Why We Quarantine!

Ratzy

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Apr 7, 2010
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Wow, fantastic, you haven't quarantined your birds! Great! You have just probably transmitted bacteria, viruses and diseases to your birds!
Here are a few diseases and parasites you could have introduced to your birds!

Scaly face mites
Lice
Red mites ect.
PBFD
Avian Polyoma Virus
PDD
Pacheco's Disease Virus
Parrot Fever
Fungus
Megabacteria
Canka
Ect.

If you love your bird you will quarantine!!! If a bird of your 'suddenly' dies and you haven't quarantined, DON'T expect me to listen!
It DOESN'T matter if your bird cost $10 or $500, if you love them, you will quarantine!
Quarantine should be at the very LEAST 30 days, some avian vets recommend 60 or even 90 days! Separate cages, separate rooms, some simple disinfectant between birds, and you have your quarantine!!
DON'T PAY THE PRICE THAT I DID!
If you had a potentially fatal disease that was easily treatable if caught in time, you'd go to a hospital!! It is the same for our feathered family!
The way I see it, if you don't quarantine and you KNOW what it is, YOU DON'T CARE!

In some parts, not providing adequate quarantine is illegal. It applies to animal rights stuff!
IT DOES NOT MATTER WHERE YOU GET YOUR BIRD OR IF YOU GOT IT FROM A NICE, RELIABLE BREEDER, QUARANTINE IS STILL A MUST.
 
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I agree 100%!!
 
We got copies of vet reports and test results when we got Jade and Ruby which assured us of their health. So, we didn't quarantine. And Max was the first bird so there wasn't anyone to quarantine him from.

However, under any other circumstances...there would have been at least 30 days of quarantine.
 
The only reason I could see not to quarentine is if you got the bird to the vet the moment you got the bird and he/she said there in 100% perfect health.
 
Once upon a time, there was a cockatiel named Apache. She was the only cockatiel in an all human family. Her family loved her, but during work and school hours, Apache seemed lonely. It was decided that Apache might be happier if she had a friend to play with while everyone was away. Along came Neo. Neo was a young cockatiel from a small home breeder. He seemed in perfect feather and his parents looked healthy as well. The day Neo's new mom brought him home, he seemed so scared. Since he was very young, his new owner worried that he may be lonely for his parents, so she placed his cage near Apache's cage in the same room. That way they could call to one another and become acquainted. Apache seemed curious about the new cockatiel, but Neo just sat on his perch and shivered. A day went by and Neo still shivered and looked fluffy. His nares also looked stuffy. Though his mom moved his cage away from Apache's, she worried that it hadn't been soon enough. His mom called the vet, concerned that he may be sick. She was immediately chastised by her Veterinarian for not "Quarantining" her new bird and placing him in a separate room from her existing bird, Apache the moment she brought him home. "But.. he looked healthy at first".. came the bewildered mom's response. After an exam at the Vet Clinic, it was discovered that Neo was indeed ill, an upper respiratory infection that required medication to treat. Luckily, it wasn't infectious, so Apache was safe. BUT.. had it been Psittacosis, or another invisible yet highly contagious illness that doesn't always show up the first time you see a bird, Apache could have been exposed to a highly infectious illness with potentially deadly consequences.

Sound familiar? Have you bought a new bird into your home, only to be chastised for not quarantining it from your existing bird or birds? Have you ever thought of bringing a new bird home and wondered what the big "quarantine issue" is all about? Have you ever brought a bird home and thought.. "Naw... she's FINE! Just look at her!" and been tempted to skimp out on the quarantine? If any of these questions apply to you, or if you are simply curious as to why quarantine is so important, please read on.


The story above is not just a story. This happened to me and Apache and Neo were my first two cockatiels. I now have six and I quarantine each new bird who enters my home. Now I know better, and I feel its important to share what I have learned with others who are just starting out with birds or who may be introducing another bird into their household for the first time.


Birds are masters of disguise. When ill, its part of their instinct to hide their illnesses until they are barely able to stand to prevent being picked off by predators. Because of this, a bird can look healthy when in fact, its masking symptoms that may go unnoticed upon a casual inspection in a store or at a breeders.


Often times, symptoms of illness may even lie dormant in a bird who is not stressed (in its familiar environment), however the stress of moving to a new home and eating new food is enough to flare up a condition LIKE an upper respiratory infection or Psittacosis (for instance) and the bird can begin a downward spiral shortly after arriving in its new home. So many times, you hear "He looked perfectly healthy at the store, but now he looks awful, what happened?" Well.. he had a dormant illness that flared up after the stress of moving. That's what happened. Imagine taking that bird with a dormant illness, assuming its well.. and tossing it in your cage with your well flock and then it goes down hill a day later? Your whole flock is exposed to whatever is wrong with that bird now. THAT is the whole purpose of quarantine: to AVOID that type of thing.


