Obtaining New Birds
By Dr. Jeanne Smith, DVM Avian Health Services

Whether you are getting your first and one-and-only pet bird or whether you are adding more birds to an existing population, using caution, commonsense and a little education will save you from much grief, trouble and expense. Everyone knows that the more you stand to lose, the less risk you should be willing to take, but sometimes you don't know what the risks are or what to watch out for. I'll outline some of the risks involved in obtaining new birds and some strategies for minimizing them.

Know what you want One of the problems I see among bird owners is impulse buying. This can be a hazard at the grocery store or appliance store as well, but it really impacts lives when a living bird is purchased by someone who doesn't have a good idea about what to expect. Before you buy a bird do some research into it's characteristics - how noisy they are, what type of noise they make, how long they live, what they eat, how dependent/independent they are, how aggressive they are, will they bond with a whole family or only one member, etc. There are a few good sources for this information: bird shops, avian veterinarians, books and people who own the species of bird you are thinking of. I often recommend going to a pet shop or breeder's premise and observing the bird of interest for a while. If you can't stand 20 minutes of the noise it makes or it's activity level, you probably won't be able to stand having it in your home.

The best matches are made when you list the characteristics that you want in your bird and then ask a knowledgeable person what species would meet that description. you should also consider whether a handfed bird or parent-reared bird would be best for what you want in your bird. Handfed birds do not always make the best pet bird for everyone. People with busy lifestyles or who value independence in their pets would probably do much better with a parent-reared bird.

One of the benefits of doing the research and determining what you want is that you become familiar with what you will need to provide for the bird you choose. This will allow you to prepare for its arrival, which is the next consideration in obtaining new birds.

Preparing for your birds arrival If you have never had a bird or never had this type of bird, it is important to become familiar with what it will need before it arrives. Determine a good location for it's cage, whether indoors or outdoors. Have an appropriate cage with appropriate accessories ready. If you are adding the bird to an existing group of birds, make arrangements for quarantine or isolation and later introduction to the other birds. During quarantine you want the new bird's cage to be as far away and have as little exposure to other bird(s) as possible. The quarantine is still needs to be comfortable and meet the needs of the new bird, yet it should be in an area with little general traffic. Spare rooms, less frequently used rooms are good for quarantine areas for two reasons. The new bird will get used to new people more gradually and less stressfully, and there will be less chance of people transmitting dust, dirt and feathers from the new bird to the other birds. When you have a large collection of birds or very valuable birds, it is best to have a quarantine facility at another location or have a separate building or aviary as far away from your other birds as possible to serve as a quarantine area.

Choosing the bird The first consideration in choosing the bird to buy is where to buy it. Use reputable sources. Investigate bird shops and look for shops that have good bird management and consistently healthy looking birds for sale. Notice how clean they keep the bird area. Do they house the birds appropriately and safely? If you want to buy direct from a breeder, ask around at the local bird club, talk to different breeders, and, if possible, check out the premise before you buy a bird. there are now voluntary avicultural certification programs that require members to meet certain quality standards. If a breeder has received certification it means they have established management practices and have been inspected to make sure they provide a healthy and safe environment for their birds.

Once you decide where you will obtain your bird, you need to choose individual or individuals you want. Take some time to observe the birds. Pay attention to the birds' behaviors and indications of health. Knowing what characteristics you want in your bird, for example, if you want a lively, outgoing bird, look for the birds that come to the front of the cage to greet you or that seem actively involved in playing with toys or other birds. If you want a calm, placid bird, look for birds that don't startle easily and appear serene on their perch. Investigate them further by handling them and finding out if they are fearless or fearful, aggressive or affectionate, etc. If you are looking for breeding birds, behavior is also important to observe. Know whether you need an aggressive bird or a submissive bird for the bird you are pairing it to. Or if you are buying a pair, look for compatible behavior.

