French molt contagious or not?

[Ray_Ray]

Hello, I hope I have posted in the right forum. I am not much experiences in bird diseases.

My name is Ray and I have a 3 and half year old female budgie name Bella who has French molt. She is in quite a good shape and can fly. She had a sister but sadly she passed away 2 months ago.
I got a new baby boy (5 month old now) for her as a companion. I have had him for about 1 and half months now and he is in quarantine. And it just now occur to me that he could potentially get FM. I was in under a lot of stress with the loss of my bird and lost of my job due to Covid that I neglected this vital issue.

My main concern right now is that is FM contagious? Will he get it as well?

The new baby boy is a carrier of some of sort of Bacterial infections (waiting for the blood test result) which has made Bella sick. She now has respiratory infection.

When I took both of them to the vet, the doctor said to not mix them together and keep them separate forever as Bella has FM and he will get it as well.

This never occur to me and now I am completely divided as I have invested so much time and effort and money to him. He is now completely hand trained, recall trained and I have thought couple of tricks.

If it is contagious, I will want him to have the best of life and happiness and give him away but that breaks my heart. Bella is going to be alone for the rest of her life.

 

[Hankmacaw]

I know nothing about FM, but you have a tough decision to make.

Good luck to you and your little ones.

 

[painesgrey]

Unfortunately, no one has been able to pin down the exact cause of French Molt. Some believe it could be nutritional in nature, while some evidence suggests it might be due to the dreaded Avian Polyoma virus, or a Pox virus.

If your budgie's French Molt is viral in nature, it will be contagious through feather dust, feces, etc.

 

[Mybluebird]

The virus that causes French Molt is transmitted by the parent through the egg. There are budgie who carry the virus but show no symptoms. I know people who have a budgie with FM housed with other budgies and those budgies do not show the symptoms. Some believe that the adults budgies may get the virus from a budgie with FM but not show symptoms. Others believe that adult budgies cannot catch the virus. Form what I've read, the risk that your new budgie will catch the virus and show symptoms is extremely low. BTW, your budgie with FM is very lucky to be able to fly because FM usually affects the flight feathers resulting in the budgie not being able to fly. Personally, I think you can put the two budgies together without risk to the new one.


"Can older birds transmit the disease to other adult birds?

The danger to be infected as an adult bird is still discussed by researchers. Some scientists believe infected birds can transmit the disease and healthy, adult con-specifics can become ill as well. In many cases, these adult birds won't lose their plumage but they are "reservoirs" of the viruses for the rest of their lives. As soon as they are breeding, the circle closes and their offspring will most probably suffer from the French moult or BFD - at least in theory. But there are other avian vets who refuse this hypothesis. On their opinion there is no transmission of the virus in adult birds. If this would be true, only young birds would be in danger."

Birds Online - English - Birds Online

Birds Online – everything about budgies Welcome to Birds-online.de, my website about budgies. This project started in 1997 and has been enormously growing since. The aim is to offer profound […]

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[Zara]

@finchly @Lady Jane @PoukieBear

 

[Lady Jane]

I have never had a budgie with French molt. My knowledge is limited to what one reads on the internet. This said it is highly contagious so bringing in another bird is very risky. Have you consulted with an avian vet?

 

[BirdWorld]

I don’t know much of anything about French molt, but I’m posting so I can see what answers you get.

 

[Ray_Ray]

The virus that causes French Molt is transmitted by the parent through the egg. There are budgie who carry the virus but show no symptoms. I know people who have a budgie with FM housed with other budgies and those budgies do not show the symptoms. Some believe that the adults budgies may get the virus from a budgie with FM but not show symptoms. Others believe that adult budgies cannot catch the virus. Form what I've read, the risk that your new budgie will catch the virus and show symptoms is extremely low. BTW, your budgie with FM is very lucky to be able to fly because FM usually affects the flight feathers resulting in the budgie not being able to fly. Personally, I think you can put the two budgies together without risk to the new one.


"Can older birds transmit the disease to other adult birds?

The danger to be infected as an adult bird is still discussed by researchers. Some scientists believe infected birds can transmit the disease and healthy, adult con-specifics can become ill as well. In many cases, these adult birds won't lose their plumage but they are "reservoirs" of the viruses for the rest of their lives. As soon as they are breeding, the circle closes and their offspring will most probably suffer from the French moult or BFD - at least in theory. But there are other avian vets who refuse this hypothesis. On their opinion there is no transmission of the virus in adult birds. If this would be true, only young birds would be in danger."

Birds Online - English - Birds Online

Birds Online – everything about budgies Welcome to Birds-online.de, my website about budgies. This project started in 1997 and has been enormously growing since. The aim is to offer profound […]

www.birds-online.de

I have properly read every website about French molt and its really conflicting. Its potentially taking a risk.
Does anyone here have budgie French Molt that they have put them together with their healthy flock? Has it effected them in anyway?

One thing I know from research that once they become in contact with a French Molt budgie then the healthy budgie would be the carrier of French molt and should not be breed. I am correct?

 

[finchly]

Wow. My understanding of French molt is this: budgies can get avian polyomavirus as babies. It lasts 7-10 days but they can shed it for up to 90 days. Then it’s over.

Some of the survivors then have “French molt”... not contagious. Just a byproduct of having the disease.

Since we all have such varied viewpoints, I would suggest tracking down an avian vet who is interested in infectious diseases, or you can look at the Merck veterinary manual and also the MSD manual yourself. This is not a question to have answered by non professionals in my opinion.

Good luck.