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Bird Health
At the first sign of illness, isolate the bird from its companions. Signs of illness may include the bird sitting with its feathers puffed up and generally looking out of sorts, very loose droppings, and often watery or half closed eyes. The best treatment available for a sick bird is the prompt provision of heat. Reliable hospital cages may be purchased. Most birds possess a body temperature of 40°C (104°F). As soon as a bird becomes ill, its body temperature drops drastically and this must be avoided at all costs. The hospital cage should be set at 24°C (76°F). Normally a mild antibiotic also helps, but care should be taken with any medicine since overdosing can prove fat-al. Adequate fwd supplies and favored tidbits shucked placed in the hospital cage to encourage the sick bird to eat. Plenty of boiled drinking water should he made available. Reduce the temperature gradually when the bird shows active signs of recovery. Lire light in the hospital cage should be left on 24 hours a day to allow the bird to feed whenever it desires. Once the bird is eating well again, it is a sure sign that it is recovering, but it should not be allowed to rejoin the aviary until it is back to its normal self. When using your hospital cage makes sure the perches are placed close to the floor or removed entirely if the sick bird isn’t strong enough to perch. When the bird is able to grip again, they may be replaced. The bird's ability to perch prop-early again is another sign of improve-mint. ABSCESS - Parrot like species often de-flop abscesses around the care or beak area. These may be confused with tumours. They must only he removed by a veterinary surgeon and an antibiotic applied to prevent reinvention. They cane caused by bacterial agents. ASPERGILLOSIS - This condition results from a lack of hygiene and is caused byte bird inhaling an airborne fungus called Aspergillums fumigates. It occurs mostly in the larger kinds of parrot like bird, but it can affect small parrakeets, although not usually budgerigars. Difficulty in breathing may be accompanied by a discharge from the bird's nostrils. Some fanciers add potassium iodine toothier birds' drinking water (21/2 grains to4 tablespoons of water) as a preventative. ASTHMA - The symptoms are wheezing and heavy, labored breathing. Sump-toms may develop following a cold. Other causes of asthma include infection of the lungs and air sacs, aspergillus’s (see above) and the inhalation of pollen or poisonous fumes. This condition may take several months to eradicate. A bird with asthma will usually be seen to have gaping beak and ruffled feathers. The bird’s sinus passages often become clog-geed and treatment should consist of decongestant cold remedy and a medium strength inhalant administered every day. These remedies may be purchased in the correct strength for birds from pet stores or supplied by a veterinary surgeon. Electric vaporizers may be used to ease the application of the inhalant. Par-rackets and budgerigars are the most likely types to suffer from this complaint. BACTERIAL INFECTION - Symptoms are diarrhea, loss of appetite and list-lessens. Prevention is good hygiene and regular, thorough cleaning of the aviary with disinfectant. A new bird should he kept in isolation for a period of 30 days, before being placed in the aviary, to make sure it is not carrying any unpleasant virus. BLEEDING - This must he stopped promptly with the use of a blood coagulant, such as hydrogen peroxide, applied with damp cotton wool. BROKEN BONES - A broken wing soften the result of a night fright when bird flies into something in the dark. Broken leg can be the result of a bird catching a leg in aviary netting. Most birds recover from these fairly easily on their own without any treatment. Broken wings, however, sometimes result in permanent deformity which may affect bird’s flying ability. The bird should he placed in a hospital cage with its perch near the floor. The enforced idleness prevents the bird from using the affected part. Slings and splints are not always effective, but if desired, a splint can beamed from lollipop sticks or feather quills. BUMBLEFOOT - Finches and softballs sometimes stiffer from this painful condition, particularly in old age. The feet become swollen and lumpy deposits re-assembling cheese appear on them. Since the treatment involves making small incisions in these substances and gently squeezing out the mass, it should be done extremely carefully. A blood coagulant should also be applied. It is advisable to have this done by a veterinary surgeon; asset is very painful for the bird. Shock or heart failure could result if it is not done properly. CANCER - Cancers in birds appear slumps and may be visible