Healthy observations

There are things you should look for in buying a bird. Check the nostrils, and make sure there is no wet or sticky discharge. The eyes should be clear with no runniness or wet feathers around them. 

The area around the vent (the bird's rectum) should be clean with no droppings in the feathers. 

Check the feathers, baby birds should have fresh, soft feathers. If they appear extremely worn or if many are missing, this could be a sign of a health problem. The exception to this is tail feathers. Many baby birds are raised with multiple clutch mates that tend to chew on each other's tails in play, causing them to look rather ratty until they molt and grow in new ones.  The facial feathers of a baby bird might have some small amounts of caked-on formula from hand feeding, but if there is a lot of buildup, this might indicate a sloppy hand feeder who isn't careful about cleaning up the babies.  

Feel the chest area, babies may feel a bit thin immediately after weaning, but you should feel meat on the ribs, and the keel, (center of the breastbone) should not be very sharp. Listen to the breathing, if the bird is wheezing or whistling as it breathes normally, this could indicate a respiratory problem.

Health guarantees and Vet checks

Ask the seller about a health guarantee. You should have at least a week to take your new baby to a vet for a full checkup.  If the seller won't give you that long, don't take the baby. Responsible retailers should stand behind the health of their babies when they first leave the store.  Please understand that once a baby has been out of the aviary for more than a few days, it may pick up diseases from other places.  Expecting a breeder to give a long-term health warranty on a bird is unrealistic.  

Know your Veterinarian

Once you've chosen your baby, you should make immediate plans to take it to see a good avian vet.  

Don't just pick a vet from the phone book, like you would with dogs and cats. Some vets know nothing about birds, but will "experiment" on your bird anyway.  Find a vet that specializes in birds.  If you happen to find more than one, go and interview them to decide. 

Bird Mania strongly recommends the services of the Wright Veterinary Medical Center.  3247 Wimmer Road, Bethlehem, PA (610) 865-2611.

Wright Veterinary Medical Center has a top notch staff with hospital grade surgery and laboratory facilities.   Their highly trained staff is lead by Dr. Geoff Wright, a true avian expert and leader in his field.

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