Post by listercrvt327 on Sept 18, 2016 17:35:03 GMT -5
Hey Guys, As part of my research on my path to hopefuly take up falconry I am of course taking an exstensive amount of notes. Through reading and researching I am putting together a "study guide" that covers all basic aspects of Falconry and related husbandry. I've run into my first stump though.
To start with I was wondering if any of you could fill me in on symptoms/resulting illnesses of differenct common nutrient deficiencies? I am most informed with hypovitamosis D, less so with vitamin A, and also with hypocalcemia. Are these three the most likely to be seen or are there others that are likely to occur with improper care?
Secondly, for whatever reason I cannot seem to find anywhere listing the syptoms/signs of avian flu. My reading has lead me to assume it isn't overly common but I would like to be as ready for anything as I can. I have found some reference to it's effects on captive poulty but not much specific there either.
Mind you all, I haven't begun purchasing books, and am currently relying on the web and local library. Once I reach a point where I am satisfied with the amount of information I have pulled I will move on to questioning the DEC, "local" falconers, and buying reading material. If there is something glaring I missed in a common advised reading book, I am sorry. Thanks in advance for any help.
Because the season is starting soon, I would invert your priorities. I would contact the local falconers FIRST, before they get too busy to work with you, then buy a decent beginner book and read it. Then if you want to make a study guide or get detailed answers to complicated questions, such as nutritional deficiencies, you can get your second book, but the exam will not cover such details, you should be able to learn the common ailments covered in the state exam from most good falconry books and the modern apprentice website in my opinion.
Besids, your sponsor should not allow you to experience this problem first hand because you will likely be feeding what your bird kills, supplemented by frozen mice or quail and maybe a vitamin supplement sold by a falconry supplier for example. The actual practice of falconry turned out to be less complicated than I thought. Falconry is best learned by doing it in my opinion. Find someone who is doing it and you are halfway there.
Post by listercrvt327 on Sept 25, 2016 19:03:34 GMT -5
I totally understand your advise to contact the Falconers first, however due to current life issues I don't want to fool myself into thinking I'm more ready than I am. I was not planning on getting in touch with local falconers till next year, and possibly looking for a sponsor the year after that.
I suppose there is no reason I can't, but I have a tendenancy to get in over my head before I realize it, and due to purchasing a house as well as taking on an abused german shepherd among other things, I'm afraid I won't give them my full focus and make a bad impression.
I do think I will look into a good book or two, and contacting our DEC soon. I frankly am not finding all the information I was looking for via the net. I just want to be as aquainted with the sport as I can be before I take big steps. I figure a years worth of notes and research (not just test studying) will be a good time to make sure my priorities are right.
Post by gabrielgarza on Sept 26, 2016 9:31:27 GMT -5
The net does not have a whole lot of information on Falconry at the moment. That is slowly changing. Right now, your best bet for information will probably come from books.
Hey Guys, As part of my research on my path to hopefuly take up falconry I am of course taking an exstensive amount of notes. Through reading and researching I am putting together a "study guide" that covers all basic aspects of Falconry and related husbandry. I've run into my first stump though.
To start with I was wondering if any of you could fill me in on symptoms/resulting illnesses of differenct common nutrient deficiencies? I am most informed with hypovitamosis D, less so with vitamin A, and also with hypocalcemia. Are these three the most likely to be seen or are there others that are likely to occur with improper care?
Secondly, for whatever reason I cannot seem to find anywhere listing the syptoms/signs of avian flu. My reading has lead me to assume it isn't overly common but I would like to be as ready for anything as I can. I have found some reference to it's effects on captive poulty but not much specific there either.
Mind you all, I haven't begun purchasing books, and am currently relying on the web and local library. Once I reach a point where I am satisfied with the amount of information I have pulled I will move on to questioning the DEC, "local" falconers, and buying reading material. If there is something glaring I missed in a common advised reading book, I am sorry. Thanks in advance for any help.
I cannot speak to specific deficiencies because I am not a vet. As others have suggested with a proper diet and care deficiencies aren't really a common issue.
I see no harm in learning as much as possible beforehand, however you probably won't find much on medical stuff. The best site i know of is themodernapprentice.com
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Post by listercrvt327 on Sept 26, 2016 16:32:21 GMT -5
Thanks guys, I appreciate the interest in helping. The modern appretice is where I've found most of my info, cross referencing with as many vet/research/government sites as I can. Even including forum info you guys are right about solid information being fairly scarce.
As far as good husbandry solving most issues, I figured only relying on that could put me at a disadvantage after apprenticing. Especially if I move on to other raptors. I also suspect that this is why only certain deficiencies have descriptions. For instance, a Vit D deficiency is somewhat easier to end up with as any issue keeping the bird out of sun to long and any issues with the preen gland/preening can lead to it, whereas most others will be sloved with a good diet.
I do have two relatives, and a close family friend that work in the NY DEC. I'm hoping they will be able to provide helpful knowledge, or least provide materials/names of where I can find it. The good side is I have no problem taking as long as I need to make sure I'm ready, even if my efforts are beyond whats needed.
Hypocalcemia doesn't have symptoms until the bones start deforming. Seizures from hypocalcemia generally require some other major problem (like a sudden suck of calcium that we see in small breed female dogs second week of nursing puppies). You don't want to be anywhere near either of those problems. Feed whole prey bones. I separate rabbit joints to make it more likely my RT will swallow the bone. Feed the livers (vitamin D). Feed the whole prey item.
