Avian Polyomavirus (APV) or Budgerigar Fledging Disease

Avian Polyomavirus (APV) infection, otherwise known as Budgerigar Fledging Disease, is the primary cause of this symptom although other factors are often involved.

Budgerigar breeders recognise symptoms of APV in their birds as French Moult.

The term French Moult is a symptomatic description of a disease that may include APV, Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease virus (PBFDS) and other infections.

Preventing APV

Prevention is the only cure as there is no treatment for APV.

An understanding of the disease and other predisposing circumstances will help prevent the disease.

There are three important facets to this disease.

• Polyomavirus (APV) “Carrier” Bird
• Nutritional Stress during the Moult
• Poor Quill Strength

Polyomavirus (APV) “Carrier” Bird

APV is the most common disease of budgerigar studs. In my book “The Budgerigar”, I describe it as the most significant disease of budgerigars, as it often affects immunity thereby having a profound effect on the long-term health and reproductive ability of an infected budgerigar stud.

Infection with APV occurs primarily in young budgerigars between 0-20 days of age. Budgerigars that survive the acute infection will often drop their long feathers in the weaning cage, fail to develop their primary wing and tail feathers, or these may be deformed as the virus damages the feather follicle especially of these long feathers.

APV infection is life long although infection and disease are not synonymous. In fact the vast majority of APV infections are asymptomatic. In most instances the lost flight and tail feathers of weaning budgerigars are regrown soon after recovery from the acute infection. These birds however remain “carriers” of APV and are the most likely birds to lose their tails during the first adult moult.

Small outbreaks in adult birds have been reported but are rare. Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease virus (PBFDS) infection (that often occurs together with APV in budgerigars) is thought to be immuno-suppressive and may predispose adult birds to APV disease.

From my perspective, I consider APV to be a disease confined to young birds but which remains as a life long infection. Most infected birds remain symptomless “carriers” throughout their lives. Some individual “carrier” birds – mostly those possessing exhibition quality feather features – become re-infected with APV following a stressful event.

In my view the loss of tail feathers in adult birds is confined to birds already infected with APV i.e, “carrier” birds. Often these birds have not exhibited any prior symptoms associated with APV. However, in most of these birds there are symptoms of APV prior to the failure of the tail feathers to regrow although they are not obvious to most budgerigar breeders.

A close examination of affected birds often reveals a slow or delayed moult, low vitality, poor feather condition, missing flight feathers, frayed tail feathers, staining of the feathers above the nostrils, preen gland cysts and tumors, feather cysts and other signs of poor general health. Some birds may appear in very good condition but these birds often have lost feathers during the weaning period and regrown them soon after. They are in fact APV “carrier” birds.

Nutritional Stress during the Moult

A failure to regrow tail feathers is most likely to occur in APV “carrier” birds during their first adult moult. These birds are often physically large birds that also possess championship quality feather features.

The regrowth of the paired central tail feathers occurs towards the end of the moult at the same time as the long end flights. Any nutritional deficiency (i.e. stress) is more likely to appear at this time as these feathers are the largest in the body and because their regrowth also occurs towards the end of the moult. Dormant APV infections are likely to be activated in “carrier” birds at this time.

Poor Quill Strength

The quill strength of many championship quality budgerigars is poor. Poor quill strength may be a consequence of APV infection or poor genetic selection. Feather problems (e.g. feather cysts, bacterial follicle infections, feather abnormalities) and a failure to regrow tail feathers are more likely in birds with poor quill strength.

Feather cysts (i.e. retained curled up feathers are trapped beneath the skin) and other feather abnormalities may occur as a result of poor quill strength in the absence of APV infection.

“The Budgerigar” Book

Avian Polyomavirus (APV) infection and methods used to prevent it are covered in even greater detail in my book – “The Budgerigar”.

Note from Gerald S Binks: If you are serious about your hobby, I would urge you to obtain Dr Marshall’s book “The Budgerigar” which took 12 years to compile. Details of how to obtain a copy can be found below.

• Tails You Lose! – Part 1 of 2
• Dr Rob Marshall’s book – “The Budgerigar”

Among birds being checked in was an outstanding bird (for its time) in full condition, and the buzz among the officials was on the lines of – “Here is the Best in Show”.

Overnight, both tail feathers disappeared!

They were not even on the cage floor. The question was, who was the culprit among the overnight stewards? Then it was realised that one of them had a very good bird in the same class. Such are the vagaries of human nature to win at all costs! The outcome, of course, was that no tail – no win!

Quality Nutrition is Everything

Anyway, that was yesterday, but in 2010 the problem takes on a different aspect which results in the same feeling of depression by the owner(s).

I refer, of course, to the fact that 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.

The Puzzle

So, your “Best in Show” winner has succumbed to the dreaded title of a “Tail-less wonder”.

It is now left with a familiar situation, where, for the very observant, the tips of the feathers that normally are left in the feather follicle, as in a standard French Moulter, are not there! I find this difficult to understand and so far I have no answer to it.

As the bird continues to grow, tiny new tail feathers start to appear – but then stop growing. If pulled out, you find a clean outer stump from within the follicle at the base, where growth has started, but stopped, as the poor nutrition (?) has failed to support them further.

To contradict this statement, we can now look at the adult “Tail-less wonder”. By the time the bird has reached, say, 10 months of age, it still continues to create the same kind of stumps as before – but it has, by then, a high quality metabolism because it has been fed under your good management. So why no normal tail growth at this stage?

Feeding Changes Can Cause Trouble

Obviously, we are not all good avian managers and so many fanciers try all sorts of commercial products (that may affect their studs adversely) in the hope that something “works”.

In “The Challenge” book, this is discussed at length. In my case, I realised many years ago that one new product can upset the complete metabolic balance that can easily precipitate French Moult. Budgerigars are very sensitive to nutritional changes!

Binks Receives A Hit!

By reason of a balanced nutritional input, I have not had any French Moult for years – unless I push a pair to breed too far and ask for trouble.

This season (2010) I have produced a light green normal chick that at 5 months of age looked superb. Mick Freakley and Geoff Tuplin saw it and waxed lyrical – but days later – no tails!

I immediately thought of something that has been in my mind for many many years. We have all these specialist veterinarians, some of whom are paid by various societies in the world, who deal with the basics of diseases that in the most part are well recorded and have been so for years. The question in my mind is simple and is vitally important to us breeders, namely: Why has no research been carried out on the tail loss factor?

Infected Follicles?

In the past decade we have swiftly become interested and have acted upon acquiring longer feathers and directional feathers on either side of the head, to create what I termed for the hobby as “The Buffalo Effect”.

Not easy to achieve, but the hobby at large is trying and is already succeeding in many aviaries. This has to put extra strain on avoiding the loss of tails for the reasons given above.

So, with this personal experience in mind, I approached Dr Rob Marshall for his (and I stress his) comments and the possibility of some positive research into the state of the follicles, post the loss of their tails.

My mind says:

• “How do I clean up the follicle, so that the growth can behave normally?“
• “What is inside the follicle that is stopping new tail growth?“
• “Is it an infection? If so, which bacterium is it, and how do we knock it on the head?“

Finding A Cure?

When I was approached, at the age of 19, with a kind invitation to join Her Majesty’s Armed Forces (for two years at her expense), I tried to join the Black Watch Regiment- as I have a Scottish (and Lancashire) background.

I was rejected for flat feet much to my now wife’s amusement!

So, I found myself in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) and was eventually put in charge of The Medical Centre near Aldershot, under a gaggle of qualified Doctors.

Where is this getting to, you will be asking?

Well, I learnt a great deal in patient treatment – especially treating boils. We used a paste that was applied to the infection called Magnesium Sulphate paste. This is still available from your pharmacy. It has the capability to draw out all forms of nasty boils until they are clean and heal.

I decided to get some recently and, while it is early days, I am melting the paste and working it into the tail zone and seeing what happens – if anything! There have to be more modern treatments, of course, but I am currently stuck in the past!

Conclusion

I have now received the report from Dr Rob Marshall (see below).

Close scrutiny will reveal that the possibility of a cure has to overcome factors in the bird’s background – but my latest question to him is “How do you explain that the bird with the best head qualities – with the slightly longer feathers – is affected, but its nest mates – also stunning light greens – do not have the problem? Certainly ALL have the same genetic background!”

Please note: If you are serious about your hobby, I would urge you to obtain Dr Marshall’s book “The Budgerigar” which took 12 years to compile. Details of how to obtain a copy can be found below.

• Tails You Lose! – Part 2 of 2 (Dr Rob Marshall’s report)
• Dr Rob Marshall’s book – “The Budgerigar”

From: Bill Gillen, Australia

Hi Gerald,

Page 78 of your book “Best In Show” lists purified yeast powder.

I’ve asked all over Australia about it – but to no avail.

A company in Luton (UK) advertise it – 1kg for 398.80 UK pounds – is this the yeast you speak about in your book, or, is there another type of yeast powder (that is not so expensive)?

I have had the worst 2 years breeding ever and I now wish to try cold liver oil and yeast as recommended by you.

Gerald responds:

Dear Mr Gillen,

You are safe to obtain Brewers Yeast from any source.

You may find that health shops are the places to visit – you will get small quantities from there, or an enquiry at your pharmacy may bear fruit.

However, 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.

That is not a sales pitch – just a sensible recommendation.

I still give cod liver oil, but not yeast these days!

Gerald S Binks

Identifying Early Illness

• Introduction

  For most diseases there is a sequence of signs that appears before a budgerigar becomes obviously sick.

