Rescue Report
by Shauna Roberts
Autumn 2003
National Parrot Relinquishment Research Project (NPRRP), a census of surrendered or relinquished parrots will begin soon. Anyone who works with surrendered or relinquished parrots (or is a contact or go-between for birds looking for new homes) is strongly urged to participate.
The NPRRP census, headed by Cheryl Meehan PhD, is made possible by a grant awarded to The Gabriel Foundation ® from PETsMART Charities, a non-profit philanthropic organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for all companion animals. The NPRRP census was developed using feedback from individuals representing a broad range of organizations in order to minimize bias.
Adopting a Rehome or Rescue Birdby Shauna Roberts
With several parrots needing new homes, it's always a wonderful moment when we find that special place in our heart to adopt a rescue or rehome bird (for the definitions of “rescue” and “rehome”, read: http://www.holisticbirds.com/HBN01/decjan/pages/rescue1.htm).
Before bringing a new bird into your home, it is very important to 
consider the well-being of the birds already living with you. The first step you must take is to have the new bird checked by an avian veterinarian. A veterinarian will help you to determine which tests should be done, depending on the bird's history. If the history is known, and/or it has been in an only bird situation all of its life, then you may not need to run quite as many tests as when the bird's history is unknown. If the bird has had no known veterinary care, is generally recommended that you run all tests possible, no matter what its health appears like.
When adopting a bird from a parrot welfare facility, be sure to ask about the facility's quarantine procedures, and also ask about the extent of the veterinary exam when the bird was first brought into the facility. “Thorough” veterinary exams can range from a fecal smear and visual exam, to full bloodwork and disease testing. Never assume what quarantine procedure is like, or the thoroughness of the veterinary exam.
To protect your present flock, also inquire about the facility's bio security measures. These measures should be readily in place and apparent when you visit; if they are not, then they aren't being used. When birds are checked and quarantined properly at a facility, your chance of bringing home a contagious disease to your birds is lessened. The same can't be said of bringing a bird home directly from someone's home or similar situation.
We hear about far too many situations where the birds need to get out ASAP. Sometimes the birds may be dying; other times there are huge piles of feces in their cages. If you already have birds at home, these are perhaps the most dangerous situations from which to bring in a new bird. You should be aware of all the possible dangers and take every precaution to protect your current flock before removing any birds from these dire situations. Always be educated about what you should do.
About quarantine: All too often, I've heard caregivers say they cannot carry out a full quarantine. Quarantine may be an inconvenience, and there's no guarantee that nothing will go wrong, but it is well worth the inconvenience to be able to offer an extra bit of safety to your birds. A dear friend of mine, who thought “why bother?” because she couldn't carry out a full quarantine, is forever heartbroken after losing 5 birds.
Although it may be true that most caregivers can't offer separate air space (which would be the ideal full quarantine), a good quarantine can still be carried out if you follow these steps.
- Provide a separate room for the 45-90 day quarantine time.
- Always wash your face and hands after you've been in the quarantine room.
- If you're worried about viruses circulating through the air, you can tuck a towel under the door.
- Keep toys and food dishes from the quarantine room separated from your main flocks' items.
- A smock, along with a hair covering such as a shower cap, should be worn when entering and removed when you leave the quarantine room. (A question that is often asked is whether or not a shower cap will cause a bird to freak out. Try it first…chances are everything will be fine: birds don't always mind plastic on your head.)
- Shoe covers or a foot bath should be used when entering and leaving the quarantine room.
So what about PDD? It's everywhere and essentially undetectable, right? So why bother with quarantine, right? Wrong! If you suspect a bird might have been exposed to PDD, baseline radiographs should be done during the quarantine examination, and can also be redone before leaving quarantine (or at the time your vet recommends.)
Although PDD can lay dormant for several years, a bird in quarantine will most often show some sign of infection within 3-6 months. The rule of thumb is that if the bird is OK after a year, things are looking good. If the bird is still OK after 2 yrs, you can breathe a sigh of relief (although this is not a guarantee that PDD will never show.) So, even with PDD, a 90 day quarantine period can help you safeguard your flock.
| Also remember, quarantine gives your new bird time to adjust to a new household, a new routine and to you. |
There are always birds that need rehoming and some that need to be rescued. If you have the room in your heart to do so, please consider bringing a rehome or rescue bird into your life. Remember, quarantine isn't fun, but it's an important step to take for the safety of the birds already in your home and for the comfort of the new ones you may bring in. Our birds are worth that.