Illnesses like Psittacosis have a three-week incubation period. That means, if a bird is exposed (in a pet store environment for example) to this particular virus, symptoms will usually begin to appear after three weeks. The standard quarantine is 30 days. The theory behind this is that most illnesses will have time to manifest themselves and the birds will have time begin showing symptoms after exposure within that thirty day time period in your home. Some veterinarians even suggest 45 or 60 day quarantines. It is also highly recommended that you obtain a well bird checkup within the initial quarantine time period for your new bird to establish a "base line" of health for your bird. If all is well, you have an established place to work from if your bird ever become ill, meaning, your vet is familiar with your bird in its healthy state and knows what to aim for, and if your bird is ill upon examination, your veterinarian can trouble shoot any potential problems early on, and help your new bird overcome them as well as ward off a potential nightmare if the rest of your flock is exposed to your new bird in its ill state.


NEVER assume your bird is healthy just because a breeder or someone behind the counter at a pet store "says" so. Anyone who says "Don't worry about quarantining your bird, he's had a checkup"... Is a nutcase and not to be trusted. Can they give you the complete history of the bird Can they tell you exactly where the bird has been and what it has been exposed too in its entire life? The lady who sold Neo "said" he was healthy but I had to learn the hard way. Now, the ONLY person who can tell me my bird is healthy, is the bird himself. And I'll only believe him after he's spent his 30 days in quarantine, had his vet check up and all looks well.


The Importance of QuarantineWritten by Nicole, Oh Mowsie
 
Another issue arises if you like to visit pet stores filled with birds or bird marts. Resist the temptation to handle birds in these places. Feather dust can become attached to your clothing and get in your hair, so if you have been around other birds, you should shower and change clothes before handling your bird. While this might sound paranoid to anyone who has never experienced these diseases, anyone who has seen the misery they can cause will tell you that this kind of paranoia could save your birds' lives. It is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to infectious diseases.

Why You Should Quarantine New Birds
 
well said wildheart:cool:

Again (we have said this so many times) its an education thing. Ideally, every time you buy a bird, the seller should be 'reminding' you of quarantining (even though you should know this before bringing a new bird home anyway). Quarantining information should be on the front page of every bird handbook and website, but it is not a perfect world. Unfortunately its just one of those things that has been overlooked by the pet trade. Just because there isn't a 100% chance of the new bird carrying a disease, people tend to ignore quarantining. Its the "it wont happen to my birds" frame of mind.

I was one of those people that knew about quarantining and did carry it out, but not very well. I still consider myself one of the lucky in this respect. I have learnt so much over the last 7 years and my only hope is that people new to the method of quarantining will take any advice they are given seriously.
 
2 very excellent posts Wildheart!! Very informative!
Someone asks if you take the bird to the vet and he gives it an all clear then you should not have to quarantine. This is absolutely not true! Many of he most contagious and deadly diseases are lying dormant. Blood tests as well as 30-60 day quarantine is the only way to get the definitive answer. Birds tested for PDD many times have negative results. This is why they collect feces for several weeks, spin it and then test it. Different stresses can cause birds to shed thier illnesses at different times.
So again I ask, why take the chance?
 
GC is correct. Even quarantine cannot guarantee that the bird is not carrying a contagious disease. Carrier birds are always the picture of health and often test negative from a single test. That's why it's very important to do testing twice, once when you first get the bird and again in a couple of months.
 
Will your vet tell you how long she thinks you should quarantine the bird depending on how healthy he was? Also are you guys saying that if both birds are 100% healthy that there's not need to quarantine?
 
Nobody is saying theres not a need to quarantine. Just the opposite infact. You ALWAYS need to quarantine because well face it. It is impossible for your vet to tell you your bird is 100% heathy the moment you get it.
 
Nobody is saying theres not a need to quarantine. Just the opposite infact. You ALWAYS need to quarantine because well face it. It is impossible for your vet to tell you your bird is 100% heathy the moment you get it.

Yeah that'd probably take a hell of a lot of testing........
 
Also are you guys saying that if both birds are 100% healthy that there's not need to quarantine?

I honestly do not know WHERE you read that?

Nobody is saying theres not a need to quarantine. Just the opposite infact. You ALWAYS need to quarantine because well face it. It is impossible for your vet to tell you your bird is 100% heathy the moment you get it.

Yeah that'd probably take a hell of a lot of testing........

And then there would still be no guarantee.

AND YOU STILL HAVE TO QUARANTINE MRSPY! If I could draw you a picture I would. :p
 
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Do you think there should be another quarantine after each vet visit? What if they picked something up there?
 
Also are you guys saying that if both birds are 100% healthy that there's not need to quarantine?

I honestly do not know WHERE you read that?

Yeah that'd probably take a hell of a lot of testing........

And then there would still be no guarantee.

AND YOU STILL HAVE TO QUARANTINE MRSPY! If I could draw you a picture I would. :p

Right here


The only reason I could see not to quarentine is if you got the bird to the vet the moment you got the bird and he/she said there in 100% perfect health.

Posted earlier on the thread. Not looking for a fight, but just wanted to show you where I got the idea.......
 
It's so funny how i've never heard of this until now especially since i've had like 10 birds. Will do, i'll definetaly quarantine, probably for 45 days.
 

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