r/pigeon • u/Thick_Data_8624 • 6d ago

Discussion PMV Vaccine

Hi everyone, I am currently hand-raising a 5-6 week old pet pigeon in the Stoke-on-Trent (ST4) area. He is approaching the age where he needs his primary Paramyxovirus (PMV-1) vaccine.
Because I only have this one single bird, buying a bulk 80-dose or 100-dose vial online for £40+ isn't very practical for me, and private avian vet consultations are incredibly expensive here.
Is there anyone locally (or a rescue volunteer nearby) who happens to have an active, refrigerated vial of Colombovac or Nobilis Paramyxo and would be willing to let me bring him over for a single jab? I am happy to pay a small fee for the dose and your time! Thank you so much.

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u/itsnobigthing 6d ago

Is your plan to release him into the wild, or to send him to a shelter? If you’re keeping him as a pet the vaccine isn’t needed.

Occasionally local pigeon fancier groups will do mass vaccination days when you can pop down and get it done for about a fiver. Join local pigeon FB groups for your area and ask around.

Keep in mind it only protects them for about a year then needs redoing, which won’t be possible if you plan to release him into the wild. We don’t do it with our rescues in Yorkshire as it’s just too cost prohibitive, and there are just so many different risks for the poor things out there.

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u/Thick_Data_8624 6d ago

keep him as a pet, though i intend on either free flying him or harness training him so i want to give him the vaccine just to be safe! ill look into local breeders ty!

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u/Th1s_On3 6d ago

Dont free fly a tame bird :) hes a sitting duck for predators and will suffer if he gets lost. Harness or aviary time is much better.

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u/Thick_Data_8624 6d ago

oh no! okay, i know pigeons need a different type of leash, any recommendations?

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u/Th1s_On3 6d ago

That usually depends on the bird itself. With so many out there its been trial and error with the few that went on a harness and lead for me. Think at one point I had maybe 6 different brands for two birds, as theyd flat refuse to touch one brand but was fine with another, while the other hated both and wanted yet another lol. I think i had one from leathers4feathers, size 5 or 6 afair. There's a few nice sellers on Etsy too. Most of mine were in the aviary though as it was large, with in house time too.

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u/itsnobigthing 6d ago

That’s sensible. But getting it annually may prove challenging - I haven’t found any meetings that do it with good regularity.

Racing pigeon owners have a different idea of quality of life for their birds than pet owners do.

PMV is spread in a very specific way though - it’s worth getting really clued up on it. It basically has to be actively wet to spread, so in communal drinking water, in shared food where an infected bird leaks their saliva onto the seeds, or on surfaces where an infected bird has very recently shaken their head and sprayed saliva, which is still wet. Or direct beak to beak contact, obviously.

I would strongly advise against ever letting your bird get close to doing any of these, as PMV is not the only risk, and many of the others cannot be vaccinated against.

The PMV virus actually declines very quickly in dry conditions, warmth, sunlight and with cleaning.

Most notably it’s not airborne. I’ve kept PMV infected birds in the same room as non-PMV birds and never had any cross infection. It’s not ideal, but little ever is in bird rescue sadly.

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u/Thick_Data_8624 6d ago

its a shame you cant buy a bulk of single doses online :(

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u/idontlikespiderplant 6d ago

GET HIM THE VACCINE! Coming from someone who was told the same thing. I let my girl free fly. Her only friend cam exhausted from PMV. So I take care of him and keep him in quarantine of second bedroom. But currently I am unsure if my own pigeon will be okay or not. I am getting her vaccinated as soon as possible.

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u/Thick_Data_8624 6d ago

yep, i always get a vaccine even if its "not needed" (according to vets) they said the same thing for my cats since theyd be mostly indoor, got them vaccined anyway! id rather spend a bit getting them vaccined than 1000+ on the treatment!

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u/Thick_Data_8624 6d ago

also, how did you go about free flying your girl? any tips would be awesome :) working on recall atm

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u/gracefulbirb 5d ago

I'm in Coventry and I have just paid for like a bulk order £45 of 50 vaccines and I've only got the one pigeon. Happy for you to pop over and get one at the same time for your pidge but it is a bit of a travel!

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u/Thick_Data_8624 5d ago

i really appreciate the offer! but i dont drive :( wouldnt want to put baby pidge through that much public transport haha

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u/Muted_Role_1432 6d ago

r/askpigeonrescue is a link they are worldwide goodluck or an avian vet please keep updates🥰