3 birds have died (HELP!)

I don't know what is going on. We have a very healthy indian ringneck that I bought from a pet store when she was 3 months old. She is now 1 year and perfectly fine. We bought a used cage from a person who rescues birds. The cage was like new. I used a vinegar, bleach, water solution to clean and sterilize it as well as pressure washed it. We bought all new perches, toys, dishes, etc. We got a parrotlette from a pet store. A baby. It got really cold from an air conditioner issue. I saw the bird puff up and immediately took care of the issue. It was too late the bird died that night. I thought that was the issue until.... We bought a 2 year old indian ring neck from someone on craigslist. He did wonderful for 6 months. Then he died strangely one night. No signs of illness or anything. I thought maybe he was older than the person said. Then I saw some white chalky stuff on the side of my fish tank. I wondered it the salt evaporating from the fish tank was the issue. So I cleaned everything, sterilized the cage, pressure washed it. We moved the cage to what I thought was a safer place. We got a baby ringneck from a reputable breeder . Within 3 months that one died. No signs of illness or anything. We do not use any oils, sprays, teflon, etc..... We have experience with parrots and my 1 year old ring neck is perfectly fine.

I want to try again, but an afraid to. Could it be an issue with the cage? I am starting to think it is hexed, lol. But this is no laughing matter. I am really concerned. It is a good size, but I worry it is too close to the ground. I am seriously wondering if one of the other birds were sick and the sterilization did not work. The other ring neck is less than 10 feet away. If something in my room killed the other birds I would have thought my green one would have died too.

When you get a new bird from wherever it should be quarantined and taken for a well bird visit asap. If you do those two things I'd think you'd be fine trying again.

I did get the bird vet checked and it was quarantined. So that is what concerns me. There is nothing indicating anything went wrong, especially with the last one. It is weird. I keep thinking maybe the cage is too low to the ground but then see others like that. My other bird is up about 3 feet off the ground. We have hard wood floors. I keep thinking maybe a draft or dust?

I don't think it's draft or dust. I suspect the cage. I would destroy it. If you just throw it out someone e might pick it up and have the same problem. I'd get a new cage first.

The only way to know for sure would have been to have the bird(s) necropsied.

I dont think its the floors. I have hard wood floors and my baby is just fine. Since you think its the cage I would go with your gut and get rid of it. I would also take your Ringneck to the vet just for a well visit to make sure he didnt pick up anything. Im sorry that you have lost three birds.

Were they all similar {like puffed up and lethargic?] Or did the die suddenly . What were the common factors with all of them. I would for sure sanitize the whole house with bleach.Ive had death with my birds. One of the things that [ is my belief]. Is that with my flock . They have come from a different situations. One thing that happened at my house is that I sprayed them down with a long good soaking bath. The next day they were sick . I think our birds can be carriers of things their exposed to. Some are fine but other can develop the disease.I think my birds had gotten chilled. If your birds are going suddenly . I would think its something toxic in the environment. Anything new or done while they were there?.

I don't know what is going on. We have a very healthy indian ringneck that I bought from a pet store when she was 3 months old. She is now 1 year and perfectly fine.

Although the membership has a veterinarian or two in its midst, no one here is in a position to offer any type of diagnosis as to what happened to your birds without a necropsi having been performed on them, so, without qualified laboratory information & tests having been performed, all anyone here is going to be able to do is guess, however the little information you've offered, any guesses are going to be very rough, at best.....

We bought a used cage from a person who rescues birds. The cage was like new. I used a vinegar, bleach, water solution to clean and sterilize it as well as pressure washed it. We bought all new perches, toys, dishes, etc.

