Baby Lovebird Diseases

Do you know at what age the baby lovebirds should be separated from its parents? Baby lovebirds should be weaned (separated) from its parents at the age of 14-18 days.

I have heard so many stories of baby lovebirds being attacked by parents after this age. Some of the parents are even worse to peck the chicks until it gets bleeding. Apart from mechanical injuries received from the parents, baby lovebirds are suffered from few more dreadful diseases.

You might have noticed a sudden death among the baby lovebirds after getting separated from the mother. You might think it is due to lack of parental care. NO... It is your deficiency of providing proper temperature in the chicks cage. So do provide proper lighting to provide enough heat. You can place them in a large "brooder"-which you can make by putting a few inches of Carefresh Cage Liner in a plastic reptile container. You can get this stuff in all pet stores.

Other common disease of baby lovebirds are pachecos (PD), which nothing but Herpes infection. The symptoms of this disease is blisters which will burst and bleeding is noticed at the site of burst. Moreover, the lovebird chicks may be affected by this condition because the parents may transmit this virus.There is ever possibility of liver failure in this condition.

The affected lovebird will defecate blackish fecal material with offensicve smell. It is really difficult to cure this condition. The only way is culling the parents or retire the pair from breeding.

Other Common Baby Lovebirds Diseases

Other common baby lovebirds diseases include-

• Favus (ringworm)
• Knemidocoptic mange (scaly face)
• Hypovitaminosis A (nutritional roup)
• Candidiasis (thrush, oidiomycosis, moniliasis)
• Trichomoniasis

As a lovebird owner, you ought to know about these baby lovebirds diseases. This will help you to provide better lovebird care for the entire flock. You should remember that enough care should be given to the baby lovebirds because it is very important to make them as a perfect parents in near future

Toxoplasmosis in Lovebirds

Do you know lovebirds are prone to Toxoplasmosis? Toxoplasmosis is a disease of zoonotic importance. Although toxoplasmosis is more confined to cats, lovebirds are also affected by Toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasmosis is caused by a protozoan parasite- Toxoplasma gondi. Drinking water contaminated with Toxoplasma is the usual entry of the organism in lovebirds.

Toxoplasma infection has two stages- Acute Toxoplasmosis and Latent Toxoplasmosis. Most infected lovebirds have no symptoms and are never diagnosed. The affected birds will have swollen eyelids with nasal discharge.

In humans, the affected individuals will show muscle weakness, eye damage, and abortion in pregnant women. So it is always advisable to avoid handling of lovebirds during pregnancy period of a woman.

Usually the diagnosis of the disease can be confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This is the confirmative test for Toxoplasmosis in lovebirds.

The common medicines employed to control toxoplasmosis in lovebirds include clindamycin, spiramycin, etc. In the latent toxoplasmosis, the common drug of choice is atovaquone. It is always advisable to prevent the occurrence of this disease among lovebirds than curing the same.

Psittacosis in Lovebirds

Psittacosis is a disease of parrot family. Lovebirds are also commonly affected by this disease. Moreover this disease would spread to other human beings also, if the lovebirds with psittacosis is being stressed too much. Thats why Psittacosis is considered as one of the Significant Zoonotic Diseases of Lovebirds

Other factors that predisposes Psittacosis include poor quality of feed, overcrowding and other infections of the lovebird. If you want to prevent this disease among lovebirds, you need to follow sensible hygiene as well as proper feeding.

Regular cleaning of the cage to remove fallen feathers and droppings will help to check this disease. This disease will spread through the dust. while cleaning the lovebirds cage, it is mandatory to wear a mask and hand gloves to prevent exposure to this dreadful disease.

Symptoms

The common symptoms of Psittacosis are-

• Conjuctivitis
• Discharges from eyes and nostrils
• Diarrhea
• Weight Loss

Treatment

If you have discovered the disease in early stages, it is really possible to get rid of Psittacosis provided the lovebird should not suffer from any other underlying disease. You should quarantine the sick birds immediately. Keep in mind that only the sick birds need not to be treated, but rest of the lovebirds in the cage should be given suitable treatment.

Usually Tetracycline group of antibiotics are found to be very useful in containing this disease. Disinfect the cage using disinfectants like Glutaraldehyde, etc.

Last not to be least, do love your lovebirds, but don't kiss them to get exposed to Psittacosis.