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Dr. Rob Marshall Book
The Budgerigar

Written by renowned avian vet Dr. Rob Marshall, The Budgerigar contains information essential for keeping budgerigars as pet birds, in aviaries, and especially, in the development of exhibition bloodlines. Every pertinent topic is covered, including those regarding behavior, environment, nutrition, health, and breeding.

"There is a lot of literature available about the Budgerigars. This book is completely different. It is the first book that looks at this little bird as a creature interacting with its harsh environment. The biological insight into the life of budgerigars will give the reader a new understanding into all aspects of this remarkable bird, its basic requirements for living and the wonder of its breeding capabilities.
Established breeders will find here completely new insights and a lot of food for thinking about the management of a stud. Rob Marshall has managed to guide the reader along all stages of a budgerigar’s life and explains the key points in an easy to understand way. This book, containing plenty of practical information, is also of great help for the dedicated keeper of a pair or a small flock of Budgerigars. "

Gerd Bleicher
President WBO Berlin (Germany).

The Budgerigar" by Dr. Rob Marshall is an extensive, detailed book covering everything from origin, breeding, nutrition, genetics, and disease. It is a valuable reference for the serious breeder and exhibitor. We have been breeding and showing Budgerigars for 30 years and found the chapters on breeding, nutrition and disease most helpful.” Gary & Kathy Hicken-UT

414 pages, Beautifully Illustrated, Hard Bound Cover. ISBN: 978 0646 5065 86

International Orders ship via Priority Mail Only.

Dr. Rob Marshall
a World Leader in
Avian Health

The Budgerigar - This hard bound publication, by Dr Rob Marshall, provides extensive genetic details on primary and combination mutations bred worldwide. This title presents 414 pages over 31 Chapters including 2000 photographs & illustrations. Definitive information on all aspects of keeping and exhibiting. Please Select: International = $114.00 USA Orders = $114.00

