Parrot Safety First!

We try to keep abreast of information regarding the health and safety of our birds. We hear of safety issues from people who are anxious to share their stories of mischievous parrots. Unfortunately, we also hear many tragic stories. We will share them, too, and hope we can save other birds from the same fate.

Aerosols

Aerosols are bad news for birds, just like cigarette smoke and the fumes from nail polish remover and hair coloring products. Air fresheners don’t “freshen” so much as they coat nasal passages with a film or block the olfactory nerve. Air fresheners that you plug in can make children sick and affect animals other than birds. So can the pine-scented air fresheners people often put in cars.

Nonstick surfaces

Nonstick pans give off harmful fumes when hot—not just overheated—and particles from nonstick plastic coating flake off into food as the coating is worn down.

Easy-care, no-iron, permanent press

Easy care, no-iron, and permanent press fabrics contain a formaldehyde finish that doesn’t wash out. Formaldehyde is a powerful irritant.

Fabric protectors

Stainsafe, a fabric protector often used on furniture, emits toxic fumes that kill birds.

Bleach, bleach-based cleansers

Our pet birds are dependent on us to ensure they are kept safe from harm in our homes. Just like little children, our bird’s curiosity can help them find very creative ways to find trouble if they are left unsupervised. Most household related deaths are the result of either exposure to a toxic substance or due to a physical trauma.

There are many household items that are toxic or potentially toxic to birds if they breathe in the fumes:

• Household cleaners (kitchen, bathroom, furniture polish, fabric protectors)
• Teflon fumes (non-stick cookware, irons, self-cleaning ovens, etc.)
• Aerosols (cleaners, hairspray, deodorant, perfumes, etc.)
• Insecticides (bug bombs)
• Paint Fumes
• Tobacco Smoke
• Smoke from poorly ventilated wood stoves and fireplaces.
• Mothballs
• Garden chemicals (fertilizers, insecticides)
• New carpet fumes
• Scented candles, Incense, Potpourri Air Fresheners (aerosol & plug-in)
• Carbon Monoxide
• Adhesives

There are also many household items and foods that are toxic if swallowed by your bird:

• Foods include:
  • Avocado
  • Chocolate
  • Alcohol
  • Caffeine
  • Dried beans
  • Fruits pits and seeds
  • Tomato leaves, vines and stems
• Toxic house plants
• Metal items containing lead or zinc
• Human medicines
• Pesticides on unwashed fruits and vegetables

Many birds have also suffered fatal or serious physical injuries when left unsupervised by:

• Drowning in an open toilet, sink or fish tank.
• Flying into window, mirror or moving ceiling fan.
• Suffering heat exposure in a car.
• Getting burned from a stove, boiling water, wood stove or fireplace
• Other animals or small children – knocking over cage, playing rough, scratches, bites
• Suffocation in bed by owner
• Crushing injuries by being stepped on
• Strangling in unkempt rope toy
• Escape through open window or door
• Killed by hawk or other 

  Avian Flu A Brief History

  by parrotsnaturally | Jul 5, 2019 | Health & Safety

  Avian Flu A Brief History

  • What we know is that this virus has been around for eons; it was first described more than 125 years ago.   The virus itself was identified in 1955 in Italy. It is endemic to wild waterfowl, such as ducks. These wild birds may harbor various forms of this virus but do not suffer from the disease because over thousands of years they have developed resistance.

  • The 1918 Spanish Influenza (the last world pandemic) is said to have killed 50 million people globally. We think that this virus originated as a variant of avian flu that combined with a human Influenza virus.

  • If you have elderly parents or grandparents, mention the 1918 influenza outbreak and I’m sure that you will be told stories of an aunt, uncle or other relative that died in that pandemic.   But, remember that clinical medicine was still in the dark ages; antibiotics were rare or in the developmental stages, anti-virals were unheard of because the term virus was not in the dictionary.
  • The primary concern with Avian flu today is its impact on the poultry industry.

  • In all of the currently affected countries millions of chickens have been killed; hundreds of thousands of surviving poultry are in the process of being vaccinated and the vaccine is proving to be effective.

  • The current form of this disease has not yet mutated to the point that it can be contracted from another human!!

  • As of today unless you are wallowing around in a barn or on a dirt floor with infected chickens or are butchering infected poultry, you are not going to contract the disease in the form that it currently exists!!

  Be Proactive,

  • If and when this virus mutates, such that it can be contracted by human-to-human contact, we need to be sure that our government has provided the biotech companies the incentive to be ready to rapidly produce the appropriate vaccines for the current version of the virus.

