Fostering birds

[IggyPepito]

Have you ever fostered birds from rescues? I'm thinking of doing this, but would it put my gcc at risk?

 

[kali]

Unless the rescue quarantines them first then yes it is most definitely putting your bird at risk.

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[mrstweet]

Unless the rescue quarantines them first then yes it is most definitely putting your bird at risk.

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You can quarantine incoming birds by putting the in a room with the door shut. You wash your hands and change your shirt before interacting with your fids. For six weeks they shouldn't interact with or be able to see your birds.

 

[Leza]

Yes if you could properly quarantine your self it would be fine. It does a lot of good for a rescue to have at least 1 extra cage for another fid...

 

[kali]

Yes, but the risk is still there... just washing your hands is no good if your gcc spends time playing in your hair....

I'm not saying that fostering is a bad idea, I'm just answering the original question. I foster dogs and there's always an element of risk to my own dogs but in my opinion the benefits outweigh the risks. You should be prepared that your bird might need to visit the vet a little more often so keep a little fund tucked away just in case.

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[all4stvoyager]

Quarantine is also having a separate air source. If you have heat or air in that room that shares vents with other rooms that your bird is in, then it isn't a quarantine.

 

[JLcribber]

Yes it's always a risk.

Another consideration with fostering is to keep somewhat of an emotional distance and not bonding with them. That has the likelihood of causing problems when the bird goes again to it's forever home and losing yet another flock that it has bonded with again.

Fostering is not as easy as it may sound.

 

[kali]

It's definitely not easy. I cried like a baby when my last foster boy got a new home.

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[parrothelp]

As a former board member of a "rescue", and currently running a rescue, let me offer the following. If you take a bird in as a foster, do NOT take it if you the group will not provide you with copies of the vet testing records showing not only the species, but *the name of the bird on those records*. Even if they do, you should be extremely cautious, because the bird you take in as a foster may have been tested, but untested birds MAY have been placed in the same room as it after testing was done, but before the new birds were tested. "your" bird could test negative, but could have been exposed to who knows what.

You cannot do a proper quarantine in the average home. If you decide to bring a foster bird in, AFTER seeing vet records, cover the vents in the room, hot air and cold air. Feed/Water/handle that bird either before or after your pets, and strip and shower before handling your own birds. Don't forget to dip shoes.

If you are dealing with an honest, reputable "rescue", you should be okay. Be aware that they are not all what they say they are, and some lie. don't fall for the "the bird was tested" thing.. DEMAND to see records *with the birds name and species*... "the bird was tested" could mean "at some point in it's life, it was probably tested" You should be able to call the vet that did the testing to confirm it was done.

Wendy
parrothelp.com

 

[Chicklette]

Fostering is a very hard job and their is always a risk bringing a new/sick animal into your home. It's a wonderful thing to do and I wish more people would do it but your GCC may be a at risk if not QT properly. Give it some thought and talk it over ith your vet. That's what I would do a vet would be the key to how about to go about it.