Importantance of Quarantine., Why is it nessacary.?

[Sarah]

Quarantine is nessacary for the essential of you'r birds health.

The ideal quarantine situation is to keep your new bird(s) in a different building from your existing flock because many diseases are airborn and can travel from room to room through heater vents and air ducts. However this is not feasible for most bird owners so the best we can do is house our new bird(s) in a separate cage, in a separate room with absolutely NO contact with your existing flock for a period of 30~45 days. This is the amount of time it takes for illness to show up in the new bird.

Birds are very good at hiding illness as they don't want to appear to be a weak link to their other flock members or to predators. It is a survival instinct. In the wild birds are food for many animals if it appears ill it will attract many predators and flock members may pick on a sick bird or chase him from the flock, so he will attempt to act normal for as long as he can. Just because you don't see signs of illness in your new bird or even in your existing flock right away doesn't mean they are not ill. Usually by the time you can visually detect signs of illness in your bird he is already very sick.

It is every bird owners responsibility to keep his birds safe...it is every bird owners responsibility to quarantine for your birds health and well being. I often hear the excuse of not having an extra cage or the money to purchase one. To that excuse I would advise the person to wait until they do before getting another bird. I also shake my head and wonder if they can't afford a cage for quarantine purposes how do they expect to pay the hefty vet bills when their birds become ill due to their irresponsible practices?

Here are some quarantine Do's and Don'ts

DO:

1. Place your new birds in a separate cage and a separate room from your exiting flock

2. Complete quarantine... 30-45 days at least, 60~90 days at most ( a couple of days or weeks just doesn't cut it and is not a good quarantine period)

3. Wash your hands before and after handling any of your birds or their things.

DON'T :

1. Break quarantine for any reason and do not cut it short. The minute you allow ANY contact between your new bird(s) and your existing flock you have broken quarantine and have placed ALL of your birds at risk! So wait on pictures with the whole flock et.. until quarantine is complete. None of this , "well I just let them visit for a few minutes then put them back in their own cages."

2. Keep your new bird(s) in the same room with your existing flock and do not put their cages side by side. This is NOT quarantine.

3. Use your bathroom for a quarantine room unless you absolutely have no other choice. Bathrooms are breeding grounds for bacteria plus they are high traffic areas.

4. Get another bird before you have the necessary quarantine set up. Don't get another bird then make excuses for why you can't quarantine.


Borrowed from Pippin's Moms informative post "Yes!" at TalkBudgies.

[Sophie428]

I quarantine all my birds. I have just got Minty, My new 'tiel and he has lice. If i had put him with his to-be mate , Skittles then i would have 2 birds with lice!! Lice isn't a big issue thoguh so it's ok!!

I have heard lots of peopel say
" My parents won't let me quarantine"
My answer to that:
If you can't quarantine then don't get a bird. My parents said i couldn't quarantine one of my budgies so i just did'nt get it. I know you would prefer a new bird (we all do :rolleyes: ) but I also know you would'nt want your whole flock gone. I have had it happen before. I used have 4 canary's: Fruitloop,Banana,Peaches and Cereal. (I had them while I was 7 :rolleyes: hense the weird names)
I got a new one that looked heathly and all and poof. ALL dead on the floor of the cage dead the next day. It happen's. It CAN happen. It WILL happen.

[Sarah]

It's good you choose to quarantine. :)
It's very important.

Sad about your canaries. :( A devastating example of what can happen if you don't.