Psittacine 101

Austin Duncan NCSU CVM Class of 2011 animals.nationalgeographic.com

Order Psittaciformes

Over 330 species 9 critically endangered 28 endangered 52 vulnerable Smallest: Bull-faced pygmy parrot (15g) Largest: Hyacinth Macaw(1.3 kg) Two Families Psittacidae (parrots) Cacatuidae (cockatoos)

Cacatuidae Psittacidae Photos courtesy of Wikipedia.com and mypets.net.au

Habitat

Lowland Tropical Rainforest

Lifespan

Cockatiel 10-20 years

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Amazon: 45-50 years

www.honoluluzoo.org

Macaw: 40-50 years

www.guardian.co.uk

Most species are monomorphic Sexing done by PCR on blood sample

www.dallasfood.org

diaglab.vet.cornell.edu

Monogamous (most) Sexually mature Lg: 3-4 yrs Small: 1-2 yrs Eggs laid every other day Incubation begins after 2 nd egg is laid

Time Allocation

Need to replicate this in captivity for healthy bird

Laws

CITES-

C

onvention on

I

nternational

T

rade in

E

ndangered

S

pecies of Wild Fauna and Flora (1993) WBCA-

W

ild

B

ird

C

onservation

A

ct (1992) Importation of many birds ended in 1992 Exotic Newcastle Disease 2003 Pet birds are typically 1-3 generations from the wild

One example of Species Variation

Quaker Parakeet (or Monk Parakeet)

www.kingsnake.com

Illegal to own and breed in many states were feral populations are established

edgewaterparrots.com

Still want a bird?

Bird Behavior Time To Care For Is a bird right for your lifestyle If so…selection of species can be very important Recommended to start out small

I got a bird where do I keep it??

Choose a cage best for the bird not for you More ornate the cage less likely its good for the bird Want a cage to be largest in proportion to birds shape

No Cage is Too Big…Unless

Small Parrot: 18 square feet

www.greensong.org

Large Parrot: 24 square feet

www.thelensflare.com

Macaw: 32 square feet CLEAN and SAFE > BIG

cityparrots.com

Cage should have…

Room to exercise Multiple, variable sized perches Feeding and bathing areas Easy access to food and water Security area Space for toys Open Bottom A cover

Perches

Need at least 2 at different angles Best substrate is branches Different diameters Replace frequently Leave bark on Good: fruit trees, oak, ash, maple, willow, poplar Poisonous: rhododendron, yew

Anatomical Considerations…

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* zygodactyl feet * beak size * tail length

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Foot Problems… Common Bumblefoot or Pododermatitis

CAUSES: Arthritis Unsuitable perches Excessive trauma Obesity, puncture Hypovitaminosis A

Water and Food Dishes

Offer a variety (opportunity for enrichment) Parrots: 4-6oz+ Macaws: 12-18oz+

Wikimedia.com

In separate area to avoid fecal contamination

Cleaning: What can grow will grow!

Dried feces Left over food Un-cleaned surfaces Clean out all bowls/bottoms at least once a day Once a week disinfect entire cage with warm soapy water and disinfectant

Zoonotic Potential

Chlamydophilosis:

Chlamydophila psittaci

Salmonellosis:

Salmonella enteritidis

Campylobacteriosis:

Campylobacter jejuni Mycobacterium avium

Histoplasmosis:

Histoplasma capsulatum

Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Mites

Good Cage Ex…

www.birdscomfort.com

Good or Bad…

Environmental Factors

Photoperiod Better to keep consistent 10-12 hrs of uninterrupted darkness/day Sunlight

bird-cage.com

Vitamin D Use Broad Spectrum Lights at least 8-10 hrs

Humidity 40% Air Quality Scorched non-stick cookware can be fatal Paint, Solvent, Aerosol Can Fume

Exercise and Play

To Fly or Not To Fly?

