Defining Theriogenology & Neonatology
By Bobbie Andleton SPBE Internet Chairperson

In deciding how SPBE could best serve the Upatsix avicultural education program, we were assigned two highly specialized areas in deference to any particular parrot species. While every breeder is familiar with areas composing these two specialized fields of Theriogenology and Neonatology, few are familiar with their scientific and medical names. Therefore, as one of the first contributing articles to Upatsix's FYI program I'd like to clarify the two areas, acquainting the aviculture community with an understanding of how important both Theriogenololgy and Neonatology are to the breeder.

In the animal kingdom Theriogenology refers to all phases of the reproductive cycle and its anatomical and physiological features. This requires inclusion for aviculture and ornithology not only a scientific but behavioral knowledge of the reproductive system, breeding preparation, all obstetrical implications; diseases; physiology and hormonal operations; the egg, incubation and embryonic growth and development One of the primary areas of concern in aviculture concerns ways in which maximum reproduction of the species may be maintained. Once the chick hatches, the confines of Theriogenology ends and the field of Neonatalogy takes over.

Neonatology is the study of the growth and development of newly hatched birds roughly from hatching to weaning. All factors which contribute to this period of a parrot's life i.e. handfeeding; health; physical;, mental and emotional maturation, etc are included.

Neonatology, of necessity, requires a knowledge of Theriogenology in the sense that the developmental growth and maturation of a chick is closely allied to its parents and the inheritance of parental genes. To gain a more complete history of the neonate Theriogenology often provides clues or answers. Disease and/or deformities appearing in the neonate are frequently related back to the parents or the incubation process. Such conditions might be caused from improper nutrition of one or both parents; environmental and atmospheric conditions; diseased nestbox; contaminated incubator; lethal gene combinations or a variety of other conditions directly related to the parents.

Therefore in detecting clues to the health and maturation development of the neonate, the parental contributions as well as the present environmental conditions surrounding the neonate must be taken into account. The results from all of the accumulated data on the chick from Day 0 to weaning can aid the neonatologist in determining if the parental mating is good or bad. If a lethal combination of genes is suspected then the parental pair should be assigned new mates. If the chicks show outstanding neonatal development and maturation then a recommendation for maintaining the parental pairing would be strongly advised.

Owners of larger parrots or of certain psittacine species have been reluctant to break up pairs, falsely believing that parrots will not adjust to new mates. Such a belief has slowly, over the last decade, been proven to be false. There are many recorded cases of pairing changes made in the large macaws, amazons, cockatoos, greys, conures, etc. that have been very successful. Just as incompatibility exists between humans, these highly socialized birds likewise are subject to total incompatibility with their chosen mate.

These two scientific fields are essential to a well constructed and successful breeding program. We are therefore very pleased to be able to draw upon a large membership segment and the knowledge and expertise of our SPBE species consultants to assist viewers in their breeding and handrearing programs. From time to time we'll be publishing special articles through the SPBE Web Press as well as the Upatsix FYI programs. In addition we will be checking in on Ask The Experts to help viewers as well as carefully monitoring the SPBE Forum.

This bit of information was brought to you by:
Bobbie Andleton, SPBE