Hypovitaminosis A causes a general decline in the immune system as well as changes in the normal growth of skin and other tissues of embryologic epithelial origin. Once again, feed the whole prey item (liver is loaded).
Don't worry about knowing those. What matters far more is knowing to feed a whole prey diet, at least on balance (the whole rabbit divided over a week or weeks depending upon ration size). DO NOT OVERDO THE LIVER - feed the rest of that prey before the next liver. You can overdo the fat soluble vitamins (A/D/E/K).
Avian influenza? If your bird is sick at all head straight to the vet for general supportive care - there is no cure. Red tails aren't going to be very susceptible unless you feed them wild dabbling ducks or something like that. The infection rates in raptors seem to be pretty low. Look on the USDA website for more information. Influenza is COMPLICATED in detail. At this point it's a bunch of pedantic detail which isn't going to do you much good right now. Your test most likely won't include it, certainly not updated information unless something magic happens in your state wildlife dept.
Basically, sick bird is sick bird when it comes to viruses - they all look pretty much the same. Memorize the stuff in the books and the study guides for tests (Kansas's test is super outdated, in terms of modern medicine).
Hypocalcimia does show effects before bone deformation. Sorry that's just not accurate when considering raptor physiology. Star gazing syndrome ( also a symptom of a lack of vitamin D) can and does occur rapidly in small Falcons and Accipiter's. In more cases than not it's usually a vitamin d3 deficiency, but can and does indicate Hypocalcimia. Blood work may and usually does indicate it occurring well before bone deformation occurs. My Eyass Sharpshinned hawk this season was having issues with seizures and I became well versed in blood work and possible causes for the symptoms. Hypocalcimia was a suggested cause but blood mapping ruled it out.
Quite a few falconry birds have died from Avian flu the past few years. Saying they aren't suceptible to it is not a wise statement to make. Wild and falconry Raptors hunt and eat ducks, chickens, and other birds that can and do carry it. Some states including my own, have bans on importation of falconry Hawks and Falcons from specific states showing rises and outbreaks of H5N1.
When in doubt always use the MN Raptor center as a study source. They tend to stay on top of current trends in epidemiological issues affecting falconers Hawks and Falcons.
It is good to have an end to Journey towards, but it is the journey that matters in the End. - Ernest Hemingway
Post by runnergirl on Nov 12, 2016 16:54:37 GMT -5
The UMN website refers only to cases in gyrs, coopers and snowy owls. The USDA website lists all of 2 red tails found to be deceased from the virus. A red tail isn't going to get infected by eating rabbits, so I stand by my statement that unless you're feeding red tails the dabbling ducks known for being the reservoirs of LPAI and HPAI, they aren't going to be very susceptible. I never said falconry birds weren't susceptible, I said infection rates were low. Infection rates in raptors is based upon cases the USDA has identified, as avian influenza is a reportable disease. Falconry birds in our state seem more likely to contract West Nile virus than AI. An outbreak of HPAI in Washington State doesn't equal widespread high infection rates. We anticipated a potentially scary situation for falcons last hunting season, but the risk stayed surprisingly low.
Many states develop bans on congregating with birds of any kind when there is an outbreak of AI. It took special permission in 2015 to host the NAFA meet in Hutchinson, KS. When HPAI outbreaks are under control, these bans are typically lifted.
It wouldn't surprise me for a state to disallow entry of birds from a state with a current outbreak; however, I was unable to locate such information from Tennessee - is that your current state, echotadog? I found information requiring test of poultry before entry, depending upon the flock's participation in the NPIP. Could you please provide a link to this information, or a photo/pdf of the order? It is unlikely to be in effect now anyway, since the USDA has no HPAI control areas in effect (the last one was Indiana Jan 2016).
Contact the falconry coordinator from the TWRA and the State veterinarians office and ask about importation of out of state Hawks.
I had to get a health certificate from Indiana this summer before I could bring my eyass sharp shinned hawk into TN.
Try and be a little less confrontational and accusational in your responses. You are an apprentice on an apprentice forum. Allow the General and master Falconer's to share their knowledge and experiences without being A smart ass and arbitrarily challenging us. You're still an apprentice and there's never a ceiling to the information we can learn about falconry.
Last Edit: Nov 13, 2016 14:06:02 GMT -5 by echotadog
It is good to have an end to Journey towards, but it is the journey that matters in the End. - Ernest Hemingway
I do stand by everything I said about Avian Influenza, by the way. That is not arbitrary. I did state correct information, and you said I was wrong while misstating what I said. So in that respect, respect works both ways ;-)
The USDA website will always have the most current information about avian influenza. Requiring a health certificate for any movement of a bird into a given state is fairly standard, though with native wildlife the government folks might get a little confused, and be inconsistent with requirements, if the state laws don't specifically address raptors.
For even more information on avian influenza, you could review this course. It does not cover all information about avian influenza, but it will give you a little more of an idea: aast.cfsph.iastate.edu/AIEND/index.htm
The particularly long "fact sheet" (following) has a number of sources cited on the claim that raptors are uncommonly affected by AI under normal circumstances. If you are aware of any cases which were not reported to the feds, please take steps to insure it is reported. The USDA has pretty clearly demonstrated they don't cull raptor collections because of even HPAI, and they are hands down the best resource for tracking infection data. www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/highly_pathogenic_avian_influenza.pdf