Hello

[Jkohnen31]

Hi everyone,

I am writing on adopting a bird. I have a parakeet but she chooses to stay to herself. I’m planning to get a conure or cockatiel. I’m still exploring. I can’t wait to meet people here and learn more about these wonderful birds

 

[noodles123]

Welcome!



Make sure you quarantine your new bird as far from the old for a bare minimum of 45 days but vets recommend a few months (ideally, in a separate home...easier said than done, I know). The thing is, a perfectly healthy bird can carry deadly viruses like humans do with covid (no symptoms). This means that both your new and old birds pose a risk to the other.

 

[Laurasea]

Hello! Glad you joined!
I hsve a green cheek named Ta-dah, she is smart and sassy, and sweet as can be. She can also be nippy , as many are, reading body language, and I avoid 99% of nips. She also surprised me by becoming a talker after 5 years of not.

I aldo hsve 3 make budgie rescues. They are free in the house during the day. After 2 years my Cloudy just decided to make freinds with me. He now lands on me gives kisses and sometimes let's me pet him. So nothing is ever written in stone.

My friend has a sweet snd funny cockatiel.

Meeting a parrot, they should step up for you. When possible finding a breeder that fully weaned by abundance and has socialized the babies makes life better. Sometimes yiu csn find hobby breeders on Craigslist. But always trust your instinct and ask questions and be cautious. Sometimes even adult re homes can be great, and petstore too. But make sure will step up for you. I git my GCC at a pet store and she was well socialized. I got a weaned baby from a hobby breeder from Craigslist too, that was fabulous. And I took a re home from this forum who is very sweet sbd wonderful.

 

[Jkohnen31]

Thanks. Honestly the two birds will probably never go near each other this little parakeet had no interest. I do have a question though, even if the new bird of disease tested is there a risk?


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[Laurasea]

We all have different levels of risk.

I keep all new birds in seperate rooms fir 3 weeks.

Until one time I didn't...sigh..I git called about sn escaped budgie. A cat caught him before I did. I took him home and tge vet had him on doxycycline for 10 days, we got him over the cat bite.
I asked the vet if I should wait longer, but she thought if he had anything he wouldn't hsve survived the cat attack. Plus he had been on 10 days of antibiotics...2 days after joining the flock he sneezed , and kept crop adjustment, and was off. But recovered. 2 months later all my burds got sick. Turns out tge budgie had picked up psittacosis from the wild birds, sbd the doxycycline partially treated him. ( takes 41 days of doxycycline to clear psittacosis, he only had 10 cuz I was treating cat bite infection) so he became a shedder....

Anyway the other 6 burds were added before him at different times, all kept seperate for 3 weeks. Vet exam, mouth and cloacal swabs with gram stains. 2 has blood work with tests for PBFD all healthy no issues. Unfortunately many diseases can hide, abd may not come back positive. Also many diseases can be cleared by the bird and they never get sick. So its hard to give an exact answers. The best is hsve a vet check and go by their advice

 

[Scott]

Welcome to the forums, good luck with your search. We have many members with conures and cockatiels, feel free to ask questions!

 

[Littleredbeak]

I’d get your budgie a birdy friend. Birds need companionship and if you can’t give him that (him not wanting it from you and you looking for a different/much larger typeof bird) Id personally get your budgie a friends(maybe another budgie?) I at one time had a budgie (I miss him terribly) who I got a friend for - Luvie my lovebird (I wanted a less independent bird and Davy my budgie craved a birdy friend) and they both got along so well! Davy was still a baby and I think that’s why it work out so well with the different types of birds. Davy and I both got what we wanted. Davy loved watching other budgies on YouTube and I knew he needed a birdy friend to be truly happy.

I personally adore conures and don’t know too much about cockatiels. If you’d like a more dependent bird I think looking more in-depth about the different types of conures is the way to go.

 

[Flboy]

Welcome to you!