or internal. While some external types may be re-moved, others arc not treatable. In these cases it may be kinder to have the sufferer put painlessly to sleep. CATARACTS - Scales forming across the eye may be caused by poor diet over prolonged period of time. Little can be done for this condition. COCCIDIOSIS - An uncommon disease caused by a microscopic organism calledCoccidia. It affects the intestines. The bird becomes weak and emaciated and may have bloody diarrhea. Sulphur drugs may be added to the drinking water, but it is difficult to cure and spreads alarmingly rapidly. It should not occur if good hygiene is practiced; par-titular care is needed in hot weather. COLDS - Place the bird in a hospital caveat the first sign of a cold. The temperature should be set at 25°C (80°F). A bird withal cold sits with its feathers puffed out, in hunched position. The eyes may water and appear to be half closed. If severe catarrh is present, the bird opens and closes its beak frequently. Lack of appetite usually accompanies a cold. A mild cold remedy may be obtained from your pet store and an inhalant is also useful. Anew vitamin drops and a little honey maybe added to the drinking water. CONJUNCTIVITIS - A painful eye inflammaton caused by a virus, fungi, bacteria or some other irritant. Unaffected bird rubs its eye on a perch; blinks a great deal and there may be watery or yellowish discharge from the eye. Prompt treatment by a veterinary surgeon with an antibiotic should help. CONSTIPATION - The bird will be seen to be straining and any droppings passed may be small, dry and hard. Greenfoodand Vitamin B added to the drinking water help. Two tablespoons of blackstrap molasses mixed into a quart of distilled water and given to the bird to drink also helps. CROP IMPACTION - The crop can be-come blocked by food or as a result of digestive disorder. A swelling appears on the lower neck and the bird appears to betraying to vomit. Surgery is usually necessary. CYSTS - Yellow skin cysts, or non-malignant growths, often on the wings, are very common in budgerigars. They’re easily removed by a veterinary surgeon. DEAD-1N-SHELL - Many different factors may account for the chicks of breed-in birds being found dead in their shells. One or both parents may be immature or too old. It may be caused by a genetic factor or dietary deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals, such as B and Regroup vitamins. Toxic substances may be responsible, such as DDT ingested by the parents at some time. The egg shell mayhem too thick or the chick stuck to the inner membrane. There may be a failure by the parents to incubate the egg properly or alack of humidity. Try to establish the cause. DIARRHOEA - This condition is usually symptom of other illness and is rarely caused by a diet problem. Two tables-peons of black strap molasses in a quarto distilled sweater may be given to the bird to drink. If no improvement is noticed within a few days, consult your veterinary surgeon. EGG BINDING - Egg Binding is a very common problem, occurring frequently in young hens, and occasionally in mature hens. The bird is seen to be straining as though constipated. She is unable to expel the egg and once her strength is exhausted, death may quickly follow. The vent is puffy and swollen and the egg can he felt by touching around the area very gently with the forefinger. No pressure should be applied. Gentle bathing with warm water around the vent and a little warmth may help. This condition may be prevented by mixing a little cod liver oil with seed mixture for hard bills. Cold weather can also cause this problem, so young hens should not be allowed to breed in particularly cold weather. Prevent the associated condition of soft shelled eggs by providing plenty of cuttlefish bone and grits. Inadequate diet, lack of calcium and exercise often give rise to both these conditions in mature hens. Always pro-vide a mineral supplement for breeding birds. EGG SAC RUPTURE - Egg Sac Rupture is caused when the hen expels not only the egg, butte egg sac membrane or oviduct as well. The egg must be gently forced through the opening and the membrane eased back into the vent, with a linger moistened with a saline solution to prevent infection of the delicate tissues. ENTERITIS - Symptoms are inflammation of the small intestine normally accompanied by diarrhea. Droppings are watery and often green. The birdseeds to drink a great deal and eat large sixties of grit. The vent is messy and the bird can lie seen to be straining. Infectious enteritis is very dangerous and can destroy a whole aviary if the affected bird is not isolated at once. Overcrowd-in and dirty conditions are the usual cause. New imports that have not been properly acclimatized may bring this in-faction