Though it might fly in the face of popular beliefs around here, our favorite (generally speaking) bleach (sodium hypoclorite) breaks down rather quickly in the face of organic debris (bird poop, decaying foods, soils, etc.)...in some cases, minutes...so, you might want to read up on an article written & published by New York's Columbia University:
Biosafety Manual - Decontamination

If you believe that there may be a sterilization problem around your house, you would probably be best served by reading up on
& learning about cleaning, disinfecting & sterilizing different surfaces...this link
will let you read and/or download You can read and/or download a rather informative article on cleaning & disinfecting here:
www.dropbox.com/s/ff1rzesec0bxzzw/Cleaners & Disinfectants.doc?dl=0#

The article was written by a bird owner, chemist with at least a masters degree and a long time laboratory manager, who really does have the credentials for what she wrote.....

Here's another thread that discusses more veterinarian quality disinfectants:
http://www.parrotforums.com/questions-answers/51510-question-about-spread-diseases.html

We got a parrotlette from a pet store. A baby. It got really cold from an air conditioner issue. I saw the bird puff up and
immediately took care of the issue. It was too late the bird died that night. I thought that was the issue until....

I really don't understand what kind of A/C issue could cause an immediate health issue with a healthy companion parrot,
given that there are Eoropean breeders who raise their birds in temperatures that require them to break ice in the bird's
water bowls so they can drink.....

We bought a 2 year old indian ring neck from someone on craigslist. He did wonderful for 6 months. Then he died strangely one night. No signs of illness or anything. I thought maybe he was older than the person said.

Then I saw some white chalky stuff on the side of my fish tank. I wondered it the salt evaporating from the fish tank was the issue. So I cleaned everything, sterilized the cage, pressure washed it. We moved the cage to what I thought was a safer place. We got a baby ring-neck from a reputable breeder . Within 3 months that one died. No signs of illness or anything. We do not use any oils, sprays, teflon, etc..... We have experience with parrots and my 1 year old ring neck is perfectly fine.

You do realize that tropical fish and reptiles produce substances that are toxic & in some cases, deadly to birds, right, and that if you do not thoroughly wash your hands whenever you interface between these animal species, you endanger your birds' lives.....

I want to try again, but an afraid to. Could it be an issue with the cage? I am starting to think it is hexed, lol. But this is no laughing matter. I am really concerned. It is a good size, but I worry it is too close to the ground. I am seriously wondering if one of the other birds were sick and the sterilization did not work. The other ring neck is less than 10 feet away. If something in my room killed the other birds I would have thought my green one would have died too.

I did get the bird vet checked and it was quarantined. So that is what concerns me. There is nothing indicating anything
went wrong, especially with the last one. It is weird. I keep thinking maybe the cage is too low to the ground but then see
others like that. My other bird is up about 3 feet off the ground. We have hard wood floors. I keep thinking maybe a draft
or dust?

Was the vet check by an avian qualified veterinarian and was this just just a cursory exam or was blood drawn & stool samples taken? How did you quarantine these birds & for how long? Did you mean the cage is 3 feet off the floor or ground?

From the little information that you have posted, very little can be guessed about what might have been the problem(s) with your various birds, but because of the time intervals, I don't think they're all related, but having said that, you might want to contact your county health department to determine if your water might be the cause of any possible problems.....

Good luck.....

wildangel said:

I don't know what is going on. We have a very healthy indian ringneck that I bought from a pet store when she was 3 months old. She is now 1 year and perfectly fine. We bought a used cage from a person who rescues birds. The cage was like new. I used a vinegar, bleach, water solution to clean and sterilize it as well as pressure washed it. We bought all new perches, toys, dishes, etc. We got a parrotlette from a pet store. A baby. It got really cold from an air conditioner issue. I saw the bird puff up and immediately took care of the issue. It was too late the bird died that night. I thought that was the issue until.... We bought a 2 year old indian ring neck from someone on craigslist. He did wonderful for 6 months. Then he died strangely one night. No signs of illness or anything. I thought maybe he was older than the person said. Then I saw some white chalky stuff on the side of my fish tank. I wondered it the salt evaporating from the fish tank was the issue. So I cleaned everything, sterilized the cage, pressure washed it. We moved the cage to what I thought was a safer place. We got a baby ringneck from a reputable breeder . Within 3 months that one died. No signs of illness or anything. We do not use any oils, sprays, teflon, etc..... We have experience with parrots and my 1 year old ring neck is perfectly fine.