  At first there is a loss of the health signs. Detecting potential disease therefore requires knowledge of these health signs as well as looking for the other signs of failing health or disease.

  Self-diagnosis requires an ability to recognize the signs of health, failing health as well as symptoms of disease.

  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.

• A Systematic Approach

  A systematic approach to the physical examination is recommended as it produces the most comprehensive information about the nature of a bird’s illness or injury in the shortest possible time.

  Distant signs of failing health or disease:

  • Noise & Smell
  • Roosting Activities (on perches & the ground)
  • Feather Quality (colour, cleanliness & strength)
  • Droppings (size, colour, consistency & smell)
  • Physical Abnormalities

   
  Close-Up Inspection:

  • Eyes
  • Frontal Feathers
  • Feathers above the Nostrils
  • Cere & Beak
  • Mouth & Facial Feathers
  • Body Condition
  • Vent Feathers
  • Wings
  • Tail
  • Droppings

Some Examples

To illustrate the systematic approach to problem identification, here are a few examples:

• Breeding Cock Problems

  Breeding cock problems are mostly the result of energy depletion, so that most birds can be saved when emergency first aid is given at the first signs of sickness. A treatment protocol – including a wise choice of medicine – can be started.

  • For a sick breeding cock:

    • Move the sick cock into a heated hospital cage
    • Provide emergency first aid
    • Select one of the following medicines based upon the individual symptoms:
      
       
      • AIL Spray: Quill or red mites discovered during physical exam
      • Doxycycline Megamix: Infertility in this and previous breeding rounds
      • Moxi-T: Dirty feathers above the nostrils, missing flight or tail feathers
      • Turbosole CankRtabs: Vomiting associated with sudden onset illness and dark green droppings
      • Fungilin: Vomiting associated with infertility, going light, excessive hunger and large dark brown droppings
      • Sulfa AVS: Watery droppings with an odour

   

  • For a dead breeding cock:

    • Post Mortem: Post Mortem findings determine best treatment for breeding partner and rest of flock

• Breeding Hen Problems

  Breeding hen problems, especially sudden deaths, are often the result of entering the breeding cabinet when not ready to breed, inadequate nutrition, stress or food related diseases.

  • For a sick breeding hen:

    • Treat the sick hen in a hospital cage
    • Provide emergency first aid with added liquid calcium (e.g. HiCal)
    • Add “Super Charge” and “HiCal” to the drinking water of all other breeding pairs
    • Select one of the following medicines based upon the individual symptoms:
      
       
      • AIL Spray: Quill or red mites discovered during physical exam
      • Doxycycline Megamix: Failure to lay eggs, deaths when laying eggs in this and previous breeding rounds
      • Moxi-T: Dirty feathers above the nostrils, missing flight or tail feathers
      • CankRtabs: Vomiting associated with egg laying
      • Fungilin: Soft shelled eggs associated with infertility, going light, excessive hunger and large dark brown droppings
      • Sulfa AVS: Watery droppings with an odour

   

  • For a dead breeding hen:

    • Post Mortem: Post Mortem findings determine best treatment for breeding partner and rest of flock

• Problems In The Flights

  • Individual Bird Sickness

    A systematic approach is needed to guestimate the cause of an illness when a sick individual bird is discovered in the flights. During a close examination the eyes, cere, nostrils, body condition and plumage (frontal feathers, feathers above the nostrils, facial feathers especially around the mouth, breast feathers, vent feathers, wing and tail feathers) should be inspected systematically for additional signs of failing health or disease.

    A complete physical examination is recommended as it produces the most comprehensive information about the nature of a bird’s illness or injury in the shortest possible time.

    After this close inspection, the captured bird should then be placed into a paper lined show or hospital cage. Here it may be given first aid treatment and its droppings can be closely monitored as the physical appearance of droppings provide a wealth of information as to the possible causes of failing health.

  • Deaths Occurring in the Flights

    An occasional death in the flights is considered a normal occurrence and often the result of natural attrition involving older or inherently weak birds. Concern, however, should be aroused when more frequent deaths and an increasing number of sick birds appear in the flights, as this is the pattern of a contagious disease.

    A budgerigar breeder’s greatest fear is the overnight discovery of two or more dead birds on the floor of a flight as this finding is a portent to further deaths over following days. Swift action must be taken at this time to identify the stress factors involved with the deaths.

    With a cluster of deaths a pattern involving one sex or age group often emerges which considerable helps identify the underlying stresses involved. For example, gender-specific deaths occur as a result of breeding behaviour stress interacting with other stress factors. The high testosterone levels of males and high mineral needs of females ready to lay eggs are the factors that link a cluster of deaths in the flights to a particular gender.

“The Budgerigar”

The above article has been adapted from Dr Robert Marshall’s 2009 publication “The Budgerigar”.

For more information on this book, please click here.

• Introduction: What, Why When?
• Correct Use of Medicines
• Wise Use of Medicines
• Choosing a Medicine
• Preventative Medicines
• Curative Medicines
• Medicine Cocktails

Introduction: What, Why When?

• Medicines: What are they?

  Medicines are chemicals that are used to treat or prevent diseases.

  Some are given routinely to treat, control and prevent parasites including worms, coccidiosis, lice, and mites. These medicines are necessary to keep budgerigars healthy and have no undue side-effects or harmful effects on enduring immunity.

  There are other medicines – such as antibiotics and anti-canker treatments – that must be used cautiously and not on a regular basis as their incorrect or repetitive use may harm the natural immunity of budgerigars especially when they are used incorrectly. When used wisely, however, antibiotics and anti-canker medicines may be used to enhance health whilst having no harmful effect on immunity.

• Medicines: Why use them?

  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.

  Sometimes long courses of antibiotic medicines are necessary to improve breeding results when Psittacosis is the cause of this problem. Antibiotic medicines may also be necessary to save the lives during outbreaks of disease or when environmental conditions favour an outbreak or illness.

• Medicines: When to use them?

  In order for budgerigars to remain healthy some kind of health plan is necessary.

  The simplest plan includes routine treatments against worms, lice, mites and coccidiosis.

  Some studs prefer to avoid medicines at all costs and use a system of health management that lets nature take its course and over time only the “strongest” birds survive by the end of each year. They breed from these birds to produce offspring that they feel will be naturally resistant to diseases. Over a period of time these breeders hope to develop highly resistant families of birds without using medicines.

  Unfortunately, this system has flaws because of the sudden and catastrophic effects that some diseases have on budgerigars. As well, because there is a continual flow of new breeding stock into studs, there is a constant fear that a dangerous new disease will enter to which it has no previous immunity.

  In order to manage diseases, budgerigar breeders should give routine treatments against worms, lice, mites, coccidiosis but avoid antibiotics or anti-canker treatments unless these diseases have been previously diagnosed in the stud.

Correct Use of Medicines

• It is commonly accepted that medicines will become necessary at some time.

  The type and amount of medicine used varies from stud to stud and a correct choice is essential if the overall health and vitality of the various budgerigar families are to be retained.

  A veterinarian with bird skills must first choose an appropriate medicine and programme. The observation skills of the budgerigar breeder are then needed to determine the best time to administer medicines.

  The golden rule of medicines is to use them only when required, as inappropriate use will break down good levels of acquired immunity within the stud.

  At times, it is difficult to know when the birds really do need medicines because the symptoms of illness are often hidden. The correct identification of an illness is the only way to select the correct medicine to administer to the flock.

  Veterinary testing or the response of a sick bird to a treatment trial, are the best ways to identify the illness and a need for medicines.

Wise Use of Medicines

• The wise use of medicines plays a most important part in developing a strong natural resistance against disease in young birds by protecting the immune systems of susceptible birds from potentially irreversible damage.

  For example, the effective control of Streptococcus or Megabacteria infections requires a plan of action involving the correct use of medicines, good stud management and an informed breeding strategy. However, the use of medicines alone, without good management or breeding strategy, will fail to eliminate either of these diseases from the stud.

  Medications should be used as little as possible in a healthy budgerigar flock.

  The common aim should be the production of healthy and robust budgerigars by natural means and without compromising immunity. In this way, budgerigars are able to become naturally resistant against infection as young birds and require less medicine treatments in later life during periods of stress.

  It is difficult to maintain continuing health in the young bird flights without using some form of medication even in flocks with strong immunity. It is widely accepted that medicines must be used to protect young birds from environmental diseases and the common parasitic diseases such as Coccidiosis, worms, lice and mites.

  Products such as “Quik-Gel” may also be used to promote and strengthen natural immunity.

  Medicines used for budgerigars have been well researched, and although it is possible to improve breeding performance by the strategic administration of medicines when disease problems exist in a stud, it must be remembered that they are of no help and are in fact dangerous for a stud that is healthy.

  When there are breeding problems, the correct choice of medicine is vital if breeding performance is to be improved.

  First and foremost, the exact disease process must be identified.

  Secondly, early recognition is essential if treatment is to eliminate an infection before a loss of health occurs.

Choosing a Medicine

• Microscopic examination of the droppings is the best method of determining if and when medicines should be used.

  Droppings may be submitted to specialist veterinarians for examination or breeders may wish to learn the technique themselves.

  Once an illness has been correctly identified, a treatment plan can be developed to effectively overcome the disease. This may or may not involve the use of medicines and breeders should consult an avian veterinarian for assistance in selecting the most appropriate medicine and treatment strategy.

Preventative Medicines

• Healthy budgerigars are at considerable health risk when breeding, during weaning and in the young bird flights and may be protected from stress and environmental diseases by the prudent use of medicines.