with them, so never add a new bird to your stock without keeping it separate for as long as 30 days. If enteritis’s present, it is usually evident within awake. Use bird must be placed in hospital cage and given a medication containing sulfa mechanize. The hospital cage most be disinfected after use. FEATHER MITE AND QUILL MITE - Suspect mites when a bird's wings and tail look as though they have been chewed. A mild, gentle insecticide spray, specifically designed for birds, should eradicate the mites. FEATHER PLUCKING - Most feather plucking is performed by birds on their neighbors, although a bird suffering from boredom or desire for a mate often plucks itself. Some people feel a dietary deficiency may account for this tendency. Sometimes a bully in the collection plucks the feathers of a weaker bird and may eventually make an attack to kill. Bullies should he removed and placed with larger birds. FITS Mynah birds are often subject to his caused by improper diet and lack of exercise. Overexposure to the sun canals cause fits in other species of tropical birds. FRENCH MOULT - If young birds, particularly budgerigars, show abnormal feather moult, which persists even when they are mature, this condition is known as French moult. Wing and tail feathers continually moult. Over breeding, incorrect feeding and perhaps an inherited factor are said to be the causes. It is better not to breed from such birds. GOING LIGHT - The term 'going light' misapplied to a sickly-looking bird that loses weight rapidly. It is a symptom which may indicate a variety of other conditions. In extreme cases, it may mean tuberculosis. Loss of appetite causes weight loss very rapidly. Death may result, so birds seen to exhibit this tendency should be isolated in a hospital cage and encouraged to start eating again as soon as possible. In some cases nothing seems to help and the bird dies. It inadvisable to obtain a post mortem when this occurs in case another bird should suffer this condition. GOITRE - Goiter shows as a swelling on the neck. Only budgerigars, and usually only hens, suffer from this affliction. Incorrect functioning of the thyroid gland is the cause and can be brought only breeding. Treatment with iodine blocks is the usual remedy. An affected hen must not breed. GOUT - The legs, wings and neck are affected with a deposit of a hard white substance around the joints. It occurs rarely, and mainly in budgerigars and parrots, usually following a kidney infection. Massage under an anesthetic is the normal treatment. HEART DISEASE - Heart attacks usually prove fatal and occur mainly in older birds or birds that have a sudden shock or fright. Mild cases of heart disease may sometimes he helped by treatment with drugs. LICE - Sometimes appear on birds. Affected birds are restless, unable to settle, and scratch and rub their skin. Pyrethrum powder is a very safe and effective treatment. LIMBERNECK OR BOTULISM - This is a deadly poison which gives rise tithe condition known as 'limber neck', a form of paralysis that starts in the bird’s neck and gradually affects the whole body. The organism is found in dirty water and rotten food that attracts flies. There is no cure. MANGE MITE - Budgerigars and large parakeets are sometimes affected by these mites. They affect beaks, cares another facial areas. MOULT - Birds moult twice a year, inspiring and autumn, each moult normally lasting about six weeks. Birds look very scruffy during this phase. A careful watch should be kept and any bird that appears to be out of condition should be isolated and kept warm. Extra dietary supple-mints may be given to finches at this time and standard canary moulting food is very useful. Softballs should be given liquid vitamins and minerals; the best supplements come in powder form and sprinkle easily over their normal dishes. Any moult occurring outside spring or autumn, known as the 'soft moult', maybe the result of sun shining on a bird through glass, or of one bird being bullied by another. NEPHRITIS - Inflammation of the kid-nays is known as nephritis. This disease is common in all types of birds. The bird becomes listless, sits with ruffled feathers and drinks a lot of water. Droppings are white. ORNITHOSIS (psittacosis) - Once a very dread disease since it was fatal if contracted by humans. Thankfully it is no longer deadly, although it still causes very unpleasant pneumonia-like symptoms inhuman and can make one seriously ill. It’s a virus disease that causes lethargy, green diarrhea, breathing difficulties and a discharge from eyes and nostrils. Its treatable if caught in time. Recovery is slow. It is usually found only in newly imported birds. OVERGROWN BEAK AND TOENAILS - Certain species exhibit tendency towards overgrown toenails which can catch in aviary