Over the past few months, we have all seen the importance of Quarantine. I believe that being Aussies is the big problem. We have that "She'll be right" mentality that gives us that carefree feeling in life. But when working with livestock. you must be so careful.

 

I have gotten off likely last year with my birds and have learned the lesson. It saddens me that some very good friends are having to go through it.

You are so right.

 

I always quarantine my birds. Ken didnt. I have always had issues with trying to teach him the importance of this. I asked him yesterday did he recall another time he had birds dying in his aviaries...it was when we had psittacosis going through some years ago. I also asked him why he thinks it happened ( I knew ) and reminded him that each time he didnt quarantine. He uses shortcuts to save money for tests and vets. Now he knows better. He will likely lose over $8,000 worth of birds, never mind the heartache that goes with it.

It is such a waste. We are eager to get that new bird into the aviary or into breeding that we do the short cuts.

 

The last batch of birds I bought were in quarantine for the full amount and on Doxy.

 

At the Nationals, we had a talk from Dr Rob Marshall. It was so good it converted some of the skeptics.

He believes that if we can control Psittacosis and French Moult the rest of the problems can be easily controlled. The first and best way to control these two diseases is to stop then getting into your flights and aviaries. Prevention is better than cure.

Edited June 5, 200915 yr by Daz

I have just read this Kaz and I cannot believe it. Honestly it just sucks.

I'm so sorry to hear this, Kaz and Ken. I hope that your heartaches will heal over time with this devastating loss.

Aww Kaz this is terrible, I am so sorry to be reading this. Absolutely devastating

Kaz, what the vet said about budgies tending to get French moult is right. But I urge you to please practice good hygiene between the affected aviary and others. Budgies can get full blown PFBD, it is rare and probably has a lot of other factors involved. Circovirus can also weaken their immune systems, so they are less tolerant of other disesaes like megabacteria and trichomonas, etc. It is not a great risk in them, I suppose the vet isn't worried because nothing has shown up in them so far. Still a little bit of extra effort will do no harm. I just hate the thought of anything else making your situation worse

Here is a severely affected budgie: http://www.birds-online.de/gesundheit/gesg...der/pbfd_en.htm

Edited June 5, 200915 yr by Chrysocome

Kaz, what the vet said about budgies tending to get French moult is right. But I urge you to please practice good hygiene between the affected aviary and others. Budgies can get full blown PFBD, it is rare and probably has a lot of other factors involved. Circovirus can also weaken their immune systems, so they are less tolerant of other disesaes like megabacteria and trichomonas, etc. It is not a great risk in them, but I would really hate for anything to make your situation any worse.

Here is a severely affected budgie: http://www.birds-online.de/gesundheit/gesg...der/pbfd_en.htm

 

 

Yes, for sure. I am not in the least trivialising the potential for budgies to get this, nor am I taking any chances at all. The infected parrot arrived here in January. THere hasnt been for awhile nor will there be any cross contamination between parrot area and budgie area. The parrot aviary is sealed with plastic sheeting so nothing can blow through the yard to the budgies. All feathers at or near the wire are being vacuumed up and the vacuum is not emptied nor stored near the budgies. Clothing or shoes worn near or with parrots is not going to the budgies. Ken has to look after his parrots and cannot come into my budgie areas at all and vice versa. Bleach bath for shoes going into the birdroom. Waterless hand sanitiser is used in the birdroom.

 

My current dilemna is I know the vet wants ALL Parrots culled. I can do what has to be done albeit with great sadness. My husband hesitates. His hesitation to act can cost me infection through the budgies. The longer the parrots are on the property the more chance of infection.

Edited June 5, 200915 yr by KAZ

Oh no Kaz I am sooo sorry!

 

Are you going to have to put them all to sleep? Even Velcro? Oh I really hope not mate

Oh no Kaz I am sooo sorry!

 

Are you going to have to put them all to sleep? Even Velcro? Oh I really hope not mate

Velcro is infected also

Oh Kaz im so sorry I cant even imagine what you must be going through and Ken it must be heartbreaking.

 

My thoughts are with you guys

Kaz, what the vet said about budgies tending to get French moult is right. But I urge you to please practice good hygiene between the affected aviary and others. Budgies can get full blown PFBD, it is rare and probably has a lot of other factors involved. Circovirus can also weaken their immune systems, so they are less tolerant of other disesaes like megabacteria and trichomonas, etc. It is not a great risk in them, but I would really hate for anything to make your situation any worse.

Here is a severely affected budgie: http://www.birds-online.de/gesundheit/gesg...der/pbfd_en.htm

 

 

Yes, for sure. I am not in the least trivialising the potential for budgies to get this, nor am I taking any chances at all. The infected parrot arrived here in January. THere hasnt been for awhile nor will there be any cross contamination between parrot area and budgie area. The parrot aviary is sealed with plastic sheeting so nothing can blow through the yard to the budgies. All feathers at or near the wire are being vacuumed up and the vacuum is not emptied nor stored near the budgies. Clothing or shoes worn near or with parrots is not going to the budgies. Ken has to look after his parrots and cannot come into my budgie areas at all and vice versa. Bleach bath for shoes going into the birdroom. Waterless hand sanitiser is used in the birdroom.

