Home Microbiology for Aviculturists

Do a search on rec.pets.birds for the below messages regarding my aviary management with my sponsoring veterinarians and my opinions regarding the requirement to succeed in aviculture management within 'your' aviary along side your avian veterinarian as a sponsor and colleague.

A google search will take you to the messages below.

I have edited the spelling and deleted two words however, content is the same as I wrote in 1997.. ...feel free to do the search and compare

From: Cherane (cherane@aol.com)

Subject: CHERANE -MICROBIOLOGY AT HOME

This is the only article in this thread

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Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds

Date: 1997/12/25

I'll repeat my message

A qualified avian vet who doesn't mind consulting with you doing home clinical

microbiology

Courses in microbiology, bacteria and sterilization ( I have had all in 1960

with my teaching these courses in the local college in years past)

With the web page for microbioproducts.com/avianintro.htm I state this may be

a good source of reference however,

Dr. Branson Ritchie did NOT send nor endorse nor referred me to microbioproducts

( www.microbioproducts.com/avianintro.htm )company for my supplies.

Maybe if you have psittacines that are not endangered there may be a

difference. I happen to breed endangered exotic psittacines as Hyacinthines, Scarlets, Red Fronted Macaws, Queens of Bavaria, etc.....I do my buying of supplies at

Physicians Laboratory as directed by Dr. Branson Ritchie

My Microscope came through the assistance of Dr. Tom Goldsmith

I have a consulting Qualified Avian Vet (Diplomat of Avian medicine) if

something is beyond my abilities where an overnite specimen is sent to his office.

As I wrote in my last post.....without a qualified avian vet to consult with

this is useless....for IF you have a disease that needs treatment....who is

going to give you the drugs?

I have a supplier with a qualified avian vets license number down on my

account to give me what I need in my orders so that when the doctor tells me Ineed something I have it on hand.

Now, this calls for a real trust between several doctors and my having the

ability to follow through with directions when given by the doctor , as well

thorough training and education.

I also have another avian vet that if I'm in a real hurry and I'm waiting for

the results at one vets office, I can send blood smear on a microplate overnite to him to get some kind of idea of what is going on with a bird.

The doctors I work with have a mutual respect, keen avian training as well, they trust that I have an idea of what is going on with my own birds so they work with me, web site could be just enough information to give you trouble or.....if you know microbiology it could be a wonderful source of information..however..

what happens if you got everything correct to your judgment...and you isolated everything with count (light, medium or heavy growth) and the sensitivity of resistant or sensitive? Where are going to find a qualified avian vet who'll back you up with the drugs of choice for this bacteria???

You must have a consulting assistance of a good qualified avian vet , one

who'll teach you more and discuss with you the diagnosis of your clinical

microbiology , and take some suggestions from you regarding treatment. The other concern I have some Vets will be intimidated by your knowledge, and will NOT treat your birds with your clinical microbiology at home.

Before you start this home clinical microbiology I do suggest you get the

approval of your vet and bring him into your plan of avian medicine and of

course, the science of veterinary care is changing each day so to stay abreast of all educational seminars as well, anything else you can show your qualified avian vet that you are involved with the avian medicine upkeep and care for your psittaicines.

Clinical microbiology at home is not to be achieved accurately by a

informational website...it must be incorporated with your avian veterinarian

approval and assistance.

Cherane Pefley Cherane@aol.com

Heavenly Aviary

Certified Avian Specialist

=========================================================

rec.pets.birds Cherane

Search Result 16

From: Cherane (cherane@aol.com)

Subject: Re: Cherane...how to culture at home?

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Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds

Date: 1997/12/24

>Hi Cherane, and anyone else who might have advice on this subject. I'm

>curious as to how you learned to culture at home. Is this something I could

>learn? What sort of equipment is needed?

>Susan

Hi Susan, I have many years dealing with microbiology, bacteria under my belt

...although with birds to id any growth demand knowledge of microbiology.

One, before anyone thinks they need to do clinical microbiology they can take

courses at their local College in microbiology.

Then you can make that decision.

My self, I have a outside vent where my cultures grow and away from all

birds/people. I would not myself attempt to grow anything that even "hints" of

fungus, yeast...but that is my personal opinion.

I always follow up with a culture sent to my vet if anything is out of my

knowledge.....

I think every Aviculturist with a nursery needs to have knowledge with clinical

microbiology, bacteria, and sterilization procedures . With that, a good

microscope is needed along with the ability of doing stains or gram stains.

without a qualified avian vet to assist you in any diagnostic treatment plan if you

are in trouble the whole process renders useless.

I like being able to tell my vet what I have done and what causes me concern as

he'll rule out what he suspects. However, overnite specimens can be sent as a

this is very comforting in my nursery management for if anything happens I'm

one step ahead and have a plan set out.

again, a good consulting avian vet

courses in microbiology

a good microscope (my vet helped me get mine)

supplier ( again, a qualified avian vet set this up)

once qualified , you'll have no problems with your supplies and instructions as

you'll know what to order from your microbiology courses.

Cherane

"Quality

is never an accident;

it is always the result of

high intention, sincere effort,

intelligent direction and skillful

execution;

it represents the wise choice

of many alternatives"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Book of Interest

From: Cherane (cherane@aol.com)

Subject: Re: Book review request: Psittaicines Aviculture

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Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds

Date: 1999/08/14

>Does anyone own a copy of this book, and if so, could you give me some

>opinions on it?

>--

I always bought this book and gave it when a breeding pair of my birds sold to

another home through the times of noise reduction here.

Dr. Susan Clubb and her husband, a microbiologist are truly to be commended in

the writing of this book. My book is used at least daily for one source of

info or another.

They cover everything from building aviaries, to fixing a beak of a baby to

Hyacinthines. I have found a notable weight chart for my use to tell me how

low a baby can go before I'm in trouble as I do feel the feedings and weights

are on the low side. However, this still serves good information for my

aviary/nursery.

The most valuable I have found is the bacteriology and microbiology as I'm into

the study of this with babies and birds. Again, this tends to give me some

headway to know and diagnose my own birds and just what fine line I can go with

regarding my holistic approach.

I have found this book to be one of the greatest birthday gifts, holiday gifts

for other breeders and on top of it all, it is cheap. That is my opinion that

the cost of this book is just cheap for the value of cage making, studies for

species, flock management to clinical microbiology.

Diet, both for flock and babies.

One of my favorites in this book is how to make locks for your cages at feed

doors and doors of your large flights. Information regarding nest boxes with

cages a bit smaller then I like however, still good info as it gives the

beginner some kind of idea of room and materials needed for an aviary.

You may try to call ABRC at 561-793-5135

ISBN #0-9631424-0-2

I hope this helps you and I hope you have many babies.

Cherane Pefley, CAS (Certified Avian Specialist)

Certified by the Model Avicultural Program (MAP)

http://www.calgaryparrotclub.com/Effects/map.htm

Member American Federation of Aviculture (AFA)

http://www3.upatsix.com/afa/what_is_afa