Volunteers Making a Differenceby Naomi Zemont and Shauna Roberts
Naomi Zemont organized a volunteer weekend at Mollywood (http://www.mollywood.net), a parrot welfare home located in Washington state, during September.
The founders, Betsy and Nate Lott, envisioned erecting flights in their barn so that they could give the birds in their care some much-needed outdoor time. However, taking care of so many birds limited their time. But thanks to Naomi, it was volunteers to the rescue!
The following is Naomi's account of that rewarding day for people and parrots alike. Way to go guys!
“Our day was spent clearing out one of the barns and erecting a small flight for Amazons to stretch their wings and fool around (and until another one is put up, I'm told they will have to sometimes yield their new playroom to a handful of mischievous Goffins... I'm sure you understand what happens when Goffins don't get their energy channeled, huh?)
“Painting trims for new flight improvements.
“Sorting, organizing, & boxing a pile of donated dowel-remnants (Mmmm... "Chew-toy".... uhhh: "Perch".... aaahh: "Kindling?") Twenty-two boxes and many stories later, we all got to know each other so much better.
"Repairing and shoring up a couple of flights for the little guys (have you ever seen lovebirds weave dandelion leaves?), and visiting with the birds (this last task was just as important as any other we accomplished, by the way...)"
Volunteering is such an easy thing to do. It only takes a few hours and some elbow grease, but the rewards are tremendous for everyone involved: the birds, the facility and you. It is also a great way for you to show how much you care about a facility's cause. That support is priceless, and in some cases, it's the volunteers' effort that gives the parrot welfare facility that extra boost in morale needed to continue their work.
by Shauna Roberts
We were on the road. As the landscape sped past the 33-foot motorhome in which 23 parrots played the entire 1,600 mile adventure to Pittsburgh, I wondered how things would go. We were on our way to attend the 2003 Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV) Conference.
In late Fall of 2002, Brian Speer DVM, Dipl ABVP, proposed a joint Vet Lab for the 2003 Conference to teach how to safely and humanely handle birds, using the Gabriel Foundation birds as the subjects. Dr. Speer asked Julie Murad, founder and President of the Gabriel Foundation, to write a proposal to the AAV Conference Committee and Ethics Committee, outlining and detailing the journey, and demonstrating that the experience would not be stressful for the birds.
It's a good thing that she wasn't asked about the stressors for the accompanying crew! Some people question the sanity of traveling with 23 birds from Colorado to Pennsylvania , but perhaps because I had traveled with my own birds so much, I wasn't concerned. We had stocked the RV with munchies galore (we could have spent a month on the road with our stash.) All 23 birds acted as though they were on one great adventure, and although puzzled by a few road bumps, they all seemed to have had a good time.
Our flock consisted of caiques, greys, cockatoos, eclectus, macaws, quakers, Amazons, a green cheek conure, a Philippine blue nape parrot, and five humans. The Amazons sang, the macaws joked around, the cockatoos played, but the greys were in charge of the entire trip. In fact, our parrot-pilot, 35 year old Cookie (CAG), made certain to remind us to “sit right down”, “come over here”, and “seatbelt?” At the appropriate moment, Kiwi (CAG) belted out, “Happy Birthday to You” to Allen (who was indeed celebrating a birthday.)
The humans' tasks were driving, and tending to the birds and each other. Rick, the Foundation's aviary manager, and my husband, Allen, were great as pilot and co-pilot.
Rick's care and attention to the entire flock was amazing.
Every morning we woke early to help Rick clean the Nylabone carriers and the play stand, feed everyone, replace toys, and vacuum up the mess from the day before.
We arrived at the AAV Conference in good shape, amid the bustle and energy of the large group of veterinarians and technicians (numbering around 600.) While waiting for the bird's big day in the Vet Lab, we kept ourselves busy by attending the many informative lectures.
