how long to wait?

as of last sunday i knew i was getting the flu and it hit me like a freight truck! hot/cold shakes, nausea, weakness, fever the works. ive been getting better outside of a troubling head issue (constant headaches and now trouble hearing out of one side?? been to urgent care, trying to make an appt. with my primary for follow ups) this has not been a fun journey

i know when sick you shouldnt handle birds (its the same with hamsters) and mr.pants bless his heart has been doing all the work. its so sad if he sees me our boy immediately tries to get to me or bites mr.pants really hard cuz he wants to come closer. he was able to get near my feet yesterday and was rolling over them like crazy begging to be picked up its so sad!

how long is safe to wait before i can snuggle my baby again? whats a safe bet? i feel bad for mr.pants too, hes like single bird dad right now. i hope my lil boy doesnt resent me too

your symptoms of flu are a reaction... ie. a fever is something the body makes to help kill off the virus as the body gets to hot for it to be happy, etc.

Once your symptoms are gone you are virus free and have been for at least a day or so.

So...once you feel better, you and your bird are good to go. Just make sure your all better, sore throat, aches, puke, all that. Then you're all good.

That actually isnt correct. You shed the virus for ten days or more after a flu or cold virus. You can go to the CDC website. When you have a bacterial infection, then you usually aren't infective after symptoms stop, but I'm not sure in that. It's why is so hard to get those dang viruses out of a population, I think kids can spread the virus for up to a month post symptoms!

It was my understanding that only certain illnesses could be transmitted to birds. Am I wrong?
This may be totally incorrect, so take it for what it is, but if you are sick with the human flu, I don't think your bird can catch that virus---even if they could, I would guess that they were probably already exposed prior to you developing symptoms (e.g., when most contagious).
Again, this is not my forte... and I do understand wanting the err on the side of caution....Just not entirely sure that it is necessary (but again- I am not certain).


I think bacterial infections would pose a greater risk. I know birds can get strep.

here: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/family/fluandyou_press.pdf


CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24
hours after your fever is gone except to get medical
care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be
gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
Stay away from others as much as possible to keep
from making others sick. Continue to cover coughs
and sneezes and wash hands even after you return
to work. It is important to know that even if you don’t
have a fever, you may have flu and be contagious if
you get flu symptoms.

Basically what I said when fever is gone and ALL symptoms gone...your good to go.

Hmm...I did a lecture on this...unless information has changed... You are most contagious before symptoms, and while sickest but you do shed after you are symptoms free for several days or longer. Guess if I get board later I'll look. Not sure what viruses jump species the easiest, I know pig, horses, marine mammel, and birds can share some of the viruses, but as often as people get sick I don't hear stories if our parrots getting sick... interesting topic. Hope you feel better soon MRS. Pants!!!

I hope you are getting medical care, as Influenza (if you have it) is miserable and a scourge* of humanity.

Not sure precisely what is transferable to birds, but might want to ask a CAV for best advice.

*I refuse to call it the "flu" as Influenza has been an historic thorn in the side of humanity. Thankfully supportive therapy exists today and reduces the threat for most folks.

noodles123 said:

It was my understanding that only certain illnesses could be transmitted to birds. Am I wrong?
This may be totally incorrect, so take it for what it is, but if you are sick with the human flu, I don't think your bird can catch that virus---even if they could, I would guess that they were probably already exposed prior to you developing symptoms (e.g., when most contagious).
Again, this is not my forte... and I do understand wanting the err on the side of caution....Just not entirely sure that it is necessary (but again- I am not certain).


I think bacterial infections would pose a greater risk. I know birds can get strep.

Click to expand...

You're absolutely correct Noodles..Most human viruses/diseases cannot be transmitted to birds at all...least of all any "flu" viruses. There is absolutely no risk at all of transmitting a human "flu" virus of any kind to a bird (any of the hundreds of strains)...The only illnesses that a human can transmit to a bird are Bacterial and Fungal infections, and certain parasites/worms...That's it...

It sounds like you have a strain of flu virus, so you are not nor were you ever contagious to your birds.

Dang my internet and failing phone battery! I'm not saying you will give a flu virus to your Parrots. But I am saying that many many influenza viruses are zoonitc, or have the potential to become zoonitc. The WHO has lots of good flu info. These are nasty mutating viruses. Once again not saying you will give the flu to your bird. Birds get sick differently with these viruses, usually gastro, or effects their organs. Glad some mentioned strep. Anyway read up if you want many influenza are zoonitc ( cross species lines)

The issue with human influenza viruses, or any viruses that effect primates, is that they do not possess the ability to "set-up shop" in the body of a bird. It just cannot happen. Most viruses that can cross species happen between different species of mammals, for example from humans to monkeys, or from dogs to humans, or from rodents to dogs, etc. So a virus crossing from one type of mammal to another does happen regularly, but not from a mammal to a bird, or from a mammal to a reptile/amphibian, or from a reptile to a bird, etc. Just can't happen. And when you look at viruses such as West Nile or Avian Influenza, they are quite different than any human influenza virus in the way they invade the body, or rather in their abilities to do so, due to their structure. Not the same thing as a human influenza virus at all...

The illness from uncomplicated flu lasts from three to seven days in most adults. Cough and malaise (feeling tired or weak) can last up to two weeks following illness. Complications such as pneumonia can occur in some cases, which causes a more prolonged illness.

This thread is contagious!!! Lol
Mrs Pants I hope you are feeling better!!!! I decided to go with a twofer! Just back from urgent care, flu and strep, wish I was joking! I'm ready for those flu vaccines to actually work...I'm not as sick as you were Mrs pants, but it sure ain't fun..