Do you have a question that you have not found an answer for throughout this website or in my FAQ? Use this link to send your question directly to me. Be as specific as possible about the symptom or behavior in question...
Dr. Rob is a world renowned avian veterinarian in Sydney, Australia. He was the veterinary consultant for the Northern Territory Nature and Conservation Commission for a scientific study of the disease status in the wild population of the endangered Gouldian Finches as it related to a "Recovery Plan".
Tailai O’Brien is a Parrot Behavior Consultant who has worked along side Dr. Marshall and has developed special regimes for successful bird training and behavioral development. Fill out her Questionnaire so that she may help you with your parrot’s bad behavior.
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Hi Dr. Rob, I have some questions about S76. I live in Scottsdale, AZ and recently attended our Way Out West Bird Show. Prior to the show, I used S76 for two days per week for 3 consecutive weeks on my aviary birds. My birds seemed to really get perky (not sure if it was S76 or springtime weather). At the bird show, I recommended S76 to people that purchased my birds. I assumed that the booth behind me (All Bird Products) carried S76 and your other products. One of my buyers returned to my booth and informed me that the owner of All Bird Products told her that S76 birds have been dying while using S76. This was very disturbing to me because I had recommended the product to several people. I had my exotic vet over recently and he was impressed with the product. I also showed him your book, and he planned on purchasing it. I have two questions about S76. 1. Is there any evidence that birds have been dying from using S76? 2. How do I use S76 as a preventative? How often should I use it on a go-forward basis? Is it safe for breeding when the parents are feeding the babies? Thank you for your response.
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Hello Angie, S76 is a remarkably safe product. I have heard of no deaths at all relating to the use of S76. It has a very large margin of safety when administered in the drinking water. S76 has a stimulatory effect on all birds. The main active ingredient in S76 is Ivermectin. Moxidectin (Scatt) is a new generation Ivermectin-type medicine which has a "depressing" effect on birds. It has a lower safety margin on birds. It is best to avoid all medication when parents are feeding young babies (up until pin feather age). After pin feather age, use half the dose in the drinking water of feeding parents as they drink much more water when feeding the young. Prevention against lice and mites is achieved through the monthly administation of S76 in summer, and once each three months for the remainder of the year. Birds housed indoors still require S76 to control lice and mites. All the best, Rob</p>
Kris Melka from Germany, Cologne asks: : Hello Dr. Rob, I have read about the new product against air sac mites to put into the drinking water instead of the spot-on method on the neck of the birds. I so far had my Gouldians treated with Ivomec, but would now like to know if the new product or SCATT I also read about on different pages would be more effective in use and less dangerous for the birds themselves than Ivomec. As I'm from Germany, I would like to order the products from abroad, as I don't think they are available here. Or do you probably know of any distribution in Germany, as well? I would be very grateful for anymore info about the products. Thanks in advance, Kris
Hello Kris, The S76 water soluble preparation is much safer and more effective, as the dose received is more exact than the erratic dosing with injectible form, Ivomec on the skin. In water medication is also much less stressful on birds. Finches drink a lot of water and the water dose is sure to work. All the best, Rob
Linda Hughes from Rhome, Texas asks: : Dr Rob, I have written you before regarding my gouldian finches and I wanted to thank you for your help, as they all seem to be doing well. Now I have a question regarding one of your products (S76). Can this product be used safely for large parrots? Specifically Green Wings and Blue and Golds? If so would the doseage be different? Also can it be used on Canaries? Thank You Linda Hughes Rainbow Realm Aviaries Rhome Texas
Hello Linda, S76 CAN BE USED WITH ALL CAGED BIRDS SAFLEY. Dose rates for different species are given on the S76 label. Lice and mites are a most common problem during the warmer months and an underestimated cause of ill health in pet birds. They cause intense irritation preventing your birds from the rest they require to remain healthy. The monthly administration of S76 into the drinking water for two consecutive days concurrently with the application of Avian Insect Liquidator (Vetafarm) spray onto the bird (body, under the wings on the wing flights and tail) is recommended. This spray being alcohol based is quick drying but to prevent chilling only spray in the morning of a warm day. S76 will also control most worms that infect caged birds, especially those housed outdoors and those eating live insects. The one worm that it does not control is tape worms. All the Best, Rob
Linda Hughes from Rhome, Texas asks: Dr. Rob, This is another question in regard to your S76. Can this be given in a natural flight where there are chicks being fed? It seems that there is always somebody with young and I need to treat. Thanks Linda Hughes from Rhome
Hello Linda, No worries about giving S76 to feeding parents with young. Monthly treatments (2 consecutive days) during the summer are advised; and three monthly treatments at other times of the year. All the Best, Rob
Vivienne Muldoon from East Stroudsburg, PA asks: Hi Dr. Rob, I breed several kinds of finches and waxbills, and I am really looking forward to receiving and using your products. I have a question. My question is, two of my clutches of fledged goulds have wet, yellow-beige stained vents. I noticed that one had to pull a poop off its vent with its beak. The Bengalese finches that fostered them have wet vents as well, but on the other hand the parents of these Goulds are in great health. It's hard to tell the consistency of the droppings as I use meadow grass as the bedding, but they are large. They have been on Global Pigeon's Resperitatory Plus (Erythromycin, Furaltadone, Oxytetracycline, Dypirone) for five days with no improvement. They have a great diet: seed mix, millet spray, sprouted seed mixed with Premium 9 Oils, Kaytee Exact Handfeeding Formula and probiotics(I use Vanodyne in soak water), Supermix (egg food, soy powder, spirulina & bee pollen), herb salad, mineral dust, powdered cuttlebone, baked eggshells, and water with Vanodyne and either Fertivit, Calciboost, or Apple Cider Vinegar. I change the soft food and water every day. Of course some of this will change with the arrival of my new products. Thank you so much for your time. My latest observation is that my pair of Star finches and a Shafttail finch have wet vents and droopy wings as well.