  Medicines used in this manner are referred to as preventative medicines.

  Administration of a preventative medicine protects immunity and natural resistance.

  Consult an avian veterinarian for assistance in selecting the most appropriate medicine and prevention strategy.

Curative Medicines

• Curative medicines are required to treat a disease outbreak.

  Repeatedly poor breeding results may indicate a need for a curative medicine with the choice of medicine being determined by the nature of the illness.

  Curative medicines, by their very name, imply a dose of medicament strong enough to destroy the disease involved.

  Curative medicines are administered outside critical times of breeding and often as part of a pre-breeding season health programme.

  The treatment interval (duration of treatment) is longer than for preventative medicines. Preventative medicines are administered in an ongoing or intermittent fashion. Curative medicines are administered continuously from 3 days to 45 days, depending on the diseases and types of medicine involved.

Medicine Cocktails

• Combinations of medicines mixed together into a cocktail may be needed during disease outbreaks, as secondary infections are common in budgerigar illnesses.

  For example, “Megamix” is mixed with many antibiotics to prevent secondary infections. “Baytril” and “Carlox” may be mixed together with “Megamix” during a coccidiosis outbreak as secondary Ecoli and other bacterial infections become particularly troublesome for the survival of infected birds.

  An understanding of those medicines that can be safely mixed together is paramount to correctly treating and protecting budgerigars against disease.

  As a general rule, if a mixture of medicines remains clear in drinking water, then the medicines are compatible. This rule however, should be followed with some hesitation, and whenever unsure about the compatibility of different medicines, it is best to contact an avian veterinarian.

Dr Rob’s Products

To order the products mentioned in this article, please use the links on the Dr Robert Marshall page.

Dear Dr Marshall,

I have seen your articles on the excellent new budgerigar website set up by Gerald Binks. I am hoping you can help me.

I bred three skyblue cocks in 2008. Their sire died at the end of that year and his symptoms were:

• 1. Loss of Weight
• 2. A pulsing in the crop area.

I treated him over a period with tetracycline paste, baytril, megabac and amoxicillin trihydrate. He did not respond and eventually died after 6 months had passed. Now two of his sons have the same weight loss. They are fluffed up and again do not respond to any treatment. They can look fit for a while, but then relapse. There is no nasal discharge. No vomiting, but the faeces are yellowish in colour. Have you any suggestions as to the problem?
(Name and address supplied)

Dr Marshall’s reply:

Weight loss over a prolonged period is consistent with Megabacterial infection. In my book I describe 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. I would look for the presence of French moult in the stud. Treatment for megabacteria is complicated and requires direct action via crop needle, but the underlying cause has to be identified. Irrespective, the long term approach is to breed away from this line as it is genetically weak.

Fancier’s response:

What do you recommend for treating megabacteria?

Dr Marshall’s reply:

I suggest Fungalin in liquid or tablet form. You need to treat1/4 ml of fungalin liquid with our “Quik Gel”, ER Formula, with a dosage rate of 2.5 mls daily via crop needle for 10 days. After this assess the situation. Often streptococcus is also involved. So an additional antibiotic, e.g. Clavulox liquid 0.1 in the mixture is a help. If good fertility is a problem or patchy, you may have a psittacosis infection which will then be the primary cause and megabacteria the secondary factor because the polyomavirus seems under control.

Fancier’s response:

I have now obtained the fungalin, but in tablet form. How do I mix this prior to inserting it via crop needle as you advised?

Dr Marshall’s reply:

Dissolve one crushed tablet in 10 mls of water. This makes a working solution which you can keep in the fridge. Shake well before use. This should do for a complete course. You can extrapolate the dose down, according to the number of birds involved.

Fancier’s response:

Thank you for your considerable help and advice. It is much appreciated and I have requested Gerald Binks to publish this on Budgerigar.co.uk for the general benefit of the fancy at large.

Changes in the behaviour or physical appearance of an individual bird may indicate the beginning of an illness or an inherent weakness.

Individuals that display any of the 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 (See pages 210-239 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

This article covers troubleshooting of budgerigar health problems using self diagnosis as follows:

• By Close Inspection
• By Common Symptoms
• By Treatment Trial
• By Location of Problem

By Close Inspection

During a close examination the eyes, cere, nostrils, body condition and plumage (frontal feathers, feathers above the nostrils, facial feathers especially around the mouth, breast feathers, vent feathers, wing and tail feathers) should be inspected systematically for symptoms of failing health or disease (See Figure 18b pages 219 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

• Abdomen Symptoms

  The abdomen is examined by passing the middle or ring finger over its length whilst holding the budgerigar in such a way as to avoid the feet. Changes in the abdomen (See photo 9.11 page 104 Chapter 9: “The Budgerigar“) include a “soft belly”, hernias, internal tumors, ovarian cysts, fatty, or cancerous tumors (See page 230 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“). Treatment varies according to the exact diagnosis.

• Body Condition

  In the hand, the healthy budgerigar feels strong but buoyant. The body should be carefully examined using the fingers to feel for abnormalities.

  • Crop Problems

    The crop region is gently examined for the presence of bloating or crop herniation. Air in the crop is an abnormal finding in budgerigars and a sign of crop stasis, trichomoniasis and crop infections (sour crop) (See Chapter 30: “The Budgerigar“).

  • Obesity

    The weight of a budgerigar can be assessed in the hand by feeling for fat depots or a prominent keel. Overweight budgerigars are less likely to be fertile (See pages 226-227 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“). Often they are fat because of an inability to fly due to missing flight feathers. In overweight birds, paired fat depots may be found in the area between the crop and breast muscle. Fat tumors may also be found in this area. Additional fat depots may be found as small bean shaped fat pads in front or behind the vent.

  • Going Light

    The degree of prominence of the keel bone and fullness of the breast (pectoral) muscles help identify weight loss in budgerigars. “Going light” is a sign of an unhealthy budgerigar and describes an excessive loss of weight that occurs in budgerigars that are not eating, digesting or absorbing enough food. A prominent keel bone accompanies the weight loss. “Going light” may occur rapidly within a day when toxic diseases such as coccidiosis cause a sudden dehydration (See Chapter 28: “The Budgerigar“). Megabacteria infections (See Chapter 29: “The Budgerigar“) and worm infestations (See Chapter 28: “The Budgerigar“) prevent the digestion and absorption of food so that birds “go light” more gradually.

• Cere

  • Cere Changes

    Cere colour and texture vary between sexes. The colour of the cere of healthy female budgerigars is brown across all varieties. The blue cere colour of male budgerigars is present in all varieties except albinos, lutinos and some individual pied birds. The surface texture of a healthy male is smooth and that of a healthy female is rough.

    The colour and texture of the cere may be used to assess the health of both sexes as these features change in response to hormonal fluctuations, failing health and disease (See figure 18e page 223 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

    When cere changes are discovered look for other symptoms as an abnormal cere may occur as a result of natural hormonal flucutation or as a result of a disease process. Cnemidocoptes mites may infect the surfaces of the cere and facial skin and may permanently damage the beak. This condition is not highly contagious but treat with ivermectin / moxidectin according to veterinary recommendations.

  • Nostril Problems

    Cere changes associated with female hormones or Cnemidocoptes mites may cause the nostrils to become occluded. Stress related Streptococcus or Mycoplasma and Chlamydophila infections produce a watery discharge from both nostrils, whereas a mucoid discharge appears in one, or both nostrils when Staphylococcus or fungal infections occur as a result of dusty and humid stud environment. Treat according to veterinary recommendations.

• Ear Infections

  Ear infections are uncommon in budgerigars but most often associated with dust-related Staphylococcus infection. (See photo 9.8 page 103 Chapter 9 & page385 Chapter 30: “The Budgerigar“). Treat with Penicillin antibiotic and ear drops according to veterinary recommendations.

• Eye Problems

  Close inspection of the eye whilst holding the bird is required to detect infections, inflammations and injuries as the budgerigar’s eye and eyelids are very small.

  “Red eye” is a common condition of budgerigars (See figure 18d page 221 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“) that starts as a painful conjunctivitis, has several underlying causes and is symptomatic of self-inflicted trauma. Administration of one drop of antibiotic eye drops daily for 2-3 days is the best treatment for “red-eye”.

  Eye symptoms should be viewed with great caution, as they may be the only indication of the presence of contagious diseases such as Psittacosis (See figure 27h page 345 Chapter 27: “The Budgerigar“) and Mycoplasmosis.

• Feather Problems

  Changes to the colour, cleanliness and strength of a budgerigar’s feathers, offers a warning sign for failing health or disease (See pages 216, 222, 224, 226-229 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

  Birds with dry feathers can be recognised from the distance by the physical characteristics of tail feathers. Frayed, soiled and bent tails warn of dry and weak feathers that lack strength and durability. Their presence is often the result of coexistent Megabacteria (See figure 29a page 371 Chapter 29: “The Budgerigar“) and Polyomavirus (See page 334 Chapter 27: “The Budgerigar“) infections although genetically based structural weaknesses may also be involved.

  Feather soiling is a sign of failing health that indicates dry feathers, “sticky” droppings or reduced preening activity. Dirty feathers are not present in healthy birds under normal conditions but may appear across a flock when prolonged wet weather prevents feathers from remaining perfectly dry.

  Viewing the vent and tail feathers of roosting birds from below offers a good opportunity to identify birds with soiled dry feathers. These birds should be caught and undergo a close physical examination.