netting. It is quite easy to trim overgrown nails with fingernail clippers, taking care not to cut into the vein. If a vein is nipped inadvertently, stop the bleeding with hydrogen peroxide. The beak, if overgrown, may also be trimmed. PNEUMONIA - An untreated cold may easily turn to pneumonia. Keep unaffected bird warm. Swift treatment withaureomycin or sulfa methodize is important. RED MITE - Red mites are most prevalent during hot summer weather. Living in corners and crevices by day, they emergent night to feed on the blood of birds. They can reduce a bird to a very anaemicstate and even kill it. Pyrethrum is the safest standard aerosol exterminator of this pest, slower in effect than some other brands, but very safe for birds. It does not contaminate their food or water. South American softballs, when newly imp-ported, often carry with them some un-usual lice and mites and should he well spray before being introduced to the aviary. REGURGITATION - Most birds regurgitate to feed their mates or young. Some-times birds regurgitate to feed their favorite person as a sign of affection. Regurgitation for other reasons may de-note illness, such as crop impaction, sour crop or mould. Simple indigestion or sometimes a cold, when the bird will regurgitate mucus, may cause this too. RHEUMATISM - A painful swelling of the joints, which often occurs in older birds. Very little can be done to alleviate it, although massage can sometimes help. RICKETS - This can occur in many birds, but particularly in young budgerigars. Incorrect diet, deficient in Vitamin Uncaused the bird to have short, badly shaped legs with swollen joints. The birdies weak and unable to fly. Bone meal and Vitamin D3 should he added to the feed. SALMONELLOSIS - This is caused by Salmonella bacteria. It is often fatal to birds and can be transmitted to human beings. The symptoms include lethargy, diarrhea, dysentery and excessive thirst. Convulsions normally occur followed by sudden death. If suspected, the bird’s droppings should he analyzed. Early treatment with the correct antibiotics from a veterinary surgeon will normally cure it. The bird's quarters must then be thoroughly disinfected. SCALY FACE AND SCALY LEG - This condition is caused by a small mite. Yellowish-white crusts form on the beak, around the care and eyes, and sometime son the legs and around the vent. Treat with a 10% solution of benzyl benzoate applied with cotton wool every day for awake. Prompt treatment should be given, as severe cases can lead to deformity of the beak. SHOCK - May be caused by a number of factors. Rough handling is the most frequent cause. Night frights, too, can cause shock and may lead to a heart attack. SINUS DISORDER - Sinus problems often appear after a cold. The bird has clogged nostrils and watering eyes. A badly impacted sinus often creates a large swollen nodule of hard mucus substance. The nodule must be lanced by pricking with a sterilized needle. A scab forms and is later easily removed by gentle massage. Gently work off all the hard mucus with damp cotton wool or a cotton bud to prevent recurrence of this condition. SOFT-SHELLED EGGS - This is often caused by a calcium deficiency. It seems to occur most often in budgerigars. Many fanciers use calcium boroglucanate administered directly or in drinking water to prevent this. SORE FEET - Birds sometimes get sore feet if seed husks and droppings get stuck to them. The resulting irritation causes little sores to form. The feet must he dipped in warm water mixed with mild disinfectant and the hard lumps gently washed off. Gently towel dry the feet and lightly apply some Vaseline, making surfeit is absorbed. The bird should be treated several times if necessary. SOUR CROP - Sour crop is caused by digestive upset and can result in a strong, unpleasant smell. A teaspoon of baking soda should be mixed into a quart of water and given to the bird over a period of two days. SWOLLEN OIL GLAND - The oil gland dislocated at the base of the tail and contains soil used in preening and grooming. Some-times the oil clogs up the gland and a sore and inflamed swelling is caused. A tooth-pick, matchstick or damp cotton wool bud should be used to remove the offend-in material with very gentle pressure. WORMS - Occur often in parrotlike species than in other birds. Cleanliness is the best method of prevention. Your veterinary surgeon will pre-scribe a proprietary brand worming product. |
Bird Care
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Careful management and feeding of birds ensure that illness is kept to a minimum, but there will be occasions when sickness is unavoidable. Wholesome maladies are fairly simple to recognize and treat, there are many that aren’t. When in doubt, consult your local veterinary surgeon.