Hello Vivienne, I would recommend that you take the entire flock off of all medications and treat with Megamix or KD Water Cleanser as long as the birds are looking okay, but still have the wet vents. Please keep in touch. Rob
Victor Villano from Miami, FL asks: I have gouldian finches and canaries, and have used S-76 on all of them. I was wondering how to treat for scaly mites. I read info that says to treat for six weeks with S-76. Does that mean in their drinking water, or does it need to be applied directly to the feet. One of my canaries feet looks like it might have scaly mites, so I added S-76 to their water, and took a cotton swab and wetted it with the S-76, and swabbed its little feet, boy she didn't like it at all. Could you tell specifically how to treat for scaly mites. Regards, V. Villano
Hello Victor, Scaley foot and leg is sometimes referred to as tassel foot. S76 should not cause pain if it is tassle foot. I would instead use KD as a foot bath for this bird, daily for five days, then reassess. Rob
Evi Floridi from Greece asks: Hello Dr Rob, a friend gave me a canarie, yorkshire, with breath problems. I gave to him a treatment with sivotine (Bogena )in the water and a drop in the neck for 5 days, (antiwindpipemint bogena). The bird still has a breath problem. 3 weeks have passed, and since yesterday I began the drop in the neck. For 5 days I gave him in the water ntiasmatico (tabernil).Please give me any advice u think is the right. I'll appreciate your help.
Hello Evi, It sounds like your Canary still has a respiratory problem. I would have suggested treatment with S76 in the drinking water. However there may also be a respiratory infection in this bird. But the S76 treatment should be done first. If the breathing problems remain after that, you should have a vet confirmation of an infection and treat accordingly. All the Best, Rob
Keith Young from Eureka, CA asks: When I contacted All Bird Products looking for S76, I was told that Ivermectin in the drinking water will kill birds because there is no way of giving an exact dose, especially during the Summer when the birds will drink more water and the drinking water in a bowl will evaporate so the concentration gets higher. Is this true? Thank you.
Hello Keith, You do not need to worry about using S76 in your bird's drinking water. Finches drink a remarkably constant amount of water irrespective of temperature. Therefore S76 is completely safe at my recommended doses. There can be problems with injectible Ivermectin in birds. All the Best, Rob
Rocco Cicirello from Staten Island, New York asks: Thank you Dr. Rob for your quick response. If thrush is the problem for the salivation, how serious is it to the bird?, and also how much and how long do I use it for? Being I'm using probiotics in the water and the egg food, will the NYSTATIN TAKE EFFECT? will the probiotics interfere with the NYSTATIN? Thank you, ROCCO.
Hello Rocco, Canaries, like all finches, do not need probiotics as they have no naturally occurring gut bacteria. Thrush is a very serious illness in finches. If left untreated it could result in death. The Nystatin should be added to the drinking water at a rate of 1ml per 100ml of water, mixed fresh each day and given for 10 days. The Nystatin should be used alone in the water. All the Best, Rob
Rocco Cicirello from Staten Island, New York asks: My canary is on NYSTATIN right now. I have enough for 1 week, with 2 refills. How long could he stay on the drug?
Hello Rocco, Nystatin can only be obtained through a prescription from your vet. Giving it to your canary if he does not have Thrush will not harm him at all. All the Best, Rob
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Do you have a question that you have not found an answer for throughout this website or in my FAQ? Use this link to send your question directly to me. Be as specific as possible about the symptom or behavior in question...
Tailai O’Brien is a Parrot Behavior Consultant who has worked along side Dr. Marshall and has developed special regimes for successful bird training and behavioral development. Fill out her Questionnaire so that she may help you with your parrot’s bad behavior.
