Avian Health Network August Newsletter

[Avian Health Network]

Avian Health Network Newsletter Volume II Issue XI
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In this issue:
--- Happenings at AHN
--- Vendor Spotlight
--- "Website of the Month" Review
--- Avian Health in the News
--- A Vacation for the Birds
--- Book Review
--- Tips on Buying a Parrot
--- Ask the Expert
--- How Parrots Came to Own Humans
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Happenings at AHN
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ATTENTION EBAYERS!
Tired of searching for bird stuff on eBay? Would you rather buy bird stuff
from bird people while helping the StopPDD campaign? The AVIAN HEALTH
NETWORK AUCTION SITE is now open!
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Visit http://www.avianhealthnetwork.com, THE online auction site by bird
people for bird people! PLUS, there are no listing fees for sellers--only a
closing fee if the item sells! Register for FREE and get a $5 credit to use
towards closing fees until September 1, 2004.
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Online Conference
Learn from the BEST experts in avian awareness . . . without leaving your
house! Participate in the Avian Health Network's 2004 Online Conference!
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Enjoy expert lectures on topics ranging from bird photography to avian
behavior to research in avian medicine. Don't worry about raising your hand
in class--at the end of the lecture, the pros will answer your questions!
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Advance Tickets on Sale Now! See you in class!
http://www.stoppdd.org/makeitwork/stopnshop.htm
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"Birds of a Feather" Quilt
For a sneak peek at some of the beautiful and creative quilt blocks bird
clubs have donated to make the "Birds of a Feather" quilt, go to the new
Quilt page, still under construction:
http://www.stoppdd.org/clubs/birdfeathers.htm
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Toys
The Toys are back in town! In the market for quality toys? Who isn't?
Support the StopPDD campaign by ordering among the three quality toys AHN
volunteers selected for your birds this year. You can see them in AHN's Stop
'n Shop: http://www.stoppdd.org/makeitwork/stopnshop.htm
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Parrots at Play Calendar
The 2005 Parrots-at-Play Calendars are now up in the Avian Health Network
Auction Board http://www.avianhealthnetwork.com/auctiondetails.php?id=52 or
the AHN shopping cart! http://www.stoppdd.org/makeitwork/stopnshop.htm
Pre-orders are now being taken for October delivery. Get yours today!
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Vendor Spotlight: Grey Feather Toy Creations
By Louisa Brooks
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The vendor in the spotlight for this month is Grey Feather Toy Creations,
"http://www.GreyFeatherToys.com". Monica Gonzalez, owner of Grey Feather
Toy Creations, in a continuing effort to support the StopPDD campaign, is
donating 5% of sales during the month of August. To encourage your support,
orders over $50 will receive free shipping*!
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*Please visit "http://www.GreyFeatherToys.com" for specifics on free
shipping promotion.
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When asked about her mission statement, Monica said, "My most important
mission is to spread the word about safety. Of equal importance to me is
that Grey Feather Toy Creations' products are fun and entertaining, for both
the parrot and the owner! A bird without toys is like a day without
sunshine!"
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Grey Feather Toy Creations started four years ago with 13 toys made of
undyed wood and 100% natural cotton rope. Today they offer over 300
products. Their toys can be found in various stores and veterinarian
offices across the United States!
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GFTC is proud to use stainless steel exclusively in all their toy designs.
While others have made this claim, consumers may not realize that quite
often these companies do not consider bells and chains to be hardware!
Offering some of the best and safest toys in the avian market, each toy must
have the right materials, balance, sound, look, and playability to qualify
as a Grey Feather Toy Creation!
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Avian Health Network would like to thank Monica and Grey Feather Toy
Creations for their love and dedication to the safety and happiness of all
our feathered friends. This caring dedication has undoubtedly enhanced the
lives of many, many happy birds!!
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"Website of the Month" Review: Land of Vos
By Jayne Meyers
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Yes, Dorothy, there's a Land of Vos you don't need to leave Kansas to
experience! And while the website is specifically geared toward Eclectus
parrots, you need not own an Eclectus to enjoy and learn from this website.
Log on to http://www.landofvos.com and hear the soothing sounds of Beethoven
's Moonlight Sonata. Then click on the shimmering lake to enter a world of
all things parrot, thoughtfully assembled by list owner Carolyn Swicegood.
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The home page contains a site map and links to the website's educational
features, as well as "just for fun" features, including Wing Tips (articles
written by Ms. Swicegood and reprinted from Watchbird, the quarterly
publication of the American Federation of Aviculture) and The Kitchen
Physician - a series of articles about avian nutrition, holistic healthcare,
safe cleaning, pest control and a host of other interesting articles. There
's a link to the LOV's audio/visual room, which includes the MUST SEE parrot
video set to the popular tune "Barbie Girl," as well as links to avian poems
and stories, a message board dedicated to helping with healthcare questions,
a recommended reading list and a plethora of tips, stories, photos and
informative articles. Among my favorites is a step-by-step description of
the "intensive love method" - a very effective way to help a hand-shy bird
learn to enjoy being handled in a loving manner.