 

[noodles123]

Thanks. Honestly the two birds will probably never go near each other this little parakeet had no interest. I do have a question though, even if the new bird of disease tested is there a risk?


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Some of the sneakiest/worst diseases out there (and potentially deadly) are those that they do not routinely test for in shops , before adoption, or before travel etc. Those are things with potentially long and silent incubation periods, like PDD, ABV and PBFD. Some studies estimate that more than 40% of the US captive parrot population is actively carrying and asymptomatically spreading one of these. Unfortunately, the tests required to check for these diseases are not particularly cheap (blood/pcr panel for those each specifically) and if a bird is under stress and a carrier, they are more likely to test positive (even if they have no symptoms) than a bird who is not stress and also a carrier (who may get a false negative). False positives don't really occur, but false negatives are not uncommon (depending on the time of testing, incubation period etc etc). Think about how COVID has been, but with the understanding that the incubation period for something like abv or pdd can be 2 weeks, to over 10 years (and some are contagious right away, whereas others are not, and some show symptoms and die, while others never do, but even then, it can take many years for symptoms to show....Testing is a challenge in birds without symptoms.

During initial quarantine (during that 45 day-3 month span) it's best if you can have your birds in totally separate homes due to HVAC issues (there was just a post on this yesterday and someone's avian vet said the same thing-- a different house is best). If you cannot do that, you can try separating them in rooms that are spaced out, but again, that is not completely without risk. If you want to be as safe as possible, the vet advice I mentioned above is not incorrect. If you have to quarantine in the same home, I'd consider good air purifiers (true hepa, smallest micron filtration available, non-ionizing, sanitizing or ozone producing (as all of those features are harmful to birds, although it is okay to run one with those settings as long as they can be turned off and never go on automatically).
Changing clothes between handing and washing hands extremely well is also very important when you touch anything that belongs to either bird, or if either bird climbs onto you. Honestly, even just being in the same room with a really dusty bird merits a change of clothes before going to see the other.



Since birds are very stressed when re-homed, quarantine is a good time to get both tested (not driving to the vet in the same car, at the same time...obviously)...It's not 100% accurate, but better than testing in times of low-stress.


Birds in new homes are more likely to shed viral particles and the diseases I mentioned about can shed in the air via dust etc, as well as on clothing/hands etc. That is why they say you should quarantine, because even in an asymptomatic carrier, times of stress are the times when spread is more likely. The PDD/ABV virus is also extremely small, difficult to "kill" and can stay stable in the environment for over a year.

 

[Jkohnen31]

Thanks. Honestly the two birds will probably never go near each other this little parakeet had no interest. I do have a question though, even if the new bird of disease tested is there a risk?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Some of the sneakiest/worst diseases out there (and potentially deadly) are those that they do not routinely test for in shops , before adoption, or before travel etc. Those are things with potentially long and silent incubation periods, like PDD, ABV and PBFD. Some studies estimate that more than 40% of the US captive parrot population is actively carrying and asymptomatically spreading one of these. Unfortunately, the tests required to check for these diseases are not particularly cheap (blood/pcr panel for those each specifically) and if a bird is under stress and a carrier, they are more likely to test positive (even if they have no symptoms) than a bird who is not stress and also a carrier (who may get a false negative). False positives don't really occur, but false negatives are not uncommon (depending on the time of testing, incubation period etc etc). Think about how COVID has been, but with the understanding that the incubation period for something like abv or pdd can be 2 weeks, to over 10 years (and some are contagious right away, whereas others are not, and some show symptoms and die, while others never do, but even then, it can take many years for symptoms to show....Testing is a challenge in birds without symptoms.

