It's useless to try to eliminate the aspergillus spores, they are EVERYWHERE and they have always been. They are really not the problem. What you need to watch out for is not dirt but stress because only stresssed out birds develop aspergillosis.

Stress -and, mind you, stress is not only emotional but also physical so a bird that doesn't sleep enough or who doesn't have enough sleep in the dark and quiet; a bird on a bad diet; a bird that doesn't get enough exercise; a bird kept on a schedule that keeps him in a state of semi-arousal all year round, etc is a stressed out bird- depresses the immune system, and that, added to the fact that the life they have with us is a completely unnatural one from the diet to the environment to the water to everything that you can think of is what makes the difference between mere normal exposure to aspergillus to an actual infection.

And yes, it has been known for a while that skin fungal infections can cause plucking, that's why plucking birds should always have a skin swab test.

I'm with Arty. I have never heard of a bird plucking itself in the wild. And there must be many of the asper spores in the wild as well. I do think that it is an issue that only caged birds have combined with another issue. I was chatting to my vet the other day and telling him how we decided to rehome Lucy. He asked us how her feathers were doing and I told him no better, no worse. I then went to explain her history, species, etc... When I mentioned she was a hybrid, that got his attention. Because these aren't 'natural' bird (and I mean this is no offense to those with hyrids; I absolutly adore them, I'm just relaying info) that they can be more prone to problems. Not only that, but some birds just aren't meant for 'pet life' or 'brood bird' life. Some, probably all, want to be able to fly freely.

I'm not saying that asper in the pores isn't real. It probably it. But would it not be in our skin? Or what about the other birds in the same room? I feel that there are too many variables to be able to pin this as a cause for plucking. Its just a very hard problem to overcome...

I would think so, according to the Minnesota Raptor Center Aspergillosis is the most common fatal disease of birds of prey. They were the first to develop an accurate diagnostic test for Aspergillosis. This is where Kita's Asper was diagnosed.


Aspergillus is one of the fungi that can cause systemic infection in immuno-compromised or sick people and can cause skin lesions.

Hmmm...That's really interesting...But I still wonder why our birds would pluck and wild birds wouldn't...We've already tested Lucy for asper, and she's come up negative. I have to wonder how they would test for it in the folicles...?

I would assume they pluck one feather and test the follicle for it. As to birds of prey infected with asper not plucking, that would be because the aspergillosis they develop is in their lungs. And, yes, it's very common among birds of prey but it's the captive birds of prey that get it the most not the wild ones. And by captive I mean the ones that are getting treated at rehab centers, birds that are sick or have sustained trauma and are living under extremely stressful situations. There have been more and mroe cases of aspergillosis found in wild birds but given the fact that we are destroying their habitats, depleting their food sources and bombarding them with chemicals, I am not surprised at all. Again, stress is what you need to watch for, not the asper spores.

I would have to respectfully disagree, asper. spores while everywhere, are toxic. It is the amount of spores present that is the issue, and than yes if stressed makes the bird more susceptible. And aspergillus is found in high concentrations on grain and corn products. For people that use corncob bedding, or other such products the risk for infection is higher. So no you general do not have to worry about it, but some species such as Pionus are very susceptible to aspergillus spores and more care needs to be taken. As far as whether wild birds do or do not become ill from it....Most ill birds become another animals meal, so we would not generally know if asper. infection is common of not, that combined with the fact that in all reality there is not that much wild research on parrots as there is on raptors, I would say it is not wise to make the conclusion that wild parrots do not commonly become infected. As for feather destruction in the wild???? It does happen, it is rare since an unfeathers bird means another's lunch, but is has been documented in Australia. The difference is the feather destruction is not, (to my knowledge) self inflicted unless you consider brooding patches. Rather it is due to illness, or mate aggression. This to me would make sense since after all there are many illness that can cause feather destruction, some of which would be more common in the wild such as skin fungus, parasites, worms and other host organisms. Yet in captivity, we would see more because now you have many other contributing factors such as diet, husbandry, and lighting, humidity and such. And parrots are removed form the the very remedies and environment that they may use in the wild to fend off host organism, and have a healthy diet.

You are correct about the spores been on grains but this is a different type of problem. Corn and other grains (legumes like beans and peanuts, too) do develop toxic levels of aflatoxin from two types of aspergilli (there are hundreds) when stored for too long or incorrectly but as long as the seeds or grains are kept in a dry, cool place with adequate ventilation and consumed within three months, it's safe for the bird. This is the one that you really have to watch for high concentrations because it's only when the levels are high that aflatoxin becomes deadly (even corn for human consumption contains aflatoxin, only it's at safe levels -I was traffic manager for a grain company for ten years). Aflatoxin destroys the liver and that's what makes it fatal to birds (and people). Only I believe this is not considered aspergillosis but aflatoxin poisoning. I once rescued a breeder parrot that died from it six months after I got him and that was what my vet said and what the necropsy listed as cause of death.

As far as I know, when vets and bird guardians talk about aspergillosis, they are referring, primarily, to the respiratory infection because even aspergellomas are referred to as such even though they are another form of the same infection (the first is the acute and the latter is the chronic form). And of course, concentration is always important because even a healthy bird would develop symptoms if housed in a dark room with no ventilation and decaying vegetal material laying around (conditions necessary for mold growth). But, on the other hand, I think it would be safe to say that this would definitely be a stressed out bird (with the corresponding depressed immune system) because no bird can be happy or even comfortable living like that and a guardian that allows these conditions would, most likely, fail in all other departments, too.

When I say (and mind you, this is not based on my personal opinion or experience -I've never had a bird with aspergillosis- but on everything I read about it) that stress is the problem (and this is basically because of the effect that physical or emotional stress has on the immune system) is always taking into consideration a reasonable degree of good husbandry which I am sure it's the rule among the members of this site.

As to some species been more susceptible than others, you are again correct. Pionus, Jardines and other psittaforms that are prone to vitamin A deficiency are more prone to all respiratory infections, not only aspergillosis, for the simple reason that they don't produce enough mucus to cleanse the lungs. But, again, this would fall under physical stress from a bad diet.

As to feather destruction in the wild, you are right, again. But I think that when people use this phrase, they are referring to Feather Destructive BEHAVIOR and not plumage problems brought on by disease or trauma.

Hmmm...I wonder if it would also make smaller feathers fall out? Like, on the head?

Funny you should ask that Dominique. Kita has Asper in her sinuses and both times when we had to treat her she lost patches of head feathers.

This is an interesting article that's linked in this thread.
<Article> ASPERGILLUS –A few facts on how it affects parrots...