Category: Rehabilitation Articles
Using Full Spectrum Lighting With Birds
Patrick R. Thrush © 1999 (reprinted with permission from author) One of the most commonly asked questions by birdkeepers about cage lighting concerns the effective and proper usage of full spectrum (or FS) lighting devices. Little ‘fact’ exists as to the type of lamp to be used, the correct distance of the lamp assembly to … Continue Reading
Fluid and Electrolyte Therapy
Osmosis Osmotic Pressure Hypertonic Isotonic Hypotonic Distribution of Fluids Dehydration Percentage of Dehydration Fluid Replacement Composition of common replacement fluids Osmosis — passive transport of water across a semipermeable membrane. Water tends to move across the membrane until the solute concentration (the amount of solids) on both sides are the same. When water concentration is … Continue Reading
Feather Conditioning And Damage
Feathers and flight are the primary facets of bird rehabilitation that make it uniquely more difficult than mammal rehabilitation. Feather condition is as critical during the course of release for birds as is the ability to fly. Any type of damage to the feather structure will impede a bird’s ability to fly, waterproof, and thermoregulate. … Continue Reading
Sutures
Suture materials The purpose of a suture to hold a wound together in good apposition until such time as the natural healing process is sufficiently well established to make the support from the suture material unnecessary and redundant. Choice of a suture will depend on: Properties of suture material
Common Bird Nematode/Protozoa Infections
Ascaridia spp. (large roundworm of birds) Nematode From earthworms, eggs in avian feces or in contaminated water Size varies by species, females 20-120 mm, males 16-76 mm Small intestine Most serious in birds 1-3 months old Heavy infestations can cause partial or complete obstruction of the intestinal lumen resulting in reduced gastrointestinal motility or stasis; … Continue Reading
The Rehabber’s Notebook
These links will eventually be incorporated into the Rehab Resources section: Avian Baseline hematology values Avian Blood Cell Morphology Longevity Records Ornithology Lecture Notes Habits and Management Index Avian Anatomy Anatomy Slide Show (127 images) Anatomy Slide Show Individual Index Air Sacs Diagram Avian Respiration Inhaled Anethesia for Birds Bent Life History Series ONLINE! Chicken … Continue Reading
Aviary Plans
This basic aviary plan is the cummulative effort of our members. Rehabilitators have a variety of preferences for the design and all the variables have been included to help you design an aviary that best fits your needs. Aviary considerations are included. As an additional option to streamline construction, you can purchase kits to help … Continue Reading
Research Resources
After years of rountinely visiting site after site researching wildlife-related data, we’ve created a one-stop research link page for the best research sites on the internet. Whether you’re looking up life history information that includes descriptions, behaviors and habitat or want to review diseases/illnesses, related procedures and/or nutritional requirements, these searches will help you find … Continue Reading
Culturing House Fly Larvae (Maggots)
We go to great effort and expense in attempting to provide the appropriate diet to the variety of species in our care. Yet we actually have a self-renewing resource readily available to us. After extensive research by the medical community regarding the use of larvae in human wound management, the culturing of house fly larvae … Continue Reading