West Nile Virus

[xxxIcarusxxx]

I was wondering if anyone is concerned about West Nile Virus. I was reading a bird talk magazine and it said that west nile virus can possibly be deadly to parrots. It said to get a mosquito net and put it over your birds cages at night. I think I am going to get some nets to put over my birds cages at night. What do you guys think about west nile? Here is a link about west nile virus http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/ and a link about a possible vaccine http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1970&articleid=2757 Anyone think Iam just being way to paranoid :o

[coolpikaaa]

Are your budgies outside?

I really wouldn't know.

I didn't even know budgies could *get* west nile.

-coolpikaaa

[pal0m1n0]

I think some birds are more susceptible to it than others, but it would be really silly to put a net over your birds and not yourself. :)

[xxxIcarusxxx]

No my budgie lives inside. I did have a net for my bed but the cat kept ripping it out of the ceiling, trying to jump in the bed with me. I would think that west nile would be more deadly to a small animal than a human :S

[Pippin's mom]

I think you should go with your gut.:) If you're concerned then cover them. I don't think you're being paranoid you love your birds and want to protect them..nothing wrong with that.

I would definitely cover mine if they lived outside, but since they are inside probably not.

[buddiesdad]

It's been on the rise here over the last 7 yrs or so. Mostly they find it in dead crows and seagulls...not sure why other then we have a lot of both birds here. I never heard of it affecting budgies or other cage birds but honestly how would anyone know unless they got their dead bird tested. I wouldn't be too afraid of it here (not sure about other places). If its common where you live then I would say cover them....it would at least give you a sense of security. There have been a handfull of cases every year with humans around here..most recover but it seems pretty nasty!

[BUUZBEE]

Our horses are vacinated for WNV... but thats a requirement at the track.

We have lots of people in so cal affected by it each year. So far, no problems with our birds in the aviary. But we do all we can to keep skeeter levels down in the garden, not standing water etc. etc. etc.

[AngelWings]

O.O now you're getting me paranoid.. but my birds stay inside so i don't think that the mosquito would come all the way to the second floor inside the house and going for one of my birds...

[xxxIcarusxxx]

There were a few dead birds outside last year :( And I have found mosquitoes in my room on the second floor. Iam just going to cover them to be safe.

[AngelWings]

is this common in ontario, Canada?? because it's scaring me T^T if it's common here then i'm going to cover my babies cages too T^T

[tstmard]

I know the breeder here told me when I mentioned about putting my birds outside how some people lost their birds to West Nile last year. So I'm not going to put them out. If you have had mosquitoes in your room and a problem with West Nile in your area I'd probably do it. Just cause I'm a paranoid type of person. I don't have much of a problem with them in my house luckily.

[BUUZBEE]

Here is a map showing the spread of the virus (its from wiki, and looks to be a bit dated, but a few years back, it was just about everywhere)

[AngelWings]

T^T it's positive!! so now i need 2 mosquito nets. My mom thought i was crazy & paranoid before just wait until she sees the mosquito nets XD

[BUUZBEE]

Just try preventing them from around your house.

we've had the virus here for a few years... no problems.

[Zippi]

All you can do is be as careful as you can, and use netting if it mosquitoes are a serious issue around your home, or if it is going to give you peace of mind. But keep in mind that if we get paranoid about every potential bad possibility in life, we would spend most of the time worrying and less time enjoying life and our birds :)