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This website is a gold mine for anyone who has an interest in parrots, their
personalities and healthcare needs. One word of warning though - every time
I log on to this site, the minutes quickly turn into hours, so plan to visit
when you have ample time to spend in the wonderful Land of Vos.
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Avian Health in the News: Biosecurity and the Avian World
By Elaine Hutchison
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In the post 9/11 world, the term 'biosecurity' holds a different strength
than it once did. The word 'security' once made us feel safe, but when
combined with the prefix 'bio,' it now makes us fearful about what we have
to guard against. Biosecurity implies the presence of a terror that
threatens our country as a whole. However, that terror can take on an
entirely different form than the forces that threaten us from overseas. A
lack of biosecurity in our backyards can threaten our birds as well.
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Avian influenza, West Nile Virus, Exotic Newcastle Disease . . . these names
comprise a litany that can keep the calmest of bird owners worrying late
into the night. But there are some preventive measures to ensure
biosecurity in your own residence, measures that become especially important
if one of these diseases breaks out near your home.
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West Nile Virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, can affect both birds
and humans. Because mosquitoes breed in still water, removing all standing
sources of water near your home is an important step in prevention. Even
the small amount of water that collects in saucers under potted plants is a
sufficient to provide a breeding ground for mosquito larvae. Limiting
outdoor activities during dawn and dusk will also decrease chances of
exposure because mosquitoes are most active during these time periods. If a
bird must be taken out of the house, place the bird in a carrier and cover
that carrier with mosquito netting. Screens should be installed on all
windows and doors of your house and those screens should have no rips, tears
or holes.
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Exotic Newcastle Disease (END) is frightening not only because of its
consequences, but also because of its ability to survive outside of the host
animal. END can survive for several weeks in warm and humid environments
such as bird feathers, manure and other materials. It can remain viable for
long periods of time in frozen environments as well. Although it is spread
primarily through direct contact between healthy birds and the bodily
discharges of infected birds, it can also be spread by mechanical means.
Material infected with the virus can be carried on the shoe soles and
clothing of people who work on or enter commercial poultry farms with
infected flocks. However, it is not indestructible. Ultraviolet rays from
the sun and dehydration will quickly destroy it.
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Avian influenza has been historically less of a worry to exotic bird owners.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and veterinarians from UC
Davis and Texas A & M, outbreaks of Avian Influenza have been ongoing for
years, and have only affected poultry. However, this limitation to poultry
does not mean exotic bird owners shouldn't take precautions to protect their
birds.
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In fact, biosecurity should be employed at all times, not just during a
virus outbreak. Sandee Molenda, one of only two commercial breeders invited
by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to sit on the END Task Force during
the 2002-2003 outbreak, recommends following these precautions daily. "You
should never take your birds around birds from unknown sources. You should
keep your birds in biosecure areas such as indoors. Do not keep chickens or
poultry, and breeders especially need footbaths, spray disinfectants or
disposable booties to keep from tracking diseases into your aviary.
Quarantine, vet checks and common sense procedures, such as washing your
hands and keeping strangers away from your birds, will also protect your
birds from extremely rare diseases such as Avian Influenza or END. In
addition, they will be protected against the far more common illnesses that
you will never know about because they are non-reportable.."
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For more information regarding avian viruses and biosecurity precautions,
visit the website of the International Parrotlet Society.
(http://www.internationalparrotletsociety.org) This site is one of the best
information sources on the Web for facts and links regarding biosecurity
recommendations, international and state laws, and statistics about Avian
Influenza, Exotic Newcastle Disease, and West Nile Virus.
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The term biosecurity takes on many forms, forms that range from the security
of our nation to quarantine guidelines during the outbreak of a disease. But
perhaps the most important biosecurity measures are the ones we take every
day to protect ourselves, our families and our birds.
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A Vacation for the Birds
By Jayne Meyers
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You're going on vacation, and you just can't bear the thought of leaving
your bird behind. Traveling with a bird may seem difficult, but following
the tips in this article can make it almost problem-free. Click here to
learn how you and your fid can enjoy a vacation together!
http://www.avianhealthnetwork.info/articles/vacation.htm
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The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, Mark Bittner, Harmony Books, 2004
Book Review by Jayne Meyers
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Mark Bittner came to San Francisco in 1974, in search of his spiritual
identity and his place in the world. What begins as a memoir of his early
struggles soon becomes a charming story of how he came to know and befriend
a flock of wild parrots. >From his first sighting of the parrots to the
book's heartwarming ending, Bittner describes how his fascination with a
rag-tag group of cherry-headed Conures led to daily feedings and his
one-on-one relationships with the individual birds. After feeding the flock
for quite some time, the author daydreamed that one day he would form a
close friendship with one of the parrots. And as the book tells it, he got
his wish.
