BFA's and proper vet care - vaccines? yearly check ups?

[DeguMom]

Ok, more questions! Thank you so much for helping me out so far. I feel really encouraged by all your replies, and I'm feeling more like this is definitely something I can do. So I'm feeling very positive about adopting this bird! (Don't know the gender yet.)

My next question is this:

What would be considered proper vet care for a BFA? Do they require any vaccines? Do they need to have a yearly vet check up like my dog and cat? How about wing clipping?

Thank you for the help, I can already tell I'm going to have a lot more questions. So thank you for your patience with me!

[Wally]

You should have a yearly check up and usually a cbc (blood test). The first visit they do more testing that a regular check up. Around here, it's about $130.00 for an annual exam. They have devloped a vaccine for parrots. We had our birds tested when we first brought them to our vet. We do not vaccine ours as they do not go anywhere that there are other birds, other than the vet. If I go to bird fairs or stores where there are other birds, I wash up after the visit.

[Wally]

Wing clipping is a personal issue. When we first got our parrots, we had their flight feathers trimmed. If you have a busy household with doors being opened and closed alot, or if you have fragile things around that you aren't willing to put away, I would definately trim the birds flights. If the bird is on the wild side I would trim the flights. Our birds at present have their flights grown back. They have settled in to us being their home, and we are extremely careful about not having them at a place where they could get startled and fly out a window or door. We arepresently working on our YCA with a harness for hanging out with him.

[DeguMom]

Thank you so much! I will call our exotics vet on Monday, as they see birds too, and try to get an appointment scheduled. We pick up the bird in about 2 weeks, and I thought a good "first stop" would be at the vet's for a thorough check up.

I really appreciate the info and advice!

[Wally]

If your vet is trained in avian medicine, that is great. Work with him/her any talk to them. Feel free to ask questions from them. I have a very good vet and a good report with him. Our's is very gentle with our birds, but firm enough if he has to towel them. He explains the test results with me [although some of it goes right over my head...whoosh], and will help me understand if I want to understand. If there is need for suppliments, ask about organics also. Nature has many good things for our FIDs. Our vet ask me how much I want him to do. He will ask me about feather trimming, nail trimming, etc. etc. I prefer my freinds at a bird shop to do those when, or if needed.
One thing I forgot in the food post, is to offer some type of mineral block. They have many out there. The BF we had liked the Manu clay type, but our others are o-k with the fruit shaped ones.