During initial quarantine (during that 45 day-3 month span) it's best if you can have your birds in totally separate homes due to HVAC issues (there was just a post on this yesterday and someone's avian vet said the same thing-- a different house is best). If you cannot do that, you can try separating them in rooms that are spaced out, but again, that is not completely without risk. If you want to be as safe as possible, the vet advice I mentioned above is not incorrect. If you have to quarantine in the same home, I'd consider good air purifiers (true hepa, smallest micron filtration available, non-ionizing, sanitizing or ozone producing (as all of those features are harmful to birds, although it is okay to run one with those settings as long as they can be turned off and never go on automatically).
Changing clothes between handing and washing hands extremely well is also very important when you touch anything that belongs to either bird, or if either bird climbs onto you. Honestly, even just being in the same room with a really dusty bird merits a change of clothes before going to see the other.



Since birds are very stressed when re-homed, quarantine is a good time to get both tested (not driving to the vet in the same car, at the same time...obviously)...It's not 100% accurate, but better than testing in times of low-stress.


Birds in new homes are more likely to shed viral particles and the diseases I mentioned about can shed in the air via dust etc, as well as on clothing/hands etc. That is why they say you should quarantine, because even in an asymptomatic carrier, times of stress are the times when spread is more likely. The PDD/ABV virus is also extremely small, difficult to "kill" and can stay stable in the environment for over a year.

Thanks. So I’m trying to adopt a bird from a residue that is currently being fostered in a different home. So does this work as being quarantined? He had been seen by a Avian vet and been disease tested. So what are my next steps??

I really appreciate all your help


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[Jkohnen31]

I’d get your budgie a birdy friend. Birds need companionship and if you can’t give him that (him not wanting it from you and you looking for a different/much larger typeof bird) Id personally get your budgie a friends(maybe another budgie?) I at one time had a budgie (I miss him terribly) who I got a friend for - Luvie my lovebird (I wanted a less independent bird and Davy my budgie craved a birdy friend) and they both got along so well! Davy was still a baby and I think that’s why it work out so well with the different types of birds. Davy and I both got what we wanted. Davy loved watching other budgies on YouTube and I knew he needed a birdy friend to be truly happy.

I personally adore conures and don’t know too much about cockatiels. If you’d like a more dependent bird I think looking more in-depth about the different types of conures is the way to go.

Thanks. So my budgie had a buddy and the buddy died, we don’t know why we just found her dead. But my birdie never really wanted the buddy. I think he bonded with his image in the mirror to be honest because he is always checking out the mirror. The bird honestly does not seem unhappy. She lives in a cage in my living room and I do still try to engage it. It’s just a strange little bird


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[noodles123]

Thanks. Honestly the two birds will probably never go near each other this little parakeet had no interest. I do have a question though, even if the new bird of disease tested is there a risk?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Some of the sneakiest/worst diseases out there (and potentially deadly) are those that they do not routinely test for in shops , before adoption, or before travel etc. Those are things with potentially long and silent incubation periods, like PDD, ABV and PBFD. Some studies estimate that more than 40% of the US captive parrot population is actively carrying and asymptomatically spreading one of these. Unfortunately, the tests required to check for these diseases are not particularly cheap (blood/pcr panel for those each specifically) and if a bird is under stress and a carrier, they are more likely to test positive (even if they have no symptoms) than a bird who is not stress and also a carrier (who may get a false negative). False positives don't really occur, but false negatives are not uncommon (depending on the time of testing, incubation period etc etc). Think about how COVID has been, but with the understanding that the incubation period for something like abv or pdd can be 2 weeks, to over 10 years (and some are contagious right away, whereas others are not, and some show symptoms and die, while others never do, but even then, it can take many years for symptoms to show....Testing is a challenge in birds without symptoms.

During initial quarantine (during that 45 day-3 month span) it's best if you can have your birds in totally separate homes due to HVAC issues (there was just a post on this yesterday and someone's avian vet said the same thing-- a different house is best). If you cannot do that, you can try separating them in rooms that are spaced out, but again, that is not completely without risk. If you want to be as safe as possible, the vet advice I mentioned above is not incorrect. If you have to quarantine in the same home, I'd consider good air purifiers (true hepa, smallest micron filtration available, non-ionizing, sanitizing or ozone producing (as all of those features are harmful to birds, although it is okay to run one with those settings as long as they can be turned off and never go on automatically).
Changing clothes between handing and washing hands extremely well is also very important when you touch anything that belongs to either bird, or if either bird climbs onto you. Honestly, even just being in the same room with a really dusty bird merits a change of clothes before going to see the other.



