Reader Poll

[The Outlaw]

Here's the question: You have recently had a bird die from unknown causes. You have other birds in your home that shared the same space. Your bird died underweight and unable to defecate.

When would you feel its safe to get another bird?

[yehudasf]

BS"D

That situation sounds like PDD, or one of the other gastro-intestinal disorders. If the bird were necropsied & the results showed PDD, I would not bring another bird into the home, realising that almost certainly all of the other birds would be infected. I would not even get around other birds unless I had a complete change of clothes, that had never been in the facility where the suspect birds are housed(including shoes), as well as a thorough shower.

[Franciscus]

I would wait at least one year. I would also have a necropsy done. I had a lovebird die and there was a possibility of PDD but it turned out to be organ failure do to a toxin. It was a REALLY stressfull time waiting for the test results especially after the vet thought PDD may have been a posibility. The vet told me that the virus causing PDD is probably not a strong virus and that direct contact with an infected bird OR contact with an infected bird's feces is the most likely mode of transmittion. The lovebird's mate is still with me and healthy and it has been at least three years. The toxin causing her demise was probably something in the sisal rope I had given her to use as nesting material. I found out much later it can have fungiside in it.

It is important to ALWAYS have a necropsy performed on a bird, ESPECIALLY if you have others.

[LMPego]

I voted for waiting 3 months after everybody was vet checked, but I'm not sure I would get another bird. Hard to say until it happens to you...

[kensbuns]

I would never be able to replace either of mine. However I would wait and research and read and wait and read and wait some more. I would then decide if that is really what I want to do. Now that I have birds and see that these guys really belong in the wild. Not caged or other wise I would never buy a baby bird. I love them dont get me wrong. Soooo if I did I would adopt or rescue!!!

[Dayna]

I checked vet check all the birds, then "replace". You can't really replace a bird, but you can add another one to your home.

I think though it would depend on what the vet says on if you can get another one or not.

I would in reality, vet check the birds, do a necropsy, then when I am ready and the right bird comes along, get another one.

[Miro The Macaw]

Hmmm. I wonder what brought this question on. Perhaps some recent 'drama' on the board?? It is a GREAT question, and one that should be addressed, for sure!

I would have a necropsy done, just so I knew. Whatever the results are, I would be in no rush to replace the bird, especially if the death was caused by something that is either known to be contagious or, perhaps worse yet, of an unknown cause.

As many diseases can live for a LONG time in the absence of hosts, It would not be advisable to bring another animal in to the picture for a considerable time- Several months minimum, in my opinion. Cleaning everything, and sterilizing multiple times, is a certain must, but I would not trust that to kill everthing. The fact is, a virus is small. Very small. And it only takes one to infect and kill an animal. You could easily miss it in cleaning- Or, it could be airborne- Any number of things. It isnt worth the risk.

Anyone who would go out and replace a bird right away, ESPECIALLY not knowing what caused the death of the first, is not responsible enough to own an animal. Period.
Just my .02...
-Andrew

[Adi]

Well it seems that I'm with everyone else! My chronology of events would be the following:

Necropsy - vet check the present birds - Give myself time to heal so I have the ability to make the safest decision for me, my existing flock, or any potential new birds. No way would I make the decision to bring in another bird if I consider myself mentally unstable or overwhelmed with grief.

If the death was due to a transmissible illness, then I feel that I should know so I would be well placed to prevent the transmission to any other birds.

If the death was somehow due to any of my actions, or was preventable, then I feel that I should know so I can responsably prevent the reoccurence of any such events in the future.

Basically, a necropsy can help you avoid going through grief all over again. Especially when you're trying to heal the wound made by the passing of a close friend.

You have to ask yourself "What's best for the bird" not "What's best for me"

[wildirish]

SORRY BLAKE you are wrong on this one!!!! She made it known on a public forum, she advertised on hoobly she is not telling people that she doesn't know what Savannah died from.

IT"S TOO DAMNED LATE!!!! She already brought in a very young macaw without having time to sanitize or change anything properly, no testing done no nothing!!!! There is not a vet out there that would tell anyone it was definately not PDD without doing a crop biopsy or a necropsy!!!! She is sleeping in the same bed with this new baby macaw!!!

RESPECT...PLEASE!!! For what??? I don't care if it wasn't PDD it doesn't matter she is irresponsible and what she has done is pathetic!!! I will find every single board she is on and ad she has placed in order to warn people not to sell her another bird.

[The Outlaw]

Blake:

I agree about being respectful. I am respectful of LIFE first and foremost. I'm not childish, spoiled or selfish. I would love to have the name of this person's vet if in fact they suggested it was safe to bring a BABY macaw home at this time. I think their license should be suspended. You are very young and very kind. I know that you have yourself recently lost a bird and did do the right thing. And, being just a kid, that speaks volumes. However, if you had gone out just a few days after the death of Mango not knowing anything whatsoever about the cause of his death, it would have been exactly the same thing: selfish and irresponsible. When I first spoke with this person I made it CRYSTAL clear that her bird was sick enough to die. She didn't think I knew what I was talking about. The bird died the very next day. Now I ask you, was that just a lucky guess? Or, maybe, just maybe, my research and compassion educated me about what the probability was. In the end, its always about what's best for the bird. Can you honestly say that a baby bird, a baby macaw of all things, is safe in this environment? Would you have sold a baby bird to this same person knowing what just happened? You need not respond here, that's up to you. I'm not baiting you. I'm just challenging you to think it through. Remember: we ARE responsible for them. They are NOT responsible for us.

THE OUTLAW