How long to quarantine?

[Icearstorm]

I got four birds from the Central Florida Fairgrounds bird show (Lady Gouldian, three societies) and two birds from a nearby pet store (Lady Gouldian and society finch)... I would have gotten two Gouldians from the same location, but I did not notice one of the Gouldians was ill until about an hour later. I was able to return it, but not the other one, since she seemed healthy. I then went to the pet store and bought another society finch and a male Gouldian to go along with the female, and they seem very healthy.
I was going to separate the birds between my 4'x1.5'x4.5' cage and the largest travel cage, which is about a fifteenth the size (if that), but one of the society finches got its leg caught in the travel cage and would have died if I hadn't helped it. Now the four from the show are in my large cage and the other two are in an absolutely tiny cage that only seems suitable for several hours. I have a spare parrot cage that I formerly had set up as a finch cage which is around 1.5'x1.5'x2' which I am trying to sell, but I'm open to using it for the two finches.
The main concerns I have are disease spreading (I learned later that there was a diarrhea outbreak in part of the show), loss of condition (I hear Gouldians tend to get fat and lethargic in small cages), and depression. What should I do?


What I got:

Show
1 Lady Gouldian female (green with lilac breast and black face)
3 Societies (1 male chocolate self, 2 probably female Black Browns)

Pet Store
1 Lady Gouldian male (green with purple breast and red face)
1 Society (male chocolate self)

[lovezebs]

Icearstorm

Well, I would definitely keep all these new kids seperate from everyone else. The bird mart birds seperate, the pet shop birds seperate, and all of them seperate and away from your current birdlings.

I'm not sure what was going around that bird mart, but I wouldn't take any chances. Bird diseases, can spread like wildfire.

With this situation, especially where one of the birds which you bought was sick, I would quarantine for at least a month (if not longer). I would say that you will def need a couple of good sized cages for this purpose, seeing as you can't keep these birds in small travel cages for such a period of time.

Any bird, will get fat, lethargic, and depressed in a small cage.

Not sure if you are aware that 'some' Societies are carriers of disease, that can kill Gouldians (without being sick themselves). Check out Campylobacter, and Cochlosoma. Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying that your Socies are carriers of these diseases, just saying that it's something to be aware of.

[Icearstorm]

lovezebs
My mom just put them all in together. Certainly not ideal, but too late now... I suppose I should now delete this thread, if possible.

[lovezebs]

Icearstorm

Oh dear.....

Well good luck.

[Shannylee]

Icearstorm, not sure what part of town you live in but there is an awesome bird store in Longwood. Rena's Pet Supplies. He (Fernando is the owner) specializes in birds. His cages are very reasonably priced. His birds are also reasonably priced.

I plan on keeping my mart birds in quarantine for 90 days before they go into my aviary. Since your birds are now all together and they are all new anyhow, I would treat the whole lot of them. I normally start with mite treatment and then watch for any other health issues. I'm pretty sure there is a quarantine protocol under the "Health" tab that I need to re-read.

Was the other mart Gouldian in with the sick one that was returned? If so, you definitely should treat for mites.

[Sally]

Since all the birds are now together, you can just quarantine them as a group. My program is to treat with Scatt for mites, a wormer if any are wild-caught or raised in outside aviaries, and just keep an eye on them. I like to use a product called NV powder for the first few days--it is an electrolyte solution that helps them get through stress. Vitalize by Morning Bird is a similar product.

As others have said, since there seemed to be an outbreak of some sort at the mart, I'd quarantine longer than usual, at least a month if not longer.

[lovezebs]

Sally Shannylee

I may have understood wrong, but I think Icestorm meant that ALL the birds were put in together, old and new, thereby making the whole point of quarantine no longer an issue.

I am thinking that all the birds should now be treated with SCATT, both the new and the old . Not sure what else they should be treated for, with the intestinal thing that they may or may not have picked up and brought with them and introduced to the current flock.

[w.l.]

I know many are against this, but I'd consider a preventive 5 days long course of antibiotics, too.

[lovezebs]

w.l. Icearstorm

With the situation being what is, I think I would agree.

[Icearstorm]

lovezebs w.l. Sally Shannylee

I have treated them with Ivermectin (2 more treatments needed), and they seem to be doing well. The only one I worry about is the female gouldian; she's a bit underweight. I don't know if that is because she hasn't been eating the eggfood or because her flight muscles have atrophied; she is not great at landing and therefore does not fly often, preferring to hop around instead. I think she was kept in a small cage during the fledging period; the flight issue does not seem to be neurological.
The two male society finches and the male gouldian sing all the time. I think the society finches are nesting (I need to check the box for eggs later this week). I would like to breed the gouldians, but will not attempt to do so until the female reaches peak condition.

[Icearstorm]

Shannylee
I think that is actually the store I went to after the show. You're right, they have very nice birds. I just wish I had known of it before I bought the female gouldian at the show, or I would have gone back a month or two later and bought a male and female from the store. (My mom's friend told us about it right after I went to the show.)

[lovezebs]

Icearstorm

Regarding your girl.
I personally would offer her some food in a dish on the ground if she's having problems flying and getting to the food dishes.

Eggs are great, for birds who are strugglin for whatever the reason, and it will bring her weight back up. Also Spray millet.

Every few days, raise a perch up a tiny bit, and raise the food with it, so that she'll have to hop a little higher, and use her wings a bit more.

Eventually the wing muscles will start to develope more and more.

Is she fully molted into adult coloyrs?

[Icearstorm]

lovezebs
The eggfood is usually served on the ground. This time I moved it closer to her side of the cage; she doesn't like being on the left for some reason. The seed is about a foot and a half off the ground. She doesn't have any problem reaching it, and can fly pretty well for a foot or two. All of my birds are adults.
I've heard that gouldians do not like moist food. Is this true?

[lovezebs]

Icearstorm

My guys love their egg food so I have to say 'not true'.
They also love LOVE their greens, veggies, and fruit. Once in a while, they'll even enjoy some nice juicy meal worms

[Icearstorm]

lovezebs

Thank you! It's just that I've only seen my gouldians eat seed and oyster shell. Perhaps I should put in a dish higher up for some of their food so they feel more comfortable.