Chapter One
Origins of Melopsittacus undulatus	6
Origins of birds	6
Origin of Melopsittacus undulatus "Budgerigar"	10
Classification of Melopsittacus undulatus	11
Chapter Two
Aboriginality & Melopsittacus undulatus	14
Chapter Three
Ethology of Melopsittacus undulatus	20
Grassland and Desert Environments	22
Seasonal Breeding Behaviour	23
Environmental Water Supply	26
Geology & Soil Types	26
Soil Types & Flora	27
Flora	28
Breeding Grounds, Soil Types & Flora	29
Calcium Supply	29
Breeding Grounds & Nesting Hollows	30
Ethology & Exhibition Budgerigars	31
Chapter Four
Communication Behaviour of Melopsittacus undulatus	32
Visual Communication	34
Visual Communication & Flock Behaviour	36
Vocal Communication	37
Hearing Ability	37
Memory-based Behaviour	38
Flock Behaviour	40
Migratory Behaviour	41
Chapter Five
Breeding Behaviour of Melopsittacus undulatus	42
Breeding Opportunities and Rain Patterns	46
Breeding Stimulation and Climatic Patterns	47
Moult & Breeding	48
Breeding Condition	50
Courtship Behaviour & Mate Selection	51
Warbling Behaviour	51
Egg Production	52
Asynchronous Hatching	53
Shared Breeding Responsibilities	53
Nesting Behaviour	54
Social Behaviour in the Nest	55
Social Conditioning	56
Weaning Behaviour	57
Fledging Behaviour	57
Chapter Six
Moult Cycle of the Budgerigar	58
Primary Moult Cycle of Wild Budgerigars	58
Prenuptial Moult	63
Exhibition Budgerigar Moult Cycles	64
Chapter Seven
Nutrition of Melopsittacus undulatus	66
Survival Food	70
Moult Food	72
Breeding Food	74
Chapter Eight
Nutrition for Exhibition Budgerigars	78
Theoretical Considerations of Nutrition	80
Energy	82
Energy Sources	83
Protein	84
Protein Quantity	84
Protein Quality	85
Fats & Essential Fatty acids	87
Minerals "macro & micro minerals"	88
Iodine, iron, and other micro-minerals	89
Vitamins	90
Feeding in Practice	92
Soft food recipe using soaked seed "Peter Dodd"	92
Soft food recipe using sprouted seed "Kelwyn Kakoshke"	93
Soft food recipe using dry seed "Alan Reid"	93
Alan Reid's Feeding System	94
Kelwyn Kakoschke's Feeding System	96
Tailai O'Brien's Feeding System	98
Chapter Nine
Applied Anatomy of Melopsittacus undulatus	100
External Anatomy	100
Head Anatomy	100
Body Anatomy	104
Internal Anatomy	106
Digestive Tract	108
Kidney System	109
Reproductive Tract	110
Feathers	112
Feather Formation	112
Feather Types	112
Feather Structure	113
Feather Colour	114
Feather Texture	116
Feather Colour Patterns	117
Chapter Ten
Evolution of the Ideal Budgerigar	118
Chapter Eleven
Genetics of Budgerigar Colours & Varieties	126
Feather Colour & Texture	130
Structural Genetics of the Varieties	132
Mutations affecting yellow pigment production	132
Mutations affecting melanin production	133
Mutations affecting melanin and psittacin production	134
Mutations affecting pigment distribution	134
Structural Colour	134
Dark factor, Grey factor, Violet factor & Slate factor Mutations	135
Chapter Twelve
Inheritance behaviour of Varieties & The Standard	136
Dominant Varieties & Features	138
Recessive Varieties & Features	140
Inheritance Behaviour of Sex-linked Varieties	141
Traditional Breeding Roles of the Varieties	142
Combinations of Colour Mutations	143
Chapter Thirteen
Inheritance Behaviour of Show Features	144
Inheritance of Show Features	146
Traditional wisdom	149
Colour and Feather Condition	149
Body Type or Type	149
Top End "Head & Facial" Features	150
Heritability of Features	150
Chapter Fourteen
Creating Show Features	152
Role of Varieties	154
Developing Feather Features	155
Developing Skeletal Features	156
Developing Breeding Ability	157
Chapter Fifteen
Feather Qualities: Creating the Illusion	158
Fundamental Feather Qualities	160
Feather Type "Contour Feather Qualities" 161
Structural Feather Qualities	162
Feather Texture	162
Feather Colour	163
Feather Tanning	165
Three Dimensional Qualities of Contour Feathers	166
Feather Density	166
Feather Curvature	167
Feather Shape & Size	168
Feather Geometry	168
Feather Height	168
Feather Width	169
Feather Geometry & Throat Spots	169
Feather Thickness	170
Directional Feathering	171
Composite Feather Features	172
Chapter Sixteen
Developing a Plan for breeding the Ideal & Beyond	174
Inbreeding	176
Inbreeding for Bloodlines	177
Crossbreeding	177
Stock birds versus Show Birds	178
Inbreeding, Variation and New Features	179
Complementary Breeding	181
Hybrid Vigour	182
Incrossing	182
Starting a Breeding Plan	184
Breeding Pair Selection	184
A Breeding Plan	186
Inbreeding for Stock Birds or to improve a Variety	188
Inbreeding "incrossing" to improve a lesser Variety	190
Inbreeding/incrossing to Improve the Clearwing Variety	192
Complementary Breeding to produce the Ideal	194
Complementary Breeding to produce Best in Show of a particular Variety	196
Breeding to produce Best in Show: Variety is unimportant	197
Chapter Seventeen
Budgerigar Health & Happiness	198
Aviary requirements for happiness	200
