Download new bird care suggestions

AFTER THE NEW -BIRD PURCHASE
Isolation of the new bird from other birds at home or in your aviary is very important. Birds
can look perfectly healthy and still shed contagious diseases. This isolation period should
be for 30 - 45 days or until laboratory tests can assure that the newly purchased bird is
free of most infectious diseases. Isolation minimally means separate rooms, but
better yet, separate buildings or at least different ends of the house. Make sure
that you wash your hands and change your clothes after handling the new bird as
well.
As soon as possible the newly purchased bird should be examined by an avian
veterinarian. General care, diet recommendations and learning to identify early
symptoms of disease should be discussed. Because contagious diseases can
rarely be detected by a physical examination, a complete blood screen, a culture
and sensitivity of the choana and cloaca for bacteria, yeast or fungus and a
psittacosis test to rule out the devastating, highly infectious “parrot fever” should
be performed. If the bird does not seem too stressed, the nails, wings and beak, if
needed, can be trimmed. Also leg bands can be removed and recommendations for
vaccines should be discussed. This new-purchase exam is an expense that should
be budgeted in when buying a new bird. Much will be discovered about the health
of the bird, contagious possibilities can be ruled out before exposure to other birds
and yourself, and disease prevention will be learned.
After the veterinary examination, your next goal is to minimize further stress. The
new home environment, the veterinary examination, the travel and shipping
experiences all stress a new bird considerably. Therefore, the new bird should be
handled very infrequently for the first 2 - 4 weeks until it becomes secure with its
new surroundings. Don’t try to change the new birds diet immediately, even if it is
eating nothing but seeds until it becomes familiar with the new home.
Remember...birds are creatures of habit and are usually very slow to accept
changes. So make sure changes are introduced gradually and in small portions.
Your planning, patience and thorough healthcheck during the first few weeks with
the new bird will be well worth your effort and expense. The relationship between
yourself and the new bird will be for many years and it is so important that this
relationship starts out right.