Free flight can be great, but high risk Turn OFF fans hot surfaces cover aquariums close and cover windows/glass One common way to control flight is to clip the wings

playfulparrot.com

Trimming the Wings

(Harris 1994)

biology-resources.com

Improper wing trimming can lead to injury Recommended: clip only one wing

Examples of Flight Injuries…

•Broken Beak •Wing Injury •Soft Tissue Trauma •Keel

parrotadoptontario.com

Maintenance

Wing Trimming Beak Trimming Nail Trimming

animal-world.com

Trimming the Beak

Typically not needed if proper diet and enrichment is given

Dr. Flammer

Trimming the Nails

rough substrate quicks are long Dremel or nail file most effective and least traumatic if doing nail trims at home (Harris 1994)

Diets: What should I feed?

VS

soarmillseeds.co.uk

DIET!!!

MOST IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN HEALTH Formulated Diet: 60-80% Vegetables: 20-30% Fruits/Seeds/Nuts: 5-10% Cuttlebone, Mineral Block

Toxic Foods… Chocolate Disorientation, hyperactivity, diarrhea, vomiting, dark stool, seizures, death Avocado (pit, leaves) Persin = cardiotoxic effects Salt PU, PD, neurologic excitement, tremors, lack of coordination, death Onion Heinz-body hemolytic anemia Apple Seeds Cyanide Peanuts aflatoxins

Diversity of Species= Diversity of Diet

Florivores Military Macaw, Blue and Gold Macaw, Red-faced Parrot Seeds, Fruits, nuts, bark, roots, berries Granivore Budgerigar, Cockatiel, Hyacinth Macaw* Grains, seeds

Diversity of Species= Diversity of Diet

Frugivore Blue-throated Macaw, Green-winged Macaw Mostly fruit and flowers, some nuts and seeds Omnivore Sulfur-crested Cockatoo, Red- tailed Amazon Seeds, fruits, insects, invertebrates

Fats are important

Require unsaturated fats: Linoleic Acid &Arachidonic Acid Cell and fatty tissue growth, precursors of prostaglandins, skin and feather growth Fat Deficiency Fat Excess Obesity, predisposing to fatty liver disease

Carbohydrates

Deficiency- muscle wasting, weight loss Excess- obesity (liver, pancreas, reproductive problems)

Protein

Excess- liver and kidney problems Deficiency- stunted growth lysine and methionine (seed diets) Good Sources Egg, Peanut Butter, Cooked Beans, Insects Need Based on Wild-Diet Type Range from 15% to 2.5% (Pryor 2003)

Vitamins

Vitamin A deficiency most common Lethargy, Emaciation, Poor plumage (loss of color), hyperkeratosis of the feet, lowered resistance to upper respiratory infections

Vitamins

Vitamin D deficiency Fat necrosis, bone malformation, soft eggs Metabolic Bone Disease (Common in African Greys, can give calcium lactate in drinking water)

Vitamins

Vitamin E Deficiency Signs most often in young birds and Cockatiels Neurologic symptoms, ascites, muscular dystrophy (associated with selenium deficiency) Often due to rancid seed diets

Vitamins

Vitamin K Deficiency Important in clotting Notable in Conures, Fig Parrots Concern in any bird with loss of blood

Minerals

Need Ca, Ph, Mg, Na, Ch, K, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn Calcium: Phosphorus ratio should be 1.5-2:1 with Calcium about 1% of dry matter content of the diet Metabolic Bone Disease Calcium:Phosphorus:Vitamin D3

WATER

CRITICAL, dehydration can quickly become deadly Filtered water to remove chlorine Replace filters often

Flicker.com

wholisticresearch.com

Nutrition includes too much and not enough food Multi-bird enclosure Make sure all have access/ own dishes Beak and foot health must be maintained New food and a variety to keep birds eating and interested Color and texture matter

Overall Guidelines:

Pellet and Fresh Veggies every day Low Fat Low Sugar No Uncultured Dairy Products Lettuce=just giving water NO: Dried Beans, Avocado, Apple Seeds, Chocolate, Onions, Salt

Be a proactive owner

Most parrots will not show clinical sings until they are very sick Subtle changes are important to note and be proactive about

Activity Level Flight patterns Time spent Walking Abnormal Perching Position of Wings Alteration in Voice Lameness Ruffled Feathers Open Mouth Breathing Tail bobbing Weight Changes Appetite/Drinking Stool

