Samantha's around 15 now. She's only 6 or so years younger than me.
The kākāriki were quarantined for at least 1.5 months. Here's their info:
http://www.parrotforums.com/budgies-parakeets/67711-new-sickly-k-k-riki.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-health-care/68149-won-t-swallow-medicine.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-health-care/68418-good-bad-news-vet.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/budgies-parakeets/69201-k-k-riki-went-vet.html
Sorry, I know this is important, but I'm just so tired. Basically, the Kitchener Humane Society sucks hard. I adopted the poor kākāriki from them, and the kākāriki were almost dead. They were extremely emaciated, malnourished, muscles atrophied, and were barely able to stand. Ria went on antibiotics forever...anyways, after spending $2,000 so far on vet bills, it turns out the kākāriki have Staphylococcus aureus. They don't have yeast, PBFD, or parasites. So, basically, a few of my budgies probably caught the S. aureus bacterial thing. Ria's left nare is permanently deformed due to the infection which wasn't properly treated at the animal shelter. She'll have to have her sinuses flushed regularly for the rest of her life. She's still fighting the illness, so the two kākāriki are on antibiotics (for a third course of antibiotics...well, technically second time for Tiki, and a fourth time for Ria).
The pine isn't pressure treated, as I was OCD about absolutely everything used to build the aviary. The floor is marmoleum (unbelievably safe for birds), Mythic paint and primer (the safest paint products besides Green Planet paints), and stainless steel mesh. No particle board, MDF, or plywood. Stainless steel screws, washers, eye-hooks, etc. A giant apple tree branch is suspended from the ceiling using Paulie-rope. The room and toys and stuff are cleaned with Pet Focus Cleaner. The food and water dishes are stainless steel. They have Manu mineral blocks, rather than cuttlebone due to concerns over mercury. The water is RO water, and it has dandelion root and milk thistle extract in it because a couple of my guys have cancer (the dandelion root helps fight the cancer), and it also helps their livers. All their food is organic (fresh veggies, dried flours, TOPs, Golden'obles III, mash, millet). There's also a air purifier in there.
I also know about the whole Typhoid Mary thing with birds (I see I'm not the only one who uses that analogy!).
I understand what you're saying, Kentuckienne. I believe strongly in humane euthanasia when there's only suffering and no joy in living, and there's no treatment (and by treatment, I mean either a cure or pain meds for the animal to enjoy their last days).
I honestly don't think she's suffering from old age. Is she ancient? Yes, but she's not sick because of her age. Something's physically wrong with her, and it's not old age. Honestly, she's extremely feisty, flexible, curious, and tough as nails. She still wants to live, and she still enjoys life, so I want to help her.
I think EDTA might be used with birds too?
Darn, I don't have enough quarantine cages. Okay, at night I can put the kākāriki in the small flight cage so I can medicate them in the morning, and I can keep Samantha in the Celltei carrier to sleep at night. In the morning, after medicating the kākāriki, I can put them in the aviary, disinfect the flight cage, then stick Samantha in it. Meh, sure, why not. It's small, so she won't be allowed to fly around very much. She's going to be furious with me. You do NOT want to be there when she's angry! She starts screaming at you in budgie language. I'll just give her Golden'obles III, TOPs, and millet to eat.
Thanks, guys!
Oh, and I also sniffed the wood before it was put in and stuff. It smelled like pure, unadulterated wood.
FUDGE! We gave Ria and Tiki their medicine 15 minutes ago. Ria's now unable to use her left leg properly. She can sort of move it and the toes, but she's mainly keeping it in a fist, and her leg is bending at odd angles. Fudge! I don't know what's happening. It's sort of working, but at the same time it isn't. She can't grip the perch with it, and her leg collapses under her weight. Mom and I manipulated it, played with her toes, etc., and it doesn't seem to be hurting, and it has a normal(ish) range of motion. However, her toes on her left foot are cold. And she's not using it while walking and stuff. She's kind of dragging it. What's happening!? Fudge, gonna start a new thread.