21/03/2022
Avigrain have released some information regarding a budgie disease problem. As it states in the alert there is no evidence that the Avigrain Budgie Blue mix is causing any problems, however I thought I would just write a quick note that the budgie seed that I sell is the standard Avigrain budgie mix (not the Budgie Blue mix) and there have been no disease reports with this product.
Hi we have an update on budgie disease - posted on Avigrain facebook - NOT THIS POST !!!
but for some info related ...
1. It's not anyone's seed causing the disease in Budgies - Avigrain or any other brand. They don;t know yet what it is..
2. you really should take this seriously and understand the symptoms and what to do about it. All the info attached to our pinned post - go to Avigrain to find pinned.
3. Please share the other post - it's important info and may save your birds or someone else's..
4. We will keep you posted as things develop - follow Avigrain for updates
read on for the Original Post
DISEASE ALERT.
Avigrain has been indirectly alerted to a budgie disease problem, with over 15 breeders losing around 75% of their birds.
Please read on - and if your birds have exhibited something similar please get in touch. Note there is no evidence that Avigrain seeds are causing any problems but it is being looked at to see if there are issues. We will inform you if there are any problems with the seed.
Info we have come across below being circulated.
This is a mystery disease that has not responded to any bird medicines. So let’s go through what we do know:
So far, we only know of two things will definitely save your birds’ lives; a small room or hospital cage with a temperature of 33-34C, and isolation from all sick birds. 100% of my breeding birds are perfectly well and healthy in 52 solid-walled breeding cabinets in the same room as the sick birds, but separated by 2m from all aviaries and wire cages. All aviaries and wire cages have over 75% of their birds dead or very ill. So close contact is needed for disease transmission. I suspect that this disease could well be transmitted via the water drinkers or faeces, so change your water at least once a day and clean out your cages with Sani-Chick (iodine) as often as possible (iodine stains surfaces). Clean all plastic or glass feeders with chlorine bleach, except for metal cage fronts, pipes etc. Chlorine acorrodes zinc-plated or galvanised steel items, but not high grade Stainless steel.
Thus it is essential that all members do not buy or sell any budgies, or even visit other breeders' aviaries until this disease outbreak is over.
The AHBA has assembled an elite task force of leading vets and scientists (details later) to try to work out what the disease is, and how to stop it. How this disease spreads between breeders has us baffled. Many of the 15+ breeders with sick birds have had no contact with other breeders with sick birds. Nor have they they swapped birds etc. And this disease has turned up in isolated areas, eg Central Queensland and the South Coast of NSW.
So far, the only thing that links the 15+ is their Avigrain Budgie Blue seed mix, but there is no direct proof that the disease comes from this seed mix. In my endeavour to isolate all possible causes, and under veterinary advice, I have ceased feeding Avigrain Budgie Blue to my birds until we know what is going on. The weather is now the ‘Perfect Storm’ for avian diseases: incredibly humid and warm. These two conditions together are often lethal for budgies, but note that infections are occurring in places like Central Qld which is not suffering from the humidity etc. We have scientists doing research into the seed mix and we will keep you informed immediately when any results come in.
The worst thing about trying to help budgie breeders with bird diseases, is their reluctance to come forward and admit that they have any disease problems at all. Presumably, they are worried that they might lose sales of birds if they admit to having problems. The breeders of modern exhibition budgies almost never admit that they are producing numbers of feather dusters (AKA mops) or tailless wonders or French moult babies, YET these problems are very common indeed.