I want to try again, but an afraid to. Could it be an issue with the cage? I am starting to think it is hexed, lol. But this is no laughing matter. I am really concerned. It is a good size, but I worry it is too close to the ground. I am seriously wondering if one of the other birds were sick and the sterilization did not work. The other ring neck is less than 10 feet away. If something in my room killed the other birds I would have thought my green one would have died too.

Click to expand...

I was going to mention the same thing WECO said about the fish tank.
Fish tanks (especially if you have plants in it) evaporates and fish waste can also evaporate along with it. Ever see that green stuff (Alge) on the glass, well that, depending on the type of plant, can give off vaporized toxins to birds. Especially if tank is in same room as the bird.
Again this is speculation, as it really is hard to determine cause of death to your birds based on what is written here with out all the facts and observations.
It could be a leak of coolant air from A/C which could suffocate your birds in a matter of hours. That stuff is lethal to a bird. How do I know? My neighbor fixes AC units and was fixing one at a ladys house when the coolant leaked and she had 3 canaries...all 3 died in about 5 hours. Freon coolant is lethal.

Where is the 'new' cage in your house? Near a window or doorway? Is the cage with your healthy ringneck in the same room?

What were the birds fed, and is the same food fed to your ringneck?

Re:Re-examine the cause

wildangel said:

I don't know what is going on. We have a very healthy indian ringneck that I bought from a pet store when she was 3 months old. She is now 1 year and perfectly fine. We bought a used cage from a person who rescues birds. The cage was like new. I used a vinegar, bleach, water solution to clean and sterilize it as well as pressure washed it. We bought all new perches, toys, dishes, etc. We got a parrotlette from a pet store. A baby. It got really cold from an air conditioner issue. I saw the bird puff up and immediately took care of the issue. It was too late the bird died that night. I thought that was the issue until.... We bought a 2 year old indian ring neck from someone on craigslist. He did wonderful for 6 months. Then he died strangely one night. No signs of illness or anything. I thought maybe he was older than the person said. Then I saw some white chalky stuff on the side of my fish tank. I wondered it the salt evaporating from the fish tank was the issue. So I cleaned everything, sterilized the cage, pressure washed it. We moved the cage to what I thought was a safer place. We got a baby ringneck from a reputable breeder . Within 3 months that one died. No signs of illness or anything. We do not use any oils, sprays, teflon, etc..... We have experience with parrots and my 1 year old ring neck is perfectly fine.

I want to try again, but an afraid to. Could it be an issue with the cage? I am starting to think it is hexed, lol. But this is no laughing matter. I am really concerned. It is a good size, but I worry it is too close to the ground. I am seriously wondering if one of the other birds were sick and the sterilization did not work. The other ring neck is less than 10 feet away. If something in my room killed the other birds I would have thought my green one would have died too.

Click to expand...

I would like to add something here to every bird owner out there.....And seriously remember and think about this please....It's for your birds health as well as your own......

Many supermarkets mist their fresh produce using timers set to spray fruits and vegetables at regular intervals. This re-crisps leafy greens and adds visual appeal for shoppers. The problem is, misting machines using reservoir tanks can breed bacteria called Legionella pneumophila, which causes Legionnaires’ disease, a type of pneumonia. In 1990, an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Bogalusa, La., linked to a supermarket misting machine resulted in 34 confirmed cases of the disease and two deaths.“It’s not a problem unless you inhale the droplets,” says Connie Morbach, a microbiologist for Sanit-Air Inc., a Michigan-based mold testing company. “Doing so may lead to an upper respiratory infection but can be most dangerous if you have a compromised immune system.”

This is very deadly to a bird. Also Legionella is also associated with Air-conditioners, and fish tanks. Bacteria grows in the AC as it sits for the off season....Fish tanks, reptile tanks are generally heated which can form bacteria.

