Things You Should Have On Hand

The follow are some clips from postings on EXOTIC-L from owners and breeders.

I'm trying to assemble a proper first aid kit for my birds. So far I have Quick Stop, needle nose pliers, bottled water, 2 soft baby blankets, tweezers, Q-tips, and gauze pads. Anything else I am missing? (probably a lot) What do you all have in your first aid kits?

Nicole


I also have Betadine, various sizes of syringes, pedialyte, flour, various medications, lactated ringers, a restraint device, 26G needles, non-stick bandages, vet wrap, a means for providing warmthvarious sizes of rubber tubes to empty crops, Nekton-Tonic, vet phone #'s, avian medicine reference books, paper tape, masking tape, scissors, speculum to look in their throats, small flashlight.

--from dmacaw


We also have note cards in our first aid box that contain info on the kids. Hatchdate, last vet visit, previous medical history, etc. Another note card contains the name and number of the vet. It's nice to know these are here just in case. If it was a true emergency I am sure I couldn't even remember the babies names, let alone medical history.

--from Jodie Moulton


I have the following lists, given to my by two different breeders:

1) Heat pad, heat lamp, cage covering, thermometer, 1/2" adhesive tape, gauze bandages, sterile gauze pads, rubbing alcohol, povidone iodine (10%), hydrogen peroxide solution (3%), Vetwrap bandaging tape, tweezers, scissors, plastic medicine dropper, syringes (feeding tubes), Gerber's High Protein baby food (or whatever your vet recommends), BFI powder (to stop bleeding), Nolvasan disinfectant, Gerstenfeld's "The Bird Care Book," and your vet's phone number.

2) Betadine (for belly buttons), Ricelyte/Pedialyte, insulin needles, a nebulizer, bands for the whole year, Nolvasan, vet wrap, Neocalglucon, Gentomycin, spoons (or syringes) for handfeeding, lots of towels and washcloths, diapers (cloth), Depends chair and bed pads, disposable cups, measuring spoons, creamed papaya, Exact handfeeding formula, weight charts (both historical records and blank charts), certified thermometers to check other thermometers against, digital thermometers/hygrometers, OxyFresh products, latex gloves, craft sticks, Grumbach incubator, three hospital isolettes, and lots of paper towels.

The first breeder is in OR; the second is Debbie Kesling (of rpb fame, who raises Moluccans), who mentioned also that the above list is not complete. It should be noted that both breeders slant their kits toward the possibility of having baby birds on hand. You would want to adjust/delete as necessary.

....spector@netcom.com


So far, I'd add a small tank or hospital sized carrier or cage and a heating pad. Betadine, vet-wrap, emeryboard (several), and nail clippers. A small, bright flashlight can also be VERY handy. Neosporin and some small syringes, suitable for measuring liquid medicine are also useful. Just for myself, I also make sure I always have a sealed can of handfeeding formula in the freezer and spare syringes (I often dole these out to people "rescuing" wild birds...that way I can rotate my supply). My kit is a little different than the average pet owner.

Len #@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@ LenZ@earthlink.net