Minimum quarantine procedures

[nelloyello11]

I am possibly getting some owl finches this weekend at the fair, to add to my six zebras.
I bought my first two at a petstore; two others are their offspring. The other two were purchased from a breeder. None of these six have ever had any medications during the time I've had them, partly because I don't like the idea of medicating unecessarily, and partly because I had few birds so the financial risk of birds getting ill was not very great. But now adding owls, that financial risk is a bit higher...
I have a small apartment, so there is no "other room" to put new birds in during quarantine.
I am very seriously considering doing some treatments if I get any birds this weekend, but I want to keep it to a minimum. I would like to treat the new birds and my existing flock for everything at the same time, since they will be in the same room (separate cages) anyhow.
Does anyone have suggestions for a minimum treatment plan? What should I absolutely treat for? What is safer to skip?

[cindy]

Nelissa, Wayne on finchaholics asked the same thing I wrote what I did and for how long. I can copy and paste it here for you or you can check the Fbk/finchaholics site.

[nelloyello11]

Nelissa, Wayne on finchaholics asked the same thing I wrote what I did and for how long. I can copy and paste it here for you or you can check the Fbk/finchaholics site.

I will check over there. Thanks!

[nelloyello11]

Is there a difference between ronex and ronivet? Is one better than the other?
I know I need to get 12% not 6%.

[ac12]

I put my new birds in quarantine in my bathroom.
That keeps them separated from the flock that are in the familyroom.

I just have to remember to feed them last, so I don't take any "bugs" from them to the flock.
I also have to be careful when taking anything out of the bathroom that might carry "bugs" with it.

I run them thru a 45day quarantine/treatment period.
Because as you noted, as the value of the flock increases, the more important the quarantine is to keep the bugs out of the flock.

[Sally]

I don't like to medicate unnecessarily, as I believe it can build up resistance to the meds, but quarantine is a must for new birds (and to protect your present birds). I live in a small house, so normally, new birds are quarantined in my bathroom. That really isn't much of a quarantine, as air is circulated throughout the house, but it is still better than the same room.

As Gary said, it is important to prevent carrying anything from new birds to old and vice versa, so you should disinfect your hands after handling one set of birds before proceeding to the next set. Water and food dishes should also be kept separate.

I will check over the new birds, and if they appear fine, I will administer one drop of Scatt on the inner thigh. If the birds are wild-caught or come from an outside aviary, I will also worm them after I have had them for a few days. I give them NV powder or Vitalize or something similar in the water for the first few days to give them a little boost to get over the stress of being moved. And I always offer water in both my water tubes and a small dish on the bottom of the cage--not all birds are used to water tubes and won't automatically use them.

[nelloyello11]

Unfortunately, the bathroom is not an option. Small apartment -------> small bathroom. Plus since it is the farthest from the living room (where the birds are), that is where I go to do my hair, etc, to keep fumes from hair products from getting to the birds...

[ac12]

Sorry, I did not read the original post very well.
Even though this is the first "quarantine treatment" I would still "try" to keep the new birds separate. At least as far away from each other as possible. Is there another room that you can keep the new birds in?

Do NOT mix up their food/water dishes and tools with the others. I have a separate set of stuff (including a food jar) for my quarantine birds so there is less chance of cross-contamination.

And yes by treating both your existing birds and the new birds, you are starting them off evenly. I have read where a new bird is affected by something that the existing birds have. Kind of a reverse contamination. And in your case, I think the risk is reversed, as I think OWLs are much more expensive than zebras.

[debbie276]

I treat each with Scatt and worm them then just watch for signs of trouble then treat accordingly.
Best of luck

[cindy]

Nelissa...this is off the facebook/finchaholics I posted last week:

When new birds come home and are in quarantineI treat with
* Ronex or Ronivet S %12 for 7 days (6% is not strong enough but if that is all you can get then double the powder to 1 x's the water)
* then probiotcs for 3 to 4
* then Wormaway for 1
* then probiotics for 3
* then a week after the day I first gave the dewormer I deworm using wormaway again.
* then probiotics for 3 days

If the birds came from an outdoor aviary or where imported in I use Coccicare for 7 days, then proibiotics for 3. Never give probiotics with a medicine it is always given afterwards to restore flora to the gut.

I have started to use cocci-care as a preventative when getting new birds lately. I treat my whole flock every 6 months with dewormer and Ronox....Most are my own stock or I have had for a while so I may extend it to a once a year maintenance treatment.

My new birds are confined to a separate room and are tended to (fed and watered and cleaned) last after all my original, clean stock is tended to. (do the same for ill birds)

The birds remain in quarantine for about 3 to 4 weeks depending on where they came from, then moved out with the other birds. Sometimes an extra week is added on to see how they are after meds especially if I don't know much about their background, like as in rescue birds or store bought birds.

[finchandlovebird]

Are the items you mentioned available in pet stores? Are there brand names one should know?

[cindy]

the products are by a company called Moring Bird Products

to find a distrubitor near you you can go into the site at:

http://www.morningbirdproducts.com/

there are quiet a few online sites as well

Ladygouldian.com
Redbirdproducts.com
rockportaviansupplies.com
allbirdproducts.com

to name a few...I shop around for the best prices/specials

[nixity]

I really hate to harp on this but I simply don't see the point in using "cocci-care" as a preventive because it doesn't treat coccidiosis.

Cocci-care is meant to be used in outdoor aviaries/coops or "busy" aviaries where eliminating cocciodiosis is improbable because it'll be endemic. It's a coccidiostat which means it simply puts existing organisms into "stasis" for the period which the coccidiostat is given.. meaning, as soon as you stop giving it, they can come out of stasis at any time and be shed and infect the rest of your flock.

Most people use it throughout the summer (warm/humid months) and during racing/breeding season when stress lowers the immune system which is what can allow the organism to multiply out of control.

If you want to TREAT for coccidiosis (which, I'm sorry, but I always do with new birds because they almost always have it) you need something like Baycox. I think LG.com says you can use Trimethoprim Sulfa but IMO this is not as effective, and according to Vonda she saw Cocci eliminated (thru fecals) with Baycox - so this is my med of choice when treating.

[cindy]

I am still going to wait and use Baycox during a period where I can open the windows....

[Dayna]

Thanks for posting bird sites Cindy. I didnt even realize there were so many. Ah the joys of joining a good bird forum