All Entries in the "Health" Category

Tails You Lose! – Part 2 of 2

Avian Polyomavirus (APV) infection, otherwise known as Budgerigar Fledging Disease, is the primary cause of tail feather loss although other factors are often involved. Budgerigar breeders recognise symptoms of APV in their birds as French Moult. Prevention is the only cure as there is no treatment for APV.

Tails You Lose! – Part 1 of 2

You can breed a super bird with all the right head qualities, depth of mask and so on, until it gets to 5-7 weeks of age and suddenly it loses its tail feathers! It can be earlier or later. The bird is what I have always thought – a borderline French Moult victim. The reasoning is that the tails are the longest feathers in the budgerigar body, and thus require a perfectly nutritious metabolism to sustain these feathers soundly to full growth and permanence, until the first normal moult.

Yeast & Cod Liver Oil?

Do remember that “Best in Show” was written by myself in 1974 and I would strongly advise you obtain “The Challenge” from me first so that all that you read is fully up to date.

Budgerigar Health Part 5 of 5 – Problem Solving

A systematic physical examination of the sick or dead budgerigar helps reveal more subtle symptoms and improves the accuracy of self-diagnosis, but when in doubt contact your avian veterinarian. Individuals that display distant signs of failing health or disease should be caught and examined more closely in order to identify the exact nature of the health problem.

Budgerigar Health Part 4 of 5 – Medicines

Budgerigars are particularly susceptible to environmental diseases that may cause catastrophic losses and illnesses that affect their wellness and ability to breed. Medicines are needed to cure and prevent these diseases such as coccidiosis, worms, lice and mites.

Megabacterial Infection

Weight loss over a prolonged period is consistent with Megabacterial infection. Megabacteria as a secondary disease related to immune suppression. So we have to look for another primary infection which may be a genetic weakness, but more often inherent Polyomavirus infection and / or stress related psittacosis.

Budgerigar Health Part 3 of 5 – Self Diagnosis

For breeders, an ability to detect the first signs of an illness is essential as many budgerigar diseases are rapidly fatal with the best quality show birds often being the first to die.
Changes in the behaviour or physical appearance of an individual bird may indicate the beginning of an illness or an inherent weakness.
Individuals that [...]

Budgerigar Health Part 2 of 5 – Medicine Selection

Sick birds are given their best chance of being saved by adding an appropriate medicine into the ER/Quik Gel formula and administering it directly by crop needle.

At the same time, whilst waiting for the final outcome of veterinary tests, adding Quik Gel to the drinking water may temporarily protect healthy in-contact birds.

Budgerigar Health Part 1 of 5 – Emergency First Aid

The first response to failing health should be to isolate any sick bird(s) to a hospital cage. The hospital cage should be pre-heated to 25-30 degrees Celsius, possess a perch, fresh seed and have Quik Gel in the drinking water. The floor should be lined with clean paper so that the droppings can be clearly viewed.

Quik Gel

Quik Gel provides an immediate and sustained source of energy to sick birds and is also used during critical times such as breeding. The disinfecting qualities of Quik Gel help protect against the spread of infection.

Quik Gel is a high energy emergency gel also containing vitamins and disinfecting agents. It is used to accelerate recovery from illness and temporarily prevent an infection from worsening while waiting for the results of culture tests. Very sick birds may need crop needle feeding.