Think hard about this everyone...It is and in a scientific report, been associated with early deaths of birds as the top 3 reasons for death in a parrot, both pets and wild.

I make it a habit to thoroughly wash all fruit and veggies, and don't buy the manager's specials...and in my opinion, steaming all veggies and giving fruit a 10 second blast in microwave or less, kills the bacteria...don't take chances, it's still fresh fruit and veggies, just cook them a bit first.

Another issue people are unaware of, cleaning supplies. Sure you don't clean around birds....but.... where do you store your cleaning supplies?? Cleaning supplies give off gases where ever they are stored...it.s best to store cleaning supplies in temps less than 64 degrees. Basements, are good. Some store them under the sink...bad idea...hot dish water heats the area under sink to sometimes 80 to 90 degrees and your cleaners are then leaking gases...which can cause rhinitis in birds....Re-examine exactly where you keep things. Bathrooms, kitchens are the worst areas to store cleaners, peroxide, nail polish remover (very bad for a bird) and etc.

Wow, Hawk....that's scary! I always wash everything but I don't always steam or put it in the microwave. I learn something new every day!

When I lived in Vermont a hotel was shut down because of Legionella. I think it was in the air conditioning system and in the vents. It was closed for about a year before they got the clear to reopen.

Wow...Hawk, that's very good information! Thanks for sharing!!

Squirt said:

Wow, Hawk....that's scary! I always wash everything but I don't always steam or put it in the microwave. I learn something new every day!

When I lived in Vermont a hotel was shut down because of Legionella. I think it was in the air conditioning system and in the vents. It was closed for about a year before they got the clear to reopen.

Click to expand...

Believe it or not, it is among the top 3 things that kill birds...the that and Gases from chemicals. Legionella is no joke....I can give you a list 3 pages long of people that lost one or all their birds from lengionella or household chemicals.

I always see cages aglore online and I am always curious to what happen to the bird, so....I call up as an interested buyer for the cage and ask questions as to what happen to the bird....Many times the bird suddenly died unexpectedly or all their birds died at once...Legionella is usually the culprit.

wildangel said:

I don't know what is going on. We have a very healthy indian ringneck that I bought from a pet store when she was 3 months old. She is now 1 year and perfectly fine. We bought a used cage from a person who rescues birds. The cage was like new. I used a vinegar, bleach, water solution to clean and sterilize it as well as pressure washed it. We bought all new perches, toys, dishes, etc. We got a parrotlette from a pet store. A baby. It got really cold from an air conditioner issue. I saw the bird puff up and immediately took care of the issue. It was too late the bird died that night. I thought that was the issue until.... We bought a 2 year old indian ring neck from someone on craigslist. He did wonderful for 6 months. Then he died strangely one night. No signs of illness or anything. I thought maybe he was older than the person said. Then I saw some white chalky stuff on the side of my fish tank. I wondered it the salt evaporating from the fish tank was the issue. So I cleaned everything, sterilized the cage, pressure washed it. We moved the cage to what I thought was a safer place. We got a baby ringneck from a reputable breeder . Within 3 months that one died. No signs of illness or anything. We do not use any oils, sprays, teflon, etc..... We have experience with parrots and my 1 year old ring neck is perfectly fine.

I want to try again, but an afraid to. Could it be an issue with the cage? I am starting to think it is hexed, lol. But this is no laughing matter. I am really concerned. It is a good size, but I worry it is too close to the ground. I am seriously wondering if one of the other birds were sick and the sterilization did not work. The other ring neck is less than 10 feet away. If something in my room killed the other birds I would have thought my green one would have died too.

Click to expand...

I am new on here. I just read you post about three birds that died. Did you ever find out what happened? Wondering what your situation is now? Did you get more birds and if you did how did things go? If you would be kind enough to let me know this it would really be appreciated. I have not had any such problems myself. But one never know. So thank you so much for anything you can tell me.

Roary.