Monitoring health & happiness	203
Distant Appraisal for health & happiness 203
Feather quality and happiness	204
Roosting behaviour & happiness	204
Close up investigation for health & happiness	206
Chapter Eighteen
Detecting Disease	210
Distant Changes Associated with Failing Health & Disease	213
Changes in Noise and Smell	213
Changes from normal Roosting Activities	214
Feather quality	216
Dropping changes	217
Physical abnormalities from a distance	218
The physical examination	219
Eye inspection	220
Frontal feather examination	222
Cere examination	223
Close inspection of the feathers above the nostrils	224
Facial feather examination	226
Assessing body condition	226
Vent feather examination	227
Checking the abdomen, feet and legs	230
Wing examination	232
Tail & preen gland examination	234
Dead Bird Examination	236
Chapter Nineteen
Immediate & Tactical Response to Disease	240
Immediate Response to Disease	242
Tactical Response to Disease	244
Disease in the Flights or Weaning Cage	244
Disease in the Breeding Cabinet	246
Emergency Diagnosis & Treatment	246
Chapter Twenty
The Management of Disease	248
Natural Resistance & Disease Management	250
Stress & Disease	250
Stress & Disease Management	252
Chapter Twenty One
Planning for Breeding Success	256
Breeding Requirements	258
Good Health	258
Breeding Stimulation	258
Breeding Condition	258
Nest and Breeding Cabinet	258
Preparations for the Breeding season	259
Start Time for Breeding	259
Southern Hemisphere vs Northern Hemisphere Breeding Start Time	260
Southern Hemisphere Breeding Plan	260
Northern Hemisphere Breeding Plan	262
Northern Hemisphere: Artificial Daylight Manipulation	264
Breeding Cabinet and Nest Preparations	266
Nutrition for Breeding	267
Breeding Condition & the Pairing Process	267
Breeding Condition & Male Budgerigars	270
Breeding Condition & Female Budgerigars	274
Artificial Insemination	276
Chapter Twenty Two
Breeding Pair Problems	278
Breeding Cock Problems	280
Breeding Hen Problems	284
Chapter Twenty Three
Infertility & other Egg Problems	288
Infertile "clear" Eggs	290
Female Fertility & Egg Quality	292
Egg Necropsy	294
Dead-in-Shell Eggs	296
Chapter Twenty Four
Nestling Deaths & other Nest Problems	298
Nest & Nestling Examination	300
Critical Developmental Phases	302
Nestling Problems "0-3 days old"	302
Yellow Belly as a Cause of Nestling Deaths "0-3 days old"	304
Yellow Belly & Nest Contamination	304
Other Causes of Nestling Death "0-3 days old"	304
Nestlings Problems "5-10 days old"	306
Nestling Problems "Older than 10 days"	307
Chapter Twenty Five
Weaning Problems	310
Weaning Process	312
The Nursery	314
Forced Weaning System	314
Holistic Weaning System	316
Nursery Cycle	316
Weaning Problems	318
Feather Loss & Weaning	318
Transition to the Flights	319
Chapter Twenty Six
Problems in the Flights	320
Stress in the Flights	322
Overlapping Stresses	324
Death in the Flights	325
Young Bird Deaths	326
Preventing Problems in the Flights	328
Chapter Twenty Seven
Two Most Significant Budgerigar Diseases	330
French Moult in the Flights	332
French Moult & Polyomavirus Infection	333
French Moult in the Nest	334
Treatment and Control of French Moult "Polyomavirus"	338
Psittacosis & Polyomavirus Infections	340
The Nature of Psittacosis	342
Psittacosis & Carrier birds	344
Symptoms of Psittacosis	345
Symptoms of Psittacosis in the Flights	346
Symptoms of Psittacosis during the Breeding Season	347
Causes of Psittacosis	348
Diagnosis of Psittacosis	348
Psittacosis Treatment	350
Chapter Twenty Eight
The Most Devastating Diseases of Budgerigars 352
Coccidiosis	354
Coccidiosis Symptom	356
Coccidiosis Treatments	356
Coccidiosis Prevention Plan	358
Coccidiosis Outbreak Treatment Plan	359
Roundworm Infestation causing Death	360
Roundworm Drugs "Anthelmintics"	360
Roundworm Outbreak Treatment Plan	361
Food Poisoning	362
Contaminated Seed	362
Bacterial Contamination of Seed	364
Food Poisoining & Soaked Seed	365
Food poisoning & Mycotoxins	366
Chapter Twenty Nine
Diseases of Impaired Immunity	368
Megabacteria	370
Megabacteria Treatment	372
Streptococcus	374
Streptococcus & Breeding Failure	374
Acute Streptococcus	376
Treatment & Control of Streptococcus	376
Chapter Thirty
Diseases of the Environment	378
Diseases of High Humidity	380
E.coli Infection	380
Triggers to E.coli Infection	382
Diagnosis & Symptoms of E.coli Infection	383
Treatment & Prevention of E.coli Infections	384
Staphylococcus Infection	385
Thrush "Candida" Infection	386
Blocked Gizzard & Sour Crop	388
Mites & Lice	390
Trichomoniasis "Canker"	392
Canker Treatment & Control	394
Chapter Thirty One
Seasonal Health Programmes	396
Winter Cleansing Programme	398
Flight Health Programme	400
Breeding Health Programme	402
Weaning Cage Health Programme	404
Show Preparation	406
Show Health Programme	408
Health & Nutritional Products	411

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