Question about bird to human diseases.

milkmanv1 · Post by **milkmanv1** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:11 pm

Hey guys, Just joined up figuring you bird nuts could help me out.

I'm kinda interested in getting a pair of zebra finches, but i don't know if ill pursue it. (I'm 14 so I'd have to shoot it through my parents, and I already have a 30gallon reef tank, a crested gecko and a leopard gecko) I just got rid of a 16 gallon bow front freshwater tank, which leaves room for a cage.

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So anyway, I was just curious here. I jokingly said to my mom I should get finches and she claimed that all birds have a possibility of transmitting diseases to humans and started to list them all (her job is environmental health and safety

) so basically my questions are, what are the chances of this ever happening, and do finches carry diseases transmittable to people.

kittani79 · Post by **kittani79** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 1:26 am

It's very rare to catch anything from healthy captive birds, particularly if they are kept properly. The biggest danger is from feces allowed to sit around and mold over a period of time; if you clean your cage properly, you're fine. Your mom likely has more experience with large wild populations (probably of pigeons or doves) infesting abandoned or rarely used sections of buildings, and that can be a very bad thing because of all the feces that does build up there, not to mention wild birds being much more likely to carry various diseases.

Finches, also, harbor fewer potential diseases than hookbills. Psittacosis is the latest scare, but it's quite rare in finches. Even if a hookbill carries it, they may show no signs and never get sick. It's actually extremely rare for a person to catch this disease from a bird, and most people who get it think they have had the flu and never know. Immuno-depressed people are at greatest risk, and should always take care around ANY animal.

I am less cautious around birds than I am around my reptiles.

poohbear · Post by **poohbear** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 4:25 am

Good old Health and Safety...

You've got more chance of being trampled to death by a rampaging giraffe than catching nasties off a pet bird....go get some.

Paul.

milkmanv1 · Post by **milkmanv1** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:12 pm

ha thanks guys, I didn't think it was likely at all. Especially if I got a healthy pair from a pet store that actually cares for their animals. Local pet store here, precious pets sells birds, The birds are slightly overcrowded but they don't mix any that shouldn't be mixed. They even make sure their fish have a good tank and tank mates!

Geordie · Post by **Geordie** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 9:02 pm

Getting married poses a bigger threat