I need to vent.

[LovelySydney]

I just need to vent. I know a person who has one bird. Then about a week ago they got another and then today they got three. Were any of the birds quarantined? No. Did this person put them all together in the same room and the same cage? Yes. I could throw up:x


We have all heard the horror stories of what can happen when you do not quarantine. We also all know how hard it can be to quarantine, but that is only because you want so bad for your little ones to play together so quickly and be best friends - not because it is hard to do. I cant believe that someone who claims to care for their pets can be so careless and not quarantine. It makes me sad but more than that it just kind of makes me angry. When I first began researching birds one of the first things I came across (thanks to this forum) was how important a quarantine was when introducing a new bird. How can people not know this information??


I have also seen on other forums (be un-named of course) now more than 8 people who have just up and adopted another bird and brought them right into the home and an hour later the new bird was out and about playing with the bird that they already had. :omg: This makes me just want to scream! I know we have done quarantine threads but I just can't believe that this happens. It really is such a danger. Ive posted how important it is on other threads in other forums, I've told people how important it is & how unsafe it could be for their birds and now one seems to get it because it keeps happening & I keep reading about it!! Would it be wrong for me to post a thread on the other forums dedicated to informing about quarantine? I am posting this thread right now because not even 20 minutes ago I read yet ANOTHER thread where someone just brought 2 birds home and put it right with the other birds. Why?!?!



Sorry about the angry/irritated/frustrated post - but I just think about Oliver and how I could never knowingly put him in that situation - & how I DIDNT with Gus and Oslo - and it pains me to think that other birds out there are subject to illness & maybe even death b/c of this:(

[Pips mom]

I know how strongly you feel about this, but I've seen alot of times where people don't quarantine.......in fact....when I got Pip, I never quarantined him from my tiels. I knew where Pip came from and also he was an only bird in previous home, so technically he had already gone through a quarantine at his previous home, and never was around any other birds, so I figured at nine months of age, he got through his babyhood, and the move into his previous home, so I knew the chances were pretty slim that I'd have any problems. When I got my second bird, Boss, she came from a rescue and was around some other birds. I did try to quarantine her, but after a short time, she ended up hearing Woody and just bolted from her cage and went directly to him, so there went that quarantine! With Ivy I did quarantine, but probably not as long as I should have. Pip got to her before the the time was up, but at least I came close! Seeing Pip seemed to really comfort her....she had a really bad time adjusting to the move here and seemed very scared and unhappy about it. She came from a home with a big flock, so I wanted to keep her apart from my birds for quarantine. The home she came from though was a very good home and even though I was unsure then, I keep in contact with Ivy's previous owner and all of her birds are healthy even to this day.....plus, it was so stressful for Ivy coming here, I think a sickness would have shown up in her at that time, and now she's been to the vet and had a check-up and she is a healthy bird......but you know it's not always the easiest thing to keep birds apart, and not because we don't care......I felt so bad for Ivy, if you could have seen her, how hard the adjustment was for her going to a new home and I only cut the quarantine time down by a little bit......it just seemed to help her alot seeing another bird.....something familiar! I did make an attempt with mine, but I'm afraid I failed to be completely 100% with the quarantine thing. I think maybe the reason for this is because I don't think you can completely erase the chance of a bird carrying something to your existing flock. I've seen too many times birds going to the vet and were healthy, but there was still something wrong......I don't think you can totally prevent the chance of a bird having something......even after quarantine.....some people even think quarantine should be for three months!!!! so I guess I've always felt that there is always that small risk, and depending on the situation with the bird you are bringing in, I think that makes a difference also.....like in Pip's situation, being an only bird in the previous home I think lessens the threat of any illness. I do think it's always a chance you take bringing a new bird into the home with others.....even with a quarantine. I was lucky with my birds....they all turned out to be healthy. I may add one more lovie, and if I do, I do plan on quarantining for the time I'm supposed to, but really if you want to have perfect quarantine.....you have to have a seperate room away from the flock you already have, AND with NO forced air heating or AC, because then the air in the whole house will circulate from different rooms. I think maybe alot of people think they properly quarantine and they really don't....they don't have the proper space or have forced air going through their home. Luckily I do not have that kind of heat here....we have the hot water/baseboard so my spare bedroom is a good place for a quarantine.....it's where I quarantined Ivy.......but yeah, I felt bad for Ivy then and felt sad for her and leaving her alone in a room like that, I caved and didn't quarantine for the whole time you're supposed to, but it was very close.

[Mummieeva]

By all means post about how important a quarantine is. Some people do not know about it. Just be ready in case some are not happy with the post. You might even get answers from those who skipped it. There are some times it is ok to skip it Like Pips Mom said. Quarantine time was a very hard time at my house.


Steph

[momo]

Quarantine is something that I strongly advocate.. I brought a new fid home and little did I know.. without the vet check the next day.. the new bird has psittacosis.. I love my elmo so much I could not ever forgive myself is something happened to her. If my baby died because I was lazy... I am no better than a person who keeps a fid in a tiny cage, with no time out or toys.

Its a real pain in the rear, Quarantine. but I'd prefer to go through with this for at least 45 days.. its better than living a life time of regret and guilt. I have to put a face mask, put my hair up in a hat, put on gloves. Make sure that Elmo is locked away in her cage near a window to ensure by some freak way.. that something gets between two doors.But the thing is.. you would go to these lengths for a human baby and child.. so why won't you do it for your feathered children?

[linda040899]

Proper quarantine is something that I, and therefore this community, will always advocate! Unless the bird comes from a household where it was the only bird and health was maintained, you actually don't know that any bird is healthy! While 30 days is OK, 60 is better and 90 is optimum. Even then you can get some surprises!

I try to get new birds (breeding stock) only from people I know and my larger parrots were either quarantined or came from single bird homes. Even to this day, I remember Pepper, the young Painted Conure that I kept for 4 days while a breeder friend of mine went to visit her son in New England. Pepper was still being hand fed and it was hard for me to think of her as a baby bird that could potentially be sick with something that showed no visible symptoms while she was in my care. Sure enough, 24 hrs after she went back to her owner, Pepper was dead from Polyomavirus and it was traced back to her breeder. I didn't have her long enough for her to have picked it up here but she was here long enough to have potentially infected my birds had I not kept her in a quarantine area!

As a result, I preach quarantine everywhere I go, even if other communities don't pay attention to what I have to say. Oh yes, it drives me crazy that some people have to learn by experience!!!

[michael]

Frustrating as it is, its not at all uncommon to find many poeple still continue to lack information regarding proper quarantine. For instance, one of my aunts who's kept birds for well over 30 years has never even heard of quarantine. In her mind, once a bird fell ill, it received vet care (usually hers), then retreated to a sick cage until which time it hopefully recuperated. In fact, it would not surprize me to find my grandmother (who cared very deeply for her budgies) would have a similar attitude. ..... Fortunately for many parront guardians, whether their just starting out or have years of experience, the concept of dealing with newly adopted birds, or those that fall ill, has lead towards a better understanding of just how important the quarantine process really is.

I would definitely post whatever information you can wherever you can so others can at least realize the option exists. I would also try to accomplish this important task in as diplomatic fashion as possible, that way there's little left in the way of argument, except for the facts and a few real life horror stories.

[LovelySydney]

I've decided to start a thread & put my experience with quarantine and those I know who didn't and hate fatal results. Then I am going to provide links to reputable bird sites that explains what quarantine is and how to do it correctly. This way people won't think I am attacking anyone or putting the blame on any one person. It's the easiest way to do this and keep the information out there - which is the most important thing.