Disease testing for Macaw?

[LoveMyConures]

My family and I will be getting our young Blue and Gold Macaw this spring if all goes well I've read the different disease pins on here but still wonder...

Before he comes home the breeder, at my request, the breeder is going to come to a vet appt with us about a month before he's due to come home for his disease panel testing.

What tests are the most important ones to have done? He'll already be getting his gram stain, CBC/CMP, wellness exam, PBFD, Polyma Virus, and psittacosis tests, as well as a culture and sensitivity, which is what my vet classifies as the 'New Bird Exam'.

I've read that he should be tested for Avian Herpes, Avian Influenza, and Borna virus as well to be on the safe side? And a something about a vaccine?

He'll get his basics done, and then in 6 months he'll go back for his follow up(then he'll start on his yearly visits) and my vet recommended a microchip? I'm hesitant about that :/

What do you all recommend for new birds, especially Macaws? I know about Macaw Wasting Disease and thought about having him tested for that, though I've heard the tests don't always give great results.

I'm a paranoid patty when it comes to my 'kids' health. So when I asked another bird lover about this I was told all those tests are 'to extensive'. I'd just rather be 100% sure he's 100% healthy.

 

[Macawnutz]

You are doing the right tests but a bit backwards. You want to do these tests when your bird comes home, not a few weeks before he comes home. What if he contracts something from the breeder between the time of the testing and your home. ????

Get him home, do a 30 day quarantine and the tests during QT. Do you have other birds?

My new bird exams are CBC, Chem panel, ( Xrays with older birds ) gram stain, PBFD, Poly, psittacosis and borna virus. Borna virus is what some say is the wasting disease test however the link between ABV and PDD is not 100%. A bird can have PDD without ABV and vice versa.

If your breeder does not have many birds and you trust that they don't have new ones coming in you could do your disease testing early. When the bird gets home do the QT, CBC and gram stain.

Yes for the microchip. It's quick easy and done. Extra peace of mind if anything happens. All mine are done.

 

[LoveMyConures]

I have 3 Conures and an older Zon(20 yrs). All of which have been tested in the past and get their yearly exams and blood work. Everyone is 100% clean.

As far as QT the breeder has other birds and hand raises babies for people, she both breeds and sells birds at her exotics store, but her babies never leave her home until weaned and ready for sale. My only other option in my area... Kinda... Was a pet store. Todd Marcus in NJ. I live in PA.... Not many breeders here :/ what's nice about this one is that she's close so I can stop and see the baby multiple times a week to bond.

Unfortunately I only have a separate room for QT. Unless he stays at a friend's... And this person knows nothing of birds and live half hour away :/

 

[gibsongrrrl]

most people only have a spare room for QT. If you are good with your bio security it should be fine. separate clothes and shoes for inside his room than the rest of the house so as not to bring anything out. you could also put a fan in so it sucks air away from the door to pull it in the room if sharing airspace is a concern. definitely wouldn't have any viral/disease testing done until the baby is away from the breeder, especially since she breeds and sells at a store and takes in babies from other people to raise. If you are able to go in and play with the babies then others probably do as well and who knows if they have a bird at home that is a carrier of something, same applies to the birds she is raising for others. There is no way to tell what they might have unless the breeders have a totally closed aviary and have had their pairs tested, which is unlikely since it's costly and they are sending birds to others to raise, which seems odd.

 

[LoveMyConures]

I got my Sun Conure and Green Cheek from her years ago and never had an issue. I always made sure when I got home I took my shower in the downstairs bathroom and changed clothes before coming into my other Conure. I've gone through this with rats before, hence my paranoid issues lol. They get sick so fast of you don't catch it right at the start. I lost one, rat, years ago and have been vigilant since lol.

I had everything my vet recommended done with my Conures but didn't know as much as I do now about it all. It's scary. It's a big purchase and task and I want to make sure it's done right.

I wish there were more breeders around but the woman I'm getting him from as always been open about anything I ask, very knowledgeable, has no issues with me getting 'vet clearance' from my vet before I pay him off, and she even gave me the info on her vet she sees for her birds. I checked them out before and a few breeders of small birds prefer this vet. She's never tried to hide anything and is always encouraging the bonding process between her birds and their potential families. They are always clean and they get high quality food....... That's why I looked more with her than Todd Marcus's. She's very open about her birds and business and will give any proof you ask for. At least I know where the baby is raised and I know he's raised right