Hey everyone,

 

I'm new to this site, but I need help ASAP.

 

I live in a remote area and the closest vet is a long 4 hour drive and I have no idea where the closest avarian vet is (closest chemist/supermarket etc. is an hour away).

 

I currently have 7 budgies. We did have 11 but sadly 6 of them have died from this unknown illness over the past year. 4 of them recently (in the last week!)

We have 2 sets of 4 baby budgies.

 

The first set of babies we've bred are approximately 4-6 months old now (2 whites and 2 yellows). But sadly one of the white ones died last week.

 

The second set of babies are about 4-6 weeks old now. But one died yesterday.

 

The mum of both sets died last week and the dad of the second set yesterday.

 

It is very sad. They all had the same symptoms which were:

• Diarhea
  
• Fluffness
  
• Less tweety
  
• Not as active
  
• and eat alot
  
• trembling and unstable
  

Because it is wet season we thought it might be mould growing on there food(they spill alot of food on the floor and scavenge of the floor). We have a big avairy with wood chip on the floor. another cause we thought maybe the wood chip is poisoned.

 

Now another younger baby has these symptoms and we don't want to loose her either.

Please if anyone could help or give advice it would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks

Millie.

Edited February 12, 201015 yr by Millie.Mae

First things first.........pull them all out of the aviary into cages with some sulpha meds to stop the diarrhea, and warm lamps by the cages to mai9ntian the body temperature.

Couple of things can be happening................

Moisture on the floor of the aviary can bring coccidiosis.............symptoms sound like it.

Rodents can go through the aviary and contaminate the food and water and create same symptoms and deaths.

Birds could have had another health issue that has now resulted in megabacteria which is secondary and kicks in after other things have brought down their immunity.

 

 

If you have no suplha meds you needs something like that to stop the diarrhea URGENTLY. you cant treat them or get them well with them in the aviary. They must be pulled out and treated. Especially in case the probloem is in the aviary.

 

Since you mention wet season I suspect coccidiosis.

Edited February 12, 201015 yr by KAZ

Thanks Kaz,

that little information is very helpful.

We dont have enough small cages to put them in seperatly but we have one thats big enough to have all 7 in which they are all in at the moment.

We dont have any sulphur meds but we do have sulphur powder if thats what you mean. If so how much do we feed them

 

Thanks again

Millie

Edited February 12, 201015 yr by Millie.Mae

Do you have any meds ?

 

In a cage together is fine. You might want to check the aviary to see how wet and horrible it is under thw woodchips.

Edited February 12, 201015 yr by KAZ

No, just Sulphur Powder.

This is the first time we've had budgies, so we are not very familiar with them. We started off with 4 (which was abouta year),lossed and gained.

The aviary is pretty horrible under the woodchip, we used to have a fishpond where the aviary is now and that is now filled with dirt. There is also an old tree stump in the aviary that was filled with a termites nest but the nest is dead. This is where the first babies were born in the stump.

I read the page with all the information about coccidiosis and the symptoms our budgies have are very, very similar.

Another symptom is trembling and unstable.

no, just sulphur powder.

This is the first time we've had budgies, so we are not very familiar with them. We started off with 4 (which was abouta year),lossed and gained.

The aviary is pretty horrible under the woodchip, we used to have a fishpond where the aviary is now and that is now filled with dirt. There is also an old tree stump in the aviary that was filled with a termites nest but the nest is dead. This is where the first babies were born in the stump.

I read the page with all the information about coccidiosis and the symptoms our budgies have are very, very similar.

Another symptom is trembling and unstable.

trembling and unstable is due to not being able to maintaim body temp due to being so sick and unstable is a bad sign of a bird sick enough to be nearly ready to die.

If you pick them up and feel the keelbone ( the bone running vertically down the front of the chest ) ....And it feels sharp then they have lost a great deal of weight. Any delay in getting them treated asap will result in more deaths I am afraid. They do need urgent treatment.

Edited February 12, 201015 yr by KAZ

Is it possible to get rid of the coccidiosis without vet assistance?

And will Sulphur Powder do to stop the diarrhea? How much

Edited February 12, 201015 yr by Millie.Mae

it does sound like cocci

if they are very thin i would almost say yep but their are lots simular things and im not a vet

you can call vet and get meds sent out express post

they normally want to see a bird first

i didnt read what state or country your from or town but im sure if you are willing to ring vets you could come up with something

for now incase its megga not cocci

give some applecidder vin in water and make sure you see them drinking

as the may dehidrate the cidder regulates the gut levels

place them in a room with the heater on 28 to 3o degree

i find this much better than a heat lamp when more than one sick

and if need be drip water on to beak let it roll in every hour so they dont die of dehidration

if you dont have sulfa meds

rice water will stop the diareha but you need to administer it to them they wont drink it freely

not to much its thickish its about the same thikness as a thin gravy

this sould get you through till morning where you must get to a vet or lose them all

send a poo sample express post if you can with a note explaining symptoms and a atention ergent on frount and ring to conferm payment on a bank card if need be but dont delay

Hi, sounds like your between a rock and hard place.

The wet floor is probably the culprit if they are all sick. Follow Kaz .etc advice. BUT if your stuck out a woop-woop all that may not help.

Try to "Google" Emergency treatment for sick birds for e.g. see what you can pick up on there. You may be able to substitute something you have, that might help. Can you phone or contact a vet. that may give you phone advice? I'd say time is your enemy here, whatever needs to be done shold be done NOW to try to save some. Good luck and see what you can come up with. Rural living isn't always wonderful is it!!

Looks like your in a tuff spot . Try and find any other bird breeders near you and seek some help. The sulfa drugs will kill cocci in the stronger birds if that is all you got, The best stuff is called Baycox, if you can find it.

My Opinion and it is just an opinion as I am NOT a Vet , Double dose the sulfa drugs for two days then back to normal dose. Try and get some glucose into the birds for energy.

Best of Luck.

I'd call all the avian vets you can find in your state. It's really hard to give a diagnosis via the internet, and also via phone, but at this stage, any information you can get from will be helpful, especially an avain vet! As to your aviary, can you move it. It sounds like it needs to be moved and aired out. This would be the perfect time while all your birds are inside. Before returning the surviving ones back to it, I'd look at concreteing the floor to avoid further situations such as this. Good luck and please keep us updated.

Try this website too - Vetafarm have brilliant products and if you're needing them asap you can order them and they will deliver them quite quickly. They also have a resident vet whom you could email and/or speak to on the phone. His name is Dr Tony Gestier and he is an avian vet who should be able to help you :raincloud:

 

http://www.vetafarm.com.au/categories/BIRDS/

Is anybody there? Have you made any progress with birds? please keep us posted if you can.