Can I keep button quail if I have poultry who are carriers of mycoplasma?

[hebe5]

Hello there,

I am interested in button/chinese painted quail but I have five seramas who are carriers of mycoplasma - would this be a no no?? I bring my seramas indoors a lot but what if they were kept in separate rooms and I was scrupulous about washing my hands before handling them?

 

[007Sean]

Howdy,

Do you know which strain of Mycoplasma your birds have, M. galliseticum, M. Iowae, M. meleagridis, or M. synoviae ?
If Mycoplasma synoviae, it can be transmitted to quail, as well as ducks, pheasants, geese, guineas, and parrots but it primarily ocurs in chickens and turkeys.
Treatment is with tetracycline
Once a carrier, always a carrier. So, with that said, I would not even think about having any other birds, until the ones that have it are deceased or re-homed.
The infection can be dormant for long periods of time but when the birds become stressed, aerosol transmission can occur and spread very rapidly through the flock.
While BIOSECURITY should be a priority, simply washing your hands, clothing, shoes, feeders, waterers, etc...will not prevent the spread, it will help but the aerosol aspects of the infection overrides the cleanliness rule.HTH

 

[hebe5]

Howdy,

Do you know which strain of Mycoplasma your birds have, M. galliseticum, M. Iowae, M. meleagridis, or M. synoviae ?
If Mycoplasma synoviae, it can be transmitted to quail, as well as ducks, pheasants, geese, guineas, and parrots but it primarily ocurs in chickens and turkeys.
Treatment is with tetracycline
Once a carrier, always a carrier. So, with that said, I would not even think about having any other birds, until the ones that have it are deceased or re-homed.
The infection can be dormant for long periods of time but when the birds become stressed, aerosol transmission can occur and spread very rapidly through the flock.
While BIOSECURITY should be a priority, simply washing your hands, clothing, shoes, feeders, waterers, etc...will not prevent the spread, it will help but the aerosol aspects of the infection overrides the cleanliness rule.HTH

Thanks Sean, you've confirmed my thoughts. I don't know what type of mycoplasma it is - just that it's a mycoplasma type illness. Mine have been treated with Tylan and on the whole are well. I'll just stick with my five girls then.