 

My current dilemna is I know the vet wants ALL Parrots culled. I can do what has to be done albeit with great sadness. My husband hesitates. His hesitation to act can cost me infection through the budgies. The longer the parrots are on the property the more chance of infection.

 

Aughhh! I don't envy you a all. You're stuck between a rock and a hard place here. Good luck negotiating with Ken

Yes, for sure. I am not in the least trivialising the potential for budgies to get this, nor am I taking any chances at all. The infected parrot arrived here in January. THere hasnt been for awhile nor will there be any cross contamination between parrot area and budgie area. The parrot aviary is sealed with plastic sheeting so nothing can blow through the yard to the budgies. All feathers at or near the wire are being vacuumed up and the vacuum is not emptied nor stored near the budgies. Clothing or shoes worn near or with parrots is not going to the budgies. Ken has to look after his parrots and cannot come into my budgie areas at all and vice versa. Bleach bath for shoes going into the birdroom. Waterless hand sanitiser is used in the birdroom.

 

My current dilemna is I know the vet wants ALL Parrots culled. I can do what has to be done albeit with great sadness. My husband hesitates. His hesitation to act can cost me infection through the budgies. The longer the parrots are on the property the more chance of infection.

Aughhh! I don't envy you a all. You're stuck between a rock and a hard place here. Good luck negotiating with Ken

You know how stubborn he is Renee Its time for me to lay down the law. His plan for today was to erect the new aviary we got from Rob and put his parrots in it on the back patio. I told him its too late for them, they are all most likely infected. The important thing now is to get my new flights up for the budgies so they can be moved further away from the infected aviary. If he puts the parrots in the new aviary of Robs it means we also have to strip clean that later on.

Basically if he wants to keep any "healthy looking " parrot, it will have to be tested twice within a few weeks as to status of PBFD and again twice before breeding if he chooses to go that way. That is an additional cost of around $600 plus per bird and still the results most likely will be that they carry PBFD. Like with gangrene where the leg is amputated to save the body, the parrots must be culled no matter how "healthy " they are looking for now.

Edited June 6, 200915 yr by KAZ

Yes, for sure. I am not in the least trivialising the potential for budgies to get this, nor am I taking any chances at all. The infected parrot arrived here in January. THere hasnt been for awhile nor will there be any cross contamination between parrot area and budgie area. The parrot aviary is sealed with plastic sheeting so nothing can blow through the yard to the budgies. All feathers at or near the wire are being vacuumed up and the vacuum is not emptied nor stored near the budgies. Clothing or shoes worn near or with parrots is not going to the budgies. Ken has to look after his parrots and cannot come into my budgie areas at all and vice versa. Bleach bath for shoes going into the birdroom. Waterless hand sanitiser is used in the birdroom.

 

My current dilemna is I know the vet wants ALL Parrots culled. I can do what has to be done albeit with great sadness. My husband hesitates. His hesitation to act can cost me infection through the budgies. The longer the parrots are on the property the more chance of infection.

Aughhh! I don't envy you a all. You're stuck between a rock and a hard place here. Good luck negotiating with Ken

You know how stubborn he is Renee Its time for me to lay down the law. His plan for today was to erect the new aviary we got from Rob and put his parrots in it on the back patio. I told him its too late for them, they are all most likely infected. The important thing now is to get my new flights up for the budgies so they can be moved further away from the infected aviary. If he puts the parrots in the new aviary of Robs it means we also have to strip clean that later on.

Basically if he wants to keep any "healthy looking " parrot, it will have to be tested twice within a few weeks as to status of PBFD and again twice before breeding if he chooses to go that way. That is an additional cost of around $600 plus per bird and still the results most likely will be that they carry PBFD. Like with gangrene where the leg is amputated to save the body, the parrots must be culled no matter how "healthy " they are looking for now.

 

Is PDF terminal? I mean are the parrots guaranteed a cruel and painful death? Is there any chance that they can build up immunity?

 

I only raise this because maybe you could negotiate with Ken to keep Velcro as a house pet?

 

I can't see him agreeing to culling the lot .... I think you have to offer him a silver lining to this big black cloud.

Is PDF terminal? I mean are the parrots guaranteed a cruel and painful death? Is there any chance that they can build up immunity?

 

I only raise this because maybe you could negotiate with Ken to keep Velcro as a house pet?

 

I can't see him agreeing to culling the lot .... I think you have to offer him a silver lining to this big black cloud.

 

Anyone correct me if I am wrong...............

 

Beak and feather can be overcome by older parrots as far as I know but they can carry it just the same. Velcro and Gypsy are infected and with their next moult they will get the multiple splotchy feathering that the photos exhibited earlier show. With that comes the losing of body feathers. Also with it comes a lack of immunity to simple things. they can get respiratory issues right now, canker, yeast infections, megabacteria. In fact one of the parrots I took to the vet the other day had succumbed to megabacteria and yeast infection as a result of contracting beak and feather. A month earlier she was twice the size and healthy and vital. Queenie, the white parrot that arrived with beak and feather and gave it to them all, appeared two days ago ....healthy to a degree and happy, but she had severe breathing issues...mucous in her lungs and bubbling from her nostrils, she had feather loss, and just touching her resulted in feather dust coming away all over the handler.

