Quarantine, how did you handle it? Options

[Sarka]

Nessie (our yellow-sided conure) has been with us for 4 days now and I find it very difficult to stick to the quarantine. We have him in a different room than Dracek and because I hate for him to be there all alone I spend there most of the afternoon and evening. It's nice to be there with him but I miss my husband and Dracek, we hardly see each other now with me locked in that room whenever I am not at work I know it has to be done but I hoped it wouldn't be that difficult...

Did anyone of you also find it so frustrating? I cannot wait for the 30 days to be over

[Jeepingchick]

it can be frustrating , but you have to do it!! it is so impportant to make sure everyone stays healthy. some people actually advise 60 day quarentines. itll get easier to deal with as you get used to the routine so hang in there!

[Quincy's Slave]

Yep I agee, I'm going through it now with my new budgies. At least they are not really tame so want nothing to do with me which makes it easier. The cleaning and feeding is still a pain though.

[Carrie~Anne]

It is very frustrating, but very necessary. And, as mentioned, some of us do a longer quarantine (I sure do, depending on where the bird comes from). Remember, a bird that appears to be perfectly healthy, could be a carrier for any sort of disease that your other birds will catch. Best to be uncomfortable and frustrated for a short time, then run the risk of losing any of your flock.

[Siobhan]

We kept Bonnie in the bedroom for her quarantine for a couple of weeks, then we moved her cage to the living room, the next room from where Clyde's cage was, so that she could see and hear what was going on but not be close enough to give Clyde any germs and vice versa. The vet told us we only had to quarantine Benjy for two weeks, and we didn't quarantine Jade at all. I know, I know, that was very bad, but she'd been living in a house by herself, with Donella coming and going to take care of her, and Donella had known her all her life, so she knew Jade was okay. Our house is so small that it's hard to keep anyone completely separate from everyone else.

[Sandi Kiwis Mom]

Yep quarantining is so very important. When I got Gidget (gcc) I had her in a spare room and Kiwi in the living room. I also felt like I wasn't spending as much time with Kiwi at that time. I only quarantined for 30 days. I took Gidget to the Vet the day after I got her. Even tho she got a clean bill of health, the Vet recommended the quarantine.......I couldn't hardly wait for the 30 days to be over... but in the end it is so worth it

[Sarka]

Thanks to all for your comments, it's getting a bit easier, still I do hope it will be over quickly

I believe that 30 days should be enough, Nessie was bought from a breeder and he was all alone in his flat with no other birds, the other 3 parrots that were there with him left a month earlier and all of them are healthy. So with our 30 day quarantine it nearly makes the 60 days And I'm taking him to the vet today so hopefully he is as healthy as he looks.

I just have to say that he is SO NIPPY, that is unbelievable. He bites just about for any reason or just because he feels like it. He bites when I don't pet him, when I don't pet him where he wants, when he doesn't want to be petted anymore, when he wants something, when he doesn't want something... and he bites hard, my hands are pretty sore and he has drawn blood several times.

Oh well, the joys of having a parrot

[QTQP4me]

when we brought goofy home, his quarantine lasted all of 2 weeks. while he hadn't been vetted, he was a healthy bird. but i didn't bring him into our family after a short quarantine without some anxiety. but i had guests, and one of them was a mouthy young boy, so in goof's best interest down he came when they got here.

zuzu got a full month. not because i worried about his health or possible issues, but because since he's the same species as louie and we intended to introduce them physically at some point, i wanted to do it right. they called to each other for a month before seeing each other. it was a VERY long month

we have a 2 story house and kept the new birds in the computer room upstairs, while the existing flock lives downstairs. we also took turns. i would send the girl up to hang out for a while, while i hung out with louie (and goofy, later). then she would change clothes and we would switch until bedtime. ian would stop in for a few minutes, but he didn't spend a chunk of time with zuzu like the girl and i did, and i honestly think that's why i had a better relationship with him initially. he's more social with ian now that he's been here a while and settled in.

i think quarantine is necessary not only for protecting your current flock's health from possible disease, but it also allows you to bond with your new bird without the interruption of a jealous bird or other fid distractions. it's a get to know you period that is essential, in my opinion. i got a lot of bites from zuzu once he got comfortable enough to come out of his cage (and admittedly i did kind of push him to step up and stuff, probably sooner than he was comfortable with), but we also go to hang out in the girl's bedroom, one on one, and i could handle him. we learned to trust each other, and that made his integration into the flock a little easier i think.

kris

[loriwoo]

I am having a terrble time with quarrantine. I dont' change my shirt and they both sit on my arm,, I have a couple of minutes and talk to one and then the other,, and they are in seperate rooms but not seperate floor and the rooms are seperated by open doorways.
I am failing and quarnatine. they are not sharing food, toys or dishes, and I wash my hands, but I don't think I am doing it right at all...
Lori

[Sarka]

I am having a terrble time with quarrantine. I dont' change my shirt and they both sit on my arm,, I have a couple of minutes and talk to one and then the other,, and they are in seperate rooms but not seperate floor and the rooms are seperated by open doorways.
I am failing and quarnatine. they are not sharing food, toys or dishes, and I wash my hands, but I don't think I am doing it right at all...
Lori

Lori, it really is difficult but it gets easier with time. We are quite used to the routine now so it is not that bad. We live in a flat so our fids are on the same floor as well but I have two sets of clothes and I change in the kitchen whenever I go from one to the other. It is annoying but it is for them. Try to have a set of clothes ready and change, you will get used to it, it's all about the first few days that it is difficult. It only gets better and better then

[loriwoo]

thanks, I really am trying,, but yes, it is so hard.
Lori