  • Frontal Feather Changes

    Changes of the frontal feathers may be used to diagnose a variety of conditions (See page 222 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

  • Feather Stains above the Nostrils

    Staining of the feathers above the nostrils is an indication of a sinus infection (See photo 9.6 page 103 Chapter 9: “The Budgerigar“), the cause of which is most commonly a stress induced Streptococcus or dust related Staphylococcus infection. Treat with Penicillin antibiotic according to veterinary recommendations (See figure 18f pages 224-225 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

  • Feather Picking of Young

    Feather plucking of chicks by a mother is an indication that she is ready for another breeding cycle. Feather picking is also a sign that a breeding hen is experiencing a metabolic disturbance caused by energy & mineral depletion. It may be necessary to stop her entering another breeding cycle if she is showing signs of fatigue. Treat with “Quik Gel“. Fortify food with additional protein and energy.

  • Facial Feather Changes

    The facial feather area starts beside the cere then follows the margins of the beak down the length of the mask. The feathers of this region should be clean and colourful.

    The persistence of food remnants that soil or adhere to these feathers during the feeding of young is an indication that the feathers are dry and failing health. Slimy, bubbly and discoloured mouth discharges that matt the facial feathers is a sign of disease (See figure 18g pages 224-225 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“). Look for other symptoms to help you diagnose and treat the cause of the changes in facial feather qualities.

  • Tail Feather Changes

    The tail feathers provide information regarding the genetic quality of the plumage, conditions under which the budgerigars are kept and their health status in respect to Polyomavirus infection (See page 332 Chapter 27: “The Budgerigar“). It is the longest paired tail feathers that reveal most about health and these are best viewed from beneath (See figure 18l page 234-235 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

    Tail feather changes represent a fundamental problem in a stud that needs to be addressed by the breeder in consultation with a veterinarian.

  • Vent Feathers Changes

    Examination of the vent feathers can be a useful procedure for checking the health of individual budgerigars. The vent feathers of the healthy budgerigar are dry and clean as this finding reflects silky waterproof feathers and healthy droppings. Wetness, staining, pasting and clagging of the feathers surrounding the vent signal failing health or disease (See figure 18h page 228-229 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

    • Wet Vent

      Wet vent is caused by any sudden stress. Most breeders will recognise a wet vent as it is commonly seen in budgerigars entering their first show. (See page 227 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“). Treat with Emergency First Aid treatment and Penicillin antibiotic according to veterinary recommendations.

    • Staining of the Vent

      Soiling or staining of vent feathers indicates failing health or disease (See page 227 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“). It is the colour of the staining that reveals the nature of the disease.

      Liver disease is indicated by vent feathers that are soiled with a yellow stain.

      Dark forest green coloured stains of the vent feathers often appear in birds that have stopped eating from diseases such as trichomoniasis and coccidiosis.

      Dark green greasy droppings that hang from the vent feather area signal a dehydrated and seriously ill budgerigar that requires immediate first aid treatment. Look for other symptoms, treat with Emergency First Aid treatment with a “guestimated” medicine – See Part 2 Medicine Selection.

    • Pasted Vent

      A pasted vent refers to the matting of vent feathers together with a white paste-like material (See page 227 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“). The white paste is dried urates and a sign of disease. The presence of large amounts of pasting indicates dehydration and kidney malfunction.

      Wet pasted vents that appear in budgerigars soon after entering the breeding cabinet are a result of the stress associated with pairing, courtship and egg production. These birds may not have been in breeding condition when they entered the breeding cabinet, be inherently weak or be incompatible with their selected partner. They should be transferred to a hospital cage for observation in order to avoid the likely outcome of breeding failure or death.

      Look for other symptoms to “guestimate” an appropriate medicine – See Part 2 Medicine Selection.

    • Caked Vent

      A caked (or clogged) vent occurs when droppings block the vent. Often tail wagging accompanies the constipation caused by the clogged droppings. Seed may also stick to the caking. Immediate and then daily treatment by removing the caked droppings and cleaning the vent area gives soothing relief to most budgerigars.

      Look for other symptoms to “guestimate” an appropriate medicine – See Part 2 Medicine Selection. For example, caking with large moist droppings may appear rapidly with acute diseases such as Megabacteria infection (treated with amphotericin) that interrupt digestion and stimulate thirst.

      It is helpful to smell the vent area when it is pasted or caked with droppings as the presence of a particular odour may be used to identify a particular disease.

      Thrush infections (treated with Mycostatin) and infections of the uterus (often referred to as vent gleet) produce a pungent yeast-like odour to vent discharge (treated with Penicillin antibiotic) whereas E.coli infections produce a distinctive chicken-like smell (treated with Sulfa-type antibiotic).

  • Wing Feathers Changes

    Both wings should be examined (See page 232-233 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“) one at a time by first passing the finger over the outside rim of the wing to feel for any lumps (feather cysts) and then extending each wing fully to inspect its outer and inner surfaces for mites and lice. The number and condition of the primary flights of each wing reveals much about the stage of moult and health. Abnormal or missing flight feathers and a delayed moult represents failing health irrespective of the outward appearance of the individual bird.

    Polyomavirus (French moult) is a common cause of missing flight feathers.

    Quill mites are a major underlying cause of failing health and breeding failure in budgerigars (treated with lice spray & ivermectin).

    Feather cysts may be felt along the rim of the wing as hard fleshy swellings. They are usually found towards the wing butt in the area of the outermost primary flights (treated with Penicillin antibiotic and surgical excision under veterinary supervision).

• Feet & Leg Problems

  The feet of a healthy budgerigar remain clean as a result of a good circulation keeping them warm and dry. Soiling of the feet, toes or toenails is therefore a sign of failing health as it indicates poor circulation and cold feet.

  The feet are examined by enticing the budgerigar to grasp a finger in order to check the perching reflex (See page 231 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

  Splay legs (see page 306 Chapter 24: “The Budgerigar“) and deformed toes are poorly understood conditions that may occur with nutritional deficiencies, incubation problems, injuries sustained in the nest or with inappropriate perch shape and size.

• Preen Gland

  In a healthy budgerigar, the preen gland is barely discernible as a slight swelling near the base of the tail (see figure 9d page 105 Chapter 9 & page 306 Chapter 24: “The Budgerigar“). Roughened feathers or excessive grooming over the preen gland area is the first sign of a blocked preen gland. Tail feather abnormalities occur with large preen gland tumors because of the close proximity of the tail feather follicles with this gland.

  Preen gland infections are usually the result of vitamin D deficiencies and lack of direct sunlight.

• Vent Problems

  Examination of the vent feathers in the exhibition budgerigar can be a useful procedure to check the health of the individual bird. Wet-, pasted- and caked vent feathers are early signs of failing health. These conditions are discussed in this section and also in Feathers – Vent Feather Changes. Prolapses (see photo 9.26 page 110 Chapter 9: “The Budgerigar“) are other problems of the vent area.

  • Early Signs of Deteriorating Health

    • Wet Vent

      Wet vent (see photos 18.51 & 18.52 page 227 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“) refers to the wetness around the vent feathers, occurring as a result of a sudden stress.

      Breeders are aware that budgerigars at a show develop a wet vent as a sign of stress but any type of acute stress will produce a wet vent as it occurs as a result of cloacal malfunction.

      The cloaca is a three-chambered structure that separately stores the droppings passed down the bowel from the urine produced in the kidney. The uterus also opens into the cloaca (see figure 9k page 110 Chapter 9: “The Budgerigar“).

      In the healthy budgerigar, the water from the urine is recycled into the bowel and re-absorbed into the body. The system provides this desert bird with an extremely efficient method for conserving water. Under stress, the budgerigar becomes highly excited and defecates before water re-absorption is completed producing the water that appears around the feathers near the vent.

      The wet vent is a common occurrence in the birds under acute stress. Acute or sudden onset stress is associated with emotional stress as seen in birds at the show, when young birds are places in the “nappy cage”, when the juveniles are moved into the flights and in overcrowded studs.

      Physical factors that cause wet vents include sudden changes in temperature in the stud (too cold or too hot), fright (predators) and excessive fighting between birds due to a lack of perch space.

      The presence of wet vents is an early warning signal of an imminent and possibly serious health threat to the individual bird or the entire stud. The natural resistance and fortitude of budgerigars can be assessed by the absence or presence of wet vents. Birds repeatedly getting wet vents are not suitable for showing or breeding as they lack a calm nature. This nervous type of bird is also more susceptible to disease and a potential health hazard to a stud. These birds should be removed from a stud.

    • Pasted Vent

      A pasted vent indicates a prolonged stress. Pasted vents in one or more budgerigars indicate a long standing and potentially serious illness that is capable of infecting the entire flock including robust and vital birds. Look for other symptoms to “guestimate” an appropriate medicine – See Part 2 Medicine Selection.

      An infection requiring Sulfa-type antibiotic is present when a smell accompanies a pasted vent. Alternatively the acid contents of Quik Gel should be effective to control this stage of most infections whilst waiting for the results of veterinary testing.

    • Droppings Caked Around the Vent

      Dry, enlarged black droppings – This type of dropping is seen with low grade Megabacteria infections. Individual crop needle treatment using Amphotericin and Quik Gel is the treatment of first choice – See Part 2 Medicine Selection.

      Moist, large khaki green droppings – These droppings usually carry a bad odour when removed from the vent. Bacterial enteritis, coccidiosis and uterus infections are the most common cause of these droppings. Look for other symptoms to “guestimate” an appropriate medicine – See Part 2 Medicine Selection.

