complete mystery The only thing I have done recently is give it a good rake out. My avairies have dirt floors. Which I plan on changing in the very near future. We are either going to concrete or pave them so its makes cleaning easier. Can anyone please tell me what they do in the up keep of their birds IE worming and keeping them parasite free ? What with and how do you treat them ? My mother was telling me she had a galah years ago that they had to dunk in some solution to keep him free from parasites ! I havent heard of this being done. I just feel so terrible and IGNORANT ! Where do you buy anything that you need to do these things ? Petshops or from a vet ? Anyway thanks again for the replies and hope someone can give me some more advice. thanks very much

Lisa, I treat all of my new budgies with ivermectin, which is used to get rid of mites. I also occassionally spray the aviary and the birds with Avian Insect Liquidator, which helps to keep mites and feather lice at bay. All my new birds are also wormed with wormout gel. Once a year, prior to breeding I give a course of coccivet (for coccidiosos) to make sure none are carrying this disease which results in dead in shell chicks. All of the products I have mentioned above are Vetafarm Products http://www.vetafarm.com.au/product_list.asp?category_id=11 These are available from bird supply stores and vets. As my birds are on concrete pavers I worm twice a year. If they are over dirt this would probably need to be done more often.

 

What Norm has said about vets is quite correct. They know very little about birds, it just is not covered in their studies. This is why it is important to see an avian vet. They are the only vets who have studied bird anatomy and diseases in full.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Aly

 

ps. Let us know what happens with the vet.

Edited May 6, 200718 yr by feathers

I’m sorry but dirt floors aren’t a good idea, you could get trouble with coccidiosis like someone said & also worms especially if the floor gets wet. The raking could have stirred up something. The pecking at their rears probably shows some stomach problem, which could be some type of poison, through eating something, like contaminated food or plants, also most diseases cause diarreah also coccidiosis [usually there will be blood in the droppings] & worms so it makes it hard. Ivermectin is good but expensive, from produce stores, it will control worms, lice & mites…with Budgies just one drop on the skin near the throat or under the wing, one or two more drops for larger parrots, vets probably wont recommend it as it’s only registered for sheep & cattle. The smallest amount I could buy of late was just over $80. It probably too late for Ivermectin for the real sick birds. Coccidiosis is mostly rare with budgies if the floor is always dry. They build up immunity to it. It needs a coccidiostat drug.

Edited May 6, 200718 yr by Norm

Norm, I get ivermectin from my avian vet in a drop on form (1 drop between the shoulders). It costs $10.00 for the bottle and I have used about 60 doses so far and it still have a little left.

 

 

Feathers.

Norm, I get ivermectin from my avian vet in a drop on form (1 drop between the shoulders). It costs $10.00 for the bottle and I have used about 60 doses so far and it still have a little left.

 

 

Feathers.

 

Yes Feathers it's the pour on version, I should have said that. I used to be able to get it in a small platic bottle for $20, but that vet suppier has closed & now I'm unable to buy it like that, I think because it's now been made illegal to sell these things in broken lots & must be sold in the proper container, with all the dose instructions & safety instructions & it's actually illegal, I think to use it on any other animal etc than the ones approved by law. But it's use is very common for other things like birds & other annimals. The CSIRO has used it on control of air sac mites with Gouldian finches. You have to be lucky to get broken lots now, in your area.

Hi Lisachilton:

How are things going? I have been thinking about your situation & whether you decided to go to the vets or otherwise, this would be my suggestions of how to proceed with your disaster.