Since birds are very stressed when re-homed, quarantine is a good time to get both tested (not driving to the vet in the same car, at the same time...obviously)...It's not 100% accurate, but better than testing in times of low-stress.


Birds in new homes are more likely to shed viral particles and the diseases I mentioned about can shed in the air via dust etc, as well as on clothing/hands etc. That is why they say you should quarantine, because even in an asymptomatic carrier, times of stress are the times when spread is more likely. The PDD/ABV virus is also extremely small, difficult to "kill" and can stay stable in the environment for over a year.

Thanks. So I’m trying to adopt a bird from a residue that is currently being fostered in a different home. So does this work as being quarantined? He had been seen by a Avian vet and been disease tested. So what are my next steps??

I really appreciate all your help


Mirrors, tents, huts, shadowy spaces of any sort should genuinely be avoided at all costs (excluding 1 debatable exception, which would be the Quaker parrot, and again, that is VERY VERY debatable).


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No, it does not apply if they have other birds in the home or if they have had them there recently. You still need to technically quarantine, because even their "healthy" birds could be "unhealthy"..Having said that, there is often some risk either way. When you adopt one, the risk is semi-contained, but whenever your bring two together, you do face a risk.


Also- do not assume your bird will get along with another bird just because it is the same species...Think about how humans meets and don't always get along in school (same idea). It is NOT essential to get a bird for another bird, unless you personally can handle the time commitment (in the event that each needs 3 hours of separate time out of his/her cage).

 

[Jkohnen31]

Some of the sneakiest/worst diseases out there (and potentially deadly) are those that they do not routinely test for in shops , before adoption, or before travel etc. Those are things with potentially long and silent incubation periods, like PDD, ABV and PBFD. Some studies estimate that more than 40% of the US captive parrot population is actively carrying and asymptomatically spreading one of these. Unfortunately, the tests required to check for these diseases are not particularly cheap (blood/pcr panel for those each specifically) and if a bird is under stress and a carrier, they are more likely to test positive (even if they have no symptoms) than a bird who is not stress and also a carrier (who may get a false negative). False positives don't really occur, but false negatives are not uncommon (depending on the time of testing, incubation period etc etc). Think about how COVID has been, but with the understanding that the incubation period for something like abv or pdd can be 2 weeks, to over 10 years (and some are contagious right away, whereas others are not, and some show symptoms and die, while others never do, but even then, it can take many years for symptoms to show....Testing is a challenge in birds without symptoms.

During initial quarantine (during that 45 day-3 month span) it's best if you can have your birds in totally separate homes due to HVAC issues (there was just a post on this yesterday and someone's avian vet said the same thing-- a different house is best). If you cannot do that, you can try separating them in rooms that are spaced out, but again, that is not completely without risk. If you want to be as safe as possible, the vet advice I mentioned above is not incorrect. If you have to quarantine in the same home, I'd consider good air purifiers (true hepa, smallest micron filtration available, non-ionizing, sanitizing or ozone producing (as all of those features are harmful to birds, although it is okay to run one with those settings as long as they can be turned off and never go on automatically).
Changing clothes between handing and washing hands extremely well is also very important when you touch anything that belongs to either bird, or if either bird climbs onto you. Honestly, even just being in the same room with a really dusty bird merits a change of clothes before going to see the other.



Since birds are very stressed when re-homed, quarantine is a good time to get both tested (not driving to the vet in the same car, at the same time...obviously)...It's not 100% accurate, but better than testing in times of low-stress.