Know your Parrot Poop…

Clear Urine (usually soaked into substrate)

Know Your Parrot Behavior…

All birds need to have to ability to escape a stimulus in their enclosure

Normal Heart Rate:

25g parrot 500g parrot 2000g parrot 274 bpm 147 bpm 110bpm

Restrained/ Stressed HR:

400-600bpm 160-300bpm 110-175bpm Adapted from (Harrison and Ritchie 1994)

Stress Bars…

scubaq.ca

Know That Birds Are Different…

They need much more than a clean appropriate cage and a good diet

Think about where they came from…

Many are flock species Need socialization and social stimulation Most are monogamous Avoid pair bonding Territorial of nest/cage Particularly during breeding season

Parrot Communication

Eye Head Ruff Head position Tail Fanning

Biting Screaming Feather Destruction Behavior Photos courtesy of knowparrots.com

Possible Problems…

Lack of Sleep Boredom Lack of foraging behavior Lack of exercise Social Isolation No mate

What you can do for your bird

Enrichment!

Foraging Toys Appropriate Social Stimulation Keep a routine

Cases

Jack, Moluccan Cockatoo Peter, Eclectus Parrot

Take Home Message:

Be sure that a bird is the right pet for you CAGE: big enough compartments Clean!

DIET: mimic natural diet Pellet (60%), Veggies (30%), Fruit/Seed/Insects (10%) Behavior is Important!!!

Most avian veterinary appointments are behavioral Birds are complex- be proactive!

Questions?

Resources: Agnes E. Rupley, ed. Avian pet medicine. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders, 2005.

APHIS Veterinary Services Report. Exotic Newcastle Disease

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January 2003 http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/fsheet_faq_notice/fs_ahend.html

Ballard, Bonnie and Ryan Cheek. Exotic Animal Medicine for the Veterinary Technician. New York: Blackwell Publishing, 2003.

Bennett, Peter. Evolutionary ecology of birds : life histories, mating systems, and extinction. New York : Oxford University Press, 2002.

Manual of Psittacine Birds. Peter Beynon, ed. Ames : Iowa State University Press, 1996. Burr, Elisha W. Diseases of parrots. Neptune, N.J. : T.F.H. Publications, 1982. Schulte MS, Rupley AE. “Exotic Pet Management for the Technician” Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal Practice. 7.2 (May 2004): 315-350.

Harcourt-Brown, Nigel and John Chitty (ed). BSAVA manual of psittacine birds. UK: British Small Animal Veterinary Association, 2005.

Harris, Don. “Therapeutic Avian Techniques” Seminars in Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine. 6.2 (1997): 55-62.

Hess, Laurie. “Today's Avian Practitioner: Challenges and Changes” Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery. (2004): 265 –269.

Hess, L: Mauldin, G. and K. Rosenthal. “Estimated nutrient content of diets commonly fed to pet birds”. The Veterinary Record. 150. 13 (2002): 399-404.

Introduction to Companion Avian Behavior. NCSU. 5 July 2008 http://dvm.ncsu.edu/vmc/vmc927/course_materials.html

[Access requires NCSU authentication] Lantermann, Werner. The new parrot handbook : everything about purchase, acclimation, care, diet, disease, and behavior of parrots, with a special chapter on raising parrots. Woodbury, NY: Barron's,1986.

Pryor, Gregory S. “Protein requirements of three species of parrots with distinct dietary specializations”. Zoo Biology. 22.2 (2003): 163 – 177.

Sheppard ,Christine and Ellen Dierenfeld. “Iron Storage Disease in Birds: Speculation on Etiology and Implications for Captive Husbandry”

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Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery. (2002): 192 –197. Avian Medicine. Thomas Tully, Jnr., Martin Lawton, Gerry Dorrestein, Eds.. Boston : Butterworth-Heinemann, 2000.

Wolf, P.; Kamphues, J.; Liesegang, A. (ed). “Hand rearing of pet birds – feeds, techniques and recommendations” Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition. 87.3 (2003): 22-128 Merck Veterinary Manual http://www.merckvetmanual.com

Common Pet Birds. Birdlife Online. http://www.birdlife.com/species/index.html