First off remove all surviving Budgerigars to an isolation situation, well away from your other birds, in another cage, something, which you probably should have done when the first couple of birds became ill. Then watch your other parrots closely & if any look like getting unwell, also isolate them straight away. Hopefully if it’s contagious, this may help, but hopefully in your situation it may be something like some toxic poison, which hopefully will involve only the budgie cage. After removing the birds, spray the aviary with a strong solution of household bleach, wash the perches, maybe even renew them & the nest boxes & anything else then dry them in the sun for some days. Then as soon as possible fix the floors of all your aviaries with either concrete as you suggest of pavers, maybe pavers may be better in your situation, as to concrete you will have to move all the birds out for at least something like four days. With pavers you could install them & then mix up slurry of bricklayers sand & cement & brush it into the cracks between them, to seal the cracks as well as possible. If it isn’t just some poison & some other contagious disease, the problem is complicated, as it may be a bacterium or something else & only a veterinary diagnosis would confirm that, which might cost quite a lot. You could purchase some Vetafarm Psittavet, doxycycline hydrochloride 40mg/g, from your vet, this is for psittacosis [Chlamydia] & treat their drinking water with it [it’s about $50 for 450g] this will need to be fed daily [fresh] for 45 days for Chlamydia & for other bacterial infections it recommends 7 to 10 days.

Norm, I get ivermectin from my avian vet in a drop on form (1 drop between the shoulders). It costs $10.00 for the bottle and I have used about 60 doses so far and it still have a little left.

 

 

Feathers.

 

Yes Feathers it's the pour on version, I should have said that. I used to be able to get it in a small platic bottle for $20, but that vet suppier has closed & now I'm unable to buy it like that, I think because it's now been made illegal to sell these things in broken lots & must be sold in the proper container, with all the dose instructions & safety instructions & it's actually illegal, I think to use it on any other animal etc than the ones approved by law. But it's use is very common for other things like birds & other annimals. The CSIRO has used it on control of air sac mites with Gouldian finches. You have to be lucky to get broken lots now, in your area.

Like Feathers, i can get it cheap by prescription from the vet. I'm sure it's the same everywhere, you have to see the vet though, unless they know you and your case.

 

LISACHILTON, i am very sorry to hear about the trouble you're having with your budgies. How heart breaking for you. Keep us posted with news from the vet.

Also I meant to add, re mice, you must do as much as possible to keep them out of your cages & food supply. I can’t see your aviaries, but about the cheapest option to mice proof them would be to get some galvanised steel of some kind & after fixing your floors, seal the whole perimeter at ground level with the tin up to at least 1 foot [old measurement] maybe more so that mice can’t climb the wire & get access to your aviaries. My advice would be also to make sure that water from rain can’t access your floors, I know some people have outside floors to their aviaries, but moisture of any kind breeds trouble, life needs moisture & if you limit it in your aviaries as much as possible [also around drinkers] it will keep your problems to a minimum…moisture is a problem with worms, coccidiosis, bacteria etc.

Hows everything going? Have you been able to see an avian vet yet?

I truly hope all is okay.. I know how devistated you must be feeling .. chin up Hugs

Hi , I thought I should reply as you were all a lot of help for me. Its been a few weeks since I have left a message and I must apologise for that. But I had a genuine reason, my mother and grandmother were involved in a car accident and I have been having to care for them. They are slowly but surely on the road to recovery but my mother is still in a lot of pain. She has 3 broken ribs. Anyway yes I did see an avian vet.But after spending a small fortune still dont know what was wrong with them ? He offered to send a body off to be autopsied for $500.00 and I just couldnt afford it :ausb: We have spent over $1200 in the past month between the birds and my dogs. I only have 3 budgies left. The last one passed away just over 3 weeks ago. The other 3 ( all girls ) are going well, but do seem to bicker a lot.They are now inside birds We have started cementing all of our avairies and took your advice Norm and have put tin at the bottom . Still have a few more to do though. We treated all the birds with wormout gel and bought some avain insectide. I think thats what its called ????? Its the stuff you can spray directly on the birds. I must admit I am still paranoid at the slighets sign of them picking at themselves. But birds do that anyway dont they ? Anyway I would love to keep in contact . Thanks so much for all the advice. Im afraid I was VERY IGNORANT ! Hope to keep chatting and will speak soon. thanks

Good to hear no more deaths in a while.. Not a lot of people realise how expensive it is to care for many animals.. Hope your luck changes to the better.

