Preventative Treatments ??

[cindy]

They get the air, herbs and good foods, mine will make due with the artifical lighting and the sun that comes in through the windows....the issues sometimes are where the birds come from to begin with. Sometimes you have to consider that, handle it in the beginning and then go from there with all the good stuff. I try not to use anything after quarantine unless it is called for....

[cindy]

Rancel, there is a lot to be said for herbs, good foods, a pure life for birds and for humans. It is also good to have a back up like you said. My meds are stored in the fridge just in case.

[CandoAviary]

I urge people to put their money towards organic foods and herbs . Of course you should have medications on hand in case you do need them... but hopefully your birds will be so healthy from the foods, space, light and air you provide that those meds will just sit in the refrigerator and expire

Rancel, This is exactly what I meant by my earlier statement... try to keep them as natural as possible and they will have a stronger immune system. But in the case you bring in a bird with bad health or one of yours become infected then you should try your best to help it with medications. You should first educate yourself about the medications to use and when in doubt ask you vet...or a vet through an online service.
I have a refrigerator full of meds, suppliments, oils, etc. Fortunately most of the meds expire before ever opened. I will open the doxycycline to test for ornithosis if I feel I have bought a flock of finches that have syptoms before treating with specific meds for other diseases that wouldn't probably help anyways......
But yes Rancel, I agree with your ideas of offering herbs, and acclimating your birds to natural temps. I keep most all of my birds at seasonal tmperatures (except at the pet store where you have to keep it human friendly) They go from 95% summer to as love a 35% winter. The low only lasting maybe a few hours. Healthy birds take this in swing with no problems...they just eat more to burn calories to keep warm.
My goal is to have a planted outdoor aviary with herbs growing freely...now I grow the herbs in pots and place them in the concrete floored aviaries. Also offer dried herbs and some oils.
If you are intersted in narural health you should check out grassland gouldians and the forum they conducts One point they make is the wonders of natural sunshine...under healthcare. I can attest to this. Sometimes a finch that is looking like it is on death's door will totally revive simply after having some time in the sun
http://www.grasslandsgouldians.com/aviary/Welcome_.html

Great forum for natural keeping
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Es ... =395051862

[cindy]

While on this subject...in regrds to herbs...I know you can use basil, my neighbor grows lemon basil. It smells wonderful even dried. He gave me a handful of seed to plant for my birds. Hope they like it, it smells like basil with a hint of fresh lemon.

[CandoAviary]

I grow lemon basil, the birds don't seem to sample it much but boy is it good on grilled fish
Here are a few to try..most herbs are easy to grow...thry love the hot sunny climate of florida
http://www.birds.com/blog/growing-herbs-for-pet-birds/

[cindy]

HMMMM....maybe I will keep it for us!!!! Love lemon!

I plan on going herbs when it get warmer, for right now we are doing dried.

[CandoAviary]

I also use the dried herb salad from twin beaks and sell it from the store. I love that Cathy ensures all the herbs were Organically grown... so very important to me
http://www.twinbeaksaviary.com/herbsalad.html

[cindy]

I use that as well, the birds all love it!!!

[alexmom]

Candace - That was interesting what you wrote about the temperatures. My birds are in our living room, but we let the house get cooler at night during the winter, down to about 65. So, that temperature from 65 at night to sometimes up to 74 during the day, will not hurt my birds as long as they're healthy? I've been leaving a red head lamp on at night because I was worried they would get too cold.

