Sick bird and really could use some advice/support

[KDK241]

My aunt's sister got Max, one of the rescue tiels, from me about a month ago. My aunt called me tonight and said her sister was going to call me because she thinks Max (now Buddy) is sick. I just got off the phone with her and this is the deal: On Tuesday she uncovered his cage and noticed he was fluffed up and shivering but after a little while he was back to normal. She was a little worried so she decided to keep an eye on him. He's been fine ever since until today when he started to whistle when he exhales. He is still acting fine and eating and pooping normal and has been gaining weight. She knows he is sick but doesn't know why. The only thing I can think of is that she had a parakeet when she got him (I didn't know this at the time or I would have told her to keep them apart) that her son had found in their garage. The birds were in the same room on opposite sides. I told her that it is possible that he picked something up from the keet but the keet just didn't show it or that he could have just gotten sick. She has since given the keet to someone else since she didn't want it in the first place and they couldn't find the owner.
Now for the big problem! She is leaving with my aunt tomorrow to go to Florida for a family emergency and wants me to take Max back because she doesn't want to be gone for 10 days with him being sick. She doesn't have the money to bring hiim to the vet since she used all her savings on a last minute plane ticket. She said she has someone else who could take him (the same person who has the keet) but if she gives him to her she won't take him to the vet and she just had a keet that died after she got the one from the garage so she doesn't want to put him in that situation. (Seriously, it's like this little keet is jinxed) I know she would bring him to the vet if she had the money but after the plane ticket (over $1000!) she just doesn't, which I understand.
I told her I would take him back and bring him to the vet. After bringing 5 birds in for full work ups in the last 2 months moneys a bit tight but it will get done! I told her to put a heating pad on the side of his cage for the night and cover it so he has warmth if he needs it and he's coming back here tomorrow.

This is my plan for quarentine:
My birds are downstairs, he will be upstairs and no shared air space at all.
Obviously I will be changing clothes, washing hands well and everything after handling him and he will have no interaction with my birds at all.
Anything else anyone can think of that I'm missing?

I'm going to call first thing in the morning and hope I can get an appt. for him tomorrow, preferably before I even bring him home.
I'm still kind of worried about bringing him back here though! Am I being stupid for bringing a sick bird into my house????

[xafsmom]

I think that if you maintain your regimine; changing clothing, disinfecting, keeping the door closed, allowing no one else in there and so forth, you'll be fine. Just keep ALL fabrics and stuff away from the area of the cage. Put down plastic if possible to contain the spread of feather dust. When you're transporting the cage/carrier/etc, cover it with a bedsheet and then immediately launder the sheet.

[KDK241]

Thank you, I needed a little reassurance. The room where he will be has hardwood floors and is very seperate from the rest of the house. I am planning on changing out of the clothes I wear around him in one of the spare rooms, going into the bathroom and washing up and then going into another spare room to change into clean clothes. I actually spend 99% of my time downstairs so I'm not running all over the house that much. I'm just praying it's not anything too serious.

[Willow]

Good luck. I hope ou are able to get into the vet right away and the birdie can recover.

[Jannabellsmom]

Keeping you and Max in my good thoughts for a warm and speedy recovery. (maybe that sounds odd but I know sick tiels love to be warm)

[KDK241]

Thanks guys but he's not here! I got on the phone first thing this morning and managed to make a vet appt. for him this afternoon. Then I tried to call her and she didn't answer so I called my aunt who hadn't heard from her either. I finally talked to her at about 3 this afternoon and she said that he stopped making the noise so she thinks he is fine!!!! I tried to tell her that he needs to go to the vet anyway just to be sure, ESPECIALLY since she's going to be gone for the next 11 days but the best I could get was her husband has my number in case he starts to act strange.
I am so angry!!! It's not like SHE was paying for the vet! My vet even called me an hour after I cancelled the appt. to see if I could get him to bring him in. I'm just praying that it was a seed hull or something stuck in his nose that she didn't see and he got it out and that he will be ok.

[Willow]

Oh no! :( I will keep him in my thoughts.

[catschair]

Hope everything is ok. Maybe drop by with a casserole for hubby who is alone with the bird and check on him (the bird, not the husband). I bet he will be thrilled to hand him off if you say he is sick, since the last thing any man wants is to explain to his wife why her baby was sick on his watch! Thanks for caring so much.