Inside birds with 4 cats here wont work and we would have to be changing clothing, put in some form of air extraction methods, and still the feather dust and virus that sheds would fill the air of the room the bird was in.

Velcro is my special bird and Gypsy is his, along with every bird in the aviary that has a hold of our hearts.

Rob D says Ken just has to come to a place in his mind where he accepts what must be.

Is PDF terminal? I mean are the parrots guaranteed a cruel and painful death? Is there any chance that they can build up immunity?

Sadly, circovirus weakens theirr immune system. Some people call it "bird AIDS". We can provide palliative care and make them as safe as we can, but eventually they succumb to infections that they would normally tolerate/fight off. Since it's such a hardy virus, the carrier would remain a source of infection to all birds.

Looking after one can be done, with a lot of dedication, but it is a continued threat to all the other birds. I have seen people with single birds that live for quite a long time, but inevitably their life spans are shortened. There are only a handful of BFD survivors who made it with lots of care and support. One option I have seen before is that the favourite single bird is adopted out to someone else who does not currently own birds but is very willing to provide all the love, care and precuations, however it means that property is contaminated.

 

Kaz ((((((hugs))))))

Edited June 6, 200915 yr by Chrysocome

part of the reason why i NEVER! take my birds to show's etc, because you never know whats lingering around the area where all the other birds are

 

so sorry to hear about this kaz, lets hope it ends here

Terrible news, I am so sorry for you both and those poor, poor birds. Much love from "Eagle" and me.

There is a lady in Victoria who has 2 infected cockatoo's, you could ask if she'd like to adopt any birds that would be too painful for you to euthanise - like Velcro.

You'd just need to get them over to her.

Only solution to this is to cull all birds in the aviary and we also have to pull down the aviary and destroy anything that was in there, any boxes, perches etc. Aviary wire cannot be reused. Even though remaining parrots appear fine at the moment symptoms will worsen with every moult ( if they get that far ) they are carriers...cannot be sold. Must be culled. Culling in most cases is a term that usually means removal from the flock or onsold. in this case it means the birds must be killed....euthenased. Pity the breeder who sold us the infected parrot did not have a conscience when he sent us the infected bird. The breeder had over 35 years experience so he would have known the birds were infected.

The hardest thing about all this is realising how contagious it is to the birds and all their equipment including breeding cages etc. Its also hard to know you have to euthenase your whole flock. My husband is struggling with this. His solution is to take them all to his Dads place and convert a shed to keep them in. No solution really, as moving them will cause stress and the illness will come out in them and they will be in a quarter of the space and have less supervision.

 

 

There is a lady in Victoria who has 2 infected cockatoo's, you could ask if she'd like to adopt any birds that would be too painful for you to euthanise - like Velcro.You'd just need to get them over to her.

Too dangerous and too highly contagious to put them on a plane with other peoples birds. Who knows what happened to the other peoples birds this female travelled with on her way over to us in the first place

Edited June 20, 200915 yr by KAZ

Such a disaster :sad: Biggest hugs to you both xoxoxox

Oh Kaz I have only just seen this thread now :sad: how very difficult for you both. It sounds like you are being a great support to Ken... you could be beating him up as much as he is probably beating himself up for what has happened, but it sounds like you're showing the strength to make the tough decisions that just have to be made

That is so devastating though.

Oh Kaz I have only just seen this thread now :sad: how very difficult for you both. It sounds like you are being a great support to Ken... you could be beating him up as much as he is probably beating himself up for what has happened, but it sounds like you're showing the strength to make the tough decisions that just have to be made

That is so devastating though.

Ken feels very very sad. He suffers depression and this has brought it to the fore. I cannot push him to do what has to be done. He needs to arrive at that decision himself. I have suggested we go and talk to the vet again as ken was not with me when I got the diagnosis and our vet will be able to make things clearer to him.

Edited June 20, 200915 yr by KAZ

oh dear what a disaster, i hope the inconciderate jerk who sold you the infected bird feel's ashamed of himself,

people like that are just disgusting human beings in my opinion.

:sad:

Kaz, I am so sorry about your princess parrots and others if they have suffered. I have 3 princess parrots and 1 glouster canary.

 

My heart goes out to you because I couldn't stand it if my original princess parrot (Missy) got the disease or the others for that matter.

 

Missy is hand raised (normal)and is a house bird while the other 2 (recently purchased were aviary birds. Rowdy (blue) was hand tamed but hadn't been handled for about 5 weeks when we got her about a month ago. The other, Porky (normal) is an aviary bird. I'm not sure she will ever tame down but we keep trying with her.

 

Anyway, before I bore you with any more details - I just wanted to say how sorry I am for your loses