Do you disease test your new birds? If not, consider it and here's why quarantine isn't good enough.

Our community talks about the importance of quarantine a lot. Quarantining new pets is good practice. But did you know that some diseases can take months, or even years to manifest? Or asymptomatic parents can pass on their pathogens to their offspring, and it's the offspring who become symptomatic?

I will always recommend disease testing over quarantine

I have closer to 40 parrots. I acquire birds about twice a year while I breed my own. Quarantining alone isn't good enough for my situation. If Avian Chlamydiosis, Proventricular Dilatation Disease or Avian Polyomavirus fools me through quarantine, I could risk several thousand dollars in testing and treatment costs while losing some birds in the process!

I've had a bird suffer from Psittacosis several months after passing quarantine. It snuck up on us!

I disease test all incoming birds while they're in quarantine. I can cut their quarantine short if they test all clear! This also gives a peace of mind to my customers who receive their new family members from me, because I can prove that my birds have passed comprehensive disease testing. I get to sleep better at night knowing I won't run into trouble years down the road as long as I practice good husbandry.

Have some of my new acquisitions tested positive for anything? YES! A few types of bacterial infections, some fungal infections. Nothing they were symptomatic for!

I strongly recommend disease testing for all new birds. You have the option to have it done through an exotics veterinary clinic. If you're more comfortable with obtaining blood samples and cloacal swabs at home like me, there are more affordable options such as IQbirdtesting and Animal Genetics/Avian Biotech. They offer low cost DNA sexing as well! It's very important to know the sex of your birds if they're not sexually dimorphic.

I've just ordered tests for the 4 new budgerigars I've acquired recently through IQ Bird Testing. While it was pricey, I can pay it off in 2 months through PayPal without interest. I'm happy to protect my flock! They're worth it.

Tests ordered today include:

Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD)
Avian Chlamydiosis
Avian Polyomavirus
Fungal & Bacteriological Culture

Ethical breeders protect their flock and ensure they're healthy. Ask your breeders if they disease test their flock. You deserve to bring home a healthy and disease free bird.

Your birds are worth it too.

This post is not sponsored. It is a testimonial of my experience and convictions about the subject.