First Aid Kits

[JazzyBabe]

I am wanting to assemble a first aid kit for my parrotlet. I am also interested in finding something for him when I first adopt him. Some sort of natural calming aid to relieve any stress and make the transition of coming to live with me easier.

Do you guys have any advice on what i should get for the first aid kit? I know the basics, I mean more along the lines of supplements and medications should he get sick. Also are they prone to mites? When I first started looking into getting a pet bird, I was leaning towards a canary. And all people could talk about was how they are likely to get mites and that you should always have something available to kill them. Is this the same for parrots and parrotlets? I wasnt able to find anything online about this.

Thanks for your help and suggestions!


PS Very glad I decided on the Parrotlet over the Canary!

[MicahEspudo]

You don't NEED any meds or supplements in your parrotlet's first aid kit. But you do need to have your avian vet on speed dial... and make sure to have a back up vet on speed dial too! You might want to add vitamins to your parrotlet's food, but thats a different topic.

[JazzyBabe]

Ok. There were so many things that were suggested for canaries that I freaked out when i found nothing on parrotlets.

Something that worries me is that the nearest avian vet is a good 2 hour drive away! I'll be sure to keep his number on speed dial anyways. And I'll also have a local vet just in case of a serious emergency - though i've heard that that can do more harm than good.

[dani_L]

Something I worry about too! Recently my parrotlet Oki lost a toenail, and I had to think fast... I was able to stop the bleeding and put a little antibiotic ointment on it.He's fine now. I think along those lines, any pet owner needs to be prepared for a sudden accident that needs to be dealt with quickly. Some of us, who don't live close to a vet, can't take chances with bleeding, etc, so I know what you mean.

[Lori~D]

Quick stop will be the #1 item in your birds first aid kit. Next will be a heat lamp. No Meds unless directed by a vet and NO supplements of any kind if your feeding a whole food like roudybush. It is possible to overdose a bird on vitamins. Mites are only a problem in souther regions where ppl may leave the birds outside or bring in new birds from outdoor aviaries often done with finches and canaries down south. NO BIRD PROTECTORS - they are toxic!
I also do not reccomend antibiotic salve as your bird WILL ingest it if you put it on.