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A student of Eastern religion and philosophy, Bittner often pondered his
spiritual progress, and the parrots served as a backdrop for his personal
growth, exploring the nature of reality, evolution, communication and
consciousness itself. He concluded, as have so many of us who share our
lives with birds, that each bird is truly an intelligent, sentient and
sensitive being.
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This book is a quick, engrossing, and pleasurable read that can be enjoyed
by all parrot fanciers. The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill can be purchased
through the StopPDD Website. By ordering the book through the website, a
percentage of the book sales will benefit PDD research. Click on this link
to order: http://www.stoppdd.com/makeitwork/books/books1.htm
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Tips on Buying a Parrot
By Rossanna Waggle
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If you've decided that a parrot needs to own you, where will you go to find
the right bird? "Tips on Buying a Parrot" compares the pros and cons of pet
stores, breeders, and other sources, along with recommendations of the
pivotal questions you need to ask. Study up before you look for your bird!
http://www.avianhealthnetwork.info/articles/byb2.htm
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Ask the Expert
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The answer to this month's question was submitted by Jeleen Briscoe, VMD,
Resident, Special Species, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary
Medicine/Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital.
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Question: I have a Lory that goes through sneezing spells. At times it is
when he is eating powder foods but not always. I have taken him to the vet
and he has been pronounced to be in good health. Do birds have allergies?
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Dr. Briscoe: Occasional sneezing in birds is completely normal--they do this
to clear out their nasal passages. As long as the sneezing is not excessive
and you don't see any nasal discharge, this is most likely a normal
behavior, especially if you see it in association with eating powdery foods.
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There has not been any evidence thus far that birds produce histamine, so
birds do not get allergies, as we understand them. Thus, antihistamine
products like Benadryl will have little effect on birds other than making
them too tired to sneeze. If your bird is displaying respiratory signs, it
is imperative to get him to your veterinarian (as you have) to make sure he
is evaluated.
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As an aside, it is important to know that one can learn very little from the
physical exam of a bird. For one, they are prey species and thus are
experts at hiding their disease until it may be too late. Also, the sternum
covers most of the bird's coelom, making it impossible to palpate liver,
spleen, kidneys, and bowel loops (unless they are extremely abnormal) as
your veterinarian does in a dog or cat. For these reasons, it is always
important to have diagnostics done on your bird at both wellness and illness
visits.
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Minimally, to evaluate the health status of a bird, a complete blood cell
count (CBC), a chemistry screen, a protein electrophoresis (checks immune
system and liver proteins), and full body radiographs (x-rays) should be
done (preferably under general anesthesia to prevent the bird from moving
and clouding your veterinarian's analysis of the film).
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Do you have a question you need answered? Each month AHN will feature a
health-related question from a bird owner in need, along with an answer from
a qualified avian expert. From toe nails to blood feathers, nutrition to
molting, and wheezing to sneezing - if you have a question, AHN will find
the most accurate and up-to-date answer available from some of the world's
top avian health experts. Simply send your questions to
avian...@avianhealthnetwork.info, and we'll find an expert with an
answer!
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How Parrots Came to Own Humans
By Elaine Hutchison
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Parrots and man have been interacting for centuries, but regrettably we have
no record of their first meeting. That first encounter undoubtedly took
place during the era of what historians call prehistory which, by its name,
implies the lack of recorded events.
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Even without written records, one fact of prehistory comes through clearly.
The parrot, no matter how closely he has lived with man over several
thousand years, has never been domesticated. Why?
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Early man domesticated several animals for several uses: food, clothing,
companionship, and some animals for all three of those reasons. However
distasteful it seems to us today, parrots too were used as food in primitive
societies, along with being considered a dietary luxury in the later years
of the ancient world. Their brightly colored feathers have served as human
adornment in a variety of cultures for centuries.
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So why weren't they domesticated?
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There are no absolute answers to this question, but the truth might be tied
to a parrot's ability to mimic the sound of a human voice. We are not so
different from early man. They, like us, must have found this vocal ability
mesmerizing and magical. We can even experience some of the wonder of the
first man who heard a parrot speak "human" by watching the face of children
when they encounter their first talking parrot.