    • Stained Vent

      INSERT MISSING INFORMATION HERE!!!!!

By Common Symptoms

• Breeding Problems

  Many breeding problems occur as a result of introducing budgerigars to breeding cabinets when they are not ready to breed. Others occur because of a failure to provide the breeding pairs with the nutritional balance and dietary energy level needed to maintain their vigour throughout two breeding cycles. A plan to prevent these kinds of breeding problems is needed because breeding failures may result in deaths of important birds or the loss of an entire breeding season when sick birds fail to recover in time to breed again during that breeding season. For a detailed description of breeding cock and hen problems refer to pages 278-287 Chapter 22: “The Budgerigar“.

  Infertility is an inherent failing of some championship quality budgerigars and for these birds it is incurable. However, there are other causes of infertility that can be reversed. For a detailed description of infertility and other egg problems refer to pages 288-297 Chapter 22: “The Budgerigar“.

  The other egg problems discussed in “The Budgerigar” refer to those conditions involved with the failure of a fertilised egg to hatch. Although the cause of most of these egg problems can be identified and cured, their presence largely goes undetected by breeders who unknowingly blame infertility for the failure of these eggs to hatch.

  Nestlings refer to young birds in the nest from hatching until weaning age, when they leave the nest.

  The health of a newborn chick and the parental care it receives from hatching until weaning age determine its future value as breeding or show birds. Nestlings bred and reared by healthy parents will be strong at hatching and will grow to their full genetic potential when they receive good parental care and nutritious food in the nest. Those that are born weak will never achieve their true show potential irrespective of the level of care and nutrition they receive.

  Chicks are born weak due to a variety of reasons. Stress induced diseases such as Psittacosis or Polyomavirus infections produce weak chicks by devitalising the mother and undermining her ability to brood properly. Other diseases and nest contamination may infect the egg directly and debilitate the developing embryo resulting in a weak born chick.

  Death is the usual outcome of weak born chicks. For a detailed description of nestling deaths and other nest problems refer to pages 298-308 Chapter 22: “The Budgerigar“.

• Deaths

  Highly contagious diseases such coccidiosis, roundworms and trichomoniasis and toxic infections associated with contaminated foods are the most common causes of deaths in the flights, whilst energy depletion associated with inadequate nutrition, hormonally induced interruptions to the breeding cycle are the most common causes of deaths in the breeding cabinets.

  The highly contagious diseases have potential catastrophic consequences that can decimate a stud within a matter of weeks, abruptly destroying bloodlines that have taken years to create. Refer to pages 244-245 Chapter 19: “The Budgerigar“.

  Although there are advantages and disadvantages associated with each type of flight – internal or external – the cause of a death or illness occurring in the flights is more likely a result of stud management rather than whether the flights are indoors or open to the weather.

  Sooner or later all budgerigar flocks will become exposed to life threatening diseases. Breeders should be prepared for such a situation and have a tactical response plan prepared in order to avoid unnecessary deaths.

  A tactical response plan should incorporate an emergency first aid treatment protocol for individual sick birds, a method for “guestimating” a treatment to protect the remainder of the flock and a method for identifying the nature of the disease.

  An emergency treatment plan needs to be activated whenever two or more birds die in the flights within 2 weeks, because the earlier diagnosis and treatment is initiated the better the chances of averting catastrophic losses.

  • Deaths in the Flights

    An occasional death in the flights is considered a normal occurrence and often the result of natural attrition involving older or inherently weak birds. Concern, however, should be aroused when more frequent deaths and an increasing number of sick birds appear in the flights, as this is the pattern of a contagious disease.

    First Choice of Medicine
    The following emergency medicines should be mixed together in the drinking water with Quik Gel whilst a diagnosis is being confirmed.

    Qwik Gel is the first choice emergency medicine when:
    • Deaths with no other symptoms

     
    Sulfa-type antibiotic is the first choice emergency medicine when:

    • Deaths associated with the presence of a “chicken-house” smell in stud
    • Deaths associated with green droppings, smell to droppings or occurring within a week of wet weather rain

     
    Penicillin antibiotic is the first choice emergency medicine when:

    • Deaths associated with stained feathers above nostrils
    • Deaths associated with white or brown watery droppings and signs of vomiting
    • Deaths are associated with symptoms of dropping changes that carry no odour
    • Deaths associated with French Moult outbreak

     
    Doxycycline is the first choice emergency medicine when:

    • Deaths associated with ongoing conjunctivitis and “red eye” problems
    • Occasional deaths associated with infertility during the breeding season
    • Deaths are associated with green staining of vent feathers

     
    Baytril is the first choice emergency medicine when:

    • Deaths associated with mice infestation or the presence of a mouse dropping smell in stud
    • Deaths associated with yellow staining of the vent feathers

     
    Piperazine Wormer is the first choice emergency medicine when:

    • Deaths associated with birds of all ages and sexes “going light” over a short period following wet warm weather
    • Deaths associated with large watery dark brown droppings in unrelated birds

     
    Amphotericin is the first choice emergency medicine when:

    • Deaths associated with white or blue mould on droppings
    • Deaths associated with related birds going light with dry feathers and black droppings

   

  • Deaths in the Breeding Cabinet

    An occasional death in the breeding cabinets should not be considered a normal occurrence but a cause for concern. Treatment must be confined to affected breeding cabinets alone until a definitive diagnosis confirms a need for flock treatment – because of an airborne contagious disease, mite infestation or food/water contamination.

    Choice of the emergency first aid medicines is the same above list for sick birds in the flights.

• Dropping Changes

  Examining the droppings of budgerigars from a distance can reveal helpful information as to the health status of a flock. The size, colour and consistency of droppings offer the best clues as to whether a change in behaviour or plumage appearance is a significant risk to a flock’s continuing health.

  Close inspection of the floor of the flights or breeding cabinets is required to notice a change in the droppings (See page 217-218 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

  Droppings of a healthy flock are uniformly small, round, dry and black in colour with a white topping. Down feathers are often attached to these droppings. A change from small, black and white droppings to tan or khaki coloured droppings is an indication of a stressful event that if allowed to persist may lead to disease. Failing health or disease is present when large coloured droppings appear on the floor of a flight. When seen in the breeding cabinet large khaki coloured droppings may be considered normal when a hen is in the process of laying eggs, eating soft foods or parents are feeding young.

  • The Healthy Dropping

    The healthy dropping is characterised as follows:

    • Small, black with white caps
    • Have an attached down feather
    • Dry with no sign of wetness or smell

     
    The healthy dropping of the healthy budgerigar is black in colour, round, has a white cap and a down feather attached to it. The droppings of healthy breeding birds are not always small and black. The small, dry dropping of the healthy budgerigar is a reflection of the top fitness and a fully functional cloaca. The character of the droppings may change from day to day dependent upon many factors but the budgerigar breeder can look to the droppings as a most reliable and sensitive measure of the health of the flock. The healthy budgerigar may produce from 25 – 50 stools per day because of its extremely high metabolic rate. The healthiest aviary birds produce the smallest droppings.

    Down feathers or pin-feathers are those very small fluffy feathers that are dropped every day in the perfectly healthy budgerigar. They are seen on the floor, attached to the wire or droppings in the healthy aviary, but are no longer “dropped” at the first instance of stress of any kind. Their absence from the flight floor is a sure sign of a potential health problem.

    What is the significance of “down” on the droppings? The healthy budgerigar starts producing “down” feathers soon after the juvenile body moult (i.e. when the bars disappear from the forehead) is complete. The down feathers are used for insulation and produce a fine powder that waterproofs and lubricates the feathers. Their growth reflects the health and vitality of the budgerigar. The healthiest birds drop down feathers daily, producing copious amounts of powder (bloom) in the process.

  • Interpretation of Droppings

    The droppings are a very reliable and sensitive reflection of health. The careful observation and understanding of dropping changes in the flights or breeding cabinet is an incredibly powerful health management tool, allowing the observant breeder to quickly restore the health balance of the flock by using products such as Quik Gel rather then medicines.

    These products stimulate health by returning the flock to its natural balance. The best results are achieved when they are used at the first signs of a change in health. They act differently to medicines, which cure illness by killing the germ. Instead they restore the natural conditions of inner health to the body, having no direct effect on the germs. Their action prevents illness before it has had time to establish itself.

    The daily examination of the droppings on the floor is the most useful method for monitoring the health of the budgerigar flock. It is best to have flight and breeding cabinet floors free of any grit, sand, wood shavings or saw dust so that the droppings can be easily monitored every day. The small black and white is the dropping of a top heath and the first thing a breeder should see first thing in the morning.

    A change form healthy dropping indicates a potential health problem. View with caution any change in the colour, consistency or smell of the droppings. The discoloured dropping is abnormal in budgerigars fed a dry seed mix, although breeding birds and aviary birds may produce a larger, green coloured and watery dropping for a short time (24 hours) after eating soft foods, greens or soaked seed.

  • Abnormal Droppings

    The dropping is a very reliable and sensitive measure of the health of the aviary birds and reveals a wealth of information for the observant breeder, reflecting the health and management of the flock. The fancier is able to monitor the health of the flock by observing for any dropping changes. The early recognition of a dropping change allows the fancier to implement an immediate recovery plan that protects the health of the entire flock by using the water cleansers.

    The detection of abnormal droppings is only possible when the flights or cabinet floor is cleaned regularly. It is impossible to detect early illness in aviaries with sand, soil or deep litter systems.