Norm, I get ivermectin from my avian vet in a drop on form (1 drop between the shoulders). It costs $10.00 for the bottle and I have used about 60 doses so far and it still have a little left.

 

 

Feathers.

 

Yes Feathers it's the pour on version, I should have said that. I used to be able to get it in a small platic bottle for $20, but that vet suppier has closed & now I'm unable to buy it like that, I think because it's now been made illegal to sell these things in broken lots & must be sold in the proper container, with all the dose instructions & safety instructions & it's actually illegal, I think to use it on any other animal etc than the ones approved by law. But it's use is very common for other things like birds & other annimals. The CSIRO has used it on control of air sac mites with Gouldian finches. You have to be lucky to get broken lots now, in your area. Sorry a for your loss and Am pleased that the ones left are doing okay.

 

I buy my ivermectin from my vet, but they always put a warning on ( saying not intend for use for budgerigars) just to cover themselves but any way I paid $16.00 for 100ml. I put it on the back of their heads/neck with a cotton bud.

Yes I use wormout Gel also. It is very important to keep your birds free from all sorts of parasites.

Edited May 31, 200718 yr by splat

Thanks for letting us know what has happened, I was always wondering how you went, sorry you had even more problems with your family as well, lets hope things will improve for you now. Sorry to hear also that you only have three birds left, but hopefully it will mean that you have three really tough birds. Did you loose any of your other birds apart from the budgies? If not hopefully it wasn’t something contagious. I would just be careful when you introduce any other birds to the remaining three, maybe just try one bird first to see they are not carrying the problem still. But hopefully it was some kind of poison, which the cause [unknown] has passed.

 

Just a note to all…My understanding is that if you use Ivermectin, it kills both Mites, lice & worms, so no need for a separate wormer. Ivermectin will kill anything that sucks the bird’s blood. No need I feel to subject your birds to extra chemicals if it’s not necessary & also added expense.

Hi Norm, no thankfully I didnt lose any other birds. I was very concerned about my lorikeets as they seemed to be picking at themselves and Im sure every time I look at them now they are all picking still :hap: But so far so good. The budgies, lorikeets and my redrumps who were all housed under the same roof but separate avairies were all treated for 10 days on psittavet. So I dont know wether that made any difference. The aviann vet really couldnt tell me anything without doing an autopsy on the budgies and I just couldnt afford it ! So he was just using process of elimination ( very expensive ) Im going to keep the budgies inside now. I only have 3 now and I have obviously formed a pretty strong attachment to them. My green budgie ( Im yet to name them ) I was sure wasnt going to make it ( she was very sick) but she pulled through thankfully

You mention poison. What do think could have poisoned them ? They had been in that avairy for at least 6 months. I hope its nothing like that as my other birds ( redrumps and lorikeets ) could still be in danger :hap:

I asked the vet to give me ivermectin but he didnt seem very keen to and fobbed me off. Unfortunately because I live in rural SA I dont have a lot of access to vets and he is the closest one to me. I bought some products from vetafarm but they didnt have ivermectin. I guess its something you can only get through a vet. Anyway I bought in bulk on the wormout gel and the avian insect liquidator so I wont need anything else for a while. Just one quick question exactly how often should I worm the birds ? The insect liquidator says it covers them for up to 6 weeks. But I couldnt see anything on the bottle about worming ?

Anway I better dash. My dogs are waiting to get fed.

Maybe you guys can help me pick names for my 3 girls. I tried to upload a picture of them but it wouldnt work for some reason ?

Speak soon :budgiedance:

Iam not sure.But I have a feeling you can send some droping to Veta Farm & they will do tests for you.I think it is only a small fee.There a bird vet in Melbourne,that a lot of bird people send birds & dropings to

for testing.But you have to buy the medication from him.

The spot on ivermectin is sold over the counter at a very reputable avian Vet here in Perth.

Edited June 1, 200718 yr by **KAZ**