Make sure you also evaluate evidence of the birds' health. The following things should be examined: Normal or Healthy Possible Problem Posture Mainly upright, tail at slight angle or in line with back. Hunched over, tail pointed straight down or at large angle to back. Eyes Clear, round, bright, alert, no discharge Dull, squinted, glazed or vacant look, watery or matted feathers around eyes. Feathering Bright colors, sleek and smooth, no down showing through. Shoulder feathers clean. Vent feathers clean. Dull, rough or fluffed, down feathers or skin showing, crusty or dirty shoulders. Vent feathers with urates or feces. Nostrils Clean, normal size and shape for species. Tannish/pink. Dirty, watery, wrong size or shape for species, red. Breathing Chest moves slightly with each breath at rest. Breathes with beak closed. No noise. Chest moves too much with each breath, abdomen moves with each breath, open mouth breathing. Whistles, rattles, gurgling. Weight Barely feel keel bone on breast with rounded pads of firm muscle on either side of keel bone. Prominent keel bone with flat or concave muscling on either side. Puffy, soft fat pads along crop area, sides, abdomen and flanks.

I often see people choose an obviously abnormal or neglected bird because they feel sorry for it. If this is going to be a solitary pet bird, this is probably an acceptable risk as long as you understand that the bird will likely take more time and money to set right and may have chronic, lingering problems you'll need to cope with for the rest of it's life. If you have other birds be aware that an unhealthy or neglected bird is much more likely to be a carrier of infectious diseases than an obviously healthy, well managed bird is. Imagine having to feel sorry for several of your other birds as they get sick or die after being exposed to this new bird. It may help you accept that you are not in a position to help that sorry looking bird.

When you buy your new bird Notice what kind of feeders and waterers the bird is currently using and make sure you offer similar containers. For example, a bird that has only had water in a bowl may not immediately use a water bottle and vice versa. Take home a few pounds of the food the bird is currently eating, even if this is a seed mixture. Your new bird will be experiencing the stress of many changes and you don't have to add the stress of changing diets until it is accustomed to the new surroundings. A few weeks after arrival you can start the process of gradually changing the diet if you want to. Changing from one seed mixture to another may be done much more quickly and easily than changing from one pellet to another brand or from seeds to pellets.

Make a clear agreement, preferably in writing, with the seller as to any health or sex guarantees or return policies. Most sellers will offer a short time period for you to have the bird examined by a veterinarian.

At home with your new bird Minimize stresses on your new bird as much as possible. If the bird is uncomfortable or unfamiliar with children or pets, try to minimize any contact with them for the first week then gradually introduce them. If your new bird is comfortable with your company, spend plenty of time with it, but if it is uncomfortable, give it about a week of minimal contact before you start to work with it.

If you have other birds, wash your hands well before and after handling the new bird or after cleaning the cage. This should be done during the entire quarantine period, ideally 30 days.

Get your bird examined by a veterinarian within the time frame established with the seller. The extent of the examination should be dictated by the potential risk the new bird poses. If it is going to be a solitary pet, a minimal health exam may be all that is warranted. This may be a physical exam and gram stains of the respiratory and intestinal tracts. If it was a very expensive bird you may want to do further diagnostic tests to safeguard yourself from loss of the bird to underlying conditions not obvious on physical exam. If the bird is going to be introduced into a large flock, further diagnostic tests would be advisable to prevent introducing infectious diseases being carried by the new bird. The tests to run will depend on various risk factors and should be determined by discussion with your veterinarian. Some commonly run diagnostic tests include blood work for underlying kidney disease, liver disease, or infectious diseases: fecal exams for various parasites; cultures for various bacterial of fungal infections; chlamydia testing and specific tests for viruses such as polyomavirus or PBFD.

Because of the widespread nature of chlamydiosis and the difficulties in accurately diagnosing it, some people like to quarantine and treat all new birds with medicated food for 45 days. This helps safeguard your flock but won't be 100% effective for prevention.

When you introduce your new bird to another bird make sure you can be present and watchful at first. Be ready to break up any fights. It helps to introduce them in neutral territory so neither one is defending it's territory against an intruder. Put them both in a cage or play area that is new to both of them. Put two separate feeders in the cage or play area so they don't have to compete for feeder space. If they seem to be compatible under direct supervision, let them stay together when you are home but not actually watching them. Once you feel they are compatible you can start to leave them together when you aren't home or available.

Forethought and proper precautions eliminate most of the possible problems with a new bird or with introducing new birds into an existing flock. These suggestions may seem time consuming, expensive or cumbersome, but the alternative consequences are generally much more objectionable. If you think in terms of what could happen, it makes it very easy to justify the precautions.