Q. If you were shipping a group of birds abroad, across the USA, or via road, involving a long number of hours in excess of a day, is there any merit in putting them on amoxycillin trihydrate before they leave an aviary to assist with stress?

Similarly, if a breeder was buying a bird in Australia from a top champion in, say, Queensland and driving back to South Australia, would he/she be advised to crop “feed” amoxycillin before departure?

The stresses of such journeys are obvious involving crating, unfamilar noises en route, changes of seed and water on arrival in new premises and the rise in streptococcal infection as a result.

Jim Carter
Texas, USA

Our resident veterinarian, Dr Rob Marshall, answers as follows:

A. This is a very insightful question.

My approach to this situation is to give “Quik Gel” in drinking water a day before transfer and again via crop needle three hours before departure.

On arrival at the destination, place the birds in a holding cage, separated according to sex.

Monitor each bird closely for signs of acute stress as they enter the cage – i.e. look for pectoral muscle weight loss (see pages 226-7 “The Budgerigar” book) and wet vent (see pages 227-8 “The Budgerigar” book).

If these signs of acute stress are present, then crop feed with food and “Quik Gel” and a penicillin antibiotic (e.g. amoxycillin) and repeat this process for two days.

If no signs of acute stress are found, then give normal food and “Quik Gel” in drinking water for one day, then monitor the birds for five days whilst they acclimatise to their new home.

Note from Gerald Binks:

I cannot speak too highly of Dr Marshall’s book and, in particular, his product “Quik Gel”.

The latter is superb for administering immediately to a sick bird under stress.

My personal use of “Quik Gel” has been outstanding in the aviary, when needed, associated with a heat source.

Full details on “Quik Gel” can be found in this article.

Full details on “The Budgerigar” book can be found in this article.

Both of the above can be obtained online as detailed in this article.

GSB: Imports from EU Member States are covered by a General Licence (obtainable from your local branch of DEFRA). This is published which allows you to make an import without having to apply for a specific licence to accompany each individual import. If you want to import budgerigars, the main conditions are:

• The premises of origin must be officially registered by the authorities in the Country of Origin
• The birds have to carry a closed ring
• You, the importer, MUST tell your local Animal Health Office 24 hours before you intend to bring in the birds
• The birds MUST be accompanied by a health certificate signed by an official veterinarian in the Country of Origin within 48 hours of departure, as follows:
  • The birds do not come from an aviary and have not come from an aviary on which psittacosis has been recorded in the past 2 months
  • They have not come from an aviary that has had avian flu diagnosed in the past 30 days
  • They do not come from an area where there has been a recorded outbreak of Newcastle’s Disease
  • N.B. The above three rules also apply to imports from Switzerland (even though it is NOT an EU Member State)

It is inadvisable to return to the UK without having conformed with the easy rules quoted above. To do so risks the birds being impounded / destroyed at the exit port or port of arrival by the authorities and future imports by you will be affected.

How do I import budgerigars into the UK from outside Europe?

GSB: Contact your local Animal Health Office. They will supply you with all the data applicable to the country from which you wish to import – outside the EU (N.B. Switzerland is outside the EU – BUT see the note above re Switzerland).

Particular note should be made about the form of crate design for the transport of budgerigars. If not followed accurately, problems will be encountered at the airports of entry. You will be supplied by Animal Health with such details as are required by the International Air Traffic Association (IATA). If you have constructional problems, then I can recommend Airpets. They will be happy to advise and can make the exact crates you require.

Birds imported from outside the EU must be quarantined for 30 days in a separate Animal Health approved “aviary” at least 400 metres from your own aviary. Veterinary inspections are involved on arrival and at the end, with dropping samples being taken for testing, in between.

On arrival at the UK airport, there are customs charges and sometimes agency fees involved for collection from the aircraft and delivery to the relevant Animal Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS). The London (Heathrow) AQIS is close to Terminal 4.

How do I export budgerigars from the UK?

GSB: Contact local Animal Health Office and request the documentation applicable to all rules / regulations for the safe export of live birds via the airlines.

Alternatively, you can use an agency – I can recommend Airpets – which saves a great deal of time and worry. An agency will take care of the following:

• IATA construction / you advise the total number of birds travelling
• All applications to DEFRA (Animal Health) for you to export
• Veterinary inspection & approval of the birds before departure

The above agency services can be quoted and passed on to your buyer. It is your responsibility to contact your intending purchaser to obtain a licence from their ministry approving their import. This has to be sent to you and travels with the consignment along with all other data. Sometimes a valuation of the birds is required for customs purposes in the receiving country. Discuss this with your buyer.

It is customary for your buyer to send you the finance in advance before you order crates etc. Be warned that you should check with your bank that your money has been cleared – even via electronic payment which takes three days, or, in the case of cheques allow five days.

You can then arrange personal delivery to the agency, together with all labels (addressed). The agency should also be able to collect from you, if required, with charges levied as appropriate.

Useful links

Animal Health (DEFRA)

• To find you local Animal Health office, go to their website (www.defra.gov.uk/animalhealth) or call their import / export helpline on 0845 603 0807.

Airpets

• Airpets website – www.airpets.com – or call them on 0800 018 5571.