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This ability to speak made parrots a creature apart in ancient
civilizations, just as it does in our world. An early reference in western
accounts comes from the biographer of Alexander the Great. He wrote about
the observations of an admiral in Alexander's fleet, Nearchus, who he says
found them "as something miraculous, parrots, as being found in India, and
describes the parrot, and how it utters a human voice." (1) The philosopher
Aristotle also described them as being "human-tongued." Plutarch goes one
step further, recognizing the parrot's ability to speak in situation
appropriate terms: " . . . parrots which learn to talk and afford their
teachers so malleable and imitative a vocal current to train and discipline,
they seem to me to be champions and advocates of the other animals in their
ability to learn, instructing us in some measure that they too are endowed
both with rational utterance and with articulate voice . . .." (2)
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In his book, Parrot Culture, author Bruce Thomas Boehrer provides several
reasons for ancient man drawing a distinction between parrots and other
birds that could speak, such as mynahs, jays and jackdaws. "In part,
perhaps, this status derives from the exceptional degree of the parrot's
ability as a mimic." He goes on to mention "their longevity endows them
with a life-cycle of human proportions" along with citing "their obvious
intelligence."(3)
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Parrots were introduced to the western world by the armies of Alexander the
Great, who brought them back from India. In India, according to Aelian
(writing almost five centuries after Alexander's conquest), parrots are
"kept and crowd around the king. But no Indian eats a Parrot in spite of
their great numbers, the reason being that Brahmins regard them as sacred
and even place them above all other birds." (4)
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It is possible even early man recognized the same truth as these ancient
Greeks and Indians, that parrots were an animal drastically different from
all the others, sharing many characteristics with their human companions.
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Although this is only a personal opinion and an amateur one at that, perhaps
the sacred nature attributed to the parrot by the Brahmins of India and the
awe recorded by the ancient western world, were reactions they inherited
from their ancestors, and the ancestors of those ancestors. Indeed, we have
inherited those same reactions. Perhaps parrots were never domesticated
because they stood at the side of man, not beneath him. And perhaps they
were more important to man as an animal of wonder than an animal to use.
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Whatever the case, there is one absolute truth experienced by both humans of
the ancient world and humans of the 21st century. We do not own the parrots
we live with; they own us.
(1) Arrian. History of Alexander and Indica. (8.15.8-9) Translated by P. A.
Brunt. 2 vols. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1976.
(2) Plutarch. Plutarch's Moralia. (972f-973a) Translated by Harold Cherniss.
15 vols. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1957.
(3) Boehrer, Bruce Thomas. Parrot Culture, Our 2,500-Year-Long Fascination
with the World's Most Talkative Bird. (pg. 4) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004
(4) Aelian. On the Characteristics of Animals (13.18) Translated by A. F.
Scholfield. 3 vols. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1949
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Go to http://www.avianhealthnetwork.info/newsletter.htm and scroll down to
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Looking for a way to help? Volunteering just one or two hours a month to
help the StopPDD campaign can be very rewarding. We need people who can
help with website design, ideas for articles, help write the newsletter,
and/or help post the newsletter. All of this is done right from your
computer. If you are interested in volunteering a little time to help,
please contact newsl...@avianhealthnetwork.info.
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Get the Newsletter Delivered to your inbox! Missing our Newsletters,
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the loop! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stoppddnews/
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This newsletter is dedicated to Meggie, lost to PDD on August 13, 2003. Read
her mother's lyrical and poignant account of this valiant bird and her
courageous battle against PDD by clicking on this link:
http://www.stoppdd.com/meggie/meggie_story81303.htm
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The Fine Print ~ The information contained herein is for educational
purposes only, and is not meant to substitute for quality avian veterinary
care. AHN cannot guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of the information
contained herein, nor the information distributed by other groups or
resources referenced in this document. Those with a bird(s) exhibiting any
symptom of illness should seek the advice of a qualified avian medical
professional immediately.
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The opinions and/or content of the published documents are the sole opinions
of their author and are not the opinions of Avian Health Network, Inc.,
their board, volunteers, or other participants. Avian Health Network, Inc.
further does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information,
text, or other items contained within these materials.
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Newsletter articles may be reprinted on the WWW in their entirety, including
title and byline, as long as a link to www.AvianHealthNetwork.info is
provided with the statement: "First published in Avian Health Network, Inc.,
Newsletter Volume x Issue y."
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Avian Health Network, Inc. #54-2068091 is a 501(C) 3 headquartered and
incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia. We are an organization of
volunteers with no paid personnel. We are committed to raising public
awareness and funds for avian diseases such as PDD. Financial Statement is
available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer Affairs,
Commonwealth of Virginia. Proceeds generated by the StopPDD campaign will
go to help subsidize the research of the Emerging Diseases Research Group
(EDRG) at the University of Georgia's College of Veterinary Medicine.