I am cross posting this from another forum at the request of homebird. I only hope that my loss can somehow make others aware and catch it sooner.

Buttercup (our little yellow budgie) became ill suddenly. The vet ran some tests but unfortunately she passed. She did a necropsy which revealed megabacteria. Then Tinkerbell, Zira and Trident all started acting funny so I took them in. Suspecting that they also had it she started them on amphoteracin B (the antifungal medication) and advised that I start the other birds on it as well.
We lost Zira and Tinkerbell Wednesday and Thursday of last week. Then on Saturday my dear sweet Trident passed. I am heartbroken. Of all of my birds he was the most dear to me. I love all of my birds but Trident was special, I have had him the longest. He was the reason that I got involved with birds.

So far Cornelius and the Cockatiels are symptom free, but this bacteria can go un noticed for months with no symptoms and is hard to diagnose in a live symptom free bird. We only caught it because of the necropsy done on ButterCup. It is believed that she suffered with this silently for months.

The only symptom ButterCup showed was weakness when she became "wobbly" on her perch. It was very sudden.

We think that ButterCup was the original carrier, she came along with Sonny, Cher(these 2 were rehomed awhile back, I have notified their owners) and TinkerBell months ago. I quarantined approximately 40-45 days in total and then slowly introduced them to the flock. All was well until we lost ButterCup.


My 4 tiels and 1 remaining budgie are all on the antifungal meds as a prevention. Hopefully they will be o.k, time will tell.

I had thought that we were safe, I quarantined over 30 days, and things were fine. I had thought that all illness showed themselves within 30-40 days, I was wrong. Now I only have 1 budgie, and have lost a very dear friend.

Fly high and free Trident, you, TinkerBelle, ButterCup and Zira will be forever loved and missed!

OMG Im so sorry! This is tragic! Is there anything else you learned as far as how they get it to begin with?

I am so sorry for your losses, it is truly heart breaking. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us so that others may learn. I pray that your other birds will be alright.

As to how they get it I do not know. All of my birds except Trident are rescues so I know very little about there history. Our best guess is that she already had it when she came to us. It can sit for months unnoticed with no symptoms.

It is basically from my understanding a yeast infection.

Thank you all for your kind words.

Bless your heart! I am so sorry that you have this hurt. May you remember fond memories!

Some birds can be carriers, a 30, even 40 day seclusion period can prove to be of no help.
As you have said, some birds show no symptoms until its to late to help, they live in a very fragile world.
Birds will hide there illnesses, a sign of weakness makes them vulnerable to prey and other birds of there flocks.

When the vet quits the medications, offer your birds tomatoes, these will help clean the digestive track of the ickies.
We offer tomatoes once a week here to all of our birds.

Thank you for helping the little ones that can not help them selfs.

Be strong, Please don't let this deter you from offering your heart and home to other little ones in need.

I am so sorry for your loss, your little ones now fly free.
Prayers for those that have fallen.

A Rescuers prayer for you!

I am an Animal Rescuer
My job is to assist God's creatures
I was born with the need to fulfill their needs
I take in new family members without plan, thought or selection
I have bought dog food with my last dime
I have patted a mangy head with a bare hand
I have hugged someone vicious and afraid
I have fallen in love a thousand times
and I have cried into the fur of a lifeless body
I have Animal Friends and friends who have animal friends
I don't often use the word "pet"
I notice those lost at the road side
And my heart aches
I will hand raise a field mouse
And make friends with a vulture
I know of no creature unworthy of my time
I want to live forever if there aren't animals in Heaven
But I believe there are
Why would God make something so perfect and leave it behind
We may be master of the animals,
But the animals have mastered themselves
Something people still haven't learned
War and Abuse makes me hurt for the world
But a rescue that makes the news gives me hope for mankind
We are a quiet but determined army
And making a difference ever day
There is nothing more necessary than warming an orphan
nothing more rewarding than saving a life
No higher recognition than watching them thrive
There is no greater joy than seeing a baby play
who only days ago, was too weak to eat
I am an Animal Rescuer
My work is never done,
My home is never quiet
My wallet is always empty
But my heart is always full
In the game of life, we have already won

BrokenWing Wildlife & Exotic & Pigeon Rescue & Rehab

Arty

Thank you BrokenWing. Now I am crying even harder! Lol! I am as emotional as I am passionate.

I will definitely give the tomatoes a try. Mine are finally pretty good about eating new foods.

I could never shut the door on a bird in need. I am contacted daily about birds. Usually it's a slight behavior that needs work and I am able to help the people keep their birds. This is a very rewarding experience. Then their are the birds like Big Maggie, the ones that everyone else has given up on the "Lost causes", those are the ones that touch me the most. I am a mother to kids, fids and dogs(it was supposed to just be one but then Jasper was in a kill shelter in Ohio and well... now it's two).Some say I'm a sucker, my hubby says I'm trying to turn him in to Noah, the kids just think I'm cool.
I like to think I'm teaching something but really I am being taught by these wonderful creatures. I used to be strictly a dog person, my husband was a cat person. We both thought that birds were dumb. Then we met Trident, a little budgie that fluttered his way in to our hearts forever. He made us understand that these birds were forgotten, viewed as disposable. I have had budgies, cockatiels, parrotlets a canary and an amazon. All of them outcasts in their own right, to us they are family. Our doors will always be open to the forgotten and outcast, our hearts always have room!

That is a beautiful prayer and means a lot to me right now, thank you for sharing it.

And thank you to all of you for the kind words and welcomes!
Danielle

Thank you for being Danielle.
Please know you are a special person, there are many risks involved with opening ones heart.
I want you to know, I brought a carrier into my rescue loft, even after a 30 day seclusion period (when I thought all was fine) my birds began to die, I lost a total of 8 birds before I gained control of the virus.
I have walked with you.
I am very pleased you are going to continue to help those in need.
I feel it would be best if you keep a pro biotic on hand, Foster & Smith has a mild (effective) pro biotic that helps detoxify.
I will search out the link and post it here in this thread.
All of us here on Parrot Chatter are here to help you if we can.
So visit more often, we won't bite...
Smile Girl.

Arty aka BrokenWing

Danielle what a heart wrenching experience. I am so sorry for your loss. This is indeed a scary disease if it can't be detected in some birds. I pray your Tiels and Budgie will remain healthy.

Welcome to Parrot Chatter, we're very happy to have you here.