Pigeonbasics.com

I have one and have used the Flying Vet book to refer back to etc, either my birds never have anything seriously wrong with them or im not using it right. Hopefully the former lol

Too much to learn.... and too close to get things real wrong .... So I just contact Johnny11 on here and have done with it!

Agree with much you say Roland, but I'd like to seperate hype from reality. Posts elsewhere reinforce my gut feeling that there's a lot of sales patter in the press [and even in pet shops] that 'yer dug etc' is riddled with this that and the next thing and you should give it this & that every other month.

Think the main bit is being able to interpret what you see. If I'm stuck thought about firing the slide up on forum, or if I'm stuck & worried, avian vet only 20 minutes away from where I live that I can phone for advice or maybes email slide to.

I agree with your theme of independant testing, having results double checked..

I think there is always a danger of conflict of interest when a test service also supplies pigeon medical specifics, too easy to change hats yes you've got a problem and yes I can help you with what you need for it.

It'll take me a while to get started [close season] but I intend to do my own, and if there is something there that I need advice on, I intend to pop it up on screen [should that be poop it up    ] for others to have a look, and / or take it to the vet.

Incidently, anyone know where to purchase chemicals for a Gram stain?

Quoted from 82

I agree with your theme of independant testing, having results double checked..

I think there is always a danger of conflict of interest when a test service also supplies pigeon medical specifics, too easy to change hats yes you've got a problem and yes I can help you with what you need for it.

It'll take me a while to get started [close season] but I intend to do my own, and if there is something there that I need advice on, I intend to pop it up on screen [should that be poop it up    ] for others to have a look, and / or take it to the vet.

Incidently, anyone know where to purchase chemicals for a Gram stain?

Dont you need violet dye iodine alchol and safranin for that I would guess try local pharmacist not sure about the safranin if you be able get that

Quoted from 82

Incidently, anyone know where to purchase chemicals for a Gram stain?

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/lancashire-microscopy-supplies

you can get anything on e-bay !!!

Quoted from REDCHEQHEN

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/lancashire-microscopy-supplies

you can get anything on e-bay !!!

Thanks, I've added that to favourites.

Video showing how to do a Gram stain

http://www.geocities.com/csstoica/movies.html

hi can any one tell me what these are

and these

1st one is plant cells  

2nd and 3rd - not sure, 3rd possibly just cell chambers containing starch granules

4th one - not 100% but could be roundworm egg




but this is from someone who has never seen one cocci oocyst - or one worm egg on a microscope slide as yet from umpteen samples I've looked at

what magnification are these? (I would guess x100)

correction, no. 4 wrong worm - hairworm egg

Hi Red, do you look for cultures in pigeon poo for yourself? or is this just a quick quiz?

Quoted from chickadee

Hi Red, do you look for cultures in pigeon poo for yourself? or is this just a quick quiz?

I can't do cultures cos I haven't got the equipment  
But I can tell if there is an imbalance in the bacteria - and if there is a yeast infection ( which one of my young birds had last week)

But for that you need to look at x400 magnification  

Quoted from REDCHEQHEN

I can't do cultures cos I haven't got the equipment  
But I can tell if there is an imbalance in the bacteria - and if there is a yeast infection ( which one of my young birds had last week)

But for that you need to look at x400 magnification  

It must be quite interesting looking through the microscope and finding things.

Quoted from chickadee

Hi Red, do you look for cultures in pigeon poo for yourself? or is this just a quick quiz?

I hope you didn't think I was being cheeky?  I was just genuinly interested if you looked for things yourself instead of sending them away to be checked.

Thanks for posting this Karl, this is a really worthwhile thread. Anyone more microscopy pics we could look at and identify the various life forms we should be aware of in our pigeons?

There are some other threads on here with samples on - I think chatrace may have posted some with worm eggs and cocci on - samples he had done for friends - and Wiley posted some similar to the above - with plant cells and starch granules - but psoting on here is very worthwhile - I think you need to practice a lot with the microscope to get the most out of it - and asking others opinions - though Wileys pics did have a lot of differnt answers, which I think is why chatrace posted the pics to show the difference

And chickadee - its interesting to a point - but can get tedious
I have difficulty seeing the canker 'thingies'  

and I can't use a microscope without my specs on - cos all I see is a reflection of my long eyelashes  

Sooo... a fine chance for Richard to get these all together in a small article  



I can't use a microscope without my specs on - cos all I see is a reflection of my long eyelashes  

Quoted from Hjaltland

Sooo... a fine chance for Richard to get these all together in a small article  



I can't use a microscope without my specs on - cos all I see is a reflection of my long eyelashes