WORMING  

• Birds should be wormed twice per year.  Esp. those that spend a lot of time on  Aviary Floors foraging - ie. Kakis, Rosa Bourkes, GMR's etc.

• The Spring worming should be done 2 -4  weeks before you are due to pair up
  for the Breeding Season. 

• The 2nd worming should be done at the end of the Breeding Season to make sure their systems are rid of all parasites before the onset of Winter, to give them the best chance of being healthy before going into colder weather.

PANOMEC "SYSTEMIC" WORMER (from VET) (GLOVES MUST BE WORN - Systemic)
IVERMECTIN 1% Spot-on (From Vet or can be bought On-line or in some Pet Shops)

• To get rid of Internal Worms and External Parasites (i.e. lice, Red Mite and Scaly Face mites) 

• One drop of an Ivermectin-based Wormer (“Panomec” - from Vets) on the back of the birds neck —

  • blow apart the feathers and put it where the birds can’t preen.

  • *Wear rubber Gloves before you apply and be careful of handling the bird for a few days after, as it’s systemic, so it is absorbed thru the skin.

  • (Your skin as well as your birds!) 

  • It's a similar idea as using "Frontline" on Dogs and Cats

  • NB: Ivermectin is highly TOXIC to both cats and dogs - so make sure you never use any products containing this on them.  Also make sure you don't leave empty packages/containers  around that have contained IVermectin - so they can't chew them.

PANACUR LIQUID (from Vet) administered Orally

• You could use "Panacur" 10% liquid (From Vets), which is administered via the beak with a syringe (remove needle first!!) 

  • It's white and semi-viscous

• If you are not used to dosing via beak, or haven't done it before, it's best NOT to try it without an experienced person present to show you the correct/safe way.

• You could accidentally get the liquid into the Birds' trachea (windpipe) it could then aspirate (i.e. choke) and poss. die. 

• It's quite a specialised task, as you have to make sure you get the Syringe tip from the
  Left-side towards the right of the birds' throat to ensure the liquid goes into the crop
  and not the wind-pipe!

• Panacur is also the treatment for Giardia (see side index for full details) . . .

WORMER in the WATER (From Pet Shops)

• Alternatively, you can buy little bottles of "Wormer" (e.g. "Expel" by Aviform) 

• you just put a few drops into the birds' water over a 3 - 4 day period. 

• However, this just creates an "unfriendly" environment for worms rather than instantly killing them off. 

• It also depends on how much water your birds actually drink! 

• However, if you have birds that would get too stressed being caught up to administer the "Panomec" or "Panacur", then "Wormer-in-the-Water" would be a much better alternative than not worming at all.

• A member recommends you put 1 teaspoon of Household Bleach (yes, plain domestos!) to 1 gallon of Fresh Water and then give to you birds to drink.

• This helps keep the drinkers clean and helps keep the birds free of parasites and keep their digestive tracts working well. (Has been known to help keep “Young Bird Sickness” at bay). John and Ray have used this for years with no ill effects—only good ones!

The Australian Budgerigar Council recommends "adding a few drops of Raspberry Cordial to help keep your birds’ water clean and bacteria-free".