  • There are currently no U.S. companies researching and developing vaccines. The reason is that our laws do not protect these companies from frivolous law suits and do not indemnify them from multi-million dollar judgments being handed down by misinformed juries.

  • Contact your Senators and Representative; tell them that their primary function is to protect us not only from terrorism, but also from the threat of pandemic viral diseases that will eventually arrive on our shores.

  • Remember that there is no way to predict the genetic makeup of the virus that we fear until it mutates.

  • The pandemic is most likely not coming soon! The flu season is Fall, Winter and early Spring so it will not happen this year and most likely will not happen at all.

  Every single human case that has been described this year in Viet Nam, Cambodia, Thailand and China has been traced to direct contact with infected poultry.

  Every single human case that has been described thus far in Viet Nam, Cambodia, Thailand and China has been traced to direct contact with infected poultry.

  • Many false reports are circulating on the Internet and in the media. Go directly to the CDC site or the Pro-med site to get accurate information.

  • If it (the so-called pandemic) does materialize, our parrots will be the last concern. Psittacines (hookbills) historically are not highly susceptible to this virus. Unless your parrot is out around migratory birds or wallowing around infected poultry feces, there is essentially no fear that they can become infected.

  • Additionally, they (our parrots) cannot easily contract this virus from humans. In other words, as we have asked over and over again:

  What is the truly endangered species? And the answer is always Homo sapiens  (us).

   

  • What to do now:

  Join the American Federation of Aviculture ; they are the only powerful lobby looking out for our interests. See us at Parrots Naturally for forms.

  Disclaimer: This is not meant to be a medical evaluation of the H5N1 (Avian flu virus). We do not present ourselves as physicians, pathologists, virologists or veterinarians, but we are here to provide a scientist’s and aviculturist’s perspective on this and other infectious viral diseases, which may present a threat to our parrots and to ourselves.

The Importance Of Record Keeping

Careful record keeping is part of the responsibility of the conscientious parrot conservator In the “Important Charts” (link) we have included samples of forms that we use in the aviary and in the shop. For new birds we recommend something similar to our Adult Bird Record. (Chart 1A) If this format is followed you will have all the essential information on each bird in a single record. The important items are band # or other means of ID, dates of start and completion of isolation and information about your birds initial Vet screening. Follow-up visits should also be documented and any results or findings noted. Be sure to note abnormal results and positive cultures including organisms identified and drugs used. This will help you track recurring infections and determine the effectiveness of treatment. Note the dates of any vaccinations given.

If you don’t have copies of your bird’s records including test results, ask your Vet for copies or ask to review your bird’s file and make notes for your records. Especially important are the results of the intake tests. See the chart on recommended initial tests for our suggestions. Keeping your own records puts you in control of your birds health history. It could prove invaluable when seeking a second opinion. 
In the “Important Charts” (link) section you will find several other forms which we use for monitoring the development of our chicks, keeping track of large numbers of birds’ Polyomavirus Vax dates and especially their weights.

Good periodic weight records are your most important tool in monitoring his or her general health status. We weigh all chicks daily through weaning and thereafter at least weekly for the first three months. We recommend weekly weighing of every bird.

Be sure to weigh the bird at the same time of the day, preferably first thing in the morning before breakfast. Weights can vary considerably during the day. Weights of an adult bird should not vary more than 2-3%. For example a typical African Grey weighing 450 grams should weigh roughly between 440 and 460 on any particular morning. A drop of weight greater than this should be investigated. This may mean checking the accuracy of your scale, reviewing previous weights, looking for trends and observing your bird carefully for other signs of illness. Whether you weigh weekly or daily, it is more important that you study your bird’s appearance , behavior, especially eating habits every day. By the time you notice that your bird is showing symptoms, he or she may have been ill for a week or more.

Whenever tests are performed on any member of my family, I remind them to ask for a copy of the lab results. The numbers and results should not be thought of as a deep secret which only your doctor understands and can interpret. People are reading more and becoming much more knowledgeable about their health and disease processes. We need to take the same approach with our feathered friend’s health

Post this on your refrigerator and read it every morning.

Examine every bird in your care, every day and answer the following:

• Is my bird looking as perky as he or she did yesterday? Are the eyes as bright and wide open as yesterday? Are the eyes closed or squinting? You are the best judge of your bird’s general well being. Changes in energy level, vocalization patterns or unusual behaviors such as unwillingness to “step up” when he or she is usually eager, may be subtle signs of an illness. He or she may also be telling you that “I vant to be alone, This is my day to cocoon!” If this change in behavior persists more than 24 hours, you definitely need to seek veterinary advice.