The day finally arrived for the birds to show their stuff. Jan Hooimeijer, DVM, from the Netherlands , was invited to assist Dr. Speer for the series of four 2-hour labs.
The topics to be covered in the Vet Lab were basic handling and restraint methods, and positive reinforcement methodology for veterinarians to use and to teach their clients.
Each lab was limited to 25 attendees, and the participants were to work in tandem with the birds they wanted to work with. Everyone was very excited about working with real birds.
It was a long day, with four very busy classes, lots of questions, and plenty of smiles. The birds proved to be good teachers. By the time the second session had begun, Macana the hyacinth macaw even managed to get the “bird to avoid” reputation. Even with her “reputation”, she continued to teach and build confidence in the participants. How moving it was to hear a renowned pathologist say that it was a joy to work with a live bird, or to hear an older, longtime practitioner comment that holding a hyacinth macaw had been a lifelong dream of his.
By the last group, we were all tired (the birds included). Kiwi (CAG) expressed her feelings perfectly when she said, “You're a pain in the butt” so clearly and loudly that the entire room erupted in laughter.
Overall, it was very rewarding to know that we were had done was a very positive step for birds everywhere. We headed home and the birds, now veteran travelers, knew what to expect and they traveled home with as much enthusiasm as they had when they arrived.
Finally, here are some highlights of the many interesting presentations and lectures that we attended during our week at the AAV 2003 Convention.
Monday was a pre-conference day devoted entirely to the subject of feather picking/mutilation disease. Lots of discussion and ideas were exchanged, but unfortunately nothing new looms on the horizon. The cause(s) of feather and skin destructive behaviors/diseases still remain a mystery, but it was clear that the AAV is dedicating much energy in trying to solve this troublesome issue. As the week went on there were many more feather-destructive presentations, many involving the topics of pathology, cytology and biopsy.
Foraging activities for companion parrots were talked about throughout the week. Many in the audience felt that foraging should be encouraged to help curb some hormonal activities. Many also thought that hormonal activity might be the cause of feather destruction in some birds. Because changing bird's environment might help to curb hormonal activity, it was discussed that clients need to be educated on how to do this, and the vets need to be educated on what questions to ask to help clients follow through.
The use of Lupron to curb hormonal activity was mentioned many times, but it was also mentioned up that, in most cases, the injection only has a band-aid effect.
Also, a study of possible hormonal pre-triggers and triggers done on a cockatiel and an Amazon parrot presented anecdotal evidence that different species may have different hormonal triggers. In the case of the Amazon parrots who had been acting hormonal for a length of time, it was found that exercise (as little as a daily 5-minute walk) reduced weight, stopped hormonal behavior and triggered molting (in some cases, long-overdue molting.)
Bach Flower Rescue Remedy (RR) was the subject of a study measuring stress levels via hematological responses, in order to determine what helps in stress-related situations.The tests were performed using two groups of chickens, and stress levels were measured by comparing blood samples drawn at different intervals (before, during, and after stress.)
Baseline blood samples were drawn, and then Group One was given Rescue Remedy, and Group Two was given ethanol (also known as ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, EtOH), the carrier agent used in Rescue Remedy. Stress was introduced, and then blood samples were drawn for hematological parameters and compared to baseline levels.
The test was repeated many times, and the number of hours before blood was drawn was lessened during each test, in an effort to capture stress level data.
When the testing was complete, there was no evidence that either Rescue Remedy or the ethanol had any relaxation effects that could be measured via hematologic response. Therefore, the study's findings were determined to be inconclusive.
Hypothyroidism has been a controversial topic amongst avian veterinarians for a while now. A study was presented of an Amazon parrot that appeared to have hypothyroidism. The bird was obese, sluggish, and normally green feathers were either tinged with or completely brown. There were some ups and downs in the case, but after being treated for hypothyroid, the bird's weight returned to normal, it's activity level was good, and it's feathers became green again.
Emergency veterinarian Marla Lichtenberger, DVM, shared some case studies of patients presented with respiratory inhalant toxins. She had success treating patients for Teflon toxicity, incense exposure, and what appeared to be a macaw's hypersensitivity to feather dust. The birds were immediately placed in an oxygen cage and then given terbutaline. In some cases, they were then anesthetized with isoflourane and intubated and nebulized with terbutaline. One of the Teflon Toxicity cases was doing well a year later.
