Birdhouse Mobile Exotic Vet

09/03/2025

Avian influenza doesn’t just impact birds—it can impact pets too. Share these tips with pet owners and help keep their furry and feathered friends safe from bird flu: https://mrkmnls.co/4i9PIcJ.

07/02/2025

Calling all bird nerds: It's our time to shine! The Great Backyard Bird Count is happening in ONE WEEK!

https://www.birdcount.org/

31/01/2025

🚨 Bird Flu Advisory for Lake Julian Park 🚨

A deceased waterfowl at Lake Julian Park has tested preliminarily positive for bird flu. Parks staff have identified eight deceased birds, and additional test results are pending.

💡 Park Visitor Guidelines:
• The park remains open.
• Never touch or feed waterfowl.
• Wash your hands regularly after outdoor activities.

🦆 Health & Safety Info:
Buncombe County Parks and Public Health teams are working with state partners to monitor the situation and handle cleaning protocols.

👉 "It's uncommon for bird flu to spread to humans, but it is possible,” said Buncombe County Public Health Director Dr. Ellis Matheson. “Stay away from sick or dead birds, and keep pets away too."

General public guidance:
• Avoid contact with dead or sick birds and if you see one, contact the park ranger.
• Wear gloves and masks if contact is necessary such as with backyard flocks.
• Wash hands frequently.
• Stay up-to-date with seasonal flu vaccines.

For more guidance and bird flu symptoms, visit: https://www.buncombecounty.org/countycenter/news-detail.aspx?id=21977

27/01/2025

Mini-documentary on Scarlet Macaw conservation by Cornell Lab of Ornithology about Natura Mexicana A.C. and their work to restore and protect Scarlet Macaws in the Lacandona Rainforest in Mexico. Check it out:

https://youtu.be/dZQH0PXR93M?si=cPWVL8L2Bqk25QcM

{Select CC button on bottom right of film for English subtitles}Discover the incredible work that Natura Mexicana is doing to conserve the Scarlet Macaw in M...

10/01/2025

10/01/2025

You've likely heard more about Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) or "Bird Flu" in the news recently. There are some important things to note as there have been increased cases in mammal species, including humans. We've put together some information to help you understand this virus and its potential implications for your health as well as the health of your pets. Feel free to reach out to us to help you navigate best practices to keep your flocks safe.

31/12/2024

Just like that, this year is a wrap! We are excited to enter this new year with better husbandry, healthier animals, and enrichment for everyone! Our mantra for 2025 is "surviving is not thriving".

In the Chinese Zodiac, 2025 is the year of the Snake. The snake's ability to shed its skin symbolizes transformation and letting go of the past. We've put together this list of practices we'd like to leave behind as we look ahead to optimizing the lives of the animals in our care.

Snakes in Chinese mythology hold many special meanings including prosperity, wealth, introspection, and good fortune. We wish you all these good things in the year to come. Happy New Year! 🐍🎁✨

Don't forget to schedule your 2025 annual wellness appointment where we can provide you with detailed and tailored recommendations to improve your animal's husbandry:

b.link/birdhousebooking
#2025

11/10/2024

08/10/2024

We are here for you, WNC! We will be seeing urgent appointments in the Asheville area for birds and reptiles this week. You can schedule online via our website. Please leave detailed notes regarding your pet and their condition. We will return to routine care as soon as we are able as our area steadily rebuilds.

We will continue to operate on our usual business days of Wednesday and Friday. If you have an after hours emergency, please refer to these options:

Veterinary Emergency Group, 24hr, (828) 470-7802
📍1856 Hendersonville Rd Suite F, Asheville, NC 28803

Carolina Veterinary Specialists, 24hr, (704) 949-1100
📍12117 Statesville Rd, Huntersville, NC 28078

UT Veterinary Medical Center, 24hr, (865) 974-8387
📍2407 River Dr, Knoxville, TN 37996

Note: Please call ahead

02/10/2024

Free ice is currently available at the Home Depot (795 Fairview Road) until supplies run out. Ice is available in 7lb bags. This was an unexpected large donation that the City is unable to store.

30/09/2024

We are truly blessed to be safe and also heartbroken at the damage this hurricane brought to our community. We will resume appointments as soon as possible and for non-urgent needs you are welcome to use our booking link.

FOR URGENT & EMERGENCY AVIAN & EXOTIC NEEDS: please reach out to Carolina Vet Specialists in Huntersville (704) 949-1100, University of Tennessee in Knoxville (865) 974-8387, or Veterinary Emergency Group of Greenville, SC (864) 252-9520. If you are a current client of ours, please send us a text first so that we can send over a referral, if possible!

26/09/2024

Gut loading is often overlooked but so important to providing optimal nutrition for your insectivorous reptiles!

Have you already checked the latest issue of the Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery? You can read this article in BioOne (https://bioone.org/) and the access is included in your ARAV membership!

Dubia roaches, commonly fed to captive reptiles, naturally have an inverse calcium-to-phosphorus (Ca:P) ratio, which can lead to nutritional imbalances like secondary hyperparathyroidism. This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional content of these roaches and whether a high-calcium gut-loading diet could improve their Ca:P ratio. Roaches were divided into control and experimental groups, gut-loaded with a commercial diet for 12, 24, and 48 hours. Results showed that all experimental groups had a significantly improved Ca:P ratio compared to baseline, confirming that gut-loading dubia roaches with a high-calcium diet can provide a suitable Ca:P ratio for reptiles.

Title: Plasma Dubia Roaches (Blaptica dubia): Food for Insectivores Made Better by Gut Loading with a High Calcium Commercial Diet
Authors: Elise Barras; Kimberly Boykin; Graciela Aguilar; Zoey Lex; Amy Bitter; Mark A. Mitchell

18/09/2024

Happy National Pet Bird Day! 🦜🎉 Today, let's celebrate our pet birds for their beauty, intelligence, and companionship. Whether you're a proud parakeet parent, a cockatiel caregiver, a macaw magician, or a chicken chaperone, we're here to help your winged wonders thrive. Share your favorite bird photos and stories in the comments!

10/09/2024

🧠🦜 Check out this upcoming symposium at NC State College of Veterinary Medicine & Veterinary Hospital on October 5th and 6th. Saturday, October 5th is open to bird owners and will feature Dr. Pepperberg, PhD (of The Alex Foundation) and Dr. Hooimeijer, DVM.

Our assistant, Delilah, is attending and we hope to see you there for a wonderful opportunity to dive into cognition and behavior of our parrot companions!

https://cvm.ncsu.edu/nc-state-cvm-parrot-cognition-and-behavior-symposium/

25/08/2024

Pet loss is a difficult process and is often unseen and misunderstood. It's incredible how such small creatures can take up such a large part of our hearts.

If you've suffered pet loss recently or in the past, University of Tennessee is hosting a Pet Memorial Celebration through their Center for Veterinary Social Work on September 8th from 2-4p. Through the link, there are options to attend in person or to share photos and stories about your pet.

tiny.utk.edu/PetMemorialDay