I just want to know how extreme I have to be with quarantine. I am planning on keeping them in separate cages, separate rooms (actually, separate storeys of our house) and washing my hands after touching them.

 

Should I always change clothes after having one on me?

 

Should I not allow them to be outside of their cage in a room that the other one has recently been free in?

 

Should I feed them out of separate packets of seed so that the seed box doesn't bring things from room to room?

 

I mean really- I could take it to an unnecessary extreme, and I know the basics, but I would just like to hear all your thoughts on the grey areas. I want to tame the new one while they're in quarantine.

Personally I would not take it to that extreme. At the very most I would quarantine for 90 days, seperate rooms. I personally would not allow them to fly around in the same area, and I always wash my hands after touching a bird, quarantine or not. I would not change clothes, if I did I would go through 50 sets of clothes each day. I wouldnt worry about the seed box or anything. But I do not allow quarantined birds to switch cages, Mites and other diseases can stay dormant in the cages, I always wash the cage thouroughly with disinfectant before putting new birds in a cage.

 

What I do is -

40 day seperate areas. Treated for a few things - Worms and mites are the main 2. The birds never come in contact with any other birds.

I see you own one budgie now & must be getting another,2 cages in the same room,would be okay.

I think you are making a lotof work for yourself,if you do any more then that.

I disagree with Macka - I would keep them seperated in seperate cages in ssperate rooms, where there is no draft blowing through. I would wash my hands after handling a bird, regardless.

 

I think Pearce is right in regard to clothes and the seed box.

I also keep all quarantine birds in a separate shed where possible. I am no saint and have had times when quarantine has had to be done closer to the other birds, however i always tend to quarantine birds last and am cautious of my clothes and shoes etc. I don't normally quarantine a single bird by its self. If they are going to be alone i will give them a friend from my flock. This helps in two ways as it reduces stress as they are not alone and this helps me see any diseases that may be hidden and gives me better confidence in the health of the bird. Most of the time i get multiple birds from a breeder in one go so the use of a companion bird from my flock is not necessary.

 

 

I do not treat quarantine birds for potential infectious diseases if they are not showing signs of sickness or of being a carrier of a disease. Quarantine birds are watched closely for health issues and any that crop up are diagnosed and treated promptly. All quarantine birds are treated for mites, lice and worms on the first day of quarantine.

Edited June 5, 200915 yr by **Liv**

My quarantine involves separate rooms (30days), separate free fly areas (in the room they are in), and wash hands after handling (I also always feed/handle my original birds first, then the 'newbies') I only treat with ivermectin on the back of the neck, and a worming treatment. Other than that, I watch for dirty bottom and behaviour.

 

Everyone is different and factors which can contribute to different quarantine procedures can include recent losses due to illness, number of current birds and possible value (esp in the high end breeding game) etc... I'm in no way saying that because you have one budgie and are introducing one new one, that your quarantine procedures should be less important than if a top show breeder was introducing birds to their stud... but I do believe these factors can influence how quarantine can differ, based on some factors...

Edited June 5, 200915 yr by maesie

I have my quarantine area in the garage just for convenience.

Don't worry -I'm definitely having them on different storeys of the house. There's only one big room downstairs where Cosmo's cage is, so it's either in the same room or upstairs. Even if it was okay, I would rather them not be in the same room. I reckon it would torment them both to be able to see and hear each other all the time and not be able to get to each other. They'll be too noisy if they're in the same room but different cages I reckon.

 

Yeah okay this kind of confirms what I was already planning to do... which was have them in separate cages for 30-90 days (probably somewhere in between depending on numerous factors- how confident I am that they're both well, how tame the new one is going, how much time I have and when I think would be ideal to put them together in terms of being free to keep an eye on them, etc) and monitor them closely, wash hands and keep them apart, but not go overboard on not allowing anything touching anything nearby them to go near the other.

 

Thanks

That sounds very sensible Krosp. I am not sure what happened but I wrote this earlier and the computer ate it:

 

I agree that it's a personal choice. Practicality versus the risks you are willing to take. This is something only you can decide, really. As you know, the minimum advised here is 30 days in separate rooms with washing of hands before and after contact the new bird. How much more you do than that, really depends on your own situation and preference.

 

In our pet budgies the diseases we are worried about are mainly carried via faeces and secretions (which can aerosolise and be in the air). Separate flight rooms means less chance of contamination and also forces you to think about quarantine because you have a physical barrier. (Otherwise it is very easy to be lax/forget about it). The rest, I think it depends on how risky you think it is.

 

For my budgies a few years ago, I did 60 days, washed hands, separate flight areas, but did not change clothes and had the same seed. I would do it differently now, mainly because of just how far we've come in terms of bonding and taming. (And I admit it: I'm getting more and more paranoid as I see more and more sick birds in my course as a vet student!)

 

When Oz, my conure, was in quarantine I took no chances. My main concerns were circovirus (it generally does not cause severe signs in budgies, but on the one (very low) chance that I get full blown beak and feather, I do not risk it at all) and Chlamydia (which can be carried asymptomatically for up to years(!)). Both are carried in faeces, Chlamydia can be aerosolised and circo is in feather dust. To me, what was a bit of extra effort, when one slip up could end up in a lot of regret? So I did the full 90 day quarantine in separate flight rooms with strict hygiene. My main problem was that my family will not allow the birds upstairs and the only acceptable rooms were quite near each other, so I was particularly strict. Yes I changed my clothes in between having them on my shoulder, I tried to interact with my budgies first and put on a different top to interact with the new bird (and took it off after). Even now I still have (mostly) budgie rooms and conure rooms, although I'm less strict about it now. Their feed and toys were kept in separate areas.

Was it excessive? Well it was a pain in the butt sometimes! But for me the extra effort was worth it to keep my budgies as safe as possible. It is going to be different for everyone.

 

So it really depends on how practical it is for you versus how much risk you are willing to take. Others and myself in the past have done only basic (or no) quarantine and gotten away with it. It does not necessarily mean it won't happen to you, and how much you put into quarantine will determine how much risk there is. (And even then we have non-symptomatic carriers or long incubation periods, so there is no promise that quarantine is going to stop disease getting in! All these things we do to decrease the likelihood of disease, that is the point of quarantine).

Edited June 5, 200915 yr by Chrysocome

Carriers seem to be the big problem. Is it possible to "stress' them[ so to speak] in quarantine to bring these hidden diseases out?

Yes carriers are the big issue as they look healthy all through quarantine. Stress of moving is often enough to bring out illness. some breeders quarantine birds while breeding as the stress really knocks the carriers around, however i feel there is too much of a risk with contaminating the healthy flock.

Carriers seem to be the big problem. Is it possible to "stress' them[ so to speak] in quarantine to bring these hidden diseases out?

 

Well even stress won't guarantee it will come out. It could survive three stressors and then the illness come out the fourth time or something. Much better to just get a vet check if you're worried!

 

Cosmo looks so healthy, but he could be a carrier for all I know. And hopefully I'll never have to know. I guess even once quarantine is over, you still have to be vigilant for watching for early signs of sickness and can save them if it's caught early enough.