Birds in new homes are more likely to shed viral particles and the diseases I mentioned about can shed in the air via dust etc, as well as on clothing/hands etc. That is why they say you should quarantine, because even in an asymptomatic carrier, times of stress are the times when spread is more likely. The PDD/ABV virus is also extremely small, difficult to "kill" and can stay stable in the environment for over a year.

Thanks. So I’m trying to adopt a bird from a residue that is currently being fostered in a different home. So does this work as being quarantined? He had been seen by a Avian vet and been disease tested. So what are my next steps??

I really appreciate all your help


Mirrors, tents, huts, shadowy spaces of any sort should genuinely be avoided at all costs (excluding 1 debatable exception, which would be the Quaker parrot, and again, that is VERY VERY debatable).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No, it does not apply if they have other birds in the home or if they have had them there recently. You still need to technically quarantine, because even their "healthy" birds could be "unhealthy"..Having said that, there is often some risk either way. When you adopt one, the risk is semi-contained, but whenever your bring two together, you do face a risk.


Also- do not assume your bird will get along with another bird just because it is the same species...Think about how humans meets and don't always get along in school (same idea). It is NOT essential to get a bird for another bird, unless you personally can handle the time commitment (in the event that each needs 3 hours of separate time out of his/her cage).

Thank you so much!!!! I am going to keep working in my parakeet. I watch her and she definitely likes us to be in the room but she just doesn’t want to be touch. Maybe she’ll get there someday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[noodles123]

Thanks. So I’m trying to adopt a bird from a residue that is currently being fostered in a different home. So does this work as being quarantined? He had been seen by a Avian vet and been disease tested. So what are my next steps??

I really appreciate all your help


Mirrors, tents, huts, shadowy spaces of any sort should genuinely be avoided at all costs (excluding 1 debatable exception, which would be the Quaker parrot, and again, that is VERY VERY debatable).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No, it does not apply if they have other birds in the home or if they have had them there recently. You still need to technically quarantine, because even their "healthy" birds could be "unhealthy"..Having said that, there is often some risk either way. When you adopt one, the risk is semi-contained, but whenever your bring two together, you do face a risk.


Also- do not assume your bird will get along with another bird just because it is the same species...Think about how humans meets and don't always get along in school (same idea). It is NOT essential to get a bird for another bird, unless you personally can handle the time commitment (in the event that each needs 3 hours of separate time out of his/her cage).

Thank you so much!!!! I am going to keep working in my parakeet. I watch her and she definitely likes us to be in the room but she just doesn’t want to be touch. Maybe she’ll get there someday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

try to leave her cage door open if you are home and can watch--- if you think you can do it safely (windows covered, fans off etc). See if moving at her pace makes a difference-- they move at freakishly slow rates compared to humans....Humans are like, "It's been a whole month and he still hates me!", parrots are likem, "It's been 10 hours and this joker thinks I trust him/her?!?!? hahah"

 

[Jkohnen31]

No, it does not apply if they have other birds in the home or if they have had them there recently. You still need to technically quarantine, because even their "healthy" birds could be "unhealthy"..Having said that, there is often some risk either way. When you adopt one, the risk is semi-contained, but whenever your bring two together, you do face a risk.


Also- do not assume your bird will get along with another bird just because it is the same species...Think about how humans meets and don't always get along in school (same idea). It is NOT essential to get a bird for another bird, unless you personally can handle the time commitment (in the event that each needs 3 hours of separate time out of his/her cage).

Thank you so much!!!! I am going to keep working in my parakeet. I watch her and she definitely likes us to be in the room but she just doesn’t want to be touch. Maybe she’ll get there someday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

try to leave her cage door open if you are home and can watch--- if you think you can do it safely (windows covered, fans off etc). See if moving at her pace makes a difference-- they move at freakishly slow rates compared to humans....Humans are like, "It's been a whole month and he still hates me!", parrots are likem, "It's been 10 hours and this joker thinks I trust him/her?!?!? hahah"

Last time she was out of the cage she flew into the wall so I’m nervous about her flying around.


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