    The Early Signs of a Potential Health Problem

    These changes can indicate deterioration in health, not a disease:

    • Watery droppings or wet vent
    • Larger droppings
    • Absence of down feather on droppings
    • Change in colour of the droppings
    • Smelly droppings

     
    What are the effects of stress on the droppings? The high metabolic rate of the wild budgerigar protects the livelihood of the budgerigar in the wild but exposes the health of the budgerigar to the stresses of captivity. The wild budgerigar has adapted to the harsh arid environment of central Australia largely due to its small size and high metabolic rate. It has evolved totally dependent upon the perfection of nature. Unfortunately, the aviary situation is far less then perfect in providing the budgerigar with its evolutionary requirements for health. It is the high metabolic rate of the budgerigar, the Achilles heel for survival in the wild bird that exposes the aviary budgerigar to so many illnesses. This high metabolic rate allows it to withstand the effects of stress for only short periods of time. The sudden disease outbreaks and mortality so common to the budgerigar aviary are usually the result of prolonged stress.

    The careful observation of the droppings is by far the best remedy against disease outbreaks in the budgerigar aviary. Any change in character of the droppings is a warning sign of an immediate health problem, because stress of any kind provokes and immediate change in the droppings of birds, especially those with a rapid metabolism such as the budgerigar. The changing droppings reflect the bird’s natural response to stress largely controlled by the body’s protection and survival systems.

    Although the signs of stress in birds are subtle, they become more obvious to the trained and observant eye. The weaker birds are the first to show signs of stress. The watery dropping is the first sign of stress but is very short-lived (24-48 hours) and often missed, because of the budgerigar’s extremely high metabolic rate. After a day or so the droppings become larger and change usually to a khaki-green colour. Without treatment at this time the stressed birds’ health deteriorates and disease appears and spreads throughout the aviary. Treatment to restore the health of the flock is best given at the first signs if stress.

    Signs of Stress

     
    • A watery dropping or wet vent is a sign of sudden (acute) stress. This is by far the most effective stage to prevent illness. Health is restored using water cleansers, energy supplements and by repairing the management flaw

     

    • Large, soft, discoloured droppings appear with prolonged (subacute) stress. Illness can still be prevented at this stage without using medicines

     

    • Pasted vents, large watery an often-smelling droppings are signs of long standing (chronic) stress. The disease already established within the aviary at this stage requires veterinary assistance and the appropriate use of medicines to restore the health of the flock.

     

    • The absence of down feathers is an early sign of stress. Down feathers on the droppings is a good sign that the birds are healthy and their absence reflects a stress of some kind. Water cleansers are used immediately the down feather disappears from the droppings. At the same time the dropping should be examined to see if any further treatment is needed.

     

    • Poor stud conditions may be responsible for the absence of down feathers. The stud design can be assessed by looking for down feathers on the droppings first thing in the morning. When down feathers appear in the afternoon and not in the morning, then the flight conditions are too cold, too hot, too wet or humid. Poor environmental conditions “stress” the birds, depriving them of restful sleep, retarding down feather production, reducing their ability to conserve body heat and exposing them to illness. The absence of down on the droppings may be the only sign of illness in many studs.

  • Watery Droppings

    Watery droppings are early signs of illness in budgerigars. A wet vent and watery droppings on floor recognize their presence.

    An increased water intake due to thirst is also a cause of a watery dropping. Often the budgerigar will pass a watery dropping within ten minutes of drinking a lot of water. There is a wetness around a normal looking “snake like” dropping when an increased thirst is the cause of a watery dropping. A wet “mushy” abnormal looking dropping is caused by bowel infection. The cause of watery droppings can be determined by the time of day that they occur.

    What is the significance of watery droppings of a morning?
    Watery droppings in the morning but turning normal in the afternoon is stress induced indicating a design flaw of the stud (too cold, too wet) that may be remedied by insulating the flights, especially the ceiling.

    What is the significance of watery droppings of a afternoon?
    A watery dropping in the afternoon rather than first thing in the morning is also stress induced and may occur with predators (rats, mice, snakes, dogs, cats), draughts or a sudden weather change.

    What is the significance of watery droppings during the night and day?
    Watery droppings during the day and night are commonly associated with illness such as canker, coccidiosis, Chlamydiosis, fungal or thrush infections. Wet droppings also occur when sugar based medications are administered (vitamins, electrolytes, antibiotics etc.).

    What is the significance of white, watery droppings?
    White droppings occur when there is a gizzard obstruction. The bird with white watery droppings requires immediate first aid treatment and crop needle feeding. The white watery dropping is a common finding with cold stress when birds over-engorge on grit. It is important to remove all grit temporarily from the cage when white watery droppings are seen.

  • Enlarged Droppings

    What is the significance of larger droppings?
    The size of the droppings is a very good indicator of the fitness and health of the budgerigar. The metabolism of the most healthy and fit birds purrs with efficiency and requires minimal energy to run at top capacity. The budgerigars in top health eat and drink less because their energy systems are highly efficient. They produce droppings that are small, tight, low in water and are well formed; the fittest birds have the smallest droppings. Large droppings occur when the birds eat too much. Excessive hunger occurs with feeding parents, illnesses, parasite infestations or as a habit. Large droppings may indicate a fitness or heath problem and should be tested microscopically.

    Large droppings reflect a continuing stress. The use of Quik Gel immediately large droppings are noticed in the flights or breeding cabinet, is the best and most natural means for preventing illness in budgerigar flocks.

    A large dropping is an early sigh of a health problem. On closer examination a change in the colour and wetness may also be noticed.

    Persistently large, discoloured, wet droppings indicate a health problem in the breeding cabinet.
    Large droppings do occur in the breeding cabinet of healthy hen birds. Healthy cock birds that are not feeding should have normal droppings. Look at the perch site to check the health of the cock and hen in the breeding cabinet. Cock birds may produce stress related droppings soon after pairing in incompatible pairs. Feeding cocks may produce larger droppings, but too much moisture in the droppings indicated a problem in either sex. Mould growth on the dropping in the breeding cabinet is a sure sigh of a health problem.

• Vomiting

  Vomiting is a life-threatening symptom requiring immediate attention.

  The most likely causes of vomiting are:

  • Blocked gizzard (with sour crop)
  • Canker (Trichomonaisis)
  • Megabacteria

   
  First Choice of Medicine
  Birds showing symptoms of vomiting must receive immediate emergency first aid treatment. The following emergency medicines should be mixed together in the drinking water and administered together with ER formula / Quik Gel by crop needle whilst a diagnosis is being confirmed.

   
  Metronidasole and Penicillin antibiotic are the first choice emergency medicines when:

  • Vomiting is associated with a sudden illness following wet weather with additional symptoms of a wet head, gas in the crop and continuing appetite. Hens are more likely to suffer these symptoms in the breeding cabinets and cocks in the flights. These are symptoms of Sour crop related to a blocked gizzard. Sour crop may also occur as result of feeding a contaminated soft food. Under these circumstances birds of both sexes will show symptoms within 72 hours of eating the contaminated food.

   
  Baytril is the first choice emergency medicine when:

  • Vomiting is associated with a sudden illness following wet weather with additional symptoms of a wet head and gas in the crop. Several birds of both sexes show the above symptoms within 72 hours of eating the contaminated food. These symptoms occur when sour crop is unrelated to a blocked gizzard but occurs as result of being fed a contaminated soft food.

   
  Ronidasole are the first choice emergency medicines when:

  • Vomiting is associated with a sudden onset serious illness following warm weather with additional symptoms of gas in the crop, stop eating, dark green droppings and any discharge from the mouth (See page 393 Chapter 30: “The Budgerigar”).

   

  • Cocks are more likely to suffer these symptoms in the breeding cabinets and flights. These are symptoms of Trichomoniasis (canker). Follow an Emergency First Aid Treament forthesick individuals as well as a flock treatment.

   
  Amphotericin is the first choice emergency medicine when:

  • Vomiting is associated with an ongoing illness following an acute stressful period – cold stress, weaning etc) with additional symptoms of going light, excessive hunger, dark brown to black droppings, seed in the droppings. Related birds of both sexes may be affected simultaneously or over a period of time. These symptoms occur with Megabacteria infections have blocked the stomach and gizzard.

 

• Weaning Problems

  Due to their much larger size, exhibition budgerigars take 20% longer to reach weaning age. They start to wean when 5 weeks old and may take several more days before they are able to eat and drink by themselves. It appears many exhibition budgerigars have lost their instinctual ability to wean quickly and for them weaning as well as fledging are very slow processes.

  It is the diminished ability of exhibition budgerigars to wean and fledge quickly that predisposes them to weaning problems. In order to minimise weaning problems most breeders move nestlings of weaning age into a communal nursery (weaning cage) for between 1-3 weeks, where under close observation, they learn to eat, drink and fly before they are allowed to enter the flights.

  (See pages 310-319 Chapter 22: “The Budgerigar”)

By Treatment Trial

A treatment trial is an important means for diagnosing many budgerigar diseases, because it is difficult to diagnose many of the more serious diseases in early stages of infection (e.g. Coccidiosis, trichomoniasis, round worm infestations) and for others diagnostic testing is unreliable (e.g. Psittacosis, Megabacteria ) or takes may days to finalise (e.g. Fungal infections and toxins).

A positive response to a treatment trial involving a “guestimated” medicine and emergency first aid treatment within 48 hours of treatment should be expected when the correct medicine is chosen.

A positive or negative response to treatment trial helps confirm the correct diagnosis and determines a need to continue or stop treatment for the entire flock.

