As a parrot owner, you should be aware of the classic bird diseases and infections your pet can get. The sooner you spot them, the quicker you can act. And if you are familiar with diseases, you’ve probably heard about PBFD.
This is the most prevalent and highly infectious viral disease in parrots. Most of those affected (92%) are young parrots, up to 3 years old. But, older parrots can develop it too. It is a serious disease that can have a drastic impact on the parrot’s quality of life. (1)
Since there is no cure, PBFD infection prevention remains a top priority. If you notice your pet showing any of the signs of PBFD, talk to a qualified vet. But, if you want to learn more about PBFD infection prevention, you are in the right place. We compiled a comprehensive guideline that can show you the ropes.
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What Is the Parrot PBFD Infection?
The psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) is a viral disease affecting parrots and other birds as well. It is the result of a very small virus that typically causes problems with the beak, feathers, and skin. In some cases, it can affect the internal organs. (2)
But, the impact will vary based on how old the bird is, and when it got exposed. This virus is endemic in a lot of free-ranging flocks of psittacines across Australia. It can affect: (3)
Cockatoos
● Eclectus parrots
● African grey parrots
● Lovebirds
● Lorikeets
● Parrot species of African, Australian, and Asian origin
Although most of the birds affected are younger, the PBFD infection can affect birds of any age. Most people call it "Bird AIDS", as it seems to have some similar characteristics to human AIDS. This disease has a relatively high death rate in birds in both the wild and in captivity.
What Are the Early Signs of Beak and Feather Disease?
Infected parrots can develop acute, very acute (severe), or chronic forms of PBFD. In younger parrots, the disease tends to progress faster. The first sign is when the parrot is losing feathers, but the bird doesn’t pluck them out themselves. They fall on their own.
Other symptoms include:
● Pin feathers (the feathers are abnormally short)
● Bloody shafts in the feathers
● Sharp feathers
● Loss of powder down
● Clubbed feathers
● Colored feathers are losing their pigment
As the disease gets worse, the parrot becomes depressed. Chronic PBFD is most common, and vets can recognize it by the slowly progressive dystrophy. The parrot has hemorrhage within the pulp, curled feathers, retained feather sheaths, etc.
PBFD can have serious outcomes. It can cause beak and feather abnormalities and long-term dysfunction of the immune system. (4)
How Is Beak and Feather Disease Spread?
Wondering how birds get PBFD? This disease is easy to spread from an infected to a healthy bird. An infected older bird can pass it on to their young one. A healthy bird can also get the disease by staying in an infected nest box.
The virus is shed in feather dander. This is the white powder produced by the feathers near the skin, which helps the bird have silky and soft feathers. The virus can spread through dried or fresh excrement (feces). Including skin particles and bird’s crops.
Secretions could also carry the disease. Particularly those produced from regurgitation, vomiting, sneezing, and coughing. If an infected parrot stays in the same enclosure with other birds, the healthy birds will be exposed. (5)
But, that doesn’t necessarily mean they will all become infected. This makes the viral disease very hard to control. If there is an infected parrot, it is best to keep the other parrots in a clean and separate environment.
● Asymptomatic parrots can shed the virus for years before they start showing any symptoms.
How Long Does PBFD Live on Surfaces?
One of the main issues with PBFD is that the infection lasts a very long time in the environment. In organic matter, it can last up to 18 months. It is very stable in the environment, which gives it the potential to survive in nest hollows for years. This disease is very contagious. Large amounts of it can be found in droppings, could be airborne, or present in the contents of the crop.
Is PBFD Contagious to Humans?
No. There is currently no record that this virus can be a threat to humans. But, it can prove fatal for birds. Many infected birds die in 6 to 12 months after developing clinical symptoms. However, some birds might survive for 10 to 15 years. Death typically occurs from secondary bacterial, parasitic, fungal, chlamydial, or viral infection.
How Do You Prevent PBFD?
Prevention is important since there is no effective treatment for PBFD. It is very hard, if not impossible, to get rid of the virus, once it has been spread. Many parrots lose their lives in the process, while others survive thanks to supportive treatments.
Such as using supplements to boost immunity and keeping a healthy body temperature. Even if the bird recovers, it stays latently infected. The virus remains in their liver, making them carriers. The options below can help prevent a further spread.
1. Keep Good Hygiene
To protect the parrot from diseases, viruses, and bacteria, keep their living area clean. Clean the water and food pots daily. Scrub the toys, perches, and cage. If there is any leftover food or droppings on the bottom of the cage, make sure to remove them.
You shouldn’t leave the feces, or uneaten food accumulate on the bottom for a long time. Otherwise, mold will start to grow, and with it, comes the spread of bacteria. If you are using paper or newspaper linings, change them daily. This is a great way of maintaining a clean bottom surface.
Use hot water with soap to remove the spills and scrub the perches. Don’t apply harsh chemicals or cleaners to the cage, as these can be dangerous for your parrot. Before and after cleaning the parrot cage or handling the parrot, wash your hands.
2. Disinfect the Home
Start by removing any organic matter. After cleaning the surfaces, apply disinfectant to all the affected areas. Let the product rest on the surface for at least 10 min. Otherwise, it won’t be effective. Then give the surface a quick rinse to avoid corrosion.
If the area has poor ventilation, move the birds to a different room before disinfecting. Play it safe with a specific concentration disinfectant that’s not harmful to both birds and humans. Don’t forget to wash the clothes you are wearing.
Anything that comes in contact with the virus, including your shirt, pants, or skirt can spread the disease. So, wash the clothing and décor items you keep in the bird’s cage.
What Disinfectant Kills PBFD?
