Advice needed please . . .

[CharlieLaw]

I sadly lost my 9 month old Timneh Grey - Charlie, to Proventricular Dilatation Disease a couple of months ago. I started to make enquires about getting another Grey, but was told I wouldn't be able to have another parrot for at least a year. Can anyone confirm if this is true please. Did'nt think the virus could last off the host for long? also would I be ok to use the same cage if I disintfect it well? Can't imagine being without a bird for this length of time.

[MiracleAces]

Being a beginning Grey owner myself I can tell you I read up on a lot of these type of issues. I was told (others may have very different advice of course) is that it's almost impossible to clean everything that would have ever gotten into contact with your poor Charlie. I was even told that it's dangerous to buy a used cage because of this - even it it is disinfected very well. Time may be the safest bet for you and your next bird.

 

I have read stories about owners have keep an infected bird at another level of the home and are successful in not spreading the disease to other birds by completely changing and showering before going to the other areas of the home. Sounds a little too much for me though.

[Jayd]

Hi, Ask Katana600 in the rescue room, she's had personal experience with this.......

[CharlieLaw]

Thank you for your help people. Will try contact Katana600.

[Spinner]

So sorry to hear about your loss. I'm sure Charlie was an exceptional baby.

 

PDD is now thought to be transmitted through the avian bornavirus. The virus does not affect all birds, not even those that are infected or carry the virus. It can also be many years after infection before symptoms hit (one citation was eight years), and relatively few birds that are infected with the virus will ever show symptoms.

 

Since your grey was so young, it may have actually contacted the disease through the mother (via the egg - yes this is a known transmission method of this disease). I would be sure to report back to where you obtained your grey, if you haven't already done so (pet store, breeder, whereever).

 

To your question about when or if you can get another bird: the common opinion is in a single-bird environment you can reduce a new bird's likelyhood of getting the virus, implying you can indeed get another bird. Common precautions should apply, such as thorough and regular cleanings, etc. The problem is little is known about avian bornavirus. As for cleaning, I don't know of any efficacy testing against bornavirus by either of my go-to disinfectants (Pet Focus and Kennesol), or any other disinfectant. Assuming they are, a thorough wetting and soak should suffice. Use new perches and anything else that has absorbent properties.

 

Note, I'm not a medical/veterinary expert - I'm a breeder that has researched this extensively to make sure I am providing healthy birds and not contributing to propagating a disease. Consult your vet for specific opinions. If it were me (but I'm not advising you) is that I would be taking precautions and then start looking for another baby.

 

If you do decide to get another baby, don't go back to your original source. And, best wishes to you.

[Greywings]

Good information, better safe than risky. It seems they still are not definitive on cause and contagion on this one.

[danmcq]

Thanks for the very informative post Dave! It's wonderful seeing you back again.

[katana600]

This is a tough one considering in more than forty years of dedicated research, laboratories have been unable to definitively isolate the bornavirus. One of the issues is that is short lived. When Juno was sick, he had been to three vets. They had to rely on the disinfectants that Spinner (Dave) mentions and they didn't have to shutter their practice. I agree also that discarding perches and toys that Charlie had is a good idea and to consider a different source if you decide to get another parrot. I anguished over the decision of ever getting another parrot and as it turns out, I had to do my best to research and sort things out for myself over time. Bottom line is I don't regret for a second bringing Gilbert home after much deep consideration and advice from vets and our breeder. I can't imagine my home without his laughter and ours at his antics. Once Juno's diagnosis through necropsy was confirmed, while I had his brother with clinical symptoms of PDD, I would not go anywhere another parrot might be exposed and would not consider bringing a healthy parrot into my home to reduce the chance of contamination. Once everything was disinfected in my home and several months had passed, I had to think that the chance of exposure was minimized to the best of my capabilities and not dwell on the maybes, but on the risk vs benefit and both Gilbert and our family has reaped the benefits.

[Jayd]

Thank you my friend. I advise you and those interested to go to the archive and read Katana600 threads and posts.