[Dayna]

I urge people to put their money towards organic foods and herbs . Of course you should have medications on hand in case you do need them... but hopefully your birds will be so healthy from the foods, space, light and air you provide that those meds will just sit in the refrigerator and expire

Rancel, This is exactly what I meant by my earlier statement... try to keep them as natural as possible and they will have a stronger immune system. But in the case you bring in a bird with bad health or one of yours become infected then you should try your best to help it with medications. You should first educate yourself about the medications to use and when in doubt ask you vet...or a vet through an online service.
I have a refrigerator full of meds, suppliments, oils, etc. Fortunately most of the meds expire before ever opened. I will open the doxycycline to test for ornithosis if I feel I have bought a flock of finches that have syptoms before treating with specific meds for other diseases that wouldn't probably help anyways......
But yes Rancel, I agree with your ideas of offering herbs, and acclimating your birds to natural temps. I keep most all of my birds at seasonal tmperatures (except at the pet store where you have to keep it human friendly) They go from 95% summer to as love a 35% winter. The low only lasting maybe a few hours. Healthy birds take this in swing with no problems...they just eat more to burn calories to keep warm.
My goal is to have a planted outdoor aviary with herbs growing freely...now I grow the herbs in pots and place them in the concrete floored aviaries. Also offer dried herbs and some oils.
If you are intersted in narural health you should check out grassland gouldians and the forum they conducts One point they make is the wonders of natural sunshine...under healthcare. I can attest to this. Sometimes a finch that is looking like it is on death's door will totally revive simply after having some time in the sun
http://www.grasslandsgouldians.com/aviary/Welcome_.html

Great forum for natural keeping
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Es ... =395051862

I absolutely love this group and Lainey. Such an informative group and Lainey is so nice and always ready and willing to help out anyone who needs it.

[bugaboo5]

I worm my birds once a year and treat them for ASM every other month. That's it!

I was just wondering, what do you use to treat for ASM and how do you administrate the medication to all your birds? I've been treating for ASM as a preventative twice a year with SCATT but it's really tedious to have to catch and treat every single bird. I know you have lots of birds as well, so I would love to know how you are able to treat every other month and with what. Thanks in advance for your response!!

[dfcauley]

I worm my birds once a year and treat them for ASM every other month. That's it!

I was just wondering, what do you use to treat for ASM and how do you administrate the medication to all your birds? I've been treating for ASM as a preventative twice a year with SCATT but it's really tedious to have to catch and treat every single bird. I know you have lots of birds as well, so I would love to know how you are able to treat every other month and with what. Thanks in advance for your response!!

I use S76 and treat the whole flock. It is mixed in with their water.

[cindy]

Here is the info on S76....it tells how to mix it also

http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/product_s76.php

[kenny66]

I treat my birds for worms every 3 months (moxidectin or S76) and baycox for coccidioisis every three months, or when we have heavy rain, without fail. Personally, I would never use any other medications such as antbiotiics without vet advice. My experience has been that keeping a clean aviary with premium seed and lots of veggies plus the usual shell grit-charcoal etc and clean water goes a long way towards ensuring birds dont get ill. My main aviary is now about 35 ft long by 7ft wide and is surprisingly easily to keep clean. I do, however, keep stocking levels low and provide many nesting areas and feeding stations. I cant comment on the effectiveness of alternative therapies for the birds because I use them in tandum with my worming and coccidiosis routine. I also believe that minimum or no stress levels allows the birds immune system to function efficiently. Hearing about peoples different approaches to this subject is really interesting.

[kenny66]

I treat my birds for worms every 3 months (moxidectin or S76) and baycox for coccidioisis every three months, or when we have heavy rain, without fail. Personally, I would never use any other medications such as antbiotiics without vet advice. My experience has been that keeping a clean aviary with premium seed and lots of veggies plus the usual shell grit-charcoal etc and clean water goes a long way towards ensuring birds dont get ill. My main aviary is now about 35 ft long by 7ft wide and is surprisingly easily to keep clean. I do, however, keep stocking levels low and provide many nesting areas and feeding stations. I cant comment on the effectiveness of alternative therapies for the birds because I use them in tandum with my worming and coccidiosis routine. I also believe that minimum or no stress levels allows the birds immune system to function efficiently. Hearing about peoples different approaches to this subject is really interesting.

The Moxidectin-S76- does ASM as well as worms
BTW I believe that the AS Mites do not live very long outside the repiratory system of the finches, so beak wiping of live mites is not a very effective way to become infected, although of course it happens.. It is more likely to be from community interaction, feeding chicks etc