• Are there any changes in the appearance of my birds droppings? Are there as many droppings as usual? Are there any unusual colors in the droppings? Look for lime green or iridescent yellow. These colors could be signs of an infection or liver problems. But don’t panic! A single dropping doesn’t mean anything. A pattern observed over a couple of days may be significant. Remember that the amount of liquid is directly related to the water content of the diet. If you are feeding primarily vegetables and fruits you will observe loose droppings. Also don’t panic if you see red droppings after feeding something red. Colored pellets may also add color to the feces. A single dropping doesn’t mean anything, but a pattern can be significant and if it persists you must call your Avian Vet.

• Does my bird have a pasty vent? This is a simple exam that every bird owner can do. If your bird is used to you holding him or her upside down, you will find it really easy to examine the vent. There should be no sign of feces adhering to it or anywhere on the underside. If you’re not sure what to look for, be sure to ask your vet or breeder. Even if you can’t hold your bird on the back, get down and check out the underside. Pasty vent is usually easily observable and is almost always a sign of infection. Call your vet and discuss your observations.

• Is my bird fluffed? This is a most important indicator of a sick bird. Birds normally fluff when they nap or sleep, or if the room is too cold. However, a bird that sits in the corner of his cage and acts uncharacteristically lethargic may be showing subtle signs of illness that require prompt medical care from your avian vet. If a bird is fluffed for more than a few hours it is probably sick and requires prompt medical care from your avian vet.

• Is my bird wheezing or sneezing? All birds sneeze occasionally and this is probably However, wet sneezes are usually not normal, unless your bird has bathed or immersed its head in the water crock. Repeated wet sneezes require prompt medical care from your avian vet. Wheezes, unusual whistling noises, and noises you observe as your bird breathes are usually signs of a respiratory problem that requires prompt medical attention from your avian vet. These problems include:

1. Blockage of the air passage because a parrot has inhaled a seed, toy part or even a nutshell fragment. Many sudden deaths of otherwise healthy birds have resulted from such a blockage.
2. Fungal infections including Aspergillosis are extremely debilitating to a parrot. Sometimes these infections have been longstanding and your bird may have been suffering from the ravages of these infections for a long time before you observe symptoms. Immediate treatment is needed to save the infected bird. Remember that fungal spores are circulating in most of our homes.

• Are the nares (nostrils) clean? Or is the beak encrusted?—There should be no mucus or discharge around the 2 small openings above the beak which equates with our nostrils . Sometimes when a bird has an upper respiratory infection, you may even see mucous bubbling around the nares as the bird breathes. Another indicator of a respiratory infection may be a dry, crusty buildup on the beak. If any of these conditions are present your bird requires prompt medical care from your avian vet.

• Is my bird’s tail bobbing in rhythm with its breathing? Tail bobbing is usually associated with breathing difficulties. Such a subtle behavior requires that you watch your bird carefully. This condition requires prompt medical care from your avian veterinarian.

• All birds, including our parrots are masters of masquerade. This is because they are preyed upon in the wild and like all weakened animals they will be the first choice of predators. This is why they try to mask any sign of slowness or illness and why we must look so closely and learn to recognize subtle signs and indicators.   Often, when a bird lets down his or her guard and shows signs of illness, the situation is critical.   This is why we must safeguard their health, monitor health status, and provide prompt medical care.

Ø CONCLUSIONS

• Please trust us. Many, many of our customers have shared their grief with us over the loss of their parrots. I have personally received and read dozens of necropsies of parrots.   Probably 50% of them do not provide a conclusive cause of death and we try so hard to assure the grieving owner that he or she did everything possible for their parrot and try to relieve them of their guilt.

• Another 50% (approximately) show signs of infection or organ changes that might have been preventable , had the bird owner been better-informed and educated. We grieve with these people also and take to heart the lessons that we learn from these losses and try to share them with everyone that we can reach to avoid more preventable diseases and/or accidents.

• PREVENTION

• Strictly adhere to Parrots Naturally’s Nutritional Guidelines. Remember “we are what we eat”! Many infections can be fought off when your bird has a strong immune system. We are always here to help you discuss this process in more detail.

• Weigh your bird at least once a week, and be sure that it is   at the same time every day. It is best to weigh first thing in the AM and keep records (see us for charts). A drop in weight of more than 5% in a week means that your bird needs a veterinary consultation.

• Parrots Naturally is your ultimate source of advice for your parrot, whether purchased from us or elsewhere. We really care about the health and welfare of these endangered birds.

• This advice is meant only as a guideline and is definitely not a substitute for advice or recommendations provided by an avian veterinarian.

Here are some common reasons why birds become ill.