STRESS

Stress and the new pet bird
The acquisition of a new bird is always exciting. However, for the new bird, there are always many inherent and often unavoidable stresses associated with transport and rehousing. This is particularly so with young birds because often this time is also associated with weaning. Not only are they separated from their parents but there is also a possible change of diet. A bird in a new cage must find where the food and water are, and, if weaned into a cage with other birds, must find its own space and territory.

Having the cage ready and correctly set up will help to settle the new bird more quickly and avoid any unnecessary stress. Considerable thought should be put into cage size, design and placement. For many birds, the cage represents their own space or territory and acts as their refuge if they feel threatened. It is therefore important that the cage promotes this sense of security. Remember the old zoo cages that used to house animals such as tigers, which were all wire? They are no longer used in zoos and yet are commonly used to house pet birds. A skittish bird sitting in a cage with four wire walls and a wire roof must feel very exposed and vulnerable. It is good if a solid roof or one or two solid walls can be fitted, even if this simply means tying on some cardboard sections with string. Placing the perches high in the cage promotes security and of course the perches should always be of uneven diameter and have a variable surface to avoid later foot problems. Natural branches are best. Many commercially available cages have a removable wire floor for ease of cleaning. Many birds do not like these. Often removing these and covering the floor with washed dry river sand to a depth of 1 – 2 cm (available from garden supply outlets) provides a surface that birds enjoy walking and lying on as well as exploring. Changed regularly, this provides an hygienic floor. The sand absorbs the moisture from the droppings and when the cage is cleaned the sand and dropping mixture make a good garden dressing.

Birds, when introduced to a new home, cannot intuitively sense that you mean them no harm. Sudden movements, bright colours and loud noises are all intimidating.
Speaking in a steady voice in a lower tone also helps.

Cage placement is important. Initially the cage should not be placed in a major thoroughfare of the house. Remember, everything is new and potentially frightening. Unfamiliar activity interferes with normal rest and feeding and does little to promote a feeling of security. Adjustment to other pets in the household, such as dogs, will take time. It is doubtful whether birds ever become accustomed to a cat. Often for the first few days placing the cage in a quieter part of the house is a good idea until the birds familiarises itself with its new cage and starts to eat properly. Once the bird settles into its cage and starts to recognise and know its new owner, it can then be a good idea to move the cage to a busier area. This is particularly so for intelligent birds such as parrots, which quickly become bored. Placing the cage in front of a window or even outside can help to prevent any cage boredom with a more established pet. It is however important to remember that the sight of any natural predator such as magpies, raptors and cats, will not only cause significant stress but may lead to physical injury due to the bird panicking and flying around the cage.

The temperature and humidity of the area in which the cage is placed are also important. Ideally the temperature for most birds should be in the range 20°C to 25°C and the humidity about 60%. Birds can, of course, cope with much higher and lower levels of both, however, a significant change in either value over 24 hours, e.g. cold nights and hot days, has been shown to be a significant stress. Draughts (which are essentially cold currents of air through warmer air) should be avoided.

Because most time spent in the air by birds is involved in horizontal rather than vertical flight, it is better if the pet bird’s cage is a rectangle lying on its side rather than its end. This will make the cage much more usable for the bird. It should go without saying that the cage needs to be big enough for the species kept. It is unfortunate that many larger cockatoos are kept in cages that are too small for them to even fully extend their wings, let alone fly. Cages that are 2 foot by 2 foot by 3 foot are not uncommon. This is analogous to keeping a budgie in a cage 6 inches square. A cage of this size for a cockatoo should only be viewed as temporary housing or as a transport cage. If it is the only cage that is available, then the bird needs to spend a significant amount of time out of the cage for its long-term health.Hygiene-related Stress
Cage birds prefer clean, dry conditions. Dampness encourages bacterial proliferation and speeds the development of worm and coccidial eggs. Accumulated droppings, particularly around food and water trays, expose the birds to a higher level of germs generally and also noxious gases, such as ammonia. It is common sense to keep the cage clean and feed and water the birds in an hygienic manner.

Nutrition-related Stress
The ingestion of a full and balanced diet is something that both bird fanciers and avian vets have realised is vital, particularly over the last 10 to 20 years. This is particularly so in certain species. For example, it would not be an exaggeration to state that probably more than 90% of disease seen in lorikeets relates to a poor diet. This is even seen in free-flying lorikeets, where people offer wild birds saucers of sugar, bread and water. These birds develop a dependence on these easily available foods rather than forage for themselves. Being low in protein and lacking many micronutrients, these birds become immunosuppressed and significantly more vulnerable to disease. In many cases, when a disease outbreak occurs in an aviary, the owner of such birds must not only, along with his vet, figure out what the dissease problem is but then ask himself what made it come in the first place, Often, an improvement in diet will help in preventing a recurrence of the problem and avoid the need for medication in the future. The closer the aviculturist can mimic the diet of wild birds of that species then the better. Often keeping in mind that many birds such as galahs, pigeons and many parrots, are essentially foragers taking a wide variety of foods, and simply increasing the variety offered to them does much to improve the situation.

Parasites and Stress
A parasite is essentially any organism that lives off another organism. In order to survive, parasites must drain energy from their host. Many, in doing this, also physically damage the host animal. Parasites therefore cause significant stress to the host animal. It is common to see parasitic disease occurring simultaneously with stress related disease. A common example being the double barrelled problem of round worm infection and chlamydial disease seen often in Neophemas. It is not possible to provide effective treatment for the chlamydia until the round worm infection has been cleared and the stress associated with this drain on the birds system removed.

In free-flying wild birds, parasites are much less of a problem than in caged birds because of the decreased level of contact between individuals and the lower level of exposure to droppings because of the wider area over which the animals roam. With the higher stocking densities associated with captivity, exposure to parasites dramatically increases. Without ongoing hygiene and an adequate control program, parasite numbers can build up to levels that cause disease and deaths in their own right. Lower parasite burdens generally weaken birds and predispose them to other diseases. The control of parasites is a significant concern and will be covered in a later article. Suffice to say now, the major parasites are worms, coccidia, lice and mites and that there are a range of safe and effective medications available. Your avian vet is well equipped to advise you on what parasites are particularly relevant to your species and which medications are best to use.