Aussie Finch Forum

I believe I have been duped by a Lorikeet breeder....... I paid serval hundred dollars per bird from them....... same birds just dropped dead on the perch........ I let them convince me it is something that I had done wrong....... I was hadraising babies for them them....... The last seven brought to me..... started projectile vomiting....... one was straddle legged...... which the breeder claims he did not notice....... right.....
I decided to take a bird to the the vet....... the bird remained at the vet overnight....... the bird was brought home to live out it"s life....... within the week it passed away...... Then rushed to the vet for necropsy.
The testing revealed the bird is infected with beak and feather disease......... The breeder claims to have had tested the bird via MDS lab testing...... which test showed at the time it is negative..........
According to the vets....... the MDS tests are unreliable...... and should be be done every 6 months, 3 times a row......... cause the virus is not always shedding. The only accurate testing is via blood draw.
While lorikets and other birds may not demonstrate visible signs or symptoms of the disease....... does not mean they are not infected with the disease. Healthy appearing birds can just drop dead on the perch........ Beak and feather disease is also referred to as the HIV or AIDS of the birds....... it attacks the immune system...... allowing for oppertunistic infections that kill the bird quickly. It is also recommended that bird breeders should not keep lorikeets unless they are the only bird they breed..... It is also known that most if not all lorikeet breeders have the virus in their flock and are selling these birds any ways.......
Back to the sick babies..... all but two died within 72 hours...... the one with the straddle legs...... I disposed of....... I then went through and disposed of every baby bird I had........ I have ceased all breeding and at a point of just disposing of all them....... how can I possibly sell a bird without revealing beak and feather was on the premises.
How do birds you buy, keep in in door aviaries contract this deadly disease, unless they came with it?
How can breeders take a blind eye to it and pretend it does not exist? All in the name of money? In my estimation it would be best to dispose of all the birds, cut my loses and move on..... than to risk selling an infected bird......... I find it hard to believe people are so thoughtless and would defraud another to take money, and more importantly risk sending this disease all around Australia........... I dont want to hear buyer beware...... because you have to go into it deep to become aware....... shame on this breeder....... and any other that wants to play the zero bird.....
I also need to add....... none of the lorikeets from other breeders or pet shops have had any illnesses or have died..... only the birds from this one breeder....... by the way...... they are still trying to figure how this bird had hepatic necrosis...... it was sold for breeding, yet had a barely notable reproductive system on necropsy........ Thank you for listening......
I am over 150,000.00 into birds....... this is what I meant by deep......

Would you make yourself liable by naming and shaming that breeder? if not, I would considered.
Perhaps breeders ought to know who this Chap is.

Certainly am not worried about any liability by stating who I believe sold me sick birds. Another thing is it's always best to let some one litigate you first, as you get to respond to it for free.
This breeder claims to ship heaps of birds to Queensland. No matter how this breeder tries to squirm out of it. I cannot believe I am the only one that has had their birds drop dead. I'm beginning to wonder if this isn't a dirty secret that no lorikeet breeder discusses, in face of the losses, so they breed, sell disease infected birds, have a MDS testing, knowing, more than not it will provide a false negative. This breeder talked me out of using a vet after each expiration. Finally, I just did it. I'm tired of guessing, I'm tired of hearing I must have gotten a super bug (Beak n feather is a super bug). Every bird on my property is going to be disposed of, amazon parrots and so forth. What I will tell you is do not buy any red eyed lorikeets, or pied, fallow. More than not you will buy a disease infected bird, especially in the Cessnock area and that includes me. I will take my losses. But spread the word. One more thing, became at bird shows because they take birds to them.

I feel for ya man but 150k is way too deep especially on lories.

Also you need to blow this out and expose befire some other poor person buys these.

Before you dispose of your birds wouldn't it be better to blood test them all and see if it has spread, if you were hand raising these young away from the rest of your birds it may not have spread. Like when you quarantine birds these are always done last to protect the rest. I would act like quaranting with the rest and test regularly for at least 6 months to see if indead it is in your flock. Was your hand raising area well away from your aviaries.

Thank you Mycoola:
I believed in this person. The birds made it through quarantine.... in the house...... then went in the building used as aviary. Since the breeder wanted to play the Zero bird game, how do you know who's bird brought it in...... I said by who's birds are dying on me...... But if that is how he wants to play it...... I will point the finger at everyone I have purchased birds from.....
I have called everyone of them and advised them. I said if this is how this breeder Anthony Morris wants to play it .......
None of these birds have been outside, and/or in contact with a wild bird..... the birds had to have come in with it....
One pair of birds, while no apparent signs of the disease had a chick with some deformed wings, suggestive of the disease.
One baby I was hand raised for Anthony Morris, had deformed wings, and not tail feathers. I sent him pics of the bird..... his response is.... " Dispose of that bird, Don't let anyone see that bird..... It will ruin his reputation, and mine too". Yet, it was his bird and he should have had came and picked it up and disposed of it himself........ I have talked with other breeders, who say off the record Anthony Morris reputation is already ruint, and yes his birds have beak and feather..... but if you tell anyone I told you, I will call you a liar........ And let him continue to sell diseased birds and ship them all over Australia.

This situation has affected my physical and mental health...... While Anthony maybe a prison guard........ I believe he belongs
in prison.
Here is a post I made else where.....
Greetings Paul and group: I'm recovering from serious depression. A lorikeet breeder, I believed in, duped me by selling me sick birds. The birds are infected with Beak and Feather disease. While the pet owner and novice breeder would look for out worldly appearances. The fact of the matter is, this disease is the HIV/AIDS of the birds. It's destroys the birds immune system and they can just drop dead on the perch. With or with the classic appearances. Anthony Morris, a breeder from Bellbird, NSW, continues to breed these sick birds. Selling to unsuspecting persons and shipping them across Australia. The test the breeders do are through MDS, and often times provide a false negative. As most knowledgeable breeders are aware. The virus has to be shedding for it to be detected. This testing done through MDS, should be done three times at six month intervals. The only immediate diagnosis is by blood. According to
Dr. Shane Radial, most, if not all lorikeet breeders have this disease in there flocks. In view of this it is recommended that lorikeet breeders should not keep other species of birds. I have spent close to 20,000 with this breeder buying his sick birds. Please beware. And use caution if you are considering a lorikeet.

I will try to post some photos...... Thank you.

Not good at loading pics....... here is the link to the 3,000 double factor fallow.........

http://i63.tinypic.com/2r7sz8z.jpg

Link to an X-Ray

http://i64.tinypic.com/2ex6npf.jpg

Chick with straddle legs....... wherein Anthony said he did not notice...... taken day it was delivered for handraising.....

http://i67.tinypic.com/30tlw5x.png

The bird hand raised that Anthony refused to pick up....... sent message to dispose of the bird...... don't let anyone see the bird as it will ruin his reputation and mine......... the bird became aggressive..... difficult to kill anything.... Note the abnormal wings...... no tail feathers.......

http://i63.tinypic.com/2hp3wg9.jpg

Wing of the chick described.......

http://i64.tinypic.com/rrt85y.jpg