McLaughlin Parrot Page

23/06/2026

16/06/2026

PBFD: Why biosecurity matters even when a bird looks healthy

Recent conversations within the Georgia parrot community provide an important reminder about a disease every parrot caregiver should understand: Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD).

PBFD is caused by a circovirus that attacks the immune system and feather-producing cells of affected birds. While feather abnormalities and beak changes are often associated with the disease, infected birds do not always look sick. Some may appear healthy while still shedding infectious viral particles.

The virus can spread through feather dust, dander, feathers, f***s, crop secretions, contaminated surfaces, clothing, shoes, carriers, cages, and equipment. Because parrots produce significant amounts of feather dust and dander, transmission can occur more easily than many people realize.

This is why biosecurity is so important.
Whether you are visiting a breeder, attending a bird fair, volunteering at a rescue, boarding your bird, transporting parrots, or visiting an avian veterinarian, there is always the potential for infectious diseases to move from one location to another if proper precautions are not taken.

Simple steps that help reduce risk include:
• Washing hands before and after handling birds
• Changing clothes after visiting facilities with birds
• Cleaning, then disinfecting, with F10 or Virkon (not bleach), carriers and equipment
• Avoiding buying of toys, bowls, perches, and supplies from places where there are existing birds in the same space.
• Following appropriate quarantine procedures for new birds
• Discussing disease testing with your avian veterinarian

Biosecurity is not about fear. It is about protecting birds.

Every person who works with parrots, including caregivers, breeders, rescuers, foster homes, groomers, transporters, pet stores, and veterinary professionals, plays a role in preventing the spread of infectious disease.

One infected bird can affect many others. A few simple precautions can help protect an entire community.

Knowledge saves lives. Good biosecurity saves even more. Get them disease tested.

Biosecurity should not begin when a disease is suspected. It should be the standard operating procedure every time birds from different environments come into contact.

09/06/2026

Many captive parrots spend less than 1 hour per day foraging. However, multiple studies have shown that providing captive parrots with foraging enrichment increased the time spent foraging to up to 2-3 hours per day. These improvements in foraging times have been seen in blue and gold macaws, Lear’s macaws, orange-winged Amazon parrots, golden parrakeets, red-tailed black cockatoos, and grey parrots!

03/06/2026

29/05/2026

📊 Tracking What Matters: Body Condition in Companion Parrots
Did you know your bird’s weight is only one piece of the health puzzle?
True body condition assessment goes beyond the scale and includes:
✅ Body weight trends
✅ Muscle condition
✅ Fat stores
✅ Feather and skin quality
✅ Overall physical condition
A bird can appear stable on the scale while still losing muscle or developing unhealthy internal fat deposits.
Regular monitoring helps detect subtle changes before they become serious health concerns, giving bird owners and avian veterinarians the opportunity to intervene early.
A simple gram scale and consistent monitoring routine can be one of the most powerful tools for protecting your bird’s long-term health.

Learn how to properly assess your bird’s body condition and what warning signs to watch for in Tracking What Matters: Body Condition in the Companion Parrot- A Clinical Reference for Veterinary Practitioners written by Bianca Murphy, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice)in the Harrison’s Learning Center.
🔗 https://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/learning-center/

27/05/2026

Register for this Free online discussion

27/03/2026

Despite my adding the information about liver damage and trauma creating Phoenix’s feather patterns, and specifically stating this is not “red factor” I am seeing people share my post about him and say how much they respect and adore me but that I’m wrong.

So I wanted to throw a couple of things out here. When I met this bird back in 2018, he was gray, and plucked. He is a Timneh African Grey, and at that point he had no white or light gray, or pink on him at all.

He was adopted by our dear friend, and she was able to help him fully get his Feathers back and that first time they came back there were a few spots that were different colors.

She had had him since 2019, in the fall.


All of the other birds that came out of that situation had tumors, cancer, or something seriously wrong.

He had been there the least amount of time. I have some speculation that it was probably both water and food contamination, but I can’t prove it.

