Signalment and History
A breeder with several clutches of Nanday conures 4-8 weeks of age. All five live birds are unwell with some other conures in previous weeks dying in the nest or just after leaving the nest with the only signs being bruising on and beneath the skin. These birds are kept next to an aviary of budgies that have the occasional birds with poor feathering. The adult conures have no signs. Parent birds are on a poor diet mainly of sunflower seeds. There are rats and mice near the aviary and the owner may have used rat poison outside the aviary. The birds are expensive and so the owner wants to have a diagnosis without resorting to post-mortem.
Physical Examination
There are some mildly dystrophic contour feathers, bruising on the skin and subcutaneous area. The birds do not seem to be weaning well as the older birds are not cracking seed easily.
Photos of budgies and conures