# Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD)



## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

I was just wondering, has anyone owned a Cockatiel with PBFD? 

For those that don't know what PBFD is:



> *Every now and then, people comment on seeing the odd Sulphur-crested Cockatoo in a mob which has extensive feather loss around the head which sometimes extends to the body. In addition, the beak looks deformed and overgrown.*
> 
> *These sightings are not uncommon and during winter these birds become dependant on backyard bird feeders for their survival.*
> 
> ...


Dr Ross Perry, who is an Avian Specialist (and a brilliant one at that) in Sydney, Australia, had made this video, it is a video of a rescued pet Cockatiel with clinical signs of having PBFD: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E00uAheXdo0&feature=player_embedded#!

 It is so sad.. my heart breaks when someone comes along and says "I have a bird (or birds) with PBFD". I read someone had to cull several Princess Parrots after a Princess Parrot was shipped from another state, and that same Princess Parrot was NOT quarantined, and tested positive for PBFD and was put in an aviary with other Princess Parrots. They had a lot of Princess Parrots and Budgies, they culled pretty much all their Princess Parrots bar a few.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Its so sad


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Thankfully since there is no exporting done from AUS anymore, tiel populations in the US have not had any problems with this disease.


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## Jess (Jun 20, 2010)

I think pretty much here as well in the UK it's not common now. It took the scare of bird flu (when some cases were found in quaretine) to put a stop the importation of wild birds. I have a friend with a large collection, many rescue as she's never had a case of it PFBD, PDD on the other hand is still an issue here, seems to be more likley to affect Macaws, quite often blue and golds and conures.


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