Minimum quarantine procedures

[cindy]

The one thing through the years I learned is not to rush quarantine...Everyone is excited to pair and add birds to their existing flock but be aware birds conceal things like internal parasites and viruses.

If the bird is well nurished and in good overall condition it can often hold the parasite or illness at bay until the bird is stressed either from breeding, coming in contact with another bird carrying illness, etc.

A parent bird can carry parasites and illness without showing signs and can pass it onto young hatchlings. Young hatchlings have immature immune and often succumb to the illness/parasite and often die in the nest or shortly after fledging.

Also don't be in a rush to breed birds fresh out of quarantine unless you are sure of were they came from and enough time has past to ensure they are well. Sometimes even that is not 100%.

If you purchase birds at a show from different breeders, keep them separate while in quarantine, one may be carrying something that can easily be past onto the other bird if put in the same cage.