No disinfectant can actually kill PBFD. But, some products can deactivate it. A disinfectant that is effective for PBFD control is the peroxygen compound - Virkon S. Thanks to its low toxicity to humans, it is safer to use than other similar disinfectants.
Virkon S is efficient against all viruses when applied to organic matter-free surfaces. Especially when used at a higher recommended concentration (2%) with a contact time of 10 minutes. The disinfectant can deactivate the PBFD virus present on the surface. (6)
Deeper insight
In addition to Virkon S, hypochlorous acid water (known as HOCl) is seen as effective in controlling surface germs in breeding environments for birds such as parrots. HOCl has been shown to be highly effective in controlling germs even at low concentrations, is safe for humans and animals, and produces no residue, making it possible to deliver the active ingredients throughout a room or to surfaces using space spraying without any discrimination.
For spraying, it is recommended to use an ultrasonic stationary fogger designed specifically for HOCl, rather than a hand-held sprayer.
Ultrasonic fogger produces a fine mist of 4-5 microns that can literally deliver HOCl's active ingredients throughout a room without the need for human labor.
3. Do Regular Baths
Many parrots love water. They will jump at the first opportunity to splash and bathe. If you haven’t tried bathing your parrot already, prepare a small bath and see if the parrot wants to wash itself. Just fill the bathtub with a couple of inches of water and bring the parrot close to it.
Regardless of how old the parrot is, all parrots need regular bathing. These birds develop dead skin, dirt, and dust build-up. If you leave the dirt and dust pile up, it sticks to their feathers and hinders their range of motion. So, the parrot starts coughing and sneezing more often.
If there is too much debris, the parrot can have intense itching. You might also feel the need to bathe the parrot daily. But, that is not necessary. Depending on how dirty the parrot gets, their activity level, and the air quality where they live, you might have to bathe them once every other week.
4. Avoid Stressful Situations
Parrots can become stressed from their environment or health issues. Lack of food or malnutrition can also result in stress. To keep your bird happy, provide them with a stable and comfortable environment. Such as nesting areas, perches, visual barriers, etc.
Place their cage in a quiet area to minimize the noise. And don’t move their cage too much. Changing their living area too often can make the bird stressed and confused. If you have to move the bird, place a sheet over its cage. This keeps them calm.
Then slowly take out the sheet to give the parrot enough time to familiarize themselves with that new environment. Another important de-stressing tool is fun. Parrots can get bored too. Especially when they have nothing to do, little to play with, or they don’t get any attention from you.
What you can do is play with the bird. Offer them stimulating activities. For example, spend time with your parrot to teach them something. Clicker training can help with that. Clicker training can be used to desensitize a parrot to a new toy or teach them how to play with it.
These lessons are very short, but give the bird a ton of emotional and physical energy. It gives them a sense of achievement, which can mitigate their anxiety, stress, and worry. You can also let the parrot listen to some music. Many birds like to dance to the beat. In other words, give parrots a predictable living environment that they can enjoy.
5. Get Proper Diagnosis
Not all feather and beak abnormalities are from the PBFD virus. That’s why it is important to get an adequate diagnosis and talk to a specialist. Getting a correct diagnosis is a key factor in disease management. A blood test with a DNA probe is often the go-to choice for diagnosing this virus.
Is There a Vaccine for PBFD?
Since 1993, vaccination appeared experimentally to be useful for preventing PBFD infection. But, developing a safe and reliable antigen supply proved to be very difficult. Experts at the Charles Sturt University (CSU), in New South Wales stated they created the first PBFD vaccine in 2019. (7)
They were ready to submit their work for approval. This pilot vaccine took more than a decade to develop. And there is high hope that the product might help endangered parrot species. Like the orange-bellied parrot. (8)
How Do You Take Care of a Bird With Beak and Feather Disease?
There is no cure for PBFD, and almost all birds succumb to the disease. What you can do is support the parrot with good nutrition and husbandry. Don’t forget to give all foods a thorough clean before you feed them to your parrot. You can feed your pet veggies, fruits, grains, proteins, and grasses. You can also include dry foods. Here is a quick look at what a highly nutritious diet for parrots looks like. (9)
● Vegetables – Parrots can benefit from a mix of different veggies. Particularly those with excellent nourishing qualities. Such as dark leaf veggies, carrots, peas, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, beans, etc. You can also give them some okra, corn, fennel, and zucchini.
● Fruit – Parrots love fruits. You can make your parrot happy by feeding them berries, pineapple, peaches, or any other local variety. If you want to collect wild berries or fruits on your own, be sure to give your parrot edible products.
● Grains, Grasses, and Protein – If you want to give your parrot grasses, make sure they are clean and contaminant-free. These grasses shouldn’t have any animal droppings or pesticides. While lentils, chickpeas, and beans can be excellent sources of protein.
● Dry foods – In a natural environment, a parrot will gnaw on bark, seeds, and other items. Dry foods can be a good alternative for parrots in captivity. They are safe and healthy.
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References
1. https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/beak-feather-disease-and-other-threats-australian-threatened-parrots.pdf
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/veterinary-science-and-veterinary-medicine/psittacine-beak-and-feather-disease
3. https://lafeber.com/vet/wp-content/uploads/PBFD_Klaphake.pdf
4. https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/invasive-species/diseases-fungi-and-parasites/beak-and-feather-disease
5. https://www.skylarkvets.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Psittacine-Beak-and-Feather-Disease.pdf
6. https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/beak-feather-disease-and-other-threats-australian-threatened-parrots.pdf
7. https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/en/publications/vaccination-strategies-for-pbfd
8. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-24/vaccine-to-save-critically-endangered-orange-bellied-parrot/11224458
9. https://www.parrots.org/pdfs/all_about_parrots/reference_library/health_and_nutrition/WPT-Parrot-Nutrition-Guide.pdf
