If you share your life with a Parrot, this article is a must read!!! More and more parrots that are relinquished to the Rescues and Sanctuary’s are testing positive for this disease. Know how to prevent it, so that your parrot does not die from simple lack of knowledge.
The Silent Killer by Katrina Coleman
Feathered Angels 
I am guilty – so guilty. I have taken in 8 rescue parrots through the years. I would never give my babies anything to eat I wouldn’t eat – that is except peanuts. They love them and I enjoy watching them rip into them…but after reading this I will never allow them to have a peanut again. I always get the unsalted ones from a “human food” nut store. I want to thank Katrina Coleman for her article…it must have been difficult for her to write…but by writing it I know 8 birds who will never have another peanut. They have been through enough in their lives – they don’t need something that can be prevented. Thank you. Willa N.
Many of us were not aware either Willa, that is why I am working to help spread all the information that I learn and find through many sources. Together we can make life for our Feathered Angels better 🙂
Deborah
I lost a female Eclectus to Aspergillosis and it was a horrifying thing to go through day and night. I took her to the vet and he tried everything he knew to help her. I read and read on the internet trying to find out some information. Eventually, I found Alicia McWatters article on Aspergillosis and called her. By the time we finished a few phone calls, it was too late for Ginger. I changed my feeding and and the whole way I care for my birds. I am now totally aware of what may happen to a bird so quickly. Getting the information out there and impressing upon people is a major factor in caring for our pet birds.
Thank you for sharing your very sad story with us. I can only imagine how difficult it was for you to loose your Ginger to this horrible disease.
Educating those who share their lives with parrots is vital in helping to end this deadly disease. It can be prevented so easily, if we just know the facts.
Hello just love your articles. Knowledge is power! Two questions maybe someone can help. How is this treated if you find it in time? Air filters are very helpful I know, but i have heard some can actually be dangerous to our parrots. I think the ionic ones are bad does anyone know what kind is good for our babies?
Keeping the air clean is not only healthy for your Feathered one but also you. A good portable air circulating HEPA and Granular Carbon Air Cleaner or Air Sterilizer is the best for you, and your birds air!
Deborah
There really isn’t a treatment other than providing the cleanest environment possible which includes the air they breath, their consumption of anything, the cleanliness of their cage and surroundings and the toys they play with as well as help developing the strongest immune system possibly with the help of your vet and antibotics and your elimination of every spore of aspergillus possible. As far as airfilters go HEPA airfilters are always a sure bet they never add anything to the air and remove as much as possible providing your attention to keeping the filters clean. The rest is in God’s hands.
Please read. The air cleaner is a must already before the disease – clean air is always very very important. My macaw Veikko was diagnosed to have aspergillus with a blood test and x-ray photos. After that Veikko was on itraconazole & with nebulization (clotrimazole) for 6 months. A lot of medication (3 times a day) but it is a tough disease that must be taken seriously. Aspergillus can be compared to cancer. It can spread and after that there is not much to be done. Your parrot can die slowly with a lot of suffering. I have seen that before and wish it for no one. My macaw Veikko also has an endoscopy twice a year to see the changes (inside) in the body. I hope this helps – I have been living with aspergillus for 18 years and still there is not enough talk about it. People should know:)
Thank you so much for sharing your very personal and tragic journey. I too pray that more folks can learn about this disease and hopefully help eliminate it.
I am so scared right now. I have recently been giving my green cheek peanuts…he loves tearing at them & I thought it was so cute. I had no idea I was putting him at risk. I would never ever be able to handle it if this happens to him.
I stopped giving my Macaw peanuts a long time ago because I read there were no nutrients in them, thank goodness. But I do give them treats of shelled peanuts which I will decrease and cease. I am always reading on caring for my Cookie, I have had him for over 13 years when I rescued him from a cage he was in that was entirely too small. his beak was way overgrown and so were his nails that when I took him to the vet they could only trim a bit off and they put him to sleep to do that.
Thanks for the heads up. Fresh fruit, veggies and pellets will be their only diet now no more nuts.
I do still feed nuts to my birds, but I am very careful of making sure that they are human grade only. There are some wonderful sources of nutrition that can be found in some nuts, again we just have to use caution and make sure we are doing all we can to protect them as much as possible.
I buy dry roasted unsalted human grade peanuts. Are the dry roasted safe for the birds?
Those would probably be the safest choice, I just dont feed peanuts at all but the nuts I do buy are dryroasted and no salt human grade 🙂