• Positive Signs to Treatment: Individual bird

  • Increased activity within 12 hours
  • Fawn colour droppings within 24 hours
  • Perching behaviour within 48 hours
  • Eating after 72 hours
  • Feather colour returns within 72 hours
  • Climbing up wire of hospital cage after 72 hours

• Negative Signs to Treatment: Individual bird

  • No increased activity within 48 hours
  • Droppings remain dark green after 48 hours
  • No perching behaviour within 72 hours
  • Not eating after 96 hours
  • Feather colour returns within 96 hours
  • Climbing up wire of hospital cage after 96 hours

• Positive Signs to Treatment: Birds in Flight

  • Increased activity and noise within 24 hours
  • Smaller droppings within 24 hours
  • Feather colour visibly brighter within 72 hours
  • Down feather appear on floor within 72 hours

• Negative Signs to Treatment: Birds in Flight

  • Dark green watery droppings after 48 hours
  • Fluffed up look within 48 hours
  • No increased noise or activity after 24 hours
  • Vomiting

By Location of Problem

See Part 2 Medicine Selection.

Dr Rob’s Products

To order the products mentioned in this article, please use the links on the Dr Robert Marshall page.

• By Symptoms
• Emergency First Aid Medicine Options
• Medicine Options for the Flights
• Medicine Options for Breeding Cabinets

By Symptoms

• 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.

  First aid medicines are “guestimated” from the following list of medicine / symptom options.

Emergency First Aid Medicine Options

• The symptoms are used to “guestimate” the first choice of medicine. The correct medicine choice is confirmed by a positive response of the sick bird to the medicine or from the results of veterinary testing.

   
  The probability of selecting the correct medicine is improved by knowledge of the symptoms and behaviour of the various diseases.

  • Sulfa-type Antibiotic (Sulfadimadine / Trimethoprim)

     
    Sulfa-type antibiotics should be selected when:

    • A sudden cluster of deaths occurs in the flights
    • Stained vents appear in individual birds
    • There is an odour associated with the droppings
    • When the dropping is watery
       

  • Penicillin type Antibiotic (Amoxycillin / Tylan)

     
    Penicillin-type antibiotics should be selected when a sudden illness is associated with:

    • Feather staining above the nostrils
    • Vomiting after cold weather
    • White or brown droppings
    • French Moult and Yellow Belly
    • Pasted vents
       

  • Doxycycline hydrochloride Antibiotic (Doxycycline 10%)

     
    Doxycycline-type antibiotics should be selected when:

    • Intermittent deaths & recurrent diseases occur throughout the stud
    • There is widespread infertility or poor breeding results
       

  • Anti-fungal Medicine (Amphotericin B)

     
    Antifungal medicines should be selected when an illness is associated with:

    • Black or brown and large droppings linked with weight loss
    • The presence of mould on droppings
       

  • Baytril (Enrofloxacin)

     
    Enrofloxacin-like antibiotics should be selected when an illness is associated with:

    • Mice infestation
    • Contaminated food
       

  • Canker Medicines (Ronidasole & Metronidasole)

     
    Canker-type medicines should be selected when:

    • There is vomiting, sudden severe illness with dark green droppings often starting in related birds
    • Watery, smelly droppings of breeding birds
       

  • Water Cleansers & Water Buffers (Water Buffers or Citric acid)

     
    Water Cleansers should be used:

    • In the drinking water to protect all in-contact healthy birds whilst a diagnosis is being confirmed
    • Following a disease to disinfect the flights breeding cabinets, water and food containers

     
    Water Buffers should be used:

    • Whenever there is wet weather or when large droppings appear in the flights
       

Medicine Options for the Flights

• Flights crowded with young birds are especially susceptible to illness because of the fierce competition for feed and rest.

   
  At this time often the birds “just don’t look right” and it is difficult to know whether or not to use medicines.

  At the first signs of large droppings, Quik Gel should be given to the flock before thinking about using antibiotics.

  Veterinary dropping tests are the best means for determine an appropriate antibiotic.

• At the First Signs of Illness in the Flights

  • Isolate sick birds for individual emergency first aid treatment
  • Select a medicine from the symptoms and add to ER/Quik Gel, then administer by a crop needle
  • Add Quik Gel into the drinking water of all other birds whilst waiting for the diagnosis from veterinary tests or response to the “treatment trial”
  • Clean then disinfect or blow-torch floors of flights
  • The correct choice of medicine is confirmed by a positive response of the sick bird to the selected antibiotic. The entire flock (except breeding pairs) should receive this antibiotic medicine when two or more birds have died within a two-week long period
  • Antibiotic choice is incorrect and should be changed when the ill bird fails to respond after 48 hours of emergency first aid treatment. By this time veterinary tests should have returned a definitive diagnosis and indicate the best antibiotic to use

Medicine Options for Breeding Cabinets

• Individual breeding cabinet rather than flock treatment is the best approach for most breeding problems as most diseases of the breeding season reflect the health status of the individual pairs rather than the entire flock.

   
  It is far better to treat individual pairs in their individual breeding cabinets and to avoid flock treatment when problems occur in the breeding cabinet. Exceptions to this rule occur when food contamination infects all breeding pairs and when Psittacosis and French Moult are seriously impacting on breeding performance.

  Flock treatment for the breeding birds is given only for those diseases transmitted through the air or food (French Moult, Aspergillosis, Mite Infestations and Psittacosis) and is not recommended for other diseases such as Canker and Megabacteria which reflect a weakness in individual pairs.

• At the First Signs of Illness in the Breeding Cabinets

  • Treat the individual bird in the breeding cabinet with ER/Quik Gel and selected antibiotic by crop needle
  • Add Quik Gel and selected antibiotic to the drinking water of the affected breeding cabinet
  • Clean and disinfect the affected breeding cabinet
  • Mix Quik Gel into the drinking water of all other breeding cabinets
  • The correct choice of medicine is confirmed by dropping tests or a positive response of the sick bird to the selected medicine. This medicine is then given in the drinking water of in-contact breeding birds but not to the entire breeding room
  • Medicines are stopped but crop feeding continued when the ill bird fails to respond after 48 hours of treatment. By this time the veterinary tests should have returned the diagnosis and the best treatment

Dr Rob’s Products

To order the products mentioned in this article, please use the links on the Dr Robert Marshall page.

• First Aid Kit
• Sick Bird: Step by Step
• Emergency First Aid
• Crop Needle Technique
• ER & Qwik Gel Formula
• ER & Qwik Gel Preparation

First Aid Kit

Your budgerigar first aid kit should ideally contain:

• Crop Needle: 2.5cm long straight 16 G
• Syringes: 3mls
• Stainless steel bowl
• Kettle
• Emergency rescue Formula (e.g. ER formula)
• Quik Gel
• Amoxicillin antibiotic
• Sulfa-trimethoprim antibiotic
• Heated Hospital Cage – Thermostatically controlled 25-30 degrees Celsius, perch, food and water containers, millet spray, paper on floor
• Dr. Marshall’s Contact numbers: Tel: Sydney Australia 0298716036 – Email: www.robmarshall@birdhealthcom.au

Sick Bird: Step by Step

• Step One

  Isolate the sick bird(s) to a heated cage, collect droppings for veterinary testing and treat with a crop needle with ER/Quik Gel.

• Step Two

  “Guestimate” medicine based upon symptoms.

• Step Three

  Give Quik Gel into the drinking water of the rest of the flock and clean the cages/flights with an appropriate disinfectant whilst the problem is being diagnosed.

• Step Four

  Submit droppings collected prior to giving medicines for testing and seek advice from a bird veterinarian.

• Step Five

  View the illness as a “family weakness” when sick or dead birds are related. It may be necessary to remove such families from a breeding plan. Identify the illness as an environmental issue when sick birds are unrelated.

• Step Six

  Introduce a disease prevention plan following a final diagnosis to protect the rest of the flock from future infections.

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.

   
  Any bird that fails to perch in the hospital cage must immediately receive heated ER/Quik Gel – a specially prepared heated liquefied formula administered – by a crop needle.

  This treatment is the starting point for recovery irrespective of the disease involved, as in many cases, a full recovery occurs simply by crop needle feeding a sick bird and keeping it warm.

  For further information, please reference: Chapter 19 pages 240-247: “The Budgerigar” (by Dr Rob Marshall)

Crop Needle Technique

• Crop needle feeding ER formula and Quik Gel – an emergency rescue mixture – has multiple life saving actions. It re-establishes normal body temperature, elevates blood glucose concentrations and reverses any dehydration, all of which stimulate kidney function, circulation and appetite. Its action is to re-establish vital functions so that appetite returns, allowing the body to self heal. With a return of appetite, recovery becomes far more likely.

   
  For non-infectious conditions and birds with low-grade secondary infections, the administration of ER formula, Quik Gel and hospital care often brings about a cure within 3 days.

  For further information, please reference: Chapter 19 pages 242-243: “The Budgerigar” (figure 19a).

ER & Qwik Gel Formula

• A heated emergency rescue food administered by crop needle represents the single most important act for saving the lives of sick budgerigars.

   
  Most sick birds can be saved if they receive ER/Qwik Gel formula before they have completely stopped eating.

  ER stands for Emergency Rescue formula and in combination with Qwik Gel saves the lives of sick birds whilst a diagnosis is being confirmed.

  This heated concoction provides an ailing bird with a rapidly absorbed source of energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals that restores core body temperature, fluid balance and energy levels.

