MODERN aviculturists have a vast array of medications, additives and preventative preparations available to them to assist in the health and welfare of their charges. Administering many of these treatments by mouth to birds is not always as straightforward as it sounds.

  Medicines can be added to the drinking water, and whilst this may prove satisfactory for some treatments and some medications, it does not always prove successful.  The actual amount of medication taken by any individual bird will vary drastically as the intake of medicated water consumed will be different for every bird. Just watch your drinkers under normal circumstances, some require topping up every day, some every other day, whilst other need replenishing at least twice daily. Some treatments are bitter to the taste, and birds will refuse to drink for a number of days, or extract sufficient moisture from other sources such as moistened softfood, greenfood or bath water.

  Mixing medication with seed is next to useless for seed eating birds, as the vast majority will be discarded with the husks when the seed is shelled, even the commercially prepared medicated seeds lose a high percentage of the actual medication in this way.

  Some types of medication will not dissolve in water, again restricting the methods of administration to the birds. Putting medication directly into the beak is difficult, as the bird nearly always resents this kind of treatment, fighting the handler, shaking and spitting out the treatment, thus ensuring that a full measure is almost impossible to administer, and if the treatment has to be repeated, it becomes more difficult on each occasion, with additional stress being placed on the bird.

  The alternative is to administer the treatment directly into the birds crop, something which many fanciers now do with little or no difficulty. It is quick and easy to do, and more importantly, can be repeated without the birds being unduly stressed.

  Crop tubes come in an assortment of shapes and sizes, for use in birds of different sizes and temperaments ranging from the smallest of our finches, up to the longest for use in an Ostrich. For the benefit of this article, the sizes and procedures are for use on Budgerigars and similar sized birds. The type commonly in use is made from stainless steel, and fits onto any standard syringe. It is about 90mm (3.5 ins) long and 2mm (one sixteenth in.) thick. The end that goes into the birds mouth has a smooth rounded end, to ensure that no damage is done during insertion, and a small hole in the side to allow the administration of the liquid.

  To dose the bird, the crop tube should belubricated with water or liquid paraffin, and the tip placed firmly to one side of the birds beak, towards the back close to where the top and bottom beaks join. Once the bird opens it's mouth the tip of the crop tube should be moved backwards along the roof of the mouth towards the throat for a short distance, and then down the throat for a short distance, and then downwards towards the birds body. A slight rotating motion on the syringe assists the insertion of the crop tube, but under no circumstances should any force be applied as it is put in, it should enter very easily under the weight of the crop tube and syringe contents. When it is fully in place, up to 50mm (2 ins) of the crop tube will be inside the budgerigar, and depressing the syringe will administer a full and accurate treatment of medication, and should take only a few seconds in an experienced hand. The use of this type of crop tube will certainly be required at some stage, and practice could save the life of your most valuable bird. 

  Fanciers are reluctant to attempt this type of treatment on two counts firstly they fear that they will damage the internal organs of their birds. Provided no force is used this will not happen, and secondly they fear they will push the tube down the windpipe. This is almost impossible to do as the windpipe is smaller than the crop tube, so force would need to be used.

  Dr J Baker recommended the use of these crop tubes during his work on behalf of the LC&NWBS and the Budgerigar Society, and his expert advice on using this equipment is gratefully acknowledged.