Presentations on parrot behavior and educating clients were given by Dr. Speer and Jan Hooimeijer DVM. Both presenters emphasized using positive reinforcement and doing what's right for the individual bird. Jan also presented two films: one on how he interacts with his patients, many of which are wild-caught birds (wild-caught birds are still imported into the Netherlands ), and the other was a wonderfully touching portrait of his clients and patients interacting during a Parrot Day picnic. You can learn more at: http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/birdwalk2.htm
In conclusion, I would like to thank The Association of Avian Veterinarians for inviting The Gabriel Foundation to participate in this year's conference. I was thrilled to have had the opportunity to assist in the Vet Labs, and to be able to attend so many informative presentations. The members of AAV are truly an incredible, dedicated group.
Bird Habitats at Face Value: Should We Be Looking Further?by Shauna Roberts
Very often things are what they appear to be. Or are they?
For the sake of birds in habitats, we need to think beyond what we see or are told. Birds in human-controlled environments are dependent on their human caregivers, and can't tell us if there's something wrong. If we are to assure their safety, happiness, health, and welfare, then we need to be aware of what may go unseen.
Let's say we are walking through a bird sanctuary. There's green grass, enclosed flights, and a special area for handicapped birds. At first
glance, our hearts fill with sadness for the birds, and thankfulness for the thought put into the handicapped area by the caregivers, and that's that…we walk away thinking, “What a wonderful thing has been done for these birds.” Or, stop we think about why we saw so many handicapped birds in the first place. Could it have anything at all to do with cold winters, perhaps frostbitten feet from clinging to cold wire? Or, could it possibly be a result of mixed species or overcrowded aviaries, where birds get picked on or toes get bitten off? Maybe, maybe not….but perhaps we should request a look behind the scenes.
While strolling through another sanctuary, we hear the philosophy that “all birds are birds and happier with other birds”, even the hand-raised, bonded to humans birds. Because of this belief, these human-bonded birds are given almost no human interaction after entering the sanctuary. Essentially, the only human they see is the one that brings them food and water. We think, “How wonderful! A life as near to that of a wild bird as can be provided in a captive situation.” As we continue our walk, we notice that some of those birds are clinging to the aviary wire, following us around. We're told, “They'll adjust.” And we think, “OK”.
But as they continue to follow, pacing on the ground like prisoners, do we also think, “Could these birds be trying to say they feel lost, and would prefer the company of a human household instead of being kept with other birds, and are we overlooking the individual bird's needs when we try to do what we think is best for all birds?”
And with so many birds sharing a large enclosure, should we also ask, “How are the caregivers able to monitor the birds' health accurately? “
After all, in this sanctuary we see more birds (perhaps one hundred) in one enclosure, than we've seen in a zoo aviary that has on-site veterinarians. We should wonder, “How can poops be monitored in a jungle-style habitat?” “Unless the size of the staff is adequate, how can accurate records be kept of every bird's weight, and how can they insure that each bird is examined at regular intervals?”
We should also ask, “Is there an on-site vet present most of the time, or does an avian vet regularly visit all of the birds within the sanctuary? And if so, how often does the vet visit the sanctuary's ever-growing flocks, especially when new birds are continually being brought in?”
Maintaining the health of all of the birds in the sanctuary should be considered an important responsibility of the caregivers.
While surfing the Internet, we read about a parrot welfare facility that sounds wonderful. This facility states that they feed their charges pellets, fruits and vegetables, along with some seeds: essentially what sounds like a fairly well-rounded diet.
So we eagerly go and visit, and yes, they have all the foods listed on the website.However, the food we see looks like dog pellets, canned fruit and some veggies. We see that the water bowls are dumped, rinsed with water (no soap) or wiped out before being refilled. Time to ask questions!
Many bird facilities are truly what they appear to be. However, places needing a second look do exist, even some very well known facilities deserve a closer look. So keep your eyes and ears open at all times, look beyond the obvious, and always ask questions. Do it for the sake of the birds.