ER & Qwik Gel Preparation

• Place a teaspoon of ER powder in a cup then whilst adding 10ml of hot water (35C) in small amounts mix it continuously until a smooth cream-like solution is created. Maintain the heat of this liquid formula by using a hot water bath. Then mix one drop of Qwik Gel into the formula and immediately draw up 3mls into a warmed syringe and remove any air bubbles. Connect the syringe to a 5cm 16 guage crop needle and test formula passes freely through the crop needle – then administer to the sick bird.

   
  Antibiotics are added into the hand rearing mix according to veterinary instructions – See Chapter 19 pages 242-243: “The Budgerigar” (figure 19b). A 10ml solution is enough to treat 3 birds. Repeat this process 2-3 times each day until the sick birds are active and eating again.

  For crop and gizzard blockages continue this treatment twice daily for 3 days.

  For egg binding add 1ml liquid calcium to this mixture and continue this treatment twice daily for 3 days.

  For further information, please reference: Chapter 19 pages 242-243: “The Budgerigar” (figure 19b).

Dr Rob’s Products

To order the products mentioned in this article, please use the links on the Dr Robert Marshall page.

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.

Quik Gel is is also used during critical times when an immediate and sustained source of energy is required to maintain a healthy flock. Critical times when the entire flock would benefit from the administration of Quik Gel in the drinking water include: Cold, Hot or Wet Spells, Airsac mites, Egg Binding, Nestling Rejections, Air in the Crop, Outbreak of Disease, Weaning Youngsters and following a course of antibiotics.

Ingredients

Complex polysaccharides, vitamins A,D,E,B complex & organic acid

Actions

By providing an immediate and sustained energy source, Quik Gel:

• Rejuvenates tired adult birds during the breeding season
• Protects weak youngsters during the weaning period and when entering the young bird flights
• Prevents diseases associated with the stress of cold, hot or wet weather
• Accelerates recovery following illness by providing easily digested high-energy nutrients swiftly and efficiently to damaged organs and other body tissues
• Enhances the overall health of an energy-depleted flock during and following disease outbreaks (e.g. mite infestations, coccidiosis etc.)
• Improves male mating success and egg fertility during the critical stages of the breeding cycle
• Reduces egg binding when cold spells and other stress factors cause tired breeding hens
• Used as part of an Emergency First Aid Treatment for sick individual birds
• Quik Gel is palatable and readily accepted by budgerigars

Dose

• Mix 2mls (ask for 2ml spoon) into 500ml of drinking water
• 1 drop mixed into 2-10ml of heated ER formula via crop needle

Indications

• In The Flights

• For Breeding Cabinets

• For Weaning Cage

• In Drinking Water

• Emergency First Aid Treatment

• Via Crop Needle

• Preparations Of Quik Gel & ER Formula

In The Flights

Quik Gel is mixed at a dose of 1ml into 500ml of drinking water for three consecutive days during a stress period, outbreak of disease and following a course of antibiotics.

Critical times when the entire flock would benefit from the administration of Quik Gel in the drinking water include:

• Cold & Heat Stress

  Administer Quik Gel for 2 days to maintain energy levels when temperatures fall below 10°C or rise above 35C

• Wet Spells

  Quik Gel is mixed with Megamix (10mls per litre) to help maintain health by establishing acidic conditions in the crop that help prevent stress and environment-related infections such as E.coli and coccidiosis from becoming established

• Megabacteria Infections

  Quik Gel is mixed with Megamix (10mls per litre) for 5 days when Megabacteria has been diagnosed in a flock to help maintain body heat and appetite of in-contact birds. Sick birds should receive a crop needle treatment

• Quill mites or itching birds

  Quik Gel is administered for 2 days following lice/mite treatment to rejuvenate an infested flock

• Quietness

  A drop in noise levels may be related to inclement weather or the onset of illness. A 2 day trial with Quik Gel may be used to determine whether the lack of noise is related to energy depletion or a disease process

• Recovery from illness

  Quik Gel administered for 2-5 days is used to promote a rapid recovery following antibiotic treatment

• Emergency First Aid Formula

  Quik Gel may also be administered by crop needle as part of an Emergency First Aid Formula or added to the drinking water to aid the recovery of individual birds or breeding pairs that are sick, tired, injured or following antibiotic treatments

For Breeding Cabinets

Dose: 2ml Quik Gel thoroughly into 500ml of drinking water, 500gm dry seed or soft food mix. Or 1 drop into 100mls of drinking water.

• As an immediate and sustained source of Energy

  Quik Gel is helpful in improving breeding outcomes during the breeding season, as energy requirements are nine times more than during a non-breeding period.

  To ensure your breeding birds receive a plentiful supply of energy, it is recommended that Quik Gel be incorporated into the breeding programme as follows: Quik Gel is added to seed, soft food mix or drinking water for 7 days after pairing occurs. Quik Gel remains fresh for two days after which time a fresh batch must be provided. The water containers must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected of sludge at this time.

  Energy is the most important nutritional factor in allowing exhibition budgerigars to feed their young and the best means to express the true genetic potential of their offspring. Critical times when breeding pairs would benefit from the administration of Quik Gel in the drinking water include:

• During the first week in the breeding cabinet

  Male budgerigars become easily tired following their energetic courtship activities. Quik Gel can be given each second day during this stressful courtship period to improve mating success and increase fertility. When provided at this time it also supports the energy needs of a hen during egg production and helps prevent sudden death syndrome and egg binding in breeding hens.

• Throughout Breeding

  Energy requirements are significantly higher during the breeding season when parents are feeding their young. Quik Gel provides breeding pairs with a plentiful supply of energy so that they remain vital throughout the entire breeding season. This ensures the babies are fed well and do no experience any physical setbacks.

• At the beginning of each breeding cycle

  Quik Gel aids the cock during courtship and prepares the hen for the energy consuming process of egg-laying. It is again provided when the first youngster becomes fully feathered when the hen is preparing to lay her next clutch of eggs.

• For later Breeding Rounds

  Quik Gel is also particularly useful for one day a week during the second and third round when energy levels of parents begin to wane.

• At Conclusion of Breeding

  Quik Gel should be administered for 3 days as breeding pairs are moved from the breeding cabinet to the holding cage (prior to their return to the aviary) in order to prevent their deaths when entering the flights.

• During Cold Spells

  Quik Gel is used as a rich source of energy and vitamins when cold temperatures may interrupt breeding and result in a high degree off infertile and dead in shell eggs.

• For Air in the Crop

  Quik Gel should be provided when air is observed in a baby’s crop. This finding indicates the energy levels of the parents are depleted.

For Weaning Cage

• Quik Gel should be given in the drinking water to support the weaning process for 2-5 days when the youngsters are moved from their parents across into the weaning cage. The high-energy content of Quik Gel stimulates appetite, which promotes a rapid weaning process. Its stress relieving and disinfectant properties protect the youngsters from disease.

In Drinking Water

• Rejuvenates tired breeding pairs and birds recovering from illness. An increased activity will be visible by the afternoon following Quik Gel treatment.
• Restores energy levels and normal gut flora following a course of antibiotics. Quik Gel mixed into the drinking water with Megamix (10mls/litre) for 2 days restores energy levels and promotes a more rapid return to activity following an illness and antibiotic treatment.
• Stimulates appetite and initiates recovery following any physical stress. For example, with cold stress, Quik Gel mixed into the drinking water with Megamix (10mls/litre) is used to maintain health when temperatures fall below 10°C. Under these circumstances, Quik Gel / Megamix cocktail is given fresh for the first day in the drinking water then topped up the following day.

Emergency First Aid Treatment

• In emergency situations, providing heat and administering Quik Gel directly by mouth or via crop needle mixed with ER formula should save most birds. An emergency is recognised when a budgerigar remains listless or is found fluffed up on the floor.

   
  Quik Gel can be administered in a number of ways. When birds are critically ill, it is best given with ER Formula via a crop needle (see below). Feeding using a crop needle is a process that must be learnt. Once this skill has been developed and when administered at the first signs of illness many sick birds can be saved. If a crop needle is unavailable, Quik Gel may also be given by mouth directly from a syringe.

Via Crop Needle

• Quik Gel is given by crop needle (gauge 16; 2inch long crop needle is best) together with ER formula and any medicines as part of an emergency treatment for individual budgerigars for the following conditions: Serious life threatening diseases caused by coccidiosis, round worm infestations, Megabacteria, streptococcal infections, dehydration, sour crop or blocked gizzards.

  As very sick birds are unable to produce their own body heat, an additional source of heat such as a hot water bottle or heat lamp must also be provided.

  As the bird recovers and is no longer in a critical state, it is important to determine the exact cause of illness and begin with an appropriate treatment.

  Once the sick bird is eating and drinking by itself, Quik Gel should continue to be given in the drinking water for 5 days to complete a full recovery.

Preparations Of Qwik-gel & ER Formula

• Place a teaspoon of ER Powder in a cup then whilst adding 10ml of hot water (35C) in small amounts mix it continuously until a smooth cream-like solution is created. Maintain the heat of this liquid formula by using a hot water bath.

   
  Then mix one drop of Quik Gel into the formula and immediately draw up 3mls into a crop needle and warmed syringe then administer to the sick bird. This 10ml solution is enough to treat 3 birds.

  Repeat this process 2-3 x each day until the sick birds are active and again eating.

  For crop and gizzard blockages continue this treatment twice daily for 3 days.

  For egg binding add 1ml Hical to this mixture and continue this treatment twice daily for 3 days.

Dr Rob’s Products

To order the products mentioned in this article, please use the links on the Dr Robert Marshall page.