PBFD terrible horrible news

Does anyone have experience with caring for a bird with PBFD and possibly have any pointers?

Pickle's avian vet rang back today and told me that the blood sample she took displayed low white blood cell numbers (that's about all they got from that as he put up a fight and they didn't get much blood), and that a VERY weird looking feather that fell out while they were toweling him had tested positive for PBFD...

For anyone who hasn't been following, pickle is a 2yo male eclectus that we have had since he was weaned, he always overpreened, has plucked fort 6 months, but gotten mostly bald in the last 2-3 months, we were actually checking him for liver disease when we took him to the vet - until she found the feather. It is the first feather we have seen like that on him (all bent and warped at the Base with a yellow swollen part in the quill)...

I'm kinda still in denial that he would have it but should I get him tested for other infectious things due to his assumed low immune system? Should I be worried about the adult budgie who lives in the same family room? And what am I supposed to do next?!?!?!? How do I possibly keep him comfortable and happy if this is in fact what he has..?

(yes I intend on calling the breeder later today, it is unlikely he got it while in our care.)

:'( I don't know what to do...

Oh dear, how terrible! This is the worst news! PBFD is VERY contagious and airborne, so yes, your Budgie is at risk! If you have a friend or family member who does not have birds, I would bring him there and then have him tested as well......I'm sorry for you and Pickle ......They will probably want to take some more blood from him to test him again.

I'm so sorry! pickle is clearly loved so no matter how long or short his life is, it will be the best life possible :0). stay strong! and yes, you will have to be VERY careful to keep your budgie from getting sick. no shared food, toys, perches, play stands, cage covers, and wash your hands in between handling them. good luck!!!!!!!! *giant hugs for you and pickle!!!!*

OMG... that's terrible.... I hope the breeder takes notice, and not selling anymore birds...

have you got other birds in your household?

Ooops... Yes, you do.. A budgie... You'd need to keep them apart... quarantine...

So sorry to hear the terrible news, be strong and have faith
Above members have given you great advise.

Please read the links below, sure many of you questions will be answered.
Wildhearts bird Sunny had PBFD.......................

PBFD Sunny is showing symptoms
Sterretjie going for PBFD test.
PBFD fighting the spread

hang in there....hugs to you both xo

that thread about sunny is so sad
Sounds like she contracted it in the nest and presented the Acute version of this disease as she was so young. :'(

Our avian vet thinks its almost a sure bet that pickle has the Chronic version due to his age already. So he will have it for the rest of his life, and will continually grow in diseased feathers, but if we keep a handle on any threats to his immune system he has a chance at many more years of happy baldness - at least until the disease progresses to his beak or nails, or if he starts mutilating.


On the phone the supplier was most helpful, and he got the breeder to call us. I don't think he will be supplying from this breeder ever again. as he let slip that he had also had a complaint about a chick who presented the acute symptoms and subsequently died (didnt give us a timeframe of when it was sold). But he has apparently sold over 50 eclectus from the same breeder, since we got pickle from him 1 1/2 years ago, and he was quite concerned for all of them.

Unfortunately the breeder, on the other hand, seemed more worried about covering his *ss, and insisted that there was no guarantee that the supplier got pickle from him, and that he had never even heard of the disease.

All i wanted was to warn him and get him to check his flock; but because he reacted in such a way i thought i would speak his language, and described the disease, told him that it could result in the death and or euthanasia of his whole livelihood, and even charges if it can be proven that it has spread to native populations.

Overall he was a complete ------ over the phone, but i hope he took it to heart and looked it up after we hung up.

And So we are going to take pickle to see the supplier (he will stay in the car away from his birds of course) so he can see what this disease looks like, as he has had limited experience, and i really don't think he wants to make this mistake again.


AND THEN (i dont know what she will want to do to contain him on any of the vet visits) but i still want to have the liver test done, as PBFD increases the chance of secondary issues like that, which means he will have to be anesthetized (he really was a bugger in the first blood test), so i think it would be worth getting a few tests at the same time, and trimming his overgrown beak while hes under to save the stress...


It seems i will always have a flightless bird, and i have just realised how ridiculous some of his toys (the ones that are rather high off of the ground) are when you accept that fact. I will have to make for some creative DIY to make his lifestyle more runner-friendly. :/

He sure is lucky to have you.

Such sad news. Pickle is lucky to have someone who loves him so much and is willing and able to do whatever is needed for him.

Pickle is so lucky to have you in his life... I really hope this breeder takes notice...

Thanks for the support guys.


This week has been really hard, with this news, and having to deal with the breeder, as well as having all my mid-semester exams on this week (live in aus). But its nice knowing there are people who understand why i am so upset, and that he is more than 'just a bird'. I guess i don't know many bird-people in the real world. but your support is appreciated. We are also trying to convince my 10 year old brother to re-home the budgie (its his). and he is quite upset as well. :/