After I am mobile again, from Tanya Harding myself on the concrete, I plan to have Dr. Mcnally do a full work up on him and see if we can’t get some answers definitively for why he looks the way he does.

In the meantime, what I would love for you guys to do is to look it up. I would love for you to look into why we see color changes in Feathers after liver damage, and Feather trauma.

This bird has already been tested for PBFD.

Who has some solid theories on why Phoenix looks like this?

As a sidenote, over the last year or so I have become completely obsessed with beautiful mushrooms. For me, the theory is that they grow out of s**t, and create something truly mesmerizing and beautiful.

We can clearly see that happened with Phoenix. I know that his previous human prior to coming into the Rescue back in 2018 loved him. But I also know that there was some serious medical stuff going on there for all of those birds.

And she herself was going through medical stuff as well.

I’m interested to see what you guys come up with.

27/03/2026

“Understanding High Uric Acid in Birds”

🩺 Not All High Uric Acid = Kidney Disease
Hyperuricemia in birds can come from:

📌 Hyperuricemia alone does not diagnose kidney disease.

1️⃣ Pre‑Renal Causes (Before the Kidney)
Most overlooked: Atherosclerosis in aging parrots

Reduces blood flow to the kidneys
Elevates uric acid even when kidneys are normal
Common in African greys, Amazons, cockatiels, and older psittacines

Signs can include:
• Exercise intolerance
• Dyspnea
• Neurologic changes
• Sudden death

2️⃣ Renal Causes (Primary Kidney Disease)
Possible sources include:

Infectious nephritis
Renal injury
Hypovitaminosis A
Heavy metal toxicity
Neoplasia

3️⃣ Post‑Renal Causes (After the Kidney)

Cloacal disease
Urine outflow obstruction

💡 Birds Are NOT Mammals — Their Kidneys Work Differently

Birds excrete nitrogen as uric acid, not urea
90% of uric acid excretion = active tubular secretion (not filtration)
Birds have:
✔ Reptilian‑type nephrons (no loop of Henle)
✔ Mammalian‑type nephrons (long loops)
70% of renal function must be lost before uric acid rises

📌 This is why hyperuricemia in birds often appears late in true renal disease.

🛑 Why Protein Restriction Helps Dogs & Cats — But NOT Birds

In mammals:
Lower protein → fewer uremic toxins → less kidney stress.

In birds:

Uric acid excretion does not rely on GFR
High‑protein diets do not cause renal disease in healthy granivores
Research in cockatiels fed up to 70% protein for 11 months showed:
✔ Normal kidneys
✔ No renal lesions
✔ Uric acid stayed within normal range

📌 Protein restriction in birds with renal disease rarely lowers uric acid and may cause muscle loss.

🦜 Diet Guidance for Birds With Elevated Uric Acid
Overweight Birds
Switch High Potency → Adult Lifetime
Reduces caloric density
Use measured daily portions

Birds with Low Appetite or Heart Disease
Keep on High Potency
Prevents muscle wasting
Supports metabolic needs

📝 Summary
Before making diet changes:
✔ Determine if hyperuricemia is pre‑renal, renal, or post‑renal
✔ Always evaluate older birds for atherosclerosis
✔ Avoid unnecessary protein restriction
✔ Base diets on caloric needs, body condition, and concurrent disease

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Always work with a qualified avian veterinarian.

Image added for interest — not intended as an exact replica of avian anatomy.

02/03/2026

** DECEASED, 3:30 PM, 03/02/26 💔🌈💔 **

** FOUND, INDIAN RINGNECK PARAKEET, DOWNEY, LOS ANGELES COUNTY CA, 03/01/26 **

Found this morning in the backyard of a residence near Imperial Hwy & Old River School Rd, Downey CA. The bird is in the care of Avian Underdogs Rescue Association. This bird is injured and is in generally poor condition. Proof of ownership is required to claim this bird.

Terry Whatley
949-584-6696