Quarantine

For most people, bringing home a new bird means placing it in its cage, playing with it, and not thinking about the impact that new member of the family has on the other birds in the household. Other bird owners take their parrots to bird club meetings or to fairs, then immediately come home and place it in the same environment where it has contact with (usually by sharing the same room) other parrots. There may seem like nothing is wrong with either of these approaches to bird acquisition and travel; however, quarantine is an often-overlooked aspect of bird ownership.

I will be the first to admit that I don't quarantine birds like I should. Most new finches go right into the flight or in a cage in the same room as my other birds. This cage of societies came from a bird club member. Even though they came from someone I knew and whose bird keeping methods I trusted, they still should have been quarantined.

What constitutes good quarantine practices? Ideally, birds need to be kept in a place with a separate air supply, ventilation, and heating/cooling system than the existing flock of birds. Just as with horses, where each barn has its own endemic viruses that the "home crew" is used to, home bird keepers are often unaware that their own aviaries have a virus to which the local birds are immune.

Many of us simply do not have the space or finances necessary to create the proper quarantine space. Instead we rely on spare bedrooms or a second bathroom and thorough hand washing to eliminate any chance of cross contamination. This is a start, but separate shoes and clothing should also be worn in the quarantine area.

Even if you don't have any new birds, as soon as you return from a bird fair, show, or even a fellow bird owner's home, your clothes should immediately be placed in the washing machine. Do not pass go, and please don't stop to pet your birds.

Birds need to be in quarantine for at least 90 days. During this time, a thorough vet exam should have taken place, good hygienic practices followed, and the birds observed regularly.

To be quite honest, my mother, to whom these societies will be going, should actually use a large shirt or smock to cover her clothing when she visits my finches or plays with my parrot-boys. She has her own birds, and I should do likewise when I visit her. This should be common practice for anyone visiting any facility or home where there are a number of birds. In fact, it's a good idea to ask a breeder what his or her practices are regarding visitors before visiting.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic