Dusky Conure and AG...Safe?

[dsgnz]

We went shopping to get my son a budgie (parakeet)and found him a fine one but the same day I had several breeders tell us that the budgie could spread a disease to my AG and they should not be kept in the same house so we took the budgie back and instead we got a Dusky Conure.

We were told by the breeder that there was no problem with the Dusky and the Grey. Later I had a vet tell me that it is not budgies but Conures that have the disease that can spread to the Grey and then another vet said he new nothing of either being a problem.

Does anyone have any info on this or can point me to where I can find such info. I'm not sure it was a disease or bacterial problem or what.I am just trying to get some definitive answers about it.

Thanks

[Guest]

I've never read about that :unsure: I did read however, that African Greys should always be protected against potential illnesses other birds can convey to them...

[Dave007]

Unfortunately, you're running into people who don't think about what they're saying, especially to a novice/potential bird owner. The Vet who said that there would be no problem gave correct advice. First of all, any bird that has any disease shouldn't be sold. It's against the law. That applies to people who breed them or pet shops that sell them. Second, there are no communicalbe diseases that one bird can give another bird unless it's already infected with certain contagious parrot diseases. Normally, when a person buys a parrot, it's usually taken to a vet to be checked out to get a "well bird" examination. if a problem is there, the buyer is given a refund or an exchange.

Third---The huge majority of parrot owners usually have more than one parrot in the house and many times that 'other parrot' isn't the same species.

Fourth---The only external illness/problem that might develop is when a person owns species of parrots that have extreme dander which is the natural dust that their feathers give off( Greys--Cockatoos )and those parrots are put into close quarters with other species of parrots that are prone to sinus or nasal problems. Fortunately, most people give their different species of parrots enough room to avoid each other if they want to. In order for sinus/nasal problems to occur, the bird's area would be a small, totally enclosed room that has no windows or airvents and all of the cages are shoulder to shoulder which isn't a good idea. I have 2 greys,one is a CAG and the other is a TAG plus a medium sized macaw and 2 quakers and they all live in the same general aviary room but fresh moving air is always there. The only other birds I own that are totally separated from my pet birds are my 3 pairs of breeder greys but that has to do with a breeding bird personality as opposed to a pet bird personality. None of my breeders are pets. I know loads of people who have greys with conures, greys with cockatoos, macaws with ringnecks, eclectus with quakers, conures with macaws and many more mixtures etc etc etc.----Dave

 

Post edited by: MrSpock, at: 2007/03/20 23:20

 

Post edited by: MrSpock, at: 2007/03/20 23:30<br><br>Post edited by: MrSpock, at: 2007/03/22 00:23

[dsgnz]

This is as I thought especially when I could not find any info about it on the web. With bird owners warning about every concievable danger and no mention of this I found it highly unlikely. Not to mention how many keep birds of different species together. Both my birds (that is my AG and my son's dusky) immediately went for a well bird exam and were given the okay although the vet is having me give my AG milk thistle for a month and new directions on diet then a recheck for possible anemia (as the vet put it very unlikely